Uyghur face recognition method combining 2DDCT with POEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Lihamu; Ya, Ermaimaiti

2017-11-01

In this paper, in light of the reduced recognition rate and poor robustness of Uyghur face under illumination and partial occlusion, a Uyghur face recognition method combining Two Dimension Discrete Cosine Transform (2DDCT) with Patterns Oriented Edge Magnitudes (POEM) was proposed. Firstly, the Uyghur face images were divided into 8×8 block matrix, and the Uyghur face images after block processing were converted into frequency-domain status using 2DDCT; secondly, the Uyghur face images were compressed to exclude non-sensitive medium frequency parts and non-high frequency parts, so it can reduce the feature dimensions necessary for the Uyghur face images, and further reduce the amount of computation; thirdly, the corresponding POEM histograms of the Uyghur face images were obtained by calculating the feature quantity of POEM; fourthly, the POEM histograms were cascaded together as the texture histogram of the center feature point to obtain the texture features of the Uyghur face feature points; finally, classification of the training samples was carried out using deep learning algorithm. The simulation experiment results showed that the proposed algorithm further improved the recognition rate of the self-built Uyghur face database, and greatly improved the computing speed of the self-built Uyghur face database, and had strong robustness.

Overweight, high blood pressure and impaired fasting glucose in Uyghur, Han, and Kazakh Chinese children and adolescents.

PubMed

Yan, W L; Li, X S; Wang, Q; Huang, Y D; Zhang, W G; Zhai, X H; Wang, C C; Lee, J H

2015-01-01

To investigate whether the levels of blood pressure and fasting glucose differ among Chinese children of three different ethnicities (i.e., Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and Hans) and whether the differences are explained by childhood obesity. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a large three ethnic pediatric population (n = 6633), whose ages ranged from 7 to 18 years. Anthropometrics and blood pressure were measured using standard protocols. Fasting glucose was measured in a subset of children (n = 2295) who were randomly selected based on ethnicity and age. The age-sex stratified Chinese national cut-offs were used to define obesity and high blood pressure (HBP). The prevalence of HBP, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), mean levels of blood pressure, and glucose were compared among three ethnic groups. 2142 Uyghurs, 2078 Han, and 1997 Kazakhs were analyzed. After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), the mean blood pressure for Uyghurs was on average, 2-4 mm Hg lower than those for Hans and Kazakhs. Kazakhs had the lowest mean fasting glucose compared with Hans and Uyghurs (4.5 vs. 5.0 vs. 4.8 mmol/L, respectively). The differences in blood pressure and fasting glucose persisted even after adjusting for age and BMI, and the differences among ethnic groups in blood pressure levels and fasting glucose levels were observed as early as 7-9 years of age. The prevalence of HBP and IFG differed significantly among Uyghurs, Hans, and Kazakhs, and the ethnic differences observed in childhood were consistent with those observed in adults from the same region. While childhood obesity is a significant risk factor for hypertension and elevated glucose, the differences among ethnic groups were not explained by obesity alone.

A Genome-wide Analysis of Admixture in Uyghurs and a High-Density Admixture Map for Disease-Gene Discovery

PubMed Central

Xu, Shuhua; Jin, Li

2008-01-01

Following up on our previous study, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of admixture for two Uyghur population samples (HGDP-UG and PanAsia-UG), collected from the northern and southern regions of Xinjiang in China, respectively. Both HGDP-UG and PanAsia-UG showed a substantial admixture of East-Asian (EAS) and European (EUR) ancestries, with an empirical estimation of ancestry contribution of 53:47 (EAS:EUR) and 48:52 for HGDP-UG and PanAsia-UG, respectively. The effective admixture time under a model with a single pulse of admixture was estimated as 110 generations and 129 generations, or admixture events occurred about 2200 and 2580 years ago for HGDP-UG and PanAsia-UG, respectively, assuming an average of 20 yr per generation. Despite Uyghurs' earlier history compared to other admixture populations, admixture mapping, holds promise for this population, because of its large size and its mixture of ancestry from different continents. We screened multiple databases and identified a genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism panel that can distinguish EAS and EUR ancestry of chromosomal segments in Uyghurs. The panel contains 8150 ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) showing large frequency differences between EAS and EUR populations (FST > 0.25, mean FST = 0.43) but small frequency differences (7999 AIMs validated) within both populations (FST < 0.05, mean FST < 0.01). We evaluated the effectiveness of this admixture map for localizing disease genes in two Uyghur populations. To our knowledge, our map constitutes the first practical resource for admixture mapping in Uyghurs, and it will enable studies of diseases showing differences in genetic risk between EUR and EAS populations. PMID:18760393

Uyghurs in Xinjiang: United or Divided Against the PRC?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

rule in Xinjiang, this thesis asks whether or not the policies have increased or decreased Uyghur political consolidation. Three inter- related ...send a significant influx of refugees into neighboring countries, destabilizing bilateral relations . There is also concern for increased terrorist...advocate that Uyghurs master the Mandarin language, arguing that only through the Mandarin language and secular education will the Uyghurs become

Implicit Trust between the Uyghur and the Han in Xinjiang, China

PubMed Central

Li, Xueting; Fang, Huizhen; Yang, Shengmin; Liu, Jia

2013-01-01

Trust is a vital lubricant that increases the sense of security in social interactions. In this study, we investigated the intergroup trust between the Uyghur and the Han, the two largest ethnic groups in Xinjiang, China, with a Go/No-Go Association Task. Specifically, we instructed Uyghur and Han participants to respond to ethnic faces (Uyghur vs. Han) and trust/distrust words and measured the strength of the automatic associations between the faces and words for both in-group and out-group pairs. As expected, both ethnic groups showed implicit in-group trust and out-group distrust, but the Han group demonstrated stronger in-group trust and out-group distrust toward the Uyghur than the Uyghur group toward the Han. However, the magnitude of distrust of the Han toward the Uyghur was small to medium as compared with that reported by other intergroup relationship research. In addition, participant geographic location was associated with out-group distrust. These findings offer implications for developing effective strategies to encourage trust between conflicting groups. PMID:23977155

Analysis of genetic admixture in Uyghur using the 26 Y-STR loci system

PubMed Central

Bian, Yingnan; Zhang, Suhua; Zhou, Wei; Zhao, Qi; Siqintuya; Zhu, Ruxin; Wang, Zheng; Gao, Yuzhen; Hong, Jie; Lu, Daru; Li, Chengtao

2016-01-01

The Uyghur population has experienced extensive interaction with European and Eastern Asian populations historically. A set of high-resolution genetic markers could be useful to infer the genetic relationships between the Uyghur population and European and Asian populations. In this study we typed 100 unrelated Uyghur males living in southern Xinjiang at 26 Y-STR loci. Using the high-resolution 26 Y-STR loci system, we investigated genetic and phylogenetic relationship between the Uyghur population and 23 reference European or Asian populations. We found that the Uyghur population exhibited a genetic admixture of Eastern Asian and European populations, and had a slightly closer relationship with the selected European populations than the Eastern Asian populations. We also demonstrated that the 26 Y-STR loci system was potentially useful in forensic sciences because it has a large power of discrimination and rarely exhibits common haplotypes. However, ancestry inference of Uyghur samples could be challenging due to the admixed nature of the population. PMID:26842947

Analysis of genetic admixture in Uyghur using the 26 Y-STR loci system.

PubMed

Bian, Yingnan; Zhang, Suhua; Zhou, Wei; Zhao, Qi; Siqintuya; Zhu, Ruxin; Wang, Zheng; Gao, Yuzhen; Hong, Jie; Lu, Daru; Li, Chengtao

2016-02-04

The Uyghur population has experienced extensive interaction with European and Eastern Asian populations historically. A set of high-resolution genetic markers could be useful to infer the genetic relationships between the Uyghur population and European and Asian populations. In this study we typed 100 unrelated Uyghur males living in southern Xinjiang at 26 Y-STR loci. Using the high-resolution 26 Y-STR loci system, we investigated genetic and phylogenetic relationship between the Uyghur population and 23 reference European or Asian populations. We found that the Uyghur population exhibited a genetic admixture of Eastern Asian and European populations, and had a slightly closer relationship with the selected European populations than the Eastern Asian populations. We also demonstrated that the 26 Y-STR loci system was potentially useful in forensic sciences because it has a large power of discrimination and rarely exhibits common haplotypes. However, ancestry inference of Uyghur samples could be challenging due to the admixed nature of the population.

Prevalence of visual impairment and refractive errors among different ethnic groups in schoolchildren in Turpan, China.

PubMed

Chin, Man Pan; Siong, Kar Ho; Chan, Ka Ho; Do, Chi Wai; Chan, Henry Ho Lung; Cheong, Allen Ming Yan

2015-05-01

There is currently limited information about ethnic differences in myopia prevalence within mainland China, especially in rural or semi-rural areas. We examined the prevalence of refractive errors, visual impairment and spectacle coverage in school children of varying ethnicity in Turpan, Xinjiang province. A community eye care service was provided for five schools. Presenting monocular distance and near visual acuity (VA), and ocular alignment were assessed. Retinoscopy and cycloplegic subjective refraction were performed for participants with presenting visual impairment (distance VA worse than 0.3 logMAR; Snellen 6/12 or 20/40) or abnormal binocular vision. Questionnaires administered prior to the eye examinations were used to collect information regarding personal lifestyle and parental myopia. A total of 646 out of 690 (94%) subjects aged four to 19 years (11.9 ± 2.6; mean ± S.D.) completed the eye examination. Three hundred and eighty-two (59%) of participants were of Uyghur ethnicity, followed by Han, 176 (27%) and Hui, 74 (12%). The mean age of Uyghur, Han and Hui students was 12.3 ± 2.7, 11.4 ± 2.6 and 11.4 ± 2.3 years respectively, in which the Uyghur students were significantly older than the Han and Hui students (F(3,631) = 5.58 p < 0.001). In total, 170 (27%) and 85 (13%) subjects failed the screening examination for one eye or both eyes, respectively. The prevalence of presenting visual impairment was not significantly different among the ethnic groups (p = 0.26). After cycloplegic refraction, most subjects' VA (98%) improved to better than 0.3 logMAR (Snellen 6/12 or 20/40). The prevalence of "clinically-significant myopia" (≤-0.50 dioptres) was 27%, 18% and 13% in Han, Hui and Uyghur children, respectively (p < 0.001). In contrast, Uyghur students had the highest prevalence of astigmatism (Uyghur 12%, Han 5%, Hui 4%). The overall spectacle coverage was 36%, while spectacle coverage among ethnic groups were similar (Han, 41%; Uyghur, 32%; Hui, 41%; χ(2) = 2.23, df = 2, p = 0.33). The prevalence of clinically significant myopia varied markedly with ethnicity in school children sampled from a semi-rural region of mainland China (Han > Hui > Uyghur). As reported previously, uncorrected/under-corrected refractive error was the main cause of presenting visual impairment. © 2015 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2015 The College of Optometrists.

Forensic and population genetic analysis of Xinjiang Uyghur population on 21 short tandem repeat loci of 6-dye GlobalFiler™ PCR Amplification kit.

PubMed

Zhang, Honghua; Xia, Mingying; Qi, Lijie; Dong, Lei; Song, Shuang; Ma, Teng; Yang, Shuping; Jin, Li; Li, Liming; Li, Shilin

2016-05-01

Estimating the allele frequencies and forensic statistical parameters of commonly used short tandem repeat (STR) loci of the Uyghur population, which is the fifth largest group in China, provides a more precise reference database for forensic investigation. The 6-dye GlobalFiler™ Express PCR Amplification kit incorporates 21 autosomal STRs, which have been proven that could provide reliable DNA typing results and enhance the power of discrimination. Here we analyzed the GlobalFiler STR loci on 1962 unrelated individuals from Chinese Uyghur population of Xinjiang, China. No significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium were detected within and between the GlobalFiler STR loci. SE33 showed the greatest power of discrimination in Uyghur population, whereas TPOX showed the lowest. The combined power of discrimination was 99.999999999999999999999998746%. No significant difference was observed between Uyghur and the other two Uyghur populations at all tested STRs, as well as Dai and Mongolian. Significant differences were only observed between Uyghur and other Chinese populations at TH01, as well as Central-South Asian at D13S317, East Asian at TH01 and VWA. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Uyghur is genetically close to Chinese populations, as well as East Asian and Central-South Asian. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prognosis and related factors of HPV infections in postmenopausal Uyghur women.

PubMed

Sui, Shuang; Zhu, Mingyue; Jiao, Zhen; Han, Lili; Wang, Lin; Niyazi, Mayineur; Zhu, Kaichun

2018-03-25

With the aim to explore the characteristics of persistent HPV infections in postmenopausal Uyghur women and analyse the possible related risk factors, from September 2012 to September 2013; postmenopausal Uyghur women with HPV positive and pathologically diagnosed as non-cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions and non-cervical cancer were recruited. Their clinical course was closely followed up for 24-36 months, and the risk factors were analysed by a logistic regression model. One hundred and sixteen positive women were followed for 36 months. The total persistent HPV infection rate was 67.9%, and the type-specific persistent infection rate was 73.7% at 36 months. Nine (32.1%) women were naturally cleared of their HPV infection at 36 months. We found that an HPV16 infection and an HPV58 infection, and time since menopause over 2 years were closely related with a persistent HPV infection. More attention should be paid to the women above 2 years of menopause who were infected with HPV16 and HPV58 in their further cervical carcinoma screening. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Previous study revealed that menopause was a risk factor for a persistent HPV infection in Uyghur women. What do the results of this study add? The present study presented the characteristics of HPV persistent infection and the risk factors in Uyghur postmenopausal women. More attention should be paid to the women above 2 of years of menopause who are infected with HPV16 and HPV58. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study would offer a theoretical basis for a better screening design, especially the women above 2 years' menopause who have been infected with HPV16 and HPV58 in the Xinjiang region.

An ethnopharmacological study of aromatic Uyghur medicinal plants in Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Lu; Tian, Shuge; Wen, E; Upur, Halmuart

2017-12-01

An ethnobotanical survey was completed in a remote village and surrounding country of Xinjiang, where most Uyghur medicinal plants could be collected. This work clarifies and increases ethnobotanical data. We surveyed and organized aromatic medicinal plants that are commonly used in clinical settings to provide a significant reference for studying new medical activities. In the survey, informants who have traditional knowledge on aromatic Uyghur medicinal plants were interviewed between March 2014 and September 2014. Aromatic medicinal plant species and pertinent information were collected. Some therapeutic methods and modes of preparation of traditional aromatic medicinal plants were found. A total of 86 aromatic medicinal plant species belonging to 36 families were included in our study. We identified 34 plant species introduced from different regions such as Europe, India and Mediterranean areas. Fruits and whole plants were the most commonly used parts of plant, and most aromatic medicinal plants could be applied as medicine and food. We assigned the medicinal plants a use value (UV). Knowing the UV of species is useful in determining the use reliability and pharmacological features of related plants. Xinjiang is an area in which indigenous aromatic medicinal plants are diversely used and has therefore established a sound dimensional medical healthcare treatment system. Some aromatic Uyghur medicinal plants are on the verge of extinction. Hence, further strategies for the conservation of these aromatic medicinal plants should be prioritized.

The relationships among Muslim Uyghur and Kazakh disabled elders' life satisfaction, activity of daily living, and informal family caregiver's burden, depression, and life satisfaction in far western China: A structural equation model.

PubMed

Wang, Wen Ting; He, Bin; Wang, Yu Huan; Wang, Mei Yan; Chen, Xue Feng; Wu, Fu Chen; Yang, Xue

2017-04-01

1 Hypothesis Disabled elders' activities of daily living, caregiver burden, caregiver depression, and caregivers' life satisfaction are significantly related to the life satisfaction of elderly people with disability. 2 Hypothesis There are direct and indirect effects between the life satisfaction of elders, disabled elders' activities of daily living, and family caregivers' factors. This study explored the interrelationships of disabled elders' life satisfaction and activities of daily living, caregivers' factors (burden, depression, and life satisfaction) through a structural equation model. In total, 621 dyads of disabled elders and informal family caregivers completed questionnaires during face-to-face interviews in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from September 2013 to January 2014. Activity of daily living exerted a direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and 30.4% indirect effect through caregivers' factors. Caregiver burden had a 60.0% direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and a 40.0% indirect effect through the caregiver depression. Caregiver depression showed 76% direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and 24% indirect effect through caregivers' life satisfaction. Direct relationships between activity of daily living and caregiver burden, caregiver burden and caregiver depression, and caregiver depression and caregivers' life satisfaction were observed. Activity of daily living had a 91.3% indirect effect on caregiver depression mediated by caregiver burden; caregiver burden had a 40.0% indirect effect on caregivers' life satisfaction mediated by caregiver depression. Results provide useful information for nurses and policymakers and shed light on the need to consider caregivers' factors in improving care recipients' life satisfaction. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Prevalence of Diabetes and Associated Factors in the Uyghur and Han Population in Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Gong, Haiying; Pa, Lize; Wang, Ke; Mu, Hebuli; Dong, Fen; Ya, Shengjiang; Xu, Guodong; Tao, Ning; Pan, Li; Wang, Bin; Shan, Guangliang

2015-10-14

To estimate the prevalence of diabetes and identify risk factors in the Uyghur and Han population in Xinjiang, China. A cross-sectional study in urban and rural areas in Xinjiang, including 2863 members of the Uyghur population and 3060 of the Han population aged 20 to 80 years, was conducted from June 2013 to August 2013. Data on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and personal history of diabetes were used to estimate the prevalence of diabetes. Data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, and lipid profiles were collected to identify risks factors using the multivariate logistic regression model. In urban areas, the age- and gender-standardized prevalence of diabetes was 8.21%, and the age- and gender-standardized prevalence of diabetes was higher in the Uyghur population (10.47%) than in the Han population (7.36%). In rural areas, the age- and gender-standardized prevalence of diabetes was 6.08%, and it did not differ significantly between the Uyghur population (5.71%) and the Han population (6.59%). The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that older age, obesity, high triglycerides (TG), and hypertension were all associated with an increased risk of diabetes in the Uyghur and Han population. Urban residence and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were associated with an increased risk of diabetes in the Uyghur population. Being an ex-drinker was associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heavy physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of diabetes in the Han population. Our study indicates that diabetes is more prevalent in the Uyghur population compared with the Han population in urban areas. Strategies aimed at the prevention of diabetes require ethnic targeting.

Environmental Risk Factors in Han and Uyghur Children with Dyslexia: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Zhao, Hua; Zhang, Baoping; Chen, Yun; Zhou, Xiang; Zuo, Pengxiang

2016-01-01

Several studies have been conducted to explore risk factors for dyslexia. However, most studies examining dyslexia have been skewed toward Western countries, and few have considered two nationalities simultaneously. This study focused on differences in dyslexia prevalence and potential environmental risk factors between Han and Uyghur children. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kashgar and Aksu, cities in Xinjiang province, China. A two-stage sampling strategy was used to recruit 2,854 students in grades 3-6 from 5 primary schools in 5 districts; 2,348 valid student questionnaires were included in the analysis. Dyslexia checklists for Chinese and Uyghur children and pupil rating scales were used to identify children with dyslexia. Questions related to the home literacy environment and reading ability were used to evaluate potential environmental risk factors. Single factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine prevalence and risk factors for dyslexia. Dyslexia prevalence differed significantly between Han (3.9%) and Uyghur (7.0%) children (P < 0.05), and the boy-to-girl diagnosis ratio was almost 2:1. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that ethnic differences in dyslexia prevalence between Han and Uyghur children could have occurred because of factors such as mother's occupation (P = 0.02, OR = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.01-0.68) and the frequency with which parents told stories (P = 0.00, OR = 4.50, 95% CI = 1.67-12.11). The prevalence of dyslexia was high in all children, particularly those in the Uyghur group. Environmental factors could have been responsible for some of the differences observed. The results contribute to the early identification and management of dyslexia in children from these two groups and research examining developmental dyslexia and differences in racial genetics.

Independent evaluation of a canine Echinococcosis Control Programme in Hobukesar County, Xinjiang, China

PubMed Central

van Kesteren, Freya; Qi, Xinwei; Tao, Jiang; Feng, Xiaohui; Mastin, Alexander; Craig, Philip S.; Vuitton, Dominique A.; Duan, Xinyu; Chu, Xiangdong; Zhu, Jinlong; Wen, Hao

2015-01-01

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China is one of the world's most important foci for cystic echinococcosis. Domestic dogs are the main source for human infection, and previous studies in Xinjiang have found a canine Echinococcus spp. coproELISA prevalence of between 36% and 41%. In 2010 the Chinese National Echinococcosis Control Programme was implemented in Xinjiang, and includes regular dosing of domestic dogs with praziquantel. Six communities in Hobukesar County, northwest Xinjiang were assessed in relation to the impact of this control programme through dog necropsies, dog Echinococcus spp. coproantigen surveys based on Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) and dog owner questionnaires. We found that 42.1% of necropsied dogs were infected with Echinococcus granulosus, and coproELISA prevalences were between 15% and 70% in the communities. Although approximately half of all dog owners reported dosing their dogs within the 12 months prior to sampling, coproELISA prevalence remained high. Regular praziquantel dosing of owned dogs in remote and semi-nomadic communities such as those in Hobukesar County is logistically very difficult and additional measures should be considered to reduce canine echinococcosis. PMID:25661801

Independent evaluation of a canine Echinococcosis Control Programme in Hobukesar County, Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

van Kesteren, Freya; Qi, Xinwei; Tao, Jiang; Feng, Xiaohui; Mastin, Alexander; Craig, Philip S; Vuitton, Dominique A; Duan, Xinyu; Chu, Xiangdong; Zhu, Jinlong; Wen, Hao

2015-05-01

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China is one of the world's most important foci for cystic echinococcosis. Domestic dogs are the main source for human infection, and previous studies in Xinjiang have found a canine Echinococcus spp. coproELISA prevalence of between 36% and 41%. In 2010 the Chinese National Echinococcosis Control Programme was implemented in Xinjiang, and includes regular dosing of domestic dogs with praziquantel. Six communities in Hobukesar County, northwest Xinjiang were assessed in relation to the impact of this control programme through dog necropsies, dog Echinococcus spp. coproantigen surveys based on Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) and dog owner questionnaires. We found that 42.1% of necropsied dogs were infected with Echinococcus granulosus, and coproELISA prevalences were between 15% and 70% in the communities. Although approximately half of all dog owners reported dosing their dogs within the 12 months prior to sampling, coproELISA prevalence remained high. Regular praziquantel dosing of owned dogs in remote and semi-nomadic communities such as those in Hobukesar County is logistically very difficult and additional measures should be considered to reduce canine echinococcosis. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring Uyghur University Students' Identities Constructed through Multilingual Practices in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Xiaoyan; Gu, Mingyue

2018-01-01

This article explores how a cohort of tertiary-level Uyghur students contested and negotiated their identities through multilingual practices in the receiving community. Drawing upon interview data from fieldwork, this study indicates that these students experienced essentialist understandings and negative views in the host society. Participants…

[Determination of rutin, quercetin and kaempferol in Althaea rosea (L) Gavan for Uyghur medicine by high performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Muhetaer, Tu'erhong; Resalat, Yimin; Chu, Ganghui; Yin, Xuebo; Munira, Abudukeremu

2015-12-01

Uyghur medicine is one important part of the national medicine system. Uyghur medicine modernization, namely the study of effective components with modern technologies, is the only way for the scientification, standardization, and industrialization of Uyghur medicine. Here we developed a selective extraction method for rutin, quercetin and kaempferol in Althaea rosea (L) Gavan. The three active species were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with HC-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 μm) and the mobile phase of CH3OH-0.4% H3PO4 (50 :50, v/v). Rutin, quercetin and kaempferol were baseline separated with each other and the interference species with flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and column temperature of 30 degrees C. Under the optimal conditions, linear correlation were obtained in the mass concentration range of 12.5-150 μg/mL (r = 0.999 8) for rutin, 12.5-125 μg/mL (r = 0.999 9) for quercetin, and 12.5-125 μg/mL (r = 0.998 8) for kaempferol. The recoveries (n = 5) of rutin, quercetin and kaempferol were 100.25% ( RSD = 1.1%), 97.60% ( RSD = 0.47%) and 97.75% (RSD = 0.71%), respectively. The method can be used to determine the contents of rutin, quercetin and kaempferol in Althaea rosea (L) Gavan and provide the guidance for the analysis of the flavonoids in other Uyghur medicines.

Analysis of Genomic Admixture in Uyghur and Its Implication in Mapping Strategy

PubMed Central

Xu, Shuhua; Huang, Wei; Qian, Ji; Jin, Li

2008-01-01

The Uyghur (UIG) population, settled in Xinjiang, China, is a population presenting a typical admixture of Eastern and Western anthropometric traits. We dissected its genomic structure at population level, individual level, and chromosome level by using 20,177 SNPs spanning nearly the entire chromosome 21. Our results showed that UIG was formed by two-way admixture, with 60% European ancestry and 40% East Asian ancestry. Overall linkage disequilibrium (LD) in UIG was similar to that in its parental populations represented in East Asia and Europe with regard to common alleles, and UIG manifested elevation of LD only within 500 kb and at a level of 0.1 < r2 < 0.8 when ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) were used. The size of chromosomal segments that were derived from East Asian and European ancestries averaged 2.4 cM and 4.1 cM, respectively. Both the magnitude of LD and fragmentary ancestral chromosome segments indicated a long history of Uyghur. Under the assumption of a hybrid isolation (HI) model, we estimated that the admixture event of UIG occurred about 126 [107∼146] generations ago, or 2520 [2140∼2920] years ago assuming 20 years per generation. In spite of the long history and short LD of Uyghur compared with recent admixture populations such as the African-American population, we suggest that mapping by admixture LD (MALD) is still applicable in the Uyghur population but ∼10-fold AIMs are necessary for a whole-genome scan. PMID:18355773

[Comparison of the differences in pain and the effect of ibuprofen in reducing endodontic flare-up after single-visit root canal therapy between Uyghur and Han patients with chronic apical periodontitis].

PubMed

Yan, Lei; Wang, Xin-Ying; Wan, Na; Wu, Pei-Ling

2017-04-01

To compare the incidence of postoperative pain of chronic periapical periodontitis patients with root canal therapy between Han and Uygur, and the effect of ibuprofen in reducing endodontic flare-up after single-visit root canal therapy between Uyghur and Han patients with chronic apical periodontitis, in order to provide a basis for clinical administration. Two hundred and fifty Uyghur and 250 Han patients with chronic apical periodontitis in their incisor, canine and premolar were collected, and randomly divided into 2 groups: experimental group and control group. After single-visit root canal therapy, Uyghur patients in the experimental group (UEG) and Han patients in the experimental group (HEG) took ibuprofen capsules according to the drug instructions; while Uyghur patients in the control group (UCG) and Han patients in the control group(HCG) took placebo capsules. Both doctors and patient kept blind from the drug capsules and group of the patients. The incidence, degree of endodontic Flare-up at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 hours and 1 week after root canal therapy were recorded and analyzed by χ 2 test using SPSS11.0 software package. During the experiment, the incidence of E flare-up in Uygur patients was higher than in Han patients; the incidence of E flare-up in different groups in orders from high to low was: UCG>HCG>UEG>HEG. Chi-square test showed that there were significant differences between the two groups. In view of time distribution, most of flare-up happened between 24~48 hours after root canal therapy with the highest degree in all 4 groups. Regardless of the incidence or degree of flare-up, HEG and HCG were significantly greater than UEG and UCG. Ibuprofen can reduce and prevent flare-up for both Uyghur and Han patients, but it has better effect on Han patients.

Gender and Ethnic Variation in Arranged Marriages in a Chinese City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zang, Xiaowei

2008-01-01

Using a data set (N = 1,600) collected in the city of Urumchi in 2005, this article examines ethnic differences in arranged marriages in urban China. Data analysis shows a rapid decline in parental arrangement for both Uyghur Muslims and Han Chinese in Urumchi. Han Chinese are less likely than Uyghur Muslims to report arranged marriages, with main…

They Are What You Hear in Media Reports: The Racial Stereotypes toward Uyghurs Activated by Media

PubMed Central

Jin, Jia; Pei, Guanxiong; Ma, Qingguo

2017-01-01

Stereotypes from the major nationality toward minorities constitute a widely concerning problem in many countries. As reported by previous studies, stereotypes can be activated by media information that portrays the negative aspects of the target group. The current study focused on the neural basis of the modulation of negative media information on Han Chinese stereotypes toward Uyghurs by using event-related potentials. We employed the lexical decision task, in which participants were asked to categorize the presented word as positive or negative. Behavioral result showed that participants had a shorter reaction time to positive adjectives than to negative adjectives. The data of brain activity showed that compared with the Han condition, the Uyghurs condition elicited smaller N400 differences in the media priming group, whereas there was no significant N400 deflection difference between Han Chinese and Uyghurs in the control group. The current results suggested that the negative media information might influence their judgments toward other groups reflected in the deflection of N400 amplitude. Therefore, in order to mitigate or even eliminate stereotypes about national minorities, the effort of the media is important. PMID:29270104

They Are What You Hear in Media Reports: The Racial Stereotypes toward Uyghurs Activated by Media.

PubMed

Jin, Jia; Pei, Guanxiong; Ma, Qingguo

2017-01-01

Stereotypes from the major nationality toward minorities constitute a widely concerning problem in many countries. As reported by previous studies, stereotypes can be activated by media information that portrays the negative aspects of the target group. The current study focused on the neural basis of the modulation of negative media information on Han Chinese stereotypes toward Uyghurs by using event-related potentials. We employed the lexical decision task, in which participants were asked to categorize the presented word as positive or negative. Behavioral result showed that participants had a shorter reaction time to positive adjectives than to negative adjectives. The data of brain activity showed that compared with the Han condition, the Uyghurs condition elicited smaller N400 differences in the media priming group, whereas there was no significant N400 deflection difference between Han Chinese and Uyghurs in the control group. The current results suggested that the negative media information might influence their judgments toward other groups reflected in the deflection of N400 amplitude. Therefore, in order to mitigate or even eliminate stereotypes about national minorities, the effort of the media is important.

The dominant role of climate change in determining changes in evapotranspiration in Xinjiang, China from 2001 to 2012

PubMed Central

Bai, Jie; Li, Longhui

2017-01-01

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China has experienced significant land cover and climate change since the beginning of the 21st century. However, a reasonable simulation of evapotranspiration (ET) and its response to environmental factors are still unclear. For this study, to simulate ET and its response to climate and land cover change in Xinjiang, China from 2001 to 2012, we used the Common Land Model (CoLM) by adding irrigation effects for cropland and modifying root distributions and the root water uptake process for shrubland. Our results indicate that mean annual ET from 2001 to 2012 was 131.22 (±21.78) mm/year and demonstrated no significant trend (p = 0.12). The model simulation also indicates that climate change was capable of explaining 99% of inter-annual ET variability; land cover change only explained 1%. Land cover change caused by the expansion of croplands increased annual ET by 1.11 mm while climate change, mainly resulting from both decreased temperature and precipitation, reduced ET by 21.90 mm. Our results imply that climate change plays a dominant role in determining changes in ET, and also highlight the need for appropriate land-use strategies for managing water sources in dryland ecosystems within Xinjiang. PMID:28841645

The dominant role of climate change in determining changes in evapotranspiration in Xinjiang, China from 2001 to 2012.

PubMed

Yuan, Xiuliang; Bai, Jie; Li, Longhui; Kurban, Alishir; De Maeyer, Philippe

2017-01-01

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China has experienced significant land cover and climate change since the beginning of the 21st century. However, a reasonable simulation of evapotranspiration (ET) and its response to environmental factors are still unclear. For this study, to simulate ET and its response to climate and land cover change in Xinjiang, China from 2001 to 2012, we used the Common Land Model (CoLM) by adding irrigation effects for cropland and modifying root distributions and the root water uptake process for shrubland. Our results indicate that mean annual ET from 2001 to 2012 was 131.22 (±21.78) mm/year and demonstrated no significant trend (p = 0.12). The model simulation also indicates that climate change was capable of explaining 99% of inter-annual ET variability; land cover change only explained 1%. Land cover change caused by the expansion of croplands increased annual ET by 1.11 mm while climate change, mainly resulting from both decreased temperature and precipitation, reduced ET by 21.90 mm. Our results imply that climate change plays a dominant role in determining changes in ET, and also highlight the need for appropriate land-use strategies for managing water sources in dryland ecosystems within Xinjiang.

[Establishment and characterization of a new carcinoma cell line from uterine cervix of Uyghur women].

PubMed

Zhang, Lu; Aerziguli, Tursun; Guzalnur, Abliz

2012-04-01

To establish a uterine cervical carcinoma cell line of Uyghur ethnical background and to evaluate the related biological characteristics for future biomedical investigations of diseases in the Uyghur population. Poorly-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma specimens of Uyghur patients were obtained and cultured in vitro by enzymatic digestion method, followed by continuous passaging to reach a stable growth determined by cell viability and growth curve. Morphological study, cell cycling and chromosomal analysis were performed. Tumorigenesis study was conducted by inoculation of nude mice. Biomarker (CK17, CD44, Ki-67, CK14 and vimentin) expression was detected by immunofluorescence and immunocytochemical techniques. A cervical carcinoma cell line was successfully established and maintained for 12 months through 70 passages. The cell line had a stable growth with a population doubling time of 51.9 h. Flask method and double agar-agar assay showed that the cell line had colony-forming rates of 32.5% and 15.6%, respectively. Ultrastructural evaluation demonstrated numerous cell surface protrusions or microvilli, a large number of rod-shape structures in cytoplasm, typical desmosomes and nuclear atypia. Chromosomal analysis revealed human karyotype with the number of chromosomes per cell varying from 32 - 97 with a majority of 54 - 86 (60.3%). Xenogeneic tumors formed in nude mice showed histological structures identical to those of the primary tumor. The cells had high expression of CK17, CD44, Ki-67 and vimentin but no CK14 expression. A cervical carcinoma cell line from a female Uyghur patient is successfully established. The cell line has the characteristics of human cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and it is stable with maintaining the characteristic biological and morphological features in vitro for more than 12 months, therefore, qualified as a stable cell line for further biomedical research.

KIAA0319 gene polymorphisms are associated with developmental dyslexia in Chinese Uyghur children

PubMed Central

Zhao, Hua; Chen, Yun; Zhang, Bao-ping; Zuo, Peng-xiang

2016-01-01

The gene KIAA0319 has been reported to be associated with developmental dyslexia (DD) in previous studies, although the results have not always been consistent. However, few studies have been conducted in Uyghur populations. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association of KIAA0319 polymorphisms and DD in individuals of Uyghurian descent. We used a custom-by-design 48-Plex SNPscan Kit to genotype 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of KIAA0319 in a group of 196 children with dyslexia and 196 controls of Uyghur descent aged 8–12 years. As a result, 7 SNPs (Pmin=0.001) of KIAA0319 had nominal significant differences between the cases and controls under specific genotypic models. The two SNPs rs6935076 (P=0.020 under dominant model; P=0.028 under additive model) and rs3756821 (P=0.021 under additive model) remained significantly associated with dyslexia after Bonferroni correction. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed three blocks within KIAA0319, and only a 10-SNP haplotype in block 3 was present at significantly different frequencies in the dyslexic children and controls. This study indicated that genetic polymorphisms of KIAA0319 are associated with an increased risk of DD in the Uyghur population. PMID:27098879

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURAL IDENTITY AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG CHINESE UYGHUR COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ACCULTURATION ATTITUDES.

PubMed

Dong, Li; Lin, Chongde; Li, Tsingan; Dou, Donghui; Zhou, Liqing

2015-08-01

Most acculturation research throughout the world has been conducted in immigrant settings. In order to examine the generalizability of the previous conclusions in immigrant settings, the present study tried to explore the relationship between cultural identity and self-esteem and the mediating role of acculturation attitudes in China. Using the cross-sectional design, a total number of 342 Uyghur college students were asked to complete a survey comprising the Multi-Group Ethnic/National Identity Measure-Revised Scale, the Acculturation Attitudes Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Using hierarchical multiple regression, the results indicated that cultural identity was positively correlated with self-esteem. A significant mediation of acculturation was observed between cultural identity and self-esteem. These findings demonstrated the significance of cultural identity and acculturation attitudes in the adaptation of Chinese Uyghur college students, in which integration is an optimal acculturation attitude.

Potential sources of Southern Siberia aerosols by data of AERONET site in Tomsk, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukurov, K. A.; Shukurova, L. M.

2017-11-01

For all days of measurements in 2002-2015 of volume concentration of aerosols at the AERONET Tomsk/Tomsk-22 station an array of 10-day backward trajectories of air parcels arriving in Tomsk into seven layers of the troposphere with heights in the range of 0.5-5.0 km is calculated using the trajectory model NOAA HYSPLIT_4. For the three fractions of the aerosol with particle sizes < 1.0 μm, 1.0-2.5 μm, 2.5-5.0 μm and their sum (< 5.0 μm), the field of capacity of the potential sources of aerosols of these fractions for southern Siberia is determined by the CWT (concentration weighted trajectory) method using the backward trajectory array. The analysis is carried out taking into account the processes both the scavenging of the aerosols with precipitation and the dry deposition. Trajectories arriving at different heights were analyzed taking into account the weight coefficients proportional to the backward light scattering coefficients of an aerosols at corresponding heights for warm and cold seasons in Western Siberia. The most capable (in unit of volume concentration μm3 /μm2 ) potential sources of these fractions for southern Siberia are located above North Africa, Eastern Siberia, Central Asia and the Dzhungarian desert in the Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.

Prevalence of Dry Eye in Uyghur and Han Ethnic Groups in Western China.

PubMed

Gong, Ying-Ying; Zhang, Fan; Zhou, Jin; Li, Jing; Zhang, Guang-Hui; Wang, Jun-Liang; Gu, Zhen-Sheng

2017-06-01

To describe and compare the prevalence and characteristics of dry eye among Han and Uyghur persons living in Kashi, the most inland city of China. A total of 1015 residents of Kashi participated in this 2013 cross-sectional study. To evaluate clinical characteristics, each subject completed (1) a dry-eye questionnaire detailing symptoms of dry eye, (2) Schirmer's I-test (SIT), (3) tear-film break-up time (BUT) test, and fluorescein staining of the cornea. Dry eye was defined as the existence of dry eye symptoms and at least two positive clinical signs. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The prevalence and risk factors of dry eye were evaluated using a multivariate model. Overall, 282 (27.8%) of the 1015 participants were diagnosed with dry eye (95% confidence interval (CI): range, 25.5-30.1). The prevalence of dry eye among Han persons (37.9 %) (95% CI: range, 35.8-40.0) was higher than that among Uyghurs (21.8%) (95% CI: 19.6-24.0) (p < 0.05). The prevalence of dry eye was 25.6% (95% CI: range, 23.3-27.8) among men and 28.7% (95% CI: 26.5-30.9) among women (p > 0.05). Risk factors for dry eye included ethnicity, age, occupation, arthritis, and dry mouth. Our study revealed a higher prevalence of dry eye among Han than Uyghur persons in Kashi. Dry eye was significantly associated with environment and ethnicity.

Iodine nutrition status and thyroid disorders: a cross-sectional study from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China.

PubMed

Guo, Y; Zynat, J; Xu, Z; Wang, X; Osiman, R; Zhao, H; Tuhuti, A; Abdunaimu, M; Wang, H; Jin, X; Xing, S

2016-11-01

Iodine nutritional status and its influence on thyroid function have been thoroughly investigated in many places in China, but little is known about Xinjiang province, where multiple minorities are living in a special geographical location and have different lifestyles compared with people from other parts of China. The aim of this study was to evaluate iodine status and thyroid disorders in two major ethnic groups living in the Xinjiang region of China. A total of 2253 residents over the age of 18 years who had lived in Xinjiang for more than 3 years were enrolled. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC), serum thyroid hormone concentrations and thyroid autoantibodies were measured, and thyroid ultrasonography was performed. The median UIC was 130.7 μg/l in adults. Among the subjects, those with deficient UIC levels were 34.4%. The prevalence of overt hyper- and hypothyroidism in the iodine-deficient group was higher than in the iodine-sufficient group (1.3% vs 0%, χ 2 =3.891, P=0.049; 4.8% vs 2.8%, χ 2 =8.715, P=0.003, respectively), and subclinical hypothyroidism was more frequent in the iodine-deficient group than in the iodine-excess group (19.6% vs 12.5%, χ 2 =4.529, P=0.033). One-third of the population is still iodine deficient in Xinjiang. Uyghur females are more susceptible to hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmune diseases. Thyroid disorders, especially hyper/hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism, are more likely to be prevalent in an iodine-deficient population.

Farewell to Diversity? New State Zones of Health Care Service in China’s Far West

PubMed Central

Klotzbücher, Sascha; Lässig, Peter; Jiangmei, Qin; Dongsheng, Rui; Weigelin-Schwiedrzik, Susanne

2014-01-01

Using James Scott’s (2009) theoretical framework of the interaction between the state and peripheral people, we argue that the welfare state should be regarded as a pull-factor in the context of the state’s endeavours to project its power to distant peoples in assigned state zones. Our discussion is based on interviews in Xinyuan County in the Western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Presenting current policies and alternative policy options discussed at the local level for providing primary health care in rural China, we argue that decisions made in the implementation process did not respond to the special health needs of mobile pastoralists in the high plains, but were part of the central state logic of homogenising settlement efforts and health care. Der theoretische Ansatz von James Scott zu Expansion von staatlicher Ordnung auf periphere Randgebiete wird auf den Aufbau von Wohlfahrts- und Gesundheitspolitik des modernen Staates angewendet und weiterentwickelt. Anhand mehrjähriger Feldstudien zwischen 2005 und 2009 zur Gesundheitsversorgungsstruktur im Kreis Xinyuan der Autonomen Uighurischen Region Xinjiang in der Volksrepublik China werden zuerst die nationalen Restrukturierungsmaßnahmen vorgestellt und Lösungen für eine bessere Versorgung der halbnomadisierenden kasachischen Hirtenfamilien diskutiert. Lokal entwickelte und an die nomadischen Lebensformen angepasste mobile Lösungen zur Gesundheitsfürsorge konnten nicht implementiert werden. Die Anstrengungen der staatlichen Akteure sind als Versuch zu sehen, bisher marginalisierte Gruppen aus den peripheren Gebirgsregionen und über die Integration in eine staatliche Gesundheitsversorgung in den Tälern anzusiedeln. PMID:25729121

Lack of association between two key SNPs on chromosome 12p13 and ischemic stroke in Chinese Uyghur population.

PubMed

Tong, Yeqing; Zhan, Faxian; Han, Jinjun; Zhang, Yanwei; Yin, Xiaoxu; Geng, Yijie; Hou, Shuangyi; Ye, Jianjun; Guan, Xuhua; Han, Shenhong; Wang, Yunxia; Mason, Katherine A; Lu, Zuxun; Liu, Jiafa; Cheng, Jinquan

2012-12-15

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified two key SNPs (rs11833579 and rs12425791) on chromosome 12p13 that were significantly associated with stroke in Caucasians. However, the validity of the association has remained controversial. We performed genetic association analyses in a very unique population which has 60% European ancestry and 40% East Asian ancestry. No significant association between these two SNPs and ischemic stroke was detected in this Chinese Uyghur population. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The bee family Halictidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Central Asia collected by the Kyushu and Shimane Universities Expeditions

PubMed Central

Tadauchi, Osamu; Miyanaga, Ryoichi

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Central Asia is one of the important centers of bee diversity in the Palearctic Region. However, there is insufficient information for many taxa in the central Asian bee fauna. The Kyushu and Shimane Universities (Japan) Expeditions to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang Uyghur of China were conducted in the years 2000 to 2004 and 2012 to 2014. New information Eighty-eight species of the bee family Halictidae Thomson, 1869 are enumerated including new localities in central Asia. Halictus tibialis Walker, 1871, H. persephone Ebmer, 1976, Lasioglossum denislucum (Strand, 1909), L. griseolum (Morawitz, 1872), L. melanopus (Dalla Torre, 1896), L. nitidiusculum (Kirby, 1802), L. sexnotatulum (Nylander, 1852), L. subequestre (Blüthgen, 1931), L. sublaterale (Blüthgen, 1931), and L. zonulum (Smith, 1848) are recorded from central Asia for the first time. Thirty-two species are newly recorded from Kazakhstan, 19 spp. from Kyrgyzstan, 2 spp. from Uzbekistan, and 11 spp. from Xinjiang Uyghur of China. The genus Lasioglossum dominated the number of species and individuals in the collection. The halictid fauna mostly composed of western to central Asian elements in our surveyed area. PMID:29104434

High Resolution Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I Allele Frequencies and HIV-1 Infection Associations in Chinese Han and Uyghur Cohorts

PubMed Central

Liu, Yanhou; Zhao, Zhongfang; Li, Tianyi; Liao, Qi; Kushner, Nicholas; Touzjian, Neal Y.; Shao, Yiming; Sun, Yongtao; Strong, Amie J.; Lu, Yichen

2012-01-01

Background Host immunogenetic factors such as HLA class I polymorphism are important to HIV-1 infection risk and AIDS progression. Previous studies using high-resolution HLA class I profile data of Chinese populations appeared insufficient to provide information for HIV-1 vaccine development and clinical trial design. Here we reported HLA class I association with HIV-1 susceptibility in a Chinese Han and a Chinese Uyghur cohort. Methodology/Principal Findings Our cohort included 327 Han and 161 Uyghur ethnic individuals. Each cohort included HIV-1 seropositive and HIV-1 seronegative subjects. Four-digit HLA class I typing was performed by sequencing-based typing and high-resolution PCR-sequence specific primer. We compared the HLA class I allele and inferred haplotype frequencies between HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative groups. A neighbor-joining tree between our cohorts and other populations was constructed based on allele frequencies of HLA-A and HLA-B loci. We identified 58 HLA-A, 75 HLA-B, and 32 HLA-Cw distinct alleles from our cohort and no novel alleles. The frequency of HLA-B*5201 and A*0301 was significantly higher in the Han HIV-1 negative group. The frequency of HLA-B*5101 was significantly higher in the Uyghur HIV-1 negative group. We observed statistically significant increases in expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm predicted haplotype frequencies of HLA-A*0201-B*5101 in the Uyghur HIV-1 negative group, and of Cw*0304-B*4001 in the Han HIV-1 negative group. The B62s supertype frequency was found to be significantly higher in the Han HIV-1 negative group than in the Han HIV-1 positive group. Conclusions At the four-digit level, several HLA class I alleles and haplotypes were associated with lower HIV-1 susceptibility. Homogeneity of HLA class I and Bw4/Bw6 heterozygosity were not associated with HIV-1 susceptibility in our cohort. These observations contribute to the Chinese HLA database and could prove useful in the development of HIV-1 vaccine candidates. PMID:23251376

Influences of APOA5 Variants on Plasma Triglyceride Levels in Uyghur Population

PubMed Central

Wang, Yi; Wu, Di; Jin, Li; Wang, Xiaofeng

2014-01-01

Objective Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) gene are associated with triglyceride (TG) levels. However, the minor allele frequencies and linkage disequilibriums (LDs) of the SNPs in addition to their effects on TG levels vary greatly between Caucasians and East Asians. The distributions of the SNPs/haplotypes and their associations with TG levels in Uyghur population, an admixture population of Caucasians and East Asians, have not been reported to date. Here, we performed a cross-sectional study to address these. Methods Genotyping of four SNPs in APOA5 (rs662799, rs3135506, rs2075291, and rs2266788) was performed in 1174 unrelated Uyghur subjects. SNP/haplotype and TG association analyses were conducted. Results The frequencies of the SNPs in Uyghurs were in between those in Caucasians and East Asians. The LD between rs662799 and rs2266788 in Uyghurs was stronger than that in East Asians but weaker than that in Caucasians, and the four SNPs resulted in four haplotypes (TGGT, CGGC, TCGT, and CGTT arranged in the order of rs662799, rs3135506, rs2075291, and rs2266788) representing 99.2% of the population. All the four SNPs were significantly associated with TG levels. Compared with non-carriers, carriers of rs662799-C, rs3135506-C, rs2075291-T, and rs2266788-C alleles had 16.0%, 15.1%, 17.1%, and 12.4% higher TG levels, respectively. When haplotype TGGT was defined as the reference, the haplotypes CGGC, TCGT, and CGTT resulted in 16.1%, 19.0%, and 19.8% higher TG levels, respectively. The proportions of variance in TG explained by APOA5 locus were 2.5%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 1.9% for single SNP rs662799, rs3135506, rs2075291, and rs2266788, respectively, and 3.0% for the haplotypes constructed by them. Conclusions The association profiles between the SNPs and haplotypes at APOA5 locus and TG levels in this admixture population differed from those in Caucasians and East Asians. The functions of these SNPs and haplotypes need to be elucidated comprehensively. PMID:25313938

The Uyghur Population and Genetic Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes: Potential Role for Variants in CDKAL1, JAZF1, and IGF1 Genes

PubMed Central

Song, Manshu; Zhao, Feifei; Ran, Longjin; Dolikun, Mamatyusupu; Wu, Lijuan; Ge, Siqi; Dong, Hao; Gao, Qing; Zhai, Yanchun; Zhang, Ling; Yan, Yuxiang; Liu, Fen; Yang, Xinghua; Guo, Xiuhua

2015-01-01

Abstract Substantial evidence suggests that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multi-factorial disease with a strong genetic component. A list of genetic susceptibility loci in populations of European and Asian ancestry has been established in the literature. Little is known on the inter-ethnic contribution of such established functional polymorphic variants. We performed a case-control study to explore the genetic susceptibility of 16 selected T2DM-related SNPs in a cohort of 102 Uyghur objects (51 cases and 51 controls). Three of the 16 SNPs showed significant association with T2DM in the Uyghur population. There were significant differences between the T2DM and control groups in frequencies of the risk allelic distributions of rs7754840 (CDKAL1) (p=0.014), rs864745 (JAZF1) (p=0.032), and rs35767 (IGF1) (p=0.044). Carriers of rs7754840-C, rs35767-A, and rs864745-C risk alleles had a 2.32-fold [OR (95% CI): 1.19–4.54], 2.06-fold [OR (95% CI): 1.02–4.17], 0.48-fold [OR (95% CI): 0.24–0.94] increased risk for T2DM, respectively. The cumulative risk allelic scores of these 16 SNPs differed significantly between the T2DM patients and the controls [17.1±8.1 vs. 15.4±7.3; OR (95%CI): 1.27(1.07–1.50), p=0.007]. This is the first study to evaluate genomic variation at 16 SNPs in respective T2DM candidate genes for the Uyghur population compared with other ethnic groups. The SNP rs7754840 in CDKAL1, rs864745 in JAZF1, and rs35767 in IGF1 might serve as potential susceptibility loci for T2DM in Uyghurs. We suggest a broader capture and study of the world populations, including who that are hitherto understudied, are essential for a comprehensive understanding of the genetic/genomic basis of T2DM. PMID:25785549

EDARV370A associated facial characteristics in Uyghur population revealing further pleiotropic effects.

PubMed

Peng, Qianqian; Li, Jinxi; Tan, Jingze; Yang, Yajun; Zhang, Manfei; Wu, Sijie; Liu, Yu; Zhang, Juan; Qin, Pengfei; Guan, Yaqun; Jiao, Yi; Zhang, Zhaoxia; Sabeti, Pardis C; Tang, Kun; Xu, Shuhua; Jin, Li; Wang, Sijia

2016-01-01

An adaptive variant of human Ectodysplasin receptor, EDARV370A, had undergone strong positive selection in East Asia. In mice and humans, EDARV370A was found to affect ectodermal-derived characteristics, including hair thickness, hair shape, active sweat gland density and teeth formation. Facial characteristics are also largely ectodermal derived. In this study, taking advantage of an admixed population of East Asian and European ancestry-the Uyghur, we aim to test whether EDARV370A is affecting facial characteristics and to investigate its pleiotropic nature and genetic model. In a sample of 1027 Uyghurs, we discover that EDARV370A is significantly associated with several facial characteristics, in particular shape of earlobe (P = 3.64 × 10 (-6) ) and type of chin (P = 9.23 × 10 (-5) ), with successful replication in other East Asian populations. Additionally, in this Uyghur population, we replicate previous association findings of incisors shoveling (P = 1.02 × 10 (-7) ), double incisors shoveling (P = 1.86 × 10 (-12) ) and hair straightness (P = 3.99 × 10 (-16) ), providing strong evidence supporting an additive model for the EDARV370A associations. Partial least square path model confirms EDARV370A systematically affect these weakly related ectodermal-derived characteristics, suggesting the pleiotropic effect of EDARV370A mainly plays roles in early embryo development. This study extends our knowledge about the pleiotropic nature of EDARV370A and provides potential clues to its adaptation fitness in human evolution.

Influence of culture on tripartite self-concept development in adolescence: a comparison between Han and Uyghur cultures.

PubMed

Abdukeram, Ziwida; Mamat, Marhaba; Luo, Wei; Wu, Yanhong

2015-02-01

This study investigated the development of cultural variability in interdependent self-construal by comparing the differences in the tripartite self-concept of adolescent samples from the Han and Uyghur cultures. Participants (460 males, 522 females; M age = 16.3 yr., SD = 4.8) in the sub-phases of pre-, early-, mid-, late- and post-adolescence were asked to completed the revised Twenty Statements Test, and the items generated by the participants were coded into private, relational, and collective self-statements. The private self-statements were further differentiated by personal and social orientation, and the relational self-statements were further coded into family and friend focus. The relational aspect of an individual's self, or personal relationship, became increasingly important with age in the Han cultural groups, whereas the collective aspect of an individual's self, or social identity, became increasingly important with age in the Uyghur cultural groups. These findings seem to show the development of differences between relational and collective interdependent self-construals. Furthermore, these findings emphasize the need for further research into the development of within-cultural differences in self-construal.

MtDNA genomes reveal a relaxation of selective constraints in low-BMI individuals in a Uyghur population.

PubMed

Zheng, Hong-Xiang; Li, Lei; Jiang, Xiao-Yan; Yan, Shi; Qin, Zhendong; Wang, Xiaofeng; Jin, Li

2017-10-01

Considerable attention has been focused on the effect of deleterious mutations caused by the recent relaxation of selective constraints on human health, including the prevalence of obesity, which might represent an adaptive response of energy-conserving metabolism under the conditions of modern society. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encoding 13 core subunits of oxidative phosphorylation plays an important role in metabolism. Therefore, we hypothesized that a relaxation of selection constraints on mtDNA and an increase in the proportion of deleterious mutations have played a role in obesity prevalence. In this study, we collected and sequenced the mtDNA genomes of 722 Uyghurs, a typical population with a high prevalence of obesity. We identified the variants that occurred in the Uyghur population for each sample and found that the number of nonsynonymous mutations carried by Uyghur individuals declined with elevation of their BMI (P = 0.015). We further calculated the nonsynonymous and synonymous ratio (N/S) of the high-BMI and low-BMI haplogroups, and the results showed that a significantly higher N/S occurred in the whole mtDNA genomes of the low-BMI haplogroups (0.64) than in that of the high-BMI haplogroups (0.35, P = 0.030) and ancestor haplotypes (0.41, P = 0.032); these findings indicated that low-BMI individuals showed a recent relaxation of selective constraints. In addition, we investigated six clinical characteristics and found that fasting plasma glucose might be correlated with the N/S and selective pressures. We hypothesized that a higher proportion of deleterious mutations led to mild mitochondrial dysfunction, which helps to drive glucose consumption and thereby prevents obesity. Our results provide new insights into the relationship between obesity predisposition and mitochondrial genome evolution.

[Psycho-social factors of sexual failure among newly married Uyghur young males].

PubMed

Erkin, Ashim; Hamrajan, Memtili; Kadirjan, Mijit; Adil, Eli; Elijan, Abdureshit; Ibrahim, Ubul; Abdulla, Tursun; Hasanjan, Abdurehim; Turgun, Hekim; Eli, Ablet; Eset, Metmusa

2016-08-01

To study the psycho-social risk factors of sexual failure among newly married young males in the Uyghur population. We conducted a paired case control study of 186 newly married Uyghur young males (aged 17－30 ［23.4±2.9］ yr) with sexual failure and another 186 (aged 18－34 ［24.0±3.1］ yr) with no such problem as controls. We performed a logistic regression analysis on the possible psycho-social risk factors of this condition. Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors of sexual failure among the newly married men included personality (OR=0.271, 95% CI 0.176－0.420), income (OR=0.391, 95% CI 0.264－0.580), history of masturbation (OR=0.824, 95% CI 0.710－0.956), premarital sex (OR=0.757, 95% CI 0.677－0.847), sense of obligation (OR=1.756, 95% CI 1.157－2.693), equality of the social status (OR=0.574, 95% CI 0.435－0.756), degree of mutual care (OR=1.605, 95% CI 1.268－2.032), female's psychological obstacle (OR=2.832, 95% CI 1.221－6.569), and religion (OR=0.643, 95% CI 0.472－0.967). There was a statistical significance in the correlation between these factors and sexual failure in the newly married males (all P<0.05). Sexual failure of newly married Uyghur young males are associated with many psycho-social factors, which necessitates sexual education among young males and particularly pre-marriage sexual education and psychological guide among both males and females.

Genome-wide scans reveal variants at EDAR predominantly affecting hair straightness in Han Chinese and Uyghur populations.

PubMed

Wu, Sijie; Tan, Jingze; Yang, Yajun; Peng, Qianqian; Zhang, Manfei; Li, Jinxi; Lu, Dongsheng; Liu, Yu; Lou, Haiyi; Feng, Qidi; Lu, Yan; Guan, Yaqun; Zhang, Zhaoxia; Jiao, Yi; Sabeti, Pardis; Krutmann, Jean; Tang, Kun; Jin, Li; Xu, Shuhua; Wang, Sijia

2016-11-01

Hair straightness/curliness is one of the most conspicuous features of human variation and is particularly diverse among populations. A recent genome-wide scan found common variants in the Trichohyalin (TCHH) gene that are associated with hair straightness in Europeans, but different genes might affect this phenotype in other populations. By sampling 2899 Han Chinese, we performed the first genome-wide scan of hair straightness in East Asians, and found EDAR (rs3827760) as the predominant gene (P = 4.67 × 10 -16 ), accounting for 3.66 % of the total variance. The candidate gene approach did not find further significant associations, suggesting that hair straightness may be affected by a large number of genes with subtle effects. Notably, genetic variants associated with hair straightness in Europeans are generally low in frequency in Han Chinese, and vice versa. To evaluate the relative contribution of these variants, we performed a second genome-wide scan in 709 samples from the Uyghur, an admixed population with both eastern and western Eurasian ancestries. In Uyghurs, both EDAR (rs3827760: P = 1.92 × 10 -12 ) and TCHH (rs11803731: P = 1.46 × 10 -3 ) are associated with hair straightness, but EDAR (OR 0.415) has a greater effect than TCHH (OR 0.575). We found no significant interaction between EDAR and TCHH (P = 0.645), suggesting that these two genes affect hair straightness through different mechanisms. Furthermore, haplotype analysis indicates that TCHH is not subject to selection. While EDAR is under strong selection in East Asia, it does not appear to be subject to selection after the admixture in Uyghurs. These suggest that hair straightness is unlikely a trait under selection.

Fruit and vegetable consumption and risk of esophageal cancer: a case-control study in north-west China.

PubMed

Tang, L; Lee, A H; Xu, F; Zhang, T; Lei, J; Binns, C W

2014-01-01

The north-western region of China carries a big burden of esophageal cancer with incidence above the national average. This study ascertained the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of esophageal cancer in this remote part of China. A case-control study was undertaken in Urumqi and Shihezi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, between 2008 and 2009. Participants were 359 incident esophageal cancer patients and 380 hospital-based controls. Information on habitual fruit and vegetable consumption was obtained by face-to-face interview using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the strength of the associations. The esophageal cancer patients consumed significantly less fruits (mean 364.3, standard deviation [SD] 497.4 g) and vegetables (mean 711.4, SD 727.9 g) daily than their counterparts without the disease (mean 496.5, SD 634.4 g and mean 894.5, SD 746.1 g, respectively). The adjusted odds ratios were 0.48 (95% confidence interval 0.33-0.71) and 0.46 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.68) for consuming at least 515 g of fruits and 940 g of vegetables per day, respectively, relative to at most 170 g and 520 g. With respect to nutrients contained in fruits and vegetables, intakes of vitamin C, vitamin E, β-cryptoxanthin, potassium, and magnesium at high levels also reduced the esophageal cancer risk. In conclusion, inverse associations were evident between consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of esophageal cancer for adults residing in north-west China. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Genetic polymorphisms of Echinococcus tapeworms in China as determined by mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences ✩

PubMed Central

Nakao, Minoru; Li, Tiaoying; Han, Xiumin; Ma, Xiumin; Xiao, Ning; Qiu, Jiamin; Wang, Hu; Yanagida, Tetsuya; Mamuti, Wulamu; Wen, Hao; Moro, Pedro L.; Giraudoux, Patrick; Craig, Philip S.; Ito, Akira

2009-01-01

The genetic polymorphisms of Echinococcus spp. in the eastern Tibetan Plateau and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region were evaluated by DNA sequencing analyses of genes for mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and nuclear elongation factor-1 alpha (ef1a). We collected 68 isolates of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) from Xinjiang and 113 isolates of E. granulosus s. s., 49 isolates of Echinococcus multilocularis and 34 isolates of Echinococcus shiquicus from the Tibetan Plateau. The results of molecular identification by mitochondrial and nuclear markers were identical, suggesting the infrequency of introgressive hybridization. A considerable intraspecific variation was detected in mitochondrial cox1 sequences. The parsimonious network of cox1 haplotypes showed star-like features in E. granulosus s. s. and E. multilocularis, but a divergent feature in E. shiquicus. The cox1 neutrality indexes computed by Tajima's D and Fu's Fs tests showed high negative values in E. granulosus s. s. and E. multilocularis, indicating significant deviations from neutrality. In contrast, the low positive values of both tests were obtained in E. shiquicus. These results suggest the following hypotheses: (i) recent founder effects arose in E. granulosus and E. multilocularis after introducing particular individuals into the endemic areas by anthropogenic movement or natural migration of host mammals, and (ii) the ancestor of E. shiquicus was segregated into the Tibetan Plateau by colonizing alpine mammals and its mitochondrial locus has evolved without bottleneck effects. PMID:19800346

Gene Polymorphism Association with Type 2 Diabetes and Related Gene-Gene and Gene-Environment Interactions in a Uyghur Population

PubMed Central

Xiao, Shan; Zeng, Xiaoyun; Fan, Yong; Su, Yinxia; Ma, Qi; Zhu, Jun; Yao, Hua

2016-01-01

Background We investigated the association between 8 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 3 genetic loci (CDKAL1, CDKN2A/2B and FTO) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a Uyghur population. Material/Methods A case-control study of 879 Uyghur patients with T2D and 895 non-diabetic Uyghur controls was conducted at the Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between 2010 and 2013. Eight SNPs in CDKAL1, CDKN2A/2B and FTO were analyzed using Sequenom MassARRAY®SNP genotyping. Factors associated with T2D were assessed by logistic regression analyses. Gene-gene and gene-environment interactions were analyzed by generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction. Results Genotype distributions of rs10811661 (CDKN2A/2B), rs7195539, rs8050136, and rs9939609 (FTO) and allele frequencies of rs8050136 and rs9939609 differed significantly between diabetes and control groups (all P<0.05). While rs10811661, rs8050136, and rs9939609 were eliminated after adjusting for covariates (P>0.05), rs7195539 distribution differed significantly in co-dominant and dominant models (P<0.05). In gene-gene interaction analysis, after adjusting for covariates the two-locus rs10811661-rs7195539 interaction model had a cross-validation consistency of 10/10 and the highest balanced accuracy of 0.5483 (P=0.014). In gene-environment interaction analysis, the 3-locus interaction model TG-HDL-family history of diabetes had a cross-validation consistency of 10/10 and the highest balanced accuracy of 0.7072 (P<0.001). The 4-locus interaction model, rs7195539-TG-HDL-family history of diabetes had a cross-validation consistency of 8/10 (P<0.001). Conclusions Polymorphisms in CDKN2A/2B and FTO, but not CDKAL1, may be associated with T2D, and alleles rs8050136 and rs9939609 are likely risk alleles for T2D in this population. There were potential interactions among CDKN2A/2B (rs10811661) – FTO (rs7195539) or FTO (rs7195539)-TG-HDL-family history of diabetes in the pathogenesis of T2D in a Uyghur population. PMID:26873362

Forensic ancestry analysis in two Chinese minority populations using massively parallel sequencing of 165 ancestry-informative SNPs.

PubMed

He, Guanglin; Wang, Zheng; Wang, Mengge; Luo, Tao; Liu, Jing; Zhou, You; Gao, Bo; Hou, Yiping

2018-06-04

Ancestry inference based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with marked allele frequency differences in diverse populations (called ancestry-informative SNP, AISNP) is rapidly developed with the technology advancements of massively parallel sequencing (MPS). Despite the decade of exploration and broad public interest in the peopling of East-Asians, the genetic landscape of Chinese Silk Road populations based on the AISNPs is still little known. In this work, 206 unrelated individuals from Chinese Uyghur and Hui populations were firstly genotyped by 165 AISNPs (The Precision ID Ancestry Panel) using the Ion Torrent PGM system. The ethnic origin of two investigated populations and population structures and genetic relationships were subsequently investigated. The 165 AISNPs panel not only can differentiate Uyghur and Hui populations but also has potential applications in individual identification. Comprehensive population comparisons and admixture estimates demonstrated a predominantly higher European-related ancestry (36.30%) in Uyghurs than Huis (3.66%). Overall, the Precision ID Ancestry Panel can provide good resolution at the intercontinental level, but has limitations on the genetic homogeneous populations, such as the Hui and Han. Additional population-specific AISNPs remain necessary to get better-scale resolution within geographically proximate populations in East Asia. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[The different experession of human papilloma viral types 6 and 11 in Uyghur and Chinese juvenile recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in a large pediatric population in Xinjiang].

PubMed

Zainura, Amrulla; Yalkun, Yasin; Wu, Mei

2013-11-01

To investigate the Human papilloma viral types 6 and 11 in a large pediatric population in XinJiang and the different expression in chinese and uyghur pediatric population. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we analyzed paraffin embedded tissue in 42 cases of juvenile Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (JRRP)and determined the HPV types 6 and 11, and to correlate these results with retrospectively analysis about those cases who were consecutively treated in our ENT department, meanwhile we carry out a critical review of the literature of JRRP. A total HPV infection positive rate was 97.61% (41/42), and HPV11 positive rate was 63.41% (41/26), HPV6 positive rate was 36.58% (41/15). In uyghur patient HPV11 positive rate was 65.38% (17/26), HPV6 positive rate was53. 33% (8/15). in Chince patient HPV11 positive rate was 34.61% (9/26), HPV6 positive rate was 46.67% (7/15). Juvenile laryngeal papilloma is associated with HPV11, HPV6 infection and we considered that HPV11 infection may be the important guideline of the evaluation of disease prognosis. but no statistical signtificance was determined in the patients of various ethnic groups in Xin jiang (P > 0.05).

Overweight and obesity among low-income Muslim Uyghur women in far western China: correlations of body mass index with blood lipids and implications in preventive public health.

PubMed

Cong, Li; Zhan, Jin Qiong; Yang, Lan; Zhang, Wei; Li, Shu Gang; Chen, Cheng; Zhang, Hong Yan; Ma, Zhi Ping; Hao, Xiao Ling; Simayi, Dilixia; Tao, Lin; Zhao, Jin; Amanguli, A; Mohemaiti, Meiliguli; Jing, Ming Xia; Wang, Wei; Saimaiti, Abudukeyoumu; Zou, Xiao Guang; Gu, Yan; Li, Li; Wang, Ying Hong; Li, Feng; Zhang, Wen Jie

2014-01-01

The pandemic of obesity is a global public health concern. Most studies on obesity are skewed toward high-income and urban settings and few covers low-income populations. This study focused on the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their correlations with blood lipids/metabolites/enzymes (bio-indicators) in a rural community typical of low-income in remote western China. This study was performed in a Muslim ethnic Uyghur rural community in Kashi Prefecture of Xinjiang, about 4,407 km (2,739 miles) away from Beijing. Body mass index (BMI) and major blood bio-indicators (25 total items) were measured and demographic information was collected from 1,733 eligible healthy women aged 21 to 71 yrs, of whom 1,452 had complete data for analysis. More than 92% of the women lived on US$1.00/day or less. According to the Chinese criteria, overweight and obesity were defined as BMI at 24 to <28 kg/m(2) and at ≥ 28 kg/m(2), respectively. The average BMI among these low-income women was 24.0 ± 4.0 (95% CI, 17.5-33.7) kg/m(2). The prevalence of obesity and overweight was high at 15.1% and 28.9%, respectively. Among 25 bio-indicators, BMI correlated positively with the levels of 11 bio-indicators including triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TCHOL), glucose (GLU), and uric acid (UA); but negatively with the levels of 5 bio-indicators including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoprotein A/B (APO A/B). This is the first investigation reporting overweight and obesity being common in low-income Muslim Uyghur women, whose BMI correlates with several important blood bio-indicators which are risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. These findings may help make preventive public health policies in Uyghur communities. To prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in low-income settings, we therefore propose a cost-effective, two-step strategy first to screen for obesity and then to screen persons with obesity for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Quantitative estimation of soil salinity by means of different modeling methods and visible-near infrared (VIS–NIR) spectroscopy, Ebinur Lake Wetland, Northwest China

PubMed Central

Wang, Jingzhe; Abulimiti, Aerzuna; Cai, Lianghong

2018-01-01

Soil salinization is one of the most common forms of land degradation. The detection and assessment of soil salinity is critical for the prevention of environmental deterioration especially in arid and semi-arid areas. This study introduced the fractional derivative in the pretreatment of visible and near infrared (VIS–NIR) spectroscopy. The soil samples (n = 400) collected from the Ebinur Lake Wetland, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), China, were used as the dataset. After measuring the spectral reflectance and salinity in the laboratory, the raw spectral reflectance was preprocessed by means of the absorbance and the fractional derivative order in the range of 0.0–2.0 order with an interval of 0.1. Two different modeling methods, namely, partial least squares regression (PLSR) and random forest (RF) with preprocessed reflectance were used for quantifying soil salinity. The results showed that more spectral characteristics were refined for the spectrum reflectance treated via fractional derivative. The validation accuracies showed that RF models performed better than those of PLSR. The most effective model was established based on RF with the 1.5 order derivative of absorbance with the optimal values of R2 (0.93), RMSE (4.57 dS m−1), and RPD (2.78 ≥ 2.50). The developed RF model was stable and accurate in the application of spectral reflectance for determining the soil salinity of the Ebinur Lake wetland. The pretreatment of fractional derivative could be useful for monitoring multiple soil parameters with higher accuracy, which could effectively help to analyze the soil salinity. PMID:29736341

Soya and isoflavone intakes associated with reduced risk of oesophageal cancer in north-west China.

PubMed

Tang, Li; Lee, Andy H; Xu, Fenglian; Zhang, Taotao; Lei, Jun; Binns, Colin W

2015-01-01

To ascertain the association between soya consumption, isoflavone intakes and oesophageal cancer risk in remote north-west China, where the incidence of oesophageal cancer is known to be high. Case-control study. Information on habitual consumption of soya foods and soya milk was obtained by personal interview. The intakes of isoflavones were then estimated using the US Department of Agriculture nutrient database. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between soya consumption, isoflavone intakes and oesophageal cancer risk. Urumqi and Shihezi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Participants were 359 incident oesophageal cancer patients and 380 hospital-based controls. The oesophageal cancer patients consumed significantly less (P < 0·001) total soya foods (mean 57·2 (sd 119·0) g/d) and soya milk (mean 18·8 (sd 51·7) ml/d) than the controls (mean 93·3 (sd 121·5) g/d and mean 35·7 (sd 73·0) ml/d). Logistic regression analyses showed an inverse association between intake of soya products and the risk of oesophageal cancer. The adjusted odds were OR = 0·33 (95 % CI 0·22, 0·49) and OR = 0·48 (95 % CI 0·31, 0·74) for consuming at least 97 g of soya foods and 60 ml of soya milk daily (the highest tertiles of consumption), respectively, relative to the lowest tertiles of consumption. Similarly, inverse associations with apparent dose-response relationships were found between isoflavone intakes and oesophageal cancer risk. Habitual consumption of soya products appears to be associated with reduced risk of oesophageal cancer in north-west China.

Quantitative estimation of soil salinity by means of different modeling methods and visible-near infrared (VIS-NIR) spectroscopy, Ebinur Lake Wetland, Northwest China.

PubMed

Wang, Jingzhe; Ding, Jianli; Abulimiti, Aerzuna; Cai, Lianghong

2018-01-01

Soil salinization is one of the most common forms of land degradation. The detection and assessment of soil salinity is critical for the prevention of environmental deterioration especially in arid and semi-arid areas. This study introduced the fractional derivative in the pretreatment of visible and near infrared (VIS-NIR) spectroscopy. The soil samples ( n  = 400) collected from the Ebinur Lake Wetland, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), China, were used as the dataset. After measuring the spectral reflectance and salinity in the laboratory, the raw spectral reflectance was preprocessed by means of the absorbance and the fractional derivative order in the range of 0.0-2.0 order with an interval of 0.1. Two different modeling methods, namely, partial least squares regression (PLSR) and random forest (RF) with preprocessed reflectance were used for quantifying soil salinity. The results showed that more spectral characteristics were refined for the spectrum reflectance treated via fractional derivative. The validation accuracies showed that RF models performed better than those of PLSR. The most effective model was established based on RF with the 1.5 order derivative of absorbance with the optimal values of R 2 (0.93), RMSE (4.57 dS m -1 ), and RPD (2.78 ≥ 2.50). The developed RF model was stable and accurate in the application of spectral reflectance for determining the soil salinity of the Ebinur Lake wetland. The pretreatment of fractional derivative could be useful for monitoring multiple soil parameters with higher accuracy, which could effectively help to analyze the soil salinity.

Relationship between CATSPERB, NR5A2 gene polymorphisms and Peak Bone Mineral Density in College Students in China

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yuan; Liu, Wenya; HUA, Ma; Shi, Raoni; Wang, Haitao; Yang, Wen

2014-01-01

Abstract Background Peak bone mineral density (PBMD) is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, genes explains most of variation. As the novel candidate genes CATSPERB and NR5A2 may have been associated with spinal PBMD in adult. This study was to investigate the relationship among these two genes^ PBMD and the life style factors in young female. Methods The rs1298989 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the CATSPERB gene and the rs3762397 SNP of the NR5A2 gene were genotyped using SNaPshot® in 359 students from Xinjiang. The prospective study included 203 Han and 156 Uyghur subjects. PBMD was measured using quantitative computed tomography (QCT). Calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase were measured by ELISA method. Physical activity, dietary calcium and life styles were assessed by questionnaire. Results Both SNPs showed differences in genotype and allele frequencies (P < 0.05) between the Han and Uyghur subjects. Total calcium intake, energy intake, tea and milk intake were also significantly different between two groups (P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed an association between PBMD and vitamin D intake (P = 0.000), milk (P = 0.000), exercise (P = 0.029), rs1298989 (P = 0.028), energy intake (P = 0.043). Conclusion This study demonstrated the polymorphisms of the rs1298989 and rs3762397 are associated with PBMD both in Han and Uyghur subjects. PBMD, in Xinjiang, appears to be associated with several known factors that are well described in the literature. While the genotypes of rs1298989 and rs3762397 do not appear have a strong effect on the PBMD. PMID:25927035

The Uyghur Insurgency in Xinjiang: The Success Potential

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

Kazakhstan.46 The valley is broad, fertile, well watered, and has historically been the grassland for pastoral nomads . The...confederation of pastoral nomads , lived in modern day Xinjiang for centuries.64 The Han Empire of the Tang Dynasty ruled over parts of Xinjiang from

Towards a climate impact assessment of the Tarim River, NW China: integrated hydrological modelling using SWIM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wortmann, Michel

2014-05-01

The Tarim River is the principle water source of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, NW China and the country's largest endorheic river, terminating in the Taklamakan desert. The vast majority of discharge is generated in the glaciated mountain ranges to the north (Tian Shan), south (Kunlun Shan/Tibetan Plateau) and west (Pamir Mountains) of the Taklamakan desert. The main water user is the intensive irrigation agriculture for mostly cotton and fruit production in linear river oases of the middle and lower reaches as well as a population of 10 Mil. people. Over the past 40 years, an increase in river discharge was reported, assumed to be caused by enhanced glacier melt due to a warming climate. Rapid population growth and economic development have led to a significant expansion of area under irrigation, resulting in water shortages for downstream users and the floodplain vegetation. Water resource planning and management of the Tarim require integrated assessment tools to examine changes under future climate change, land use and irrigation scenarios. The development of such tools, however, is challenged by sparse climate and discharge data as well as available data on water abstractions and diversions. The semi-distributed, process-based hydrological model SWIM (Soil and Water Integrated Model) was implemented for the headwater and middle reaches that generate over 90% of discharge, including the Aksu, Hotan and Yarkant rivers. It includes the representation of snow and glacier melt as well as irrigation abstractions. Once calibrated and validated to river discharge, the model is used to analyse future climate scenarios provided by one physically-based and one statistical regional climate model (RCM). Preliminary results of the model calibration and validation indicate that SWIM is able simulate river discharge adequately, despite poor data conditions. Snow and glacier melt account for the largest share in river discharge. The modelling results will devise sustainable management options for given climate change scenarios with the aim to balance water availability and water use for the basin as a whole and specifically for the riparian ecology.

Copy number variations and genetic admixtures in three Xinjiang ethnic minority groups

PubMed Central

Lou, Haiyi; Li, Shilin; Jin, Wenfei; Fu, Ruiqing; Lu, Dongsheng; Pan, Xinwei; Zhou, Huaigu; Ping, Yuan; Jin, Li; Xu, Shuhua

2015-01-01

Xinjiang is geographically located in central Asia, and it has played an important historical role in connecting eastern Eurasian (EEA) and western Eurasian (WEA) people. However, human population genomic studies in this region have been largely underrepresented, especially with respect to studies of copy number variations (CNVs). Here we constructed the first CNV map of the three major ethnic minority groups, the Uyghur, Kazakh and Kirgiz, using Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0. We systematically compared the properties of CNVs we identified in the three groups with the data from representatives of EEA and WEA. The analyses indicated a typical genetic admixture pattern in all three groups with ancestries from both EEA and WEA. We also identified several CNV regions showing significant deviation of allele frequency from the expected genome-wide distribution, which might be associated with population-specific phenotypes. Our study provides the first genome-wide perspective on the CNVs of three major Xinjiang ethnic minority groups and has implications for both evolutionary and medical studies. PMID:25026903

Copy number variations and genetic admixtures in three Xinjiang ethnic minority groups.

PubMed

Lou, Haiyi; Li, Shilin; Jin, Wenfei; Fu, Ruiqing; Lu, Dongsheng; Pan, Xinwei; Zhou, Huaigu; Ping, Yuan; Jin, Li; Xu, Shuhua

2015-04-01

Xinjiang is geographically located in central Asia, and it has played an important historical role in connecting eastern Eurasian (EEA) and western Eurasian (WEA) people. However, human population genomic studies in this region have been largely underrepresented, especially with respect to studies of copy number variations (CNVs). Here we constructed the first CNV map of the three major ethnic minority groups, the Uyghur, Kazakh and Kirgiz, using Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0. We systematically compared the properties of CNVs we identified in the three groups with the data from representatives of EEA and WEA. The analyses indicated a typical genetic admixture pattern in all three groups with ancestries from both EEA and WEA. We also identified several CNV regions showing significant deviation of allele frequency from the expected genome-wide distribution, which might be associated with population-specific phenotypes. Our study provides the first genome-wide perspective on the CNVs of three major Xinjiang ethnic minority groups and has implications for both evolutionary and medical studies.

Horse-mounted invaders from the Russo-Kazakh steppe or agricultural colonists from western Central Asia? A craniometric investigation of the Bronze Age settlement of Xinjiang.

PubMed

Hemphill, Brian E; Mallory, J P

2004-07-01

Numerous Bronze Age cemeteries in the oases surrounding the Täklamakan Desert of the Tarim Basin in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, western China, have yielded both mummified and skeletal human remains. A dearth of local antecedents, coupled with woolen textiles and the apparent Western physical appearance of the population, raised questions as to where these people came from. Two hypotheses have been offered by archaeologists to account for the origins of Bronze Age populations of the Tarim Basin. These are the "steppe hypothesis" and the "Bactrian oasis hypothesis." Eight craniometric variables from 25 Aeneolithic and Bronze Age samples, comprising 1,353 adults from the Tarim Basin, the Russo-Kazakh steppe, southern China, Central Asia, Iran, and the Indus Valley, are compared to test which, if either, of these hypotheses are supported by the pattern of phenetic affinities possessed by Bronze Age inhabitants of the Tarim Basin. Craniometric differences between samples are compared with Mahalanobis generalized distance (d2), and patterns of phenetic affinity are assessed with two types of cluster analysis (the weighted pair average linkage method and the neighbor-joining method), multidimensional scaling, and principal coordinates analysis. Results obtained by this analysis provide little support for either the steppe hypothesis or the Bactrian oasis hypothesis. Rather, the pattern of phenetic affinities manifested by Bronze Age inhabitants of the Tarim Basin suggests the presence of a population of unknown origin within the Tarim Basin during the early Bronze Age. After 1200 B.C., this population experienced significant gene flow from highland populations of the Pamirs and Ferghana Valley. These highland populations may include those who later became known as the Saka and who may have served as "middlemen" facilitating contacts between East (Tarim Basin, China) and West (Bactria, Uzbekistan) along what later became known as the Great Silk Road. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Genetic History of Xinjiang's Uyghurs Suggests Bronze Age Multiple-Way Contacts in Eurasia.

PubMed

Feng, Qidi; Lu, Yan; Ni, Xumin; Yuan, Kai; Yang, Yajun; Yang, Xiong; Liu, Chang; Lou, Haiyi; Ning, Zhilin; Wang, Yuchen; Lu, Dongsheng; Zhang, Chao; Zhou, Ying; Shi, Meng; Tian, Lei; Wang, Xiaoji; Zhang, Xi; Li, Jing; Khan, Asifullah; Guan, Yaqun; Tang, Kun; Wang, Sijia; Xu, Shuhua

2017-10-01

The Uyghur people residing in Xinjiang, a territory located in the far west of China and crossed by the Silk Road, are a key ethnic group for understanding the history of human dispersion in Eurasia. Here we assessed the genetic structure and ancestry of 951 Xinjiang's Uyghurs (XJU) representing 14 geographical subpopulations. We observed a southwest and northeast differentiation within XJU, which was likely shaped jointly by the Tianshan Mountains, which traverses from east to west as a natural barrier, and gene flow from both east and west directions. In XJU, we identified four major ancestral components that were potentially derived from two earlier admixed groups: one from the West, harboring European (25-37%) and South Asian ancestries (12-20%), and the other from the East, with Siberian (15-17%) and East Asian (29-47%) ancestries. By using a newly developed method, MultiWaver, the complex admixture history of XJU was modeled as a two-wave admixture. An ancient wave was dated back to ∼3,750 years ago (ya), which is much earlier than that estimated by previous studies, but fits within the range of dating of mummies that exhibited European features that were discovered in the Tarim basin, which is situated in southern Xinjiang (4,000-2,000 ya); a more recent wave occurred around 750 ya, which is in agreement with the estimate from a recent study using other methods. We unveiled a more complex scenario of ancestral origins and admixture history in XJU than previously reported, which further suggests Bronze Age massive migrations in Eurasia and East-West contacts across the Silk Road. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Paternal and maternal genetic analysis of a desert Keriyan population: Keriyans are not the descendants of Guge Tibetans.

PubMed

Chen, Kaixu; Ablimit, Abdurahman; Ling, Fengjun; Wu, Weiwei; Shan, Wenjuan; Qin, Wenbei; Keweier, Tuerhong; Zuo, Hongli; Zhang, Fuchun; Ma, Zhenghai; Zheng, Xiufen

2014-01-01

The Keriyan people live in an isolated village in the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang, Western China. The origin and migration of the Keriyans remains unclear. We studied paternal and maternal genetic variance through typing Y-STR loci and sequencing the complete control region of the mtDNA and compared them with other adjacent populations. Data show that the Keriyan have relatively low genetic diversity on both the paternal and maternal lineages and possess both European and Asian specific haplogroups, indicating Keriyan is an admixture population of West and East. There is a gender-bias in the extent of contribution from Europe vs. Asia to the Keriyan gene pool. Keriyans have more genetic affinity to Uyghurs than to Tibetans. The Keriyan are not the descendants of the Guge Tibetans.

Cold Regions Issues for Off-Road Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

the operation of off-road autonomous vehicles . Low-temperature effects on lubricants, materials, and batteries can impair a robot’s ability to operate...demanding that off-road autonomous vehicles must be designed for and tested in cold regions if they are expected to operate there successfully.

The Internet as a Tool for Informal Education: A Case of Uyghur Language Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clothey, Rebecca A.

2017-01-01

The 200th year since Jullien published his influential book "Esquisse et vues preliminaries d'un ouvrage sur l'éducation comparée" (Preliminary plan and views of a work of comparative education) is an opportunity to reflect on the field of comparative education and potential new research and theoretical directions. This paper will…

Unfold the Veil Covering News--A Case Study of English Language and Ideology in Both American and Chinese Press

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Li; You, Qi-Dongmeng

2013-01-01

By taking Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) as research approach, this study analyzes and discusses two news reports related to the event that a Uyghur man was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People's Court in Xinjiang, a western province of China. Both news reports on that event are taken respectively from two newspapers published in…

Examining the English Language Policy for Ethnic Minority Students in a Chinese University: A Language Ideology and Language Regime Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Yawen; De Costa, Peter I.; Cui, Yaqiong

2016-01-01

We focus on the learning of English in a Chinese university in Jiangsu and the university's preferential language policy, which allowed Uyghur minority students from Xinjiang to be enrolled despite their lower scores in the entrance examination. Guided by the constructs of language ideologies [Kroskrity, P. V. (2000). "Regimes of language:…

Distribution and Determinants of Non Communicable Diseases among Elderly Uyghur Ethnic Group in Xinjiang, China

PubMed Central

Wang, Xihua; Hu, Zhi; Ma, Ying; Tang, Weiming; Ben, Yanli; Mahapatra, Tanmay; Cao, Xiaolin; Mahapatra, Sanchita; Ling, Min; Gou, Anshuan; Wang, Yanmei; Xiao, Jiangqin; Hou, Ming; Wang, Xiuli; Lin, Bo; Wang, Faxing

2014-01-01

Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are showing an increasing trend globally as well as in China. Elderly population are more prone to these NCDs. Situation in China is worse owing to the higher proportion of geriatric population. Burden of NCDs and the role of their socio-demographic and behavioral predictors among these elderly and more so among the ethnic minority groups among them, need to be investigated specifically, owing to their distinct genetic background, lifestyles and behavior. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1329 randomly selected persons of Uyghur ethnicity, aged 60 years or more in Xinjiang, the largest administrative division in China to measure the burden of NCDs, understand the distribution of socio-demographic, behavioral and life event-related potential correlates of them and to estimate the association of the NCDs with these correlates. Results Among these participants 54.2% were female, 86.8% were married and more than half had only attended elementary school or less. 41.46% was suffering from at least one NCD. 20.22% had one NCD, 12.11% had two and 8.58% had three or more. 27.3% had hypertension, 4.06% had diabetes, 6.02% had hyperlipidemia, 7.37% had angina, 14.52% had cardiovascular diseases, 11.59% had any kind of cancers and 9.78% had chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Rural residents (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.17–1.80, AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.53–2.61) and current smokers had higher odds of having more NCDs (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.00–2.34). Additionally not being satisfied with current life, not being able to take care of self in daily life, currently not being involved in farm work, less intake of fresh vegetables, fruits and garlic, too less or too much salt intake, not having hobbies were found to be positively associated with having more NCDs. Conclusion Implementation of effective intervention strategies to promote healthy life styles among the Uyghur elderly population of China seems urgent. PMID:25141133

Cervical cancer prevention-related knowledge and attitudes among female undergraduate students from different ethnic groups within China, a survey-based study.

PubMed

Wu, Enqi; Tiggelaar, Sarah M; Jiang, Tao; Zhao, Huanhu; Wu, Ritu; Wu, Rilige; Xu, Fangmei

2017-05-22

The purpose of this study was to understand cervical cancer prevention-related knowledge and attitudes among female undergraduate students from different ethnic groups within China. We conducted a survey among ethnically diverse female students from the Minzu University of China, in Beijing in October, 2014. Questionnaires from 493 participants aged from 16 to 26 years were included in the final database. The seven ethnic groups included in the final analysis were Han, Korean, Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan, Hui, and Tujia. Compared to the Han Chinese, the members of the other six ethnic groups had lower cervical cancer knowledge levels. The knowledge scores of Mongolian and Korean students were significantly lower than those of the Han Chinese. The willingness to accept cervical cancer prevention efforts also differed across different ethnic groups. After adjusting for age and place of residence, the acceptance of cervical cancer screening among the Tibetan, Uyghur, and Korean groups was significantly lower than among the Han Chinese, with different related decision-making factors in each group. Cervical cancer prevention-related public education is an urgent need in China. Extra consideration of ethnic differences should be taken into account when designing and improving new current cervical cancer prevention programs.

Evaluation of the national health surveillance program of workers previously exposed to asbestos in Spain (2008).

PubMed

Gómez, Montserrat García; Castañeda, Rosario; López, Vega García; Vidal, Manuel Martínez; Villanueva, Vicent; Espinosa, Mercedes Elvira

2012-01-01

Although asbestos was banned in Spain in 2001, monitoring the health of previously-exposed workers is required. In 2002 the Ministry of Health and the autonomous regions of Spain planned a health surveillance program for workers exposed to asbestos (Programa de Vigilancia de la Salud de los Trabajadores Expuestos al Amianto [PIVISTEA]) with employers' organizations, trade unions and scientific societies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the PIVISTEA to improve its effectiveness. A questionnaire with indicators for the year 2008 was sent to Spain's 17 autonomous regions, as well as to the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. The results were analyzed by evaluating the compliance of each program with the activities established by the PIVISTEA. In December 2008, a total of 22,158 workers from 14 autonomous regions and 306 companies were included in the program. The program had been started in 88% of the regions but surveillance activities remained scarce in 24%. Fifty-seven percent of the autonomous regions (69% of the total number of workers) provided the information requested. Seven autonomous regions provided data on the relationship between the diseases found and asbestos exposure. Only 5% of these diseases entitled affected individuals to receive compensation for occupational diseases. The health surveillance of workers previously exposed to asbestos in Spain, as well as medical-legal recognition of diseases caused by exposure at work, remain in adequate. Although the trend is positive, the effectiveness of many regional programs is limited, and inter-regional inequalities among affected workers have been detected. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The provenance of Taklamakan desert sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rittner, Martin; Vermeesch, Pieter; Carter, Andrew; Bird, Anna; Stevens, Thomas; Garzanti, Eduardo; Andò, Sergio; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Dutt, Ripul; Xu, Zhiwei; Lu, Huayu

2016-03-01

Sand migration in the vast Taklamakan desert within the Tarim Basin (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, PR China) is governed by two competing transport agents: wind and water, which work in diametrically opposed directions. Net aeolian transport is from northeast to south, while fluvial transport occurs from the south to the north and then west to east at the northern rim, due to a gradual northward slope of the underlying topography. We here present the first comprehensive provenance study of Taklamakan desert sand with the aim to characterise the interplay of these two transport mechanisms and their roles in the formation of the sand sea, and to consider the potential of the Tarim Basin as a contributing source to the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP). Our dataset comprises 39 aeolian and fluvial samples, which were characterised by detrital-zircon U-Pb geochronology, heavy-mineral, and bulk-petrography analyses. Although the inter-sample differences of all three datasets are subtle, a multivariate statistical analysis using multidimensional scaling (MDS) clearly shows that Tarim desert sand is most similar in composition to rivers draining the Kunlun Shan (south) and the Pamirs (west), and is distinctly different from sediment sources in the Tian Shan (north). A small set of samples from the Junggar Basin (north of the Tian Shan) yields different detrital compositions and age spectra than anywhere in the Tarim Basin, indicating that aeolian sediment exchange between the two basins is minimal. Although river transport dominates delivery of sand into the Tarim Basin, wind remobilises and reworks the sediment in the central sand sea. Characteristic signatures of main rivers can be traced from entrance into the basin to the terminus of the Tarim River, and those crossing the desert from the south to north can seasonally bypass sediment through the sand sea. Smaller ephemeral rivers from the Kunlun Shan end in the desert and discharge their sediment there. Both river run-off and wind intensity are strongly seasonal, their respective transport strength and opposing directions maintain the Taklamakan in its position and topography.

Description of Sweltsa tibetensis sp. n. (Plecoptera: Chloroperlidae) from Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

PubMed

Li, Weihai; Pan, Zhaohui; Liu, Ruijun

2017-12-18

A new stonefly species of the chloroperlini genus Sweltsa, S. tibetensis, sp. n. is described from the southeastern Tibet Autonomous Region, China and its taxonomic relationship to related taxa is discussed.

[Analysis on funds application of community based organizations involved in HIV/AIDS response and government financial investment in China, 2014].

PubMed

Zhang, G; Zhu, Y X; Wang, P; Liu, P; Li, J F; Sha, S; Yang, W Z; Li, H

2017-03-06

Objective: To understand the government financial investments to community based organizations (CBO) involved in HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention of China and its influencing factors. Methods: Questionnaire of the situation of CBO involved in HIV/AIDS control and prevention were designed, and filled by the staff of Provincial Health Administrative Departments of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). The research focused on the fields of CBO involved in HIV/AIDS response in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), including intervention on HIV/AIDS high risk population (female sex worker (FSW), man who sex with man (MSM), drug user (DU) and case management and care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH)). 29 valid questionnaires were collecting, with Shanxi Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions not filled. Questionnaire included financial supports from local governments, transfer payment from central government for CBO involved in HIV/AIDS response in 2014, and unit cost for CBO involved in HIV/AIDS control and prevention. Multivariate analysis was conducted on the project application and financial investment of community based organizations involved in HIV/AIDS control and prevention in 2014. Results: The total amount of CBO to apply for participation in AIDS prevention and control was 64 482 828 Yuan in 2014. The actual total amount of investment was 50 616 367 Yuan, The investment came from the central government funding, the provincial level government funding, the prefecture and county level government funding investment and other sources of funding. 22 of 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) received the funds from the central government finance, and median of investment funds 500 000 Yuan. 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) gained the funds from the provincial government finance, and median of investment funds 350 000 Yuan. 12 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) got the funds from the prefecture and county level government finance, and median of investment funds 408 750 Yuan. 12 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) acquired the funds from other sources, and median of investment funds 228 400 Yuan. The median ( P (25), P (75)) unit costs of intervention for FSW from 16 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) was 70 (23, 280) Yuan per year; DU from 14 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) was 83 (44, 200 ) Yuan per year; MSM from 16 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) was 100 (35, 280) Yuan per year; the follow-up and care for PLWH from 17 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) was 200 (45, 500) Yuan per year. Multivariate linear regression analysis results showed that the amount of PLWH in 2014 influenced on the total number of application funds of CBO involved in HIV/AIDS response ( b =178.11, 95% CI: 51.86-305.36) and the amount of PLWH ( b =77.72, 95% CI: 16.28-139.16), and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of the province ( b =36.20, 95% CI: 4.60-67.80) impacted financial investment to CBO involved in HIV/AIDS response, respectively. Conclusion: Funds application and financial investment of CBO involved in HIV/AIDS control and prevention were huge. Financial investment from government was main resources for CBO in 2014. The amount of financial investment funds from governments was influenced by the HIV/AIDS epidemic situation and the development level of local economic.

Vestibular autonomic regulation (including motion sickness and the mechanism of vomiting)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balaban, C. D.

1999-01-01

Autonomic manifestations of vestibular dysfunction and motion sickness are well established in the clinical literature. Recent studies of 'vestibular autonomic regulation' have focused predominantly on autonomic responses to stimulation of the vestibular sense organs in the inner ear. These studies have shown that autonomic responses to vestibular stimulation are regionally selective and have defined a 'vestibulosympathetic reflex' in animal experiments. Outside the realm of experimental preparations, however, the importance of vestibular inputs in autonomic regulation is unclear because controls for secondary factors, such as affective/emotional responses and cardiovascular responses elicited by muscle contraction and regional blood pooling, have been inadequate. Anatomic and physiologic evidence of an extensive convergence of vestibular and autonomic information in the brainstem suggests though that there may be an integrated representation of gravitoinertial acceleration from vestibular, somatic, and visceral receptors for somatic and visceral motor control. In the case of vestibular dysfunction or motion sickness, the unpleasant visceral manifestations (e.g. epigastric discomfort, nausea or vomiting) may contribute to conditioned situational avoidance and the development of agoraphobia.

[Gender development inequalities epidemiology in Spain (1990-2000)].

PubMed

Carrasco-Portiño, Mercedes; Ruiz-Cantero, María Teresa; Gil-González, Diana; Díaz, Carlos Alvarez-Dardet; Torrubiano-Domínguez, Jordi

2008-01-01

Gender is an important health determinant for public health policies. This study describes the changes in gender development inequalities in Spain and its autonomous regions from 1990 to 2000. An ecological study using the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Gender Development Index (GDI) was done. IDG both men and women was analysed according to indexes of education, income and life expectancy at birth. Although the GDI has had an increase of 5,05% in the 90 s, 51,5% of the population was located above the global GDI of Spain in 1990, moreover this number decreased to 46,3% in 2000. Gender inequalities have been reduced both at national and regional levels. The regions with the lowest increase were Asturias (3.37%), Cantabria (3.68%) and Baleares Islands (3.71%). The regions with the highest increase were Madrid (6,46%) and Extremadura (6,75%). All the autonomous regions showed a number of GDI lower than the value of HDI. Both sexes achieved similar increase in life expectancy (Men: 5% and Women: 4%). An unequal variation was detected according to the autonomous region (Basque Country; Men: 7% and Women: 3%; Madrid; Men:8% and Women:5%). Women have improved their educational level in comparison to men (Men: 3% and Women: 6%). In the 90 s, men obtained more income than women, but women improved their situation three times more than men. Inequalities in Human Development analysed by gender have been reduced in the 90 s in Spain. However, the improvement of education, income and life expectancy occurred only in some autonomous regions. This situation shows the differences among Spanish autonomous regions.

Association between Six CETP Polymorphisms and Metabolic Syndrome in Uyghur Adults from Xinjiang, China

PubMed Central

Hou, Huixian; Ma, Rulin; Guo, Heng; He, Jia; Hu, Yunhua; Mu, Lati; Yan, Yizhong; Ma, Jiaolong; Li, Shugang; Zhang, Jingyu; Ding, Yusong; Zhang, Mei; Niu, Qiang; Liu, Jiaming; Guo, Shuxia

2017-01-01

Objective: To explore the association between CETP gene polymorphisms and metabolic syndrome (MS), as well as the relationship between the CETP gene polymorphisms and each component of MS. Methods: A total of 571 individuals which were randomly selected from 5692 Uyghur adults were subdivided into two groups, including 280 patients with MS and 291 control subjects, using the group-matching method after matching for gender. We detected CETP polymorphisms (rs5882, rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272) by using the Snapshot method. Results: (1) Significant differences were found involving the frequency distribution of genotypes and alleles of rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272 between the control and MS groups (all p < 0.05). (2) rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272 polymorphisms were significantly related to the risk of MS (all p < 0.05). (3) The rs1800775 polymorphism was associated with high fasting blood glucose levels and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); rs3764261 and rs12149545 polymorphisms were associated with all components of MS except high blood pressure; rs711752 and rs708272 polymorphisms were associated with low HDL-C (all p < 0.05). (4) Complete linkage disequilibrium (LD) was identified for two pairs of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3764261 and rs12149545 (D’ = 1.000, r2 = 0.931), rs711752 and rs708272 (D’ = 1.000, r2 = 0.996)). (5) The A-G-G-G-C (p = 0.013, odds ratio [OR] = 0.622, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.427–0.906) and A-T-A-A-T (p < 0.001, OR = 0.519, 95% CI = 0.386–0.697) haplotypes were more frequent in the control group than in the case group. Conclusions: The rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272 polymorphisms of CETP were associated with MS and its components among the Uyghur ethnic group. Complete LD was found between two pairs of SNPs (rs3764261 and rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272). The A-G-G-G-C and A-T-A-A-T haplotypes might be protective factors for MS. PMID:28629169

The Uyghur Movement: China’s Insurgency in Xinjiang

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

secessionist demands provide potential allies, because poverty and human rights abuses provide causes that al Qaeda organizers can latch on to and use to... wedge between the government and the population. Under Jin’s rule, corruption worsened and the economy further degraded. In one account, it was...Conversely, it is clear, however, that China has latched on to the U.S. led global war on terrorism as a means to operate outside of the confines of

[Study on composition, antibiotic activity and antioxidant activity of volatile oils from uyghur medicine Althaea rosea].

PubMed

Munira, Abudukeremu; Muheta'er, Tu'erhong; Resalat, Yimin; Xia, Na

2015-04-01

Althaea rosea is a type of mallow plant. Its dry flowers are one of common herb in Uyghur medicines and recorded to have several efficacies such as external application for detumescence, moistening lung and arresting cough, sweating and relieving asthma, diminishing swelling and promoting eruption, soothing the nerves and strengthening heart. However, there are only fewer studies on effective components of A. rosea and no literature about its volatile oil and pharmacological activity. In this paper, the volatile oil of A. rosea was obtained by using the chemical distillation and extraction method. The individual chemical components were separated from the volatile oil and identified by the Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer technique (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity against free radicals was detected by the'ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometer method. The antibiotic activity was detected by the filter paper diffusion method. The experimental results showed nearly 70 compounds in the volatile oil, with complex chemical components. With a low content, most of the compounds were aromatic and aliphatic compounds and their derivatives. A. rosea had a better antibiotic activity for common microorganisms, with a wide antibacterial spectrum. According to the results, the volatile oil of A. rosea will have a good application value in medicine, food and cosmetic industries, which provided a scientific basis for the development of natural A. rosea resources.

[Level of funding in the Long-Term Care Law: the cost of moving toward real dependency variables].

PubMed

Correa Gómez, Manuel; Montero Granados, Roberto; Jiménez Aguilera, Juan de Dios

2011-12-01

The system for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care of Dependent Persons established by Act 39/2006 is funded through private contributions of dependent individuals and earmarked transfers in three main funds: a minimum level, an agreed level distributed among the various autonomous regions according to their relative needs, and a further voluntary additional contribution by Spain's autonomous regions. The resources distributed by the state to the regions are assigned, among other less important variables, according to the potentially dependent population and, to a lesser extent, according to the population already evaluated as dependent. Because the concept of what constitutes disability has changed over the years from the population potentially dependent according to an estimate (estimated dependent individuals) to the actual number of dependent individuals recognized as such (declared dependent), some autonomous regions may have been overfunded or underfunded. The funding obtained by the autonomous regions each year from 2007 to 2011 was compared with the funding that would have been assigned to each region if, since 2007, the variables and weighting that will be representative of the funding needs for 2013 (distribution mainly according to declared dependent individuals) had been taken into account. From 2007-2011, regions where declared dependent persons outnumbered estimated disabled persons were underfunded (in Andalusia by more than 100 million euros). In contrast, regions where the situation was reversed were overfunded (by 49 million euros in Madrid and 37 million euros in the region of Valencia). There is wide variation in public funding to the autonomous regions, depending on the number of individuals declared as dependent. Among other no less serious consequences, this situation could hamper the implantation of the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care of Dependent Persons Act in underfunded regions. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

An Improved Vision-based Algorithm for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Autonomous Landing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yunji; Pei, Hailong

In vision-based autonomous landing system of UAV, the efficiency of target detecting and tracking will directly affect the control system. The improved algorithm of SURF(Speed Up Robust Features) will resolve the problem which is the inefficiency of the SURF algorithm in the autonomous landing system. The improved algorithm is composed of three steps: first, detect the region of the target using the Camshift; second, detect the feature points in the region of the above acquired using the SURF algorithm; third, do the matching between the template target and the region of target in frame. The results of experiment and theoretical analysis testify the efficiency of the algorithm.

Communication and Control for Fleets of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-30

Washington State University (WSU) on fuzzy logic control systems [2-4] and autonomous vehicles [5-10]. The ALWSE-MC program developed at NAVSEA CSS was...rotating head sonar on crawlers as an additional sensor for navigation. We have previously investigated the use of video cameras on autonomous vehicles for...simulates autonomous vehicles performing mine reconnaissance/mapping, clearance, and surveillance in a littoral region. Three simulations were preformed

[Primary care resources available in digital libraries in Spanish Autonomous Regions].

PubMed

Juan-Quilis, Verónica

2013-03-01

The Statement by the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SemFYC) on access to scientific information, highlights the need for providing digital libraries with certain resources in Autonomous Regions. The primary goal is to study the evidence-based medicine (EBM) coverage that SemFYC recommends regional virtual libraries. The regional health virtual libraries were identified and the access provided to health professionals, Internet presence, remote access and resources were studied. The results suggest there is ample coverage in 8 Autonomous Regions. At the top of the list was, Health Sciences Virtual Library of Navarre, the Balearic Islands Health Sciences Virtual Library, and Virtual Library of the Andalusian Public Health System. The present study needs to be extended to the other biomedical sciences, in order to obtain more accurate results. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Association between Eight Functional Polymorphisms and Haplotypes in the Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Gene and Dyslipidemia in National Minority Adults in the Far West Region of China.

PubMed

Guo, Shuxia; Hu, Yunhua; Ding, Yusong; Liu, Jiaming; Zhang, Mei; Ma, Rulin; Guo, Heng; Wang, Kui; He, Jia; Yan, Yizhong; Rui, Dongsheng; Sun, Feng; Mu, Lati; Niu, Qiang; Zhang, Jingyu; Li, Shugang

2015-12-16

We have investigated the relationship between the polymorphisms and haplotypes in the CETP gene, and dyslipidemia among the Xinjiang Kazak and Uyghur populations in China. A total of 712 patients with dyslipidemia and 764 control subjects of CETP gene polymorphism at rs12149545, rs3764261, rs1800775, rs711752, rs708272, rs289714, rs5882, and rs1801706 loci were studied by the Snapshot method, linkage disequilibrium analysis and haplotype construction. The results are as follows: (1) the minor allele of eight loci of frequencies in the two groups were different from other results of similar studies in other countries; (2) In the linear regression analysis, the HDL-C levels of rs708272 TT, rs1800775 AA, rs289714 CC and rs711752 AA genotypes were significantly higher than those of other genotypes, however, the rs3764261 GG and rs12149545 GG genotypes were significantly lower than those of other genotypes in the two ethnic groups. The HDL-C levels of the rs12149545 GG genotype were lower than those of other genotypes; (3) in the control group, the rs708272 CT genotype of TG levels were lower than in the CC genotype, the T genotype of LDL-C levels were lower than in the CC genotype, and the HDL-C levels were higher than in the CT genotype; the rs1800775 AC genotype of TG levels were higher than in the AA genotype, the rs711752 AG genotype of TG levels were lower than in the GG genotype, the AA genotype LDL-C levels were lower than in the GG genotype, and the HDL-C levels were higher than in the AG genotype; the rs1800775 AC genotype of TG levels were higher than in the AA genotype. In the dyslipidemia group, the rs708272 TT genotype of TC and LDL-C levels were higher than in the CT genotype and the rs3764261 TT genotype of TC levels were higher than in the GG genotype. The rs711752 AA genotype of TC and LDL-C levels were higher than in the AG genotype, and the rs12149545 AA genotype of TC and LDL-C levels were higher than in the GG genotype; (4) perfect Linkage Disequilibrium was observed for two sets of two SNPs: rs3764261 and rs12149545; rs711752 and rs708272. (5) Using SHEsis software analysis, the five A/T/A/A/T/C/A/G, A/T/A/A/T/T/G/A, G/G/A/G/C/C/G/G, G/G/C/G/C/C/A/G and G/G/C/G/C/T/G/G haplotypes were between dyslipidemia group and control group statistically significantly different (p < 0.05 in each case). The polymorphism of CETP genes rs708272, rs3764261, rs1800775, rs711752, rs12149545 was closely related to the dyslipidemia in the Xinjiang Uyghur and Kazakh ethnic groups; and the rs708272 T, rs3764261 T, rs711752 A, and rs12149545 A alleles could reduce risk of dyslipidemia in the Uyghur and Kazakh populations, however, the rs1800775 C allele showed risk factors.

Association between Eight Functional Polymorphisms and Haplotypes in the Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Gene and Dyslipidemia in National Minority Adults in the Far West Region of China

PubMed Central

Guo, Shuxia; Hu, Yunhua; Ding, Yusong; Liu, Jiaming; Zhang, Mei; Ma, Rulin; Guo, Heng; Wang, Kui; He, Jia; Yan, Yizhong; Rui, Dongsheng; Sun, Feng; Mu, Lati; Niu, Qiang; Zhang, Jingyu; Li, Shugang

2015-01-01

We have investigated the relationship between the polymorphisms and haplotypes in the CETP gene, and dyslipidemia among the Xinjiang Kazak and Uyghur populations in China. A total of 712 patients with dyslipidemia and 764 control subjects of CETP gene polymorphism at rs12149545, rs3764261, rs1800775, rs711752, rs708272, rs289714, rs5882, and rs1801706 loci were studied by the Snapshot method, linkage disequilibrium analysis and haplotype construction. The results are as follows: (1) the minor allele of eight loci of frequencies in the two groups were different from other results of similar studies in other countries; (2) In the linear regression analysis, the HDL-C levels of rs708272 TT, rs1800775 AA, rs289714 CC and rs711752 AA genotypes were significantly higher than those of other genotypes, however, the rs3764261 GG and rs12149545 GG genotypes were significantly lower than those of other genotypes in the two ethnic groups. The HDL-C levels of the rs12149545 GG genotype were lower than those of other genotypes; (3) in the control group, the rs708272 CT genotype of TG levels were lower than in the CC genotype, the T genotype of LDL-C levels were lower than in the CC genotype, and the HDL-C levels were higher than in the CT genotype; the rs1800775 AC genotype of TG levels were higher than in the AA genotype, the rs711752 AG genotype of TG levels were lower than in the GG genotype, the AA genotype LDL-C levels were lower than in the GG genotype, and the HDL-C levels were higher than in the AG genotype; the rs1800775 AC genotype of TG levels were higher than in the AA genotype. In the dyslipidemia group, the rs708272 TT genotype of TC and LDL-C levels were higher than in the CT genotype and the rs3764261 TT genotype of TC levels were higher than in the GG genotype. The rs711752 AA genotype of TC and LDL-C levels were higher than in the AG genotype, and the rs12149545 AA genotype of TC and LDL-C levels were higher than in the GG genotype; (4) perfect Linkage Disequilibrium was observed for two sets of two SNPs: rs3764261 and rs12149545; rs711752 and rs708272. (5) Using SHEsis software analysis, the five A/T/A/A/T/C/A/G, A/T/A/A/T/T/G/A, G/G/A/G/C/C/G/G, G/G/C/G/C/C/A/G and G/G/C/G/C/T/G/G haplotypes were between dyslipidemia group and control group statistically significantly different (p < 0.05 in each case). The polymorphism of CETP genes rs708272, rs3764261, rs1800775, rs711752, rs12149545 was closely related to the dyslipidemia in the Xinjiang Uyghur and Kazakh ethnic groups; and the rs708272 T, rs3764261 T, rs711752 A, and rs12149545 A alleles could reduce risk of dyslipidemia in the Uyghur and Kazakh populations, however, the rs1800775 C allele showed risk factors. PMID:26694435

Description of two new species of the Neoperla montivaga group (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

PubMed

Yang, Juan; Zhang, Sujiong; Li, Weihai

2017-03-05

The following two new species from Shiwandashan of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China are described, Neoperla bicolor Yang, Zhang & Li, sp. nov. and N. muranyii Yang, Zhang & Li, sp. nov. The new species are compared with related congeners of their respective species subgroups.

The Effect of Belief in Free Will on Prejudice

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xian; Liu, Li; Zhang, Xiao-xiao; Shi, Jia-xin; Huang, Zhen-wei

2014-01-01

The current research examined the role of the belief in free will on prejudice across Han Chinese and white samples. Belief in free will refers to the extent to which people believe human beings truly have free will. In Study 1, the beliefs of Han Chinese people in free will were measured, and their social distances from the Tibetan Chinese were used as an index of ethnic prejudice. The results showed that the more that Han Chinese endorsed the belief in free will, the less that they showed prejudice against the Tibetan Chinese. In Study 2, the belief of the Han Chinese in free will was manipulated, and their explicit feelings towards the Uyghur Chinese were used as an indicator of ethnic prejudice. The results showed that the participants in the condition of belief in free will reported less prejudice towards Uyghur Chinese compared to their counterparts in the condition of disbelief in free will. In Study 3, white peoples’ belief in free will was manipulated, and their pro-black attitudes were measured as an indirect indicator of racial prejudice. The results showed that, compared to the condition of disbelief in free will, the participants who were primed by a belief in free will reported stronger pro-black attitudes. These three studies suggest that endorsement of the belief in free will can lead to decreased ethnic/racial prejudice compared to denial of the belief in free will. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed. PMID:24622280

The effect of belief in free will on prejudice.

PubMed

Zhao, Xian; Liu, Li; Zhang, Xiao-xiao; Shi, Jia-xin; Huang, Zhen-wei

2014-01-01

The current research examined the role of the belief in free will on prejudice across Han Chinese and white samples. Belief in free will refers to the extent to which people believe human beings truly have free will. In Study 1, the beliefs of Han Chinese people in free will were measured, and their social distances from the Tibetan Chinese were used as an index of ethnic prejudice. The results showed that the more that Han Chinese endorsed the belief in free will, the less that they showed prejudice against the Tibetan Chinese. In Study 2, the belief of the Han Chinese in free will was manipulated, and their explicit feelings towards the Uyghur Chinese were used as an indicator of ethnic prejudice. The results showed that the participants in the condition of belief in free will reported less prejudice towards Uyghur Chinese compared to their counterparts in the condition of disbelief in free will. In Study 3, white peoples' belief in free will was manipulated, and their pro-black attitudes were measured as an indirect indicator of racial prejudice. The results showed that, compared to the condition of disbelief in free will, the participants who were primed by a belief in free will reported stronger pro-black attitudes. These three studies suggest that endorsement of the belief in free will can lead to decreased ethnic/racial prejudice compared to denial of the belief in free will. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

[The association between gingival cervicular fluid Interleukin-6 level, serum estradiol status and periodontitis in Uyghur postmenopausal women].

PubMed

Ha, Li-ya; A, Da-lat; Zhong, Liang-jun; Feng, Jin-hong

2004-12-01

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze by cross-sectional design the association between GCF IL-6 level, serum E2 level and common clinical measurements of periodontitis in Uyghur postmenopausal women. 79 subjects within 5 years after menopause were enrolled in the study. 30 GCF samples were harvested from healthy sites, 49 GCF samples from chronic periodontitis sites. Clinical measurements of each tooth were recorded after obtaining GCF samples. GCF IL-6 and serum E2 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The mean concentration of GCF IL-6 from healthy sites was (1088.10+/-102.33)pg/ml.The mean concentration of IL-6 from chronic periodontitis sites was significantly higher than that of healthy sites (P<0.005). Positive correlation was found between GCF IL-6 level and clinical measurements (GI, PPD and CAL) (r=0.564, P<0.005; r=0.335, P<0.05; r=0.324, P<0.05). Clinical measurements and GCF IL-6 levels of chronic periodontitis subjects were not different between E2-deficient and E2-sufficient subjects. These findings suggest that there is lower IL-6 level in GCF from healthy sites; the increasing production of IL-6 may be associated with the initiation and progress of periodontitis. IL-6 may be a valuable indicator of the severity of periodontitis; E2 level is not associated with clinical measurements and GCF IL-6 level of chronic periodontitis of Uyghuy woman in early menopause.

Cognitive load and autonomic response patterns under negative priming demand in depersonalization-derealization disorder.

PubMed

Lemche, Erwin; Sierra-Siegert, Mauricio; David, Anthony S; Phillips, Mary L; Gasston, David; Williams, Steven C R; Giampietro, Vincent P

2016-04-01

Previous studies have yielded evidence for cognitive processing abnormalities and alterations of autonomic functioning in depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPRD). However, multimodal neuroimaging and psychophysiology studies have not yet been conducted to test for functional and effective connectivity under cognitive stress in patients with DPRD. DPRD and non-referred control subjects underwent a combined Stroop/negative priming task, and the neural correlates of Stroop interference effect, negative priming effect, error rates, cognitive load span and average amplitude of skin conductance responses were ascertained for both groups. Evoked haemodynamic responses for basic Stroop/negative priming activations were compared. For basic Stroop to neutral contrast, patients with DPRD differed in the location (inferior vs. superior lobule) of the parietal region involved, but showed similar activations in the left frontal region. In addition, patients with DPRD also co-activated the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (BA9) and posterior cingulate cortex (BA31), which were also found to be the main between-group difference regions. These regions furthermore showed connectivity with frequency of depersonalization states. Evoked haemodynamic responses drawn from regions of interest indicated significant between-group differences in 30-40% of time points. Brain-behaviour correlations differed mainly in laterality, yet only slightly in regions. A reversal of autonomic patterning became evident in patients with DPRD for cognitive load spans, indicating less effective arousal suppression under cognitive stress - patients with DPRD showed positive associations of cognitive load with autonomic responses, whereas controls exhibit respective inverse association. Overall, the results of the present study show only minor executive cognitive peculiarities, but further support the notion of abnormalities in autonomic functioning in patients with DPRD. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sanctions and childhood mortality in Iraq.

PubMed

Ali, M M; Shah, I H

2000-05-27

In 1999 UNICEF, in cooperation with the government of Iraq and the local authorities in the "autonomous" (northern Kurdish) region, conducted two similar surveys to provide regionally representative and reliable estimates of child mortality (the subject of this paper) and maternal mortality. In a cross-sectional household survey in the south/centre of Iraq in February and March, 1999, 23105 ever-married women aged 15-49 years living in sampled households were interviewed by trained interviewers with a structured questionnaire that was developed using the Demographic and Health Surveys questionnaire and following a pre-test. In a similar survey in the autonomous region in April and May 14 035 ever-married women age 15-49 were interviewed. In the south/centre, infant and under-5 mortality increased during the 10 years before the survey, which roughly corresponds to the period following the Gulf conflict and the start of the United Nations sanctions. Infant mortality rose from 47 per 1000 live births during 1984-89 to 108 per 1000 in 1994-99, and under-5 mortality rose from 56 to 131 per 1000 live births. In the autonomous region during the same period, infant mortality declined from 64 to 59 per 1000 and under-5 mortality fell from 80 to 72 per 1000. Childhood mortality was higher among children born in rural areas, children born to women with no education, and in boys, and these differentials were broadly similar in the two regions. Childhood mortality clearly increased after the Gulf conflict and under UN sanctions in the south/centre of Iraq, but in the autonomous region since the start of the Oil-for-Food Programme childhood mortality has begun to decline. Better food and resource allocation to the autonomous region contributed to the continued gains in lower mortality, whereas the situation in the south/centre deteriorated despite the high level of literacy in that region.

The Epidemic History of HIV-1 CRF07_BC in Hetian Prefecture and the Role of It on HIV Spreading in China.

PubMed

Wu, Jianjun; Guo, Hongxiong; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Xiaoming; Ayoupu, Aideaierli; Shen, Yuelan; Miao, Lifeng; Tang, Jihai; Lei, Yanhua; Su, Bin

2017-04-01

CRF07_BC is one of the most prevalent HIV-1 strains in China, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has ever been considered to be a second epidemic center after Yunnan Province in previous studies. Here we use HIV-1 pol gene sequences identified from Hetian Prefecture located in Xinjiang Autonomous Region to reconstruct the epidemic history of HIV CRF07_BC strain circulating in this region. We found that CRF07_BC is the predominant HIV-1 form in Hetian Prefecture, and the estimated tMRCA analysis shows that there is no enough evidence supporting Xinjiang Autonomous Region as a second epidemic center of spreading HIV-1. It may imply that every city may be only a point among the HIV spreading network because of the frequent migration of population in the whole country nowadays.

Educational Leadership as Best Practice in Highly Effective Schools in the Autonomous Region of the Basque County (Spain)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intxausti, Nahia; Joaristi, Luis; Lizasoain, Luis

2016-01-01

This study presents part of a research project currently underway which aims to characterise the best practices of highly effective schools in the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country (Spain). Multilevel statistical modelling and hierarchical linear models were used to select 32 highly effective schools, with highly effective being taken to…

Socio-hydrologic perspectives of the co-evolution of humans and water in the Tarim River basin, Western China: the Taiji-Tire model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Tian, F.; Hu, H.; Sivapalan, M.

2014-04-01

This paper presents a historical socio-hydrological analysis of the Tarim River basin (TRB), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in Western China, from the time of the opening of the Silk Road to the present. The analysis is aimed at exploring the historical co-evolution of coupled human-water systems and at identifying common patterns or organizing principles underpinning socio-hydrological systems (SHS). As a self-organized entity, the evolution of the human-water system in the Tarim Basin reached stable states for long periods of time, but then was punctuated by sudden shifts due to internal or external disturbances. In this study, we discuss three stable periods (i.e., natural, human exploitation, and degradation and recovery) and the transitions in between during the past 2000 years. During the "natural" stage that existed pre-18th century, with small-scale human society and sound environment, evolution of the SHS was mainly driven by natural environmental changes such as river channel migration and climate change. During the human exploitation stage, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries, it experienced rapid population growth, massive land reclamation and fast socio-economic development, and humans became the principal players of system evolution. By the 1970s, the Tarim Basin had evolved into a new regime with a vulnerable eco-hydrological system seemingly populated beyond its carrying capacity, and a human society that began to suffer from serious water shortages, land salinization and desertification. With intensified deterioration of river health and increased recognition of unsustainability of traditional development patterns, human intervention and recovery measures have since been adopted. As a result, the basin has shown a reverse regime shift towards some healing of the environmental damage. Based on our analysis within TRB and a common theory of social development, four general types of SHSs are defined according to their characteristic spatio-temporal variations of historical co-evolution, including primitive agricultural, traditional agricultural, industrial agricultural, and urban SHSs. These co-evolutionary changes have been explained in the paper in terms of the Taiji-Tire model, a refinement of a special concept in Chinese philosophy, relating to the co-evolution of a system because of interactions among its components.

Brain correlates of autonomic modulation: combining heart rate variability with fMRI.

PubMed

Napadow, Vitaly; Dhond, Rupali; Conti, Giulia; Makris, Nikos; Brown, Emery N; Barbieri, Riccardo

2008-08-01

The central autonomic network (CAN) has been described in animal models but has been difficult to elucidate in humans. Potential confounds include physiological noise artifacts affecting brainstem neuroimaging data, and difficulty in deriving non-invasive continuous assessments of autonomic modulation. We have developed and implemented a new method which relates cardiac-gated fMRI timeseries with continuous-time heart rate variability (HRV) to estimate central autonomic processing. As many autonomic structures of interest are in brain regions strongly affected by cardiogenic pulsatility, we chose to cardiac-gate our fMRI acquisition to increase sensitivity. Cardiac-gating introduces T1-variability, which was corrected by transforming fMRI data to a fixed TR using a previously published method [Guimaraes, A.R., Melcher, J.R., et al., 1998. Imaging subcortical auditory activity in humans. Hum. Brain Mapp. 6(1), 33-41]. The electrocardiogram was analyzed with a novel point process adaptive-filter algorithm for computation of the high-frequency (HF) index, reflecting the time-varying dynamics of efferent cardiovagal modulation. Central command of cardiovagal outflow was inferred by using the resample HF timeseries as a regressor to the fMRI data. A grip task was used to perturb the autonomic nervous system. Our combined HRV-fMRI approach demonstrated HF correlation with fMRI activity in the hypothalamus, cerebellum, parabrachial nucleus/locus ceruleus, periaqueductal gray, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, and dorsomedial/dorsolateral prefrontal, posterior insular, and middle temporal cortices. While some regions consistent with central cardiovagal control in animal models gave corroborative evidence for our methodology, other mostly higher cortical or limbic-related brain regions may be unique to humans. Our approach should be optimized and applied to study the human brain correlates of autonomic modulation for various stimuli in both physiological and pathological states.

A learning-based semi-autonomous controller for robotic exploration of unknown disaster scenes while searching for victims.

PubMed

Doroodgar, Barzin; Liu, Yugang; Nejat, Goldie

2014-12-01

Semi-autonomous control schemes can address the limitations of both teleoperation and fully autonomous robotic control of rescue robots in disaster environments by allowing a human operator to cooperate and share such tasks with a rescue robot as navigation, exploration, and victim identification. In this paper, we present a unique hierarchical reinforcement learning-based semi-autonomous control architecture for rescue robots operating in cluttered and unknown urban search and rescue (USAR) environments. The aim of the controller is to enable a rescue robot to continuously learn from its own experiences in an environment in order to improve its overall performance in exploration of unknown disaster scenes. A direction-based exploration technique is integrated in the controller to expand the search area of the robot via the classification of regions and the rubble piles within these regions. Both simulations and physical experiments in USAR-like environments verify the robustness of the proposed HRL-based semi-autonomous controller to unknown cluttered scenes with different sizes and varying types of configurations.

Effective and Inclusive Schools? Attention to Diversity in Highly Effective Schools in the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intxausti, Nahia; Etxeberria, Feli; Bartau, Isabel

2017-01-01

This paper forms part of a research project that aims to characterise best practices in highly effective schools in the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country (ARBC). The aim is for the best practices identified to serve as points of reference when designing improvement plans to be implemented in all schools in the ARBC, with the advice and…

Autonomic responses to exercise: where is central command?

PubMed

Williamson, J W

2015-03-01

A central command is thought to involve a signal arising in a central area of the brain eliciting a parallel activation of the autonomic nervous system and skeletal muscle contraction during exercise. Although much of the neural circuitry involved in autonomic control has been identified, defining the specific higher brain region(s) serving in a central command capacity has proven more challenging. Investigators have been faced with redundancies in regulatory systems, feedback mechanisms and the complexities ofhuman neural connectivity. Several studies have attempted to address these issues and provide more definitive neuroanatomical information. However, none have clearly answered the question, "where is central command?" Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

USSR Report Earth Sciences.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-22

Autonomous Digital Recording Tiltmeter Station (V. M. Ivshin, V. S. Kuznetsov, et al.; VULKANOLOGIYA I SEYSMOLOGIYA, No 6, Nov-Dec 86) 83 Influence of...2 Western. 6508/12955 CS0: 1865/303 UDC 550.34.038.8:528.087.4 AUTONOMOUS DIGITAL RECORDING TILTMETER STATION Moscow VULKANOLOGIYA I...point in the Kamchatka region, an autonomous tiltmeter station has been developed on the basis of the TM-1V tiltmeter . Measured data are registered

Recent Advances in Bathymetric Surveying of Continental Shelf Regions Using Autonomous Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, K. T.; Calantoni, J.; Slocum, D.

2016-02-01

Obtaining bathymetric observations within the continental shelf in areas closer to the shore is often time consuming and dangerous, especially when uncharted shoals and rocks present safety concerns to survey ships and launches. However, surveys in these regions are critically important to numerical simulation of oceanographic processes, as bathymetry serves as the bottom boundary condition in operational forecasting models. We will present recent progress in bathymetric surveying using both traditional vessels retrofitted for autonomous operations and relatively inexpensive, small team deployable, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV). Both systems include either high-resolution multibeam echo sounders or interferometric sidescan sonar sensors with integrated inertial navigation system capabilities consistent with present commercial-grade survey operations. The advantages and limitations of these two configurations employing both unmanned and autonomous strategies are compared using results from several recent survey operations. We will demonstrate how sensor data collected from unmanned platforms can augment or even replace traditional data collection technologies. Oceanographic observations (e.g., sound speed, temperature and currents) collected simultaneously with bathymetry using autonomous technologies provide additional opportunities for advanced data assimilation in numerical forecasts. Discussion focuses on our vision for unmanned and autonomous systems working in conjunction with manned or in-situ systems to optimally and simultaneously collect data in environmentally hostile or difficult to reach areas.

One new species of Amphinemura and description of the female of A. ancistroidea Li & Yang (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China.

PubMed

Mo, Raorao; Yang, Ding; Wang, Guoquan; Li, Weihai

2017-06-11

A new nemourid species, Amphinemura yao sp. nov. is described from the Daoyao Mountains of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China. Amphinemura ancistroidea Li & Yang, 2007 is newly recorded from Guangxi and the female is described for the first time including the internal vaginal complex. The new species is compared with related taxa.

Dominant hemisphere lateralization of cortical parasympathetic control as revealed by frontotemporal dementia

PubMed Central

Guo, Christine C.; Sturm, Virginia E.; Zhou, Juan; Gennatas, Efstathios D.; Trujillo, Andrew J.; Hua, Alice Y.; Crawford, Richard; Stables, Lara; Kramer, Joel H.; Rankin, Katherine; Levenson, Robert W.; Rosen, Howard J.; Miller, Bruce L.; Seeley, William W.

2016-01-01

The brain continuously influences and perceives the physiological condition of the body. Related cortical representations have been proposed to shape emotional experience and guide behavior. Although previous studies have identified brain regions recruited during autonomic processing, neurological lesion studies have yet to delineate the regions critical for maintaining autonomic outflow. Even greater controversy surrounds hemispheric lateralization along the parasympathetic–sympathetic axis. The behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), featuring progressive and often asymmetric degeneration that includes the frontoinsular and cingulate cortices, provides a unique lesion model for elucidating brain structures that control autonomic tone. Here, we show that bvFTD is associated with reduced baseline cardiac vagal tone and that this reduction correlates with left-lateralized functional and structural frontoinsular and cingulate cortex deficits and with reduced agreeableness. Our results suggest that networked brain regions in the dominant hemisphere are critical for maintaining an adaptive level of baseline parasympathetic outflow. PMID:27071080

The dynamic network subserving the three phases of cognitive procedural learning.

PubMed

Hubert, Valérie; Beaunieux, Hélène; Chételat, Gaël; Platel, Hervé; Landeau, Brigitte; Danion, Jean-Marie; Viader, Fausto; Desgranges, Béatrice

2007-12-01

Cognitive procedural learning is characterized by three phases (cognitive, associative, and autonomous), each involving distinct processes. We performed a behavioral study and a positron emission tomography (PET) activation study using the Tower of Toronto task. The aim of the behavioral study was to determine cognitive predictors for the length of each of the three learning phases, in order to preselect subjects for the PET study. The objective of the second study was to describe the cerebral substrates subtending these three phases. Contrasted with a reference (motor) task, the cognitive phase activated the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and parietal regions, all of which became less active as learning progressed. The associative phase was characterized by the activation of the occipital regions, right thalamus, and caudate nucleus. During the autonomous phase, new regions were involved, including the left thalamus and an anterior part of the cerebellum. These results, by employing a direct comparison between phases, provide the first evidence of the involvement and the time course of activation of different regions in each learning phase, in accordance with current models of cognitive procedural learning. The involvement of a frontoparietal network suggests the use of strategies in problem solving during the cognitive phase. The involvement of the occipital regions during the associative and autonomous phase suggests the intervention of mental imagery. Lastly, the activation of the cerebellum during the autonomous phase is consistent with the fact that performance in this phase is determined by psychomotor abilities. (copyright) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Anatomy of the Vestibulo-automatic Outflow to the Gut

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torigoe, Y.

1985-01-01

Motion sickness can be induced by vestibular effects on the sympathetic portion of the autonomic nervous system. However, the pathways linking the vestibular and autonomic pathways are unknown. As a first step in this analysis, the locations of preganglionic sympathetic neurons (PSN) and dorsal root afferent ganglionic neurons (DRG) which supply sympathetic innervation to major portions of the gastrointestinal tract in rabbits were identified. The objective of a second series of experiments is to determine which of the brainstem nuclei project to the autonomic regions of the spinal cord that control gastrointestinal motility. To achieve this goal, a trans-synaptic retrograde tracer (3H-tetanus toxoid) is applied to the greater splanchnic nerve. This method allows the labeling of neurons within the brainstem that project only to the preganglionic synpathetic neurons. One structure that has been strongly implicated in mediating vestibulo-autonomic control is the cerebellum (i.e., nodulus and uvula). The outflow of these lobules to the autonomic regions of the brainstem is mediated by the fastigial nucleus. To determine the precise projections of the fastigial nucleus to the brainstem nuclei involved in emesis, anterograde tracer (3H-leucine) was injected into the fastigial nucleus in a third series of experiments.

Scene Segmentation For Autonomous Robotic Navigation Using Sequential Laser Projected Structured Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, C. David; Ih, Charles S.; Arce, Gonzalo R.; Fertell, David A.

1987-01-01

Vision systems for mobile robots or autonomous vehicles navigating in an unknown terrain environment must provide a rapid and accurate method of segmenting the scene ahead into regions of pathway and background. A major distinguishing feature between the pathway and background is the three dimensional texture of these two regions. Typical methods of textural image segmentation are very computationally intensive, often lack the required robustness, and are incapable of sensing the three dimensional texture of various regions of the scene. A method is presented where scanned laser projected lines of structured light, viewed by a stereoscopically located single video camera, resulted in an image in which the three dimensional characteristics of the scene were represented by the discontinuity of the projected lines. This image was conducive to processing with simple regional operators to classify regions as pathway or background. Design of some operators and application methods, and demonstration on sample images are presented. This method provides rapid and robust scene segmentation capability that has been implemented on a microcomputer in near real time, and should result in higher speed and more reliable robotic or autonomous navigation in unstructured environments.

Association Study of Klotho Gene Polymorphism With Calcium Oxalate Stones in The Uyghur Population of Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Ali, Abdusamat; Tursun, Halmurat; Talat, Alim; Abla, Akpar; Muhtar, Erpan; Zhang, Tao; Mahmut, Murat

2017-01-18

The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between Klotho gene polymorphisms andcalcium oxalate stones in Xinjiang Uyghur people. We compared 128 patients with calcium oxalate stones (case group) and 94 healthypeople (control group), detected the genotype and allele distributions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)of the Klotho gene (rs3752472, rs650439, and rs1207568) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The distributions of the genotype and allele frequencies of the SNPs were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the two groups. There were statistically significant differences between the genotype andallele distributions of rs3752472 between the case and control groups; the allele frequencies in the case/controlgroups were C = 240 (93.7%)/151 (80.3%) and T = 16 (6.3%)/37 (19.7%). There was no statistically significantdifference in the genotype distribution of rs650439 between the case and control groups, but there was a differencein the allele distribution; the allele frequencies in the case/control groups were A = 202 (78.9%)/143 (57.2%) andT = 54 (21.1%)/107 (42.8%). There were no statistically significant differences in genotype and allele distributionsbetween the case and control groups of rs1207568; the allele frequencies in the case/control groups were C = 194(71.3%)/145 (77.1%) and T = 78 (28.7%)/43 (22.9%). In rs3752472, the risk for patients with the C and A allelesincreased by 3.675 and 2.799 times, respectively. The rs3752472 and rs650439 SNPs are related to the risk of calcium oxalate stones in Xinjiang Uyghurpeople, and might be one of the risk factors.

An Integrated Performance-Based Budgeting Model for Thai Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charoenkul, Nantarat; Siribanpitak, Pruet

2012-01-01

This research mainly aims to develop an administrative model of performance-based budgeting for autonomous state universities. The sample population in this study covers 4 representatives of autonomous state universities from 4 regions of Thailand, where the performance-based budgeting system has been fully practiced. The research informants…

[Epidemic status and secular trends of malnutrition among children and adolescents aged 7-18 years from 2005 to 2014 in China].

PubMed

Dong, Y H; Wang, Z H; Yang, Z G; Wang, X J; Chen, Y J; Zou, Z Y; Ma, J

2017-06-18

To understand and analyze the current situation and secular trends for prevalence of malnutrition among Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years from 2005 to 2014, and to provide important scientific basis for students' nutrition improvement. All the subjects aged 7-18 years in both sexes were sampled from 2005, 2010 and 2014 Chinese National Surveys on Students Constitution and Health. According to the new students' health standard of "Screening Standard for Malnutrition of school-age children and adolescents"(WS/T456-2014) in 2014 of China, the nutritional status of children in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities, excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan province) were analyzed and compared in different ages, genders, regions and provinces from 2005 to 2014. The Tibetan students was used with the data of Tibetan minority and all the other students from 30 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) were Han minority. The prevalence of malnutrition of children and adolescents of Han minority aged 7-18 years in 2014 was 10.0%. The prevalence of malnutrition components, including stunting, mild wasting and moderate severe wasting, were 0.8%, 3.7%, and 5.5%. Compared with 2005 and 2010, the prevalence of malnutrition of Han children and adolescents in 2014 had declined with 5.0 and 2.6 percentage points, respectively, and its components had declined with 1.0, 1.8, 2.2 and 0.4, 1.1, 1.2 percentage points, respectively. The prevalence of malnutrition of 2014 in boys was higher than in girls (11.1% vs.8.9%), the rural was higher than the urban (11.0% vs.9.1%) and the west (11.7%) was higher than the east (9.0%) and the middle (9.2%). Mild wasting of Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years was the main component in malnutrition and the stunting in the Han and Tibetan children and adolescents only accounted for 8.0% and 7.5%, respectively. Compared with 2005 and 2010, the prevalence of malnutrition for Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years in 2014 had declined with various extents constantly, and there was a statistically significant difference among three surveys (P<0.05). Provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) with high prevalence of malnutrition mainly concentrated in the southwest of China from 2005 to 2014. Compared with 2005 and 2010, the prevalence of malnutrition declined in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) of China in 2014. The number of provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) with high prevalence of malnutrition decreased constantly and increased for the number of province (autonomous regions, municipalities) with low prevalence. The prevalence of malnutrition among Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years had declined from 2005 to 2014, but the total prevalence of malnutrition was still high. Mild wasting was the main component in malnutrition and the prevalence of stunting was low. Provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) with high prevalence of malnutrition mainly concentrated in the southwest of China.

[Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Farmland Soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China].

PubMed

Wu, Yang; Yang, Jun; Zhou, Xiao-yong; Lei, Mei; Gao, Ding; Qiao, Peng-wei; Du, Guo-dong

2015-08-01

For a comprehensive understanding of the pollution characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, this study evaluated the cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu) and lead ( Pb) pollution situation using the single factor index, the Nemerow pollution index and the Hakanson ecological risk index. The results showed that heavy-metal pollution of farmland soil in Du'an County was serious. 74.6% of the soil samples had heavy metals concentrations higher than the Grade II of National Soil Environmental Quality Standard (GB 15618-1995). The over standard rates of Cd, As, Ni, Zn, Cr, Sb, Cu, Pb were 70.6%, 42.9%, 34.9%, 19.8%, 19.6%, 2.94%, 1.59%, 0.79%, respectively. Cd and As were the main contaminants in Du'an County, the pollution was far more serious than those of the national and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In terms of the ecological risk, heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an County showed a "middle" ecological risk, with Cd accounting for 88% of the total ecological risk. The north-west of Jiudu Town and the zone between Bao'an Town and Dongmiao Town were two areas with high ecological risk in Du'an County. The contamination of farmland soils in Du'an County was caused by two main sources, whereas the pollution of As and Sb of farmland soils near Diaojiang River was mainly caused by the upstream mining industry.

Motion planning for autonomous vehicle based on radial basis function neural network in unstructured environment.

PubMed

Chen, Jiajia; Zhao, Pan; Liang, Huawei; Mei, Tao

2014-09-18

The autonomous vehicle is an automated system equipped with features like environment perception, decision-making, motion planning, and control and execution technology. Navigating in an unstructured and complex environment is a huge challenge for autonomous vehicles, due to the irregular shape of road, the requirement of real-time planning, and the nonholonomic constraints of vehicle. This paper presents a motion planning method, based on the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network, to guide the autonomous vehicle in unstructured environments. The proposed algorithm extracts the drivable region from the perception grid map based on the global path, which is available in the road network. The sample points are randomly selected in the drivable region, and a gradient descent method is used to train the RBF network. The parameters of the motion-planning algorithm are verified through the simulation and experiment. It is observed that the proposed approach produces a flexible, smooth, and safe path that can fit any road shape. The method is implemented on autonomous vehicle and verified against many outdoor scenes; furthermore, a comparison of proposed method with the existing well-known Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) method is presented. The experimental results show that the proposed method is highly effective in planning the vehicle path and offers better motion quality.

Motion Planning for Autonomous Vehicle Based on Radial Basis Function Neural Network in Unstructured Environment

PubMed Central

Chen, Jiajia; Zhao, Pan; Liang, Huawei; Mei, Tao

2014-01-01

The autonomous vehicle is an automated system equipped with features like environment perception, decision-making, motion planning, and control and execution technology. Navigating in an unstructured and complex environment is a huge challenge for autonomous vehicles, due to the irregular shape of road, the requirement of real-time planning, and the nonholonomic constraints of vehicle. This paper presents a motion planning method, based on the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network, to guide the autonomous vehicle in unstructured environments. The proposed algorithm extracts the drivable region from the perception grid map based on the global path, which is available in the road network. The sample points are randomly selected in the drivable region, and a gradient descent method is used to train the RBF network. The parameters of the motion-planning algorithm are verified through the simulation and experiment. It is observed that the proposed approach produces a flexible, smooth, and safe path that can fit any road shape. The method is implemented on autonomous vehicle and verified against many outdoor scenes; furthermore, a comparison of proposed method with the existing well-known Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) method is presented. The experimental results show that the proposed method is highly effective in planning the vehicle path and offers better motion quality. PMID:25237902

Enhanced pain and autonomic responses to ambiguous visual stimuli in chronic Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) type I.

PubMed

Cohen, H E; Hall, J; Harris, N; McCabe, C S; Blake, D R; Jänig, W

2012-02-01

Cortical reorganisation of sensory, motor and autonomic systems can lead to dysfunctional central integrative control. This may contribute to signs and symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), including pain. It has been hypothesised that central neuroplastic changes may cause afferent sensory feedback conflicts and produce pain. We investigated autonomic responses produced by ambiguous visual stimuli (AVS) in CRPS, and their relationship to pain. Thirty CRPS patients with upper limb involvement and 30 age and sex matched healthy controls had sympathetic autonomic function assessed using laser Doppler flowmetry of the finger pulp at baseline and while viewing a control figure or AVS. Compared to controls, there were diminished vasoconstrictor responses and a significant difference in the ratio of response between affected and unaffected limbs (symmetry ratio) to a deep breath and viewing AVS. While viewing visual stimuli, 33.5% of patients had asymmetric vasomotor responses and all healthy controls had a homologous symmetric pattern of response. Nineteen (61%) CRPS patients had enhanced pain within seconds of viewing the AVS. All the asymmetric vasomotor responses were in this group, and were not predictable from baseline autonomic function. Ten patients had accompanying dystonic reactions in their affected limb: 50% were in the asymmetric sub-group. In conclusion, there is a group of CRPS patients that demonstrate abnormal pain networks interacting with central somatomotor and autonomic integrational pathways. © 2011 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

[The co-payment of the dependence from the structural reform of 2012 in Spain].

PubMed

Del Pozo-Rubio, Raúl; Pardo-García, Isabel; Escribano-Sotos, Francisco

The objective of this piece of work is to establish the cost of dependency and the cost of financing it. Specifically, we will determine the cost of co-payment for individual users following the modification introduced by the 13th of July 2012 Resolution as well as its allocation by the autonomous regions. The degree and level of dependency was established using the Survey on Disability, Personal Autonomy and Dependency Situations, 2008. The cost of dependency according to degree and level and autonomous regions was established with information from the System for Personal Autonomy and Care of Dependent Persons. The co-payment was established according to applicants' purchasing power. The rating of these services, and the contribution of individual users were done in agreement with 2012 legislation and with common indicators and benchmarks for the whole national territory. The total estimated cost is 10,598.8 million euros (1.03% of GDP), and Andalusia, the Valencian Community and Catalonia are those regions with the greatest costs. The average national co-payment per individual user is 53.54%, with differences due to degrees and levels of disability and autonomous regions, although, generally speaking, all of the users fund more than half of the care they receive. This change in legislation has meant that co-payment is higher than the 33% established by this law and that co-payments prior to 2012 were about 20%. If we add to this the differences in autonomous regions, it would be useful to reflect on the uneven application of the law. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms for the target patterns formation in a stochastic bistable excitable medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verisokin, Andrey Yu.; Verveyko, Darya V.; Postnov, Dmitry E.

2018-04-01

We study the features of formation and evolution of spatiotemporal chaotic regime generated by autonomous pacemakers in excitable deterministic and stochastic bistable active media using the example of the FitzHugh - Nagumo biological neuron model under discrete medium conditions. The following possible mechanisms for the formation of autonomous pacemakers have been studied: 1) a temporal external force applied to a small region of the medium, 2) geometry of the solution region (the medium contains regions with Dirichlet or Neumann boundaries). In our work we explore the conditions for the emergence of pacemakers inducing target patterns in a stochastic bistable excitable system and propose the algorithm for their analysis.

The integration of environmental geology methods and concepts within the framework of a regional administration; the case of the Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurenheimer, C.

The process of transfer of jurisdictions on environmental matters from the central administration to an autonomous regional government is described. The main approaches taken by different autonomous regions in Spain, to deal with the problems of setting up an environmental administrative organization are also briefly commented here. Finally, the specific structure of the environmental administration in the Comunidad Valenciana and the main guidelines of its environmental policies are explained. It is concluded that earth science can provide a very useful basis for the drafting of these policies in the region, because of the specific nature of the problems to be dealt with, related mainly to water management, soil conservation, land occupation, natural hazards and preservation of natural areas.

Psychophysiology of neural, cognitive and affective integration: fMRI and autonomic indicants

PubMed Central

Critchley, Hugo D.

2009-01-01

Behaviour is shaped by environmental challenge in the context of homoeostatic need. Emotional and cognitive processes evoke patterned changes in bodily state that may signal emotional state to others. This dynamic modulation of visceral state is neurally mediated by sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Moreover neural afferents convey representations of the internal state of the body back to the brain to further influence emotion and cognition. Neuroimaging and lesion studies implicate specific regions of limbic forebrain in the behavioural generation of autonomic arousal states. Activity within these regions may predict emotion-specific autonomic response patterns within and between bodily organs, with implications for psychosomatic medicine. Feedback from the viscera is mapped hierarchically in the brain to influence efferent signals, and ultimately at the cortical level to engender and reinforce affective responses and subjective feeling states. Again neuroimaging and patient studies suggest discrete neural substrates for these representations, notably regions of insula and orbitofrontal cortex. Individual differences in conscious access to these interoceptive representations predict differences in emotional experience, but equally the misperception of heightened arousal level may evoke changes in emotional behaviour through engagement of the same neural centres. Perturbation of feedback may impair emotional reactivity and, in the context of inflammatory states give rise to cognitive, affective and psychomotor expressions of illness. Changes in visceral state during emotion may be mirrored in the responses of others, permitting a corresponding representation in the observer. The degree to which individuals are susceptible to this ‘contagion’ predicts individual differences in questionnaire ratings of empathy. Together these neuroimaging and clinical studies highlight the dynamic relationship between mind and body and help identify neural substrates that may translate thoughts into autonomic arousal and bodily states into feelings that can be shared. PMID:19414044

Vision-Based Real-Time Traversable Region Detection for Mobile Robot in the Outdoors.

PubMed

Deng, Fucheng; Zhu, Xiaorui; He, Chao

2017-09-13

Environment perception is essential for autonomous mobile robots in human-robot coexisting outdoor environments. One of the important tasks for such intelligent robots is to autonomously detect the traversable region in an unstructured 3D real world. The main drawback of most existing methods is that of high computational complexity. Hence, this paper proposes a binocular vision-based, real-time solution for detecting traversable region in the outdoors. In the proposed method, an appearance model based on multivariate Gaussian is quickly constructed from a sample region in the left image adaptively determined by the vanishing point and dominant borders. Then, a fast, self-supervised segmentation scheme is proposed to classify the traversable and non-traversable regions. The proposed method is evaluated on public datasets as well as a real mobile robot. Implementation on the mobile robot has shown its ability in the real-time navigation applications.

Autonomous Planning and Replanning for Mine-Sweeping Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaines, Daniel M.

2010-01-01

This software generates high-quality plans for carrying out mine-sweeping activities under resource constraints. The autonomous planning and replanning system for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) takes as input a set of prioritized mine-sweep regions, and a specification of available UUV resources including available battery energy, data storage, and time available for accomplishing the mission. Mine-sweep areas vary in location, size of area to be swept, and importance of the region. The planner also works with a model of the UUV, as well as a model of the power consumption of the vehicle when idle and when moving.

[A role of the autonomic nervous system in cerebro-cardiac disorders].

PubMed

Basantsova, N Yu; Tibekina, L M; Shishkin, A N

The authors consider anatomical/physiological characteristics and a role of different autonomic CNS regions, including insula cortex, amygdala complex, anterior cingulate cortex, ventral medial prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus and epiphysis, involved in the regulation of cardiovascular activity. The damage of these structures, e.g., due to the acute disturbance of cerebral blood circulation, led to arrhythmia, including fatal arrhythmia, in previously intact myocardium; systolic and diastolic dysfunction, ischemic changes considered in the frames of cerebro-cardial syndrome. On the cellular level, the disturbance of autonomic regulation resulted in catechol amine excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and free radical myocardium injury.

IPv6 Geolocation Using Latency Constraints

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

CDF area regions for ONE2ONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 ix THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK x List of Tables Table 2.1 Number of... List of Acronyms and Abbreviations Ark archipelago AS autonomous system ASN autonomous system number BGP Border Gateway Protocol CAIDA Cooperative...request registered information by the organization such as the organization’s phone number , administrator, or physical address [19]. The DNS is a

Autonomous physics-based color learning under daylight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berube Lauziere, Yves; Gingras, Denis J.; Ferrie, Frank P.

1999-09-01

An autonomous approach for learning the colors of specific objects assumed to have known body spectral reflectances is developed for daylight illumination conditions. The main issue is to be able to find these objects autonomously in a set of training images captured under a wide variety of daylight illumination conditions, and to extract their colors to determine color space regions that are representative of the objects' colors and their variations. The work begins by modeling color formation under daylight using the color formation equations and the semi-empirical model of Judd, MacAdam and Wyszecki (CIE daylight model) for representing the typical spectral distributions of daylight. This results in color space regions that serve as prior information in the initial phase of learning which consists in detecting small reliable clusters of pixels having the appropriate colors. These clusters are then expanded by a region growing technique using broader color space regions than those predicted by the model. This is to detect objects in a way that is able to account for color variations which the model cannot due to its limitations. Validation on the detected objects is performed to filter out those that are not of interest and to eliminate unreliable pixel color values extracted from the remaining ones. Detection results using the color space regions determined from color values obtained by this procedure are discussed.

SPURS-2: Multi-month and multi-scale observations of upper ocean salinity in a rain-dominated salinity minimum region.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rainville, L.; Farrar, J. T.; Shcherbina, A.; Centurioni, L. R.

2017-12-01

The Salinity Processes in the Upper-ocean Regional Study (SPURS) is a program aimed at understanding the patterns and variability of sea surface salinity. Following the first SPURS program in an evaporation-dominated region (2012-2013), the SPURS-2 program targeted wide range of spatial and temporal scales associated with processes controlling salinity in the rain-dominated Eastern Pacific Fresh Pool. Autonomous instruments were delivered in August and September 2016 using research vessels conducted observations over one complete annual cycle. The SPURS-2 field program used coordinated observations from many different autonomous platforms, and a mix of Lagrangian and Eulerian approaches. Here we discuss the motivation, implementation, and the early of SPURS-2.

Vision based speed breaker detection for autonomous vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

C. S., Arvind; Mishra, Ritesh; Vishal, Kumar; Gundimeda, Venugopal

2018-04-01

In this paper, we are presenting a robust and real-time, vision-based approach to detect speed breaker in urban environments for autonomous vehicle. Our method is designed to detect the speed breaker using visual inputs obtained from a camera mounted on top of a vehicle. The method performs inverse perspective mapping to generate top view of the road and segment out region of interest based on difference of Gaussian and median filter images. Furthermore, the algorithm performs RANSAC line fitting to identify the possible speed breaker candidate region. This initial guessed region via RANSAC, is validated using support vector machine. Our algorithm can detect different categories of speed breakers on cement, asphalt and interlock roads at various conditions and have achieved a recall of 0.98.

[Geographical variability in violence against women in Spain].

PubMed

Ruiz-Pérez, Isabel; Plazaola-Castaño, Juncal; Vives-Cases, Carmen; Montero-Piñar, María Isabel; Escribà-Agüir, Vicenta; Jiménez-Gutiérrez, Esther; Martín-Baena, David

2010-01-01

To describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence and non-partner violence against women in Spain overall and by autonomous regions, as well as the characteristics of this violence, and to study the association between the prevalence of intimate partner violence and the frequency of formal complaints and deaths. A cross-sectional survey was performed through a self-administered questionnaire in 11,475 women attending primary care from 2006 to 2007. Multistage stratified sampling was carried out in a representative sample in each autonomous region. Data on intimate partner and non-intimate partner violence, formal complaints to the police and deaths due to intimate partner violence were gathered. A descriptive analysis was conducted. Correlations between the prevalence of intimate partner violence and police reports and deaths from this cause were determined through Pearson's correlation coefficient. A total of 24.8% (23.4%-26.3%) of the sample reported having experienced intimate partner violence at some time. The highest prevalence of intimate partner violence was found in Ceuta and Melilla (40.2%) and the Balearic Islands (32.5%) and the lowest in Cantabria (18%). Fifteen percent of the sample reported having experienced non-partner violence at some time, and the most frequent type was that committed by a relative. Again, the highest prevalence of non-partner violence was found in Ceuta and Melilla and the Balearic Islands and the lowest in Cantabria. A significant positive linear correlation was found between intimate partner violence in the previous year and the rate of reports of intimate partner violence in the autonomous regions (r=0.398; p=0.005). The prevalence of intimate partner violence varies from one autonomous region to another. The reasons for this variation should be further explored in future studies. Copyright (c) 2009 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Anxiety and cerebral blood flow during behavioral challenge. Dissociation of central from peripheral and subjective measures

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

Zohar, J.; Insel, T.R.; Berman, K.F.

1989-06-01

To investigate the relationship between anxiety and regional cerebral blood flow, we administered behavioral challenges to 10 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder while measuring regional cerebral blood flow with the xenon 133 inhalation technique. Each patient was studied under three conditions: relaxation, imaginal flooding, and in vivo (actual) exposure to the phobic stimulus. Subjective anxiety, obsessive-compulsive ratings, and autonomic measures (heart rate, blood pressure) increased significantly, but respiratory rate and PCO/sub 2/ did not change across the three conditions. Regional cerebral blood flow increased slightly (in the temporal region) during imaginal flooding, but decreased markedly in several cortical regions during inmore » vivo exposure, when anxiety was highest by subjective and peripheral autonomic measures. These results demonstrate that intense anxiety can be associated with decreased rather than increased cortical perfusion and that ostensibly related states of anxiety (eg, anticipatory and obsessional anxiety) may be associated with opposite effects on regional cerebral blood flow.« less

Pulmonary vein region ablation in experimental vagal atrial fibrillation: role of pulmonary veins versus autonomic ganglia.

PubMed

Lemola, Kristina; Chartier, Denis; Yeh, Yung-Hsin; Dubuc, Marc; Cartier, Raymond; Armour, Andrew; Ting, Michael; Sakabe, Masao; Shiroshita-Takeshita, Akiko; Comtois, Philippe; Nattel, Stanley

2008-01-29

Pulmonary vein (PV) -encircling radiofrequency ablation frequently is effective in vagal atrial fibrillation (AF), and there is evidence that PVs may be particularly prone to cholinergically induced arrhythmia mechanisms. However, PV ablation procedures also can affect intracardiac autonomic ganglia. The present study examined the relative role of PVs versus peri-PV autonomic ganglia in an experimental vagal AF model. Cholinergic AF was studied under carbachol infusion in coronary perfused canine left atrial PV preparations in vitro and with cervical vagal stimulation in vivo. Carbachol caused dose-dependent AF promotion in vitro, which was not affected by excision of all PVs. Sustained AF could be induced easily in all dogs during vagal nerve stimulation in vivo both before and after isolation of all PVs with encircling lesions created by a bipolar radiofrequency ablation clamp device. PV elimination had no effect on atrial effective refractory period or its responses to cholinergic stimulation. Autonomic ganglia were identified by bradycardic and/or tachycardic responses to high-frequency subthreshold local stimulation. Ablation of the autonomic ganglia overlying all PV ostia suppressed the effective refractory period-abbreviating and AF-promoting effects of cervical vagal stimulation, whereas ablation of only left- or right-sided PV ostial ganglia failed to suppress AF. Dominant-frequency analysis suggested that the success of ablation in suppressing vagal AF depended on the elimination of high-frequency driver regions. Intact PVs are not needed for maintenance of experimental cholinergic AF. Ablation of the autonomic ganglia at the base of the PVs suppresses vagal responses and may contribute to the effectiveness of PV-directed ablation procedures in vagal AF.

Space Radar Image of Tuva, Central Asia

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-04-15

This spaceborne radar image shows part of the remote central Asian region of Tuva, an autonomous republic of the Russian Federation. Tuva is a mostly mountainous region that lies between western Mongolia and southern Siberia.

Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-04

Autonomous wave gliders are seen onboard the the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution research vessel Knorr on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Woods Hole, Mass. The autonomous gliders will be deployed in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS) which is set to sail on Sept. 6. The NASA-sponsored expedition will sail to the North Atlantic's saltiest spot to get a detailed, 3-D picture of how salt content fluctuates in the ocean's upper layers and how these variations are related to shifts in rainfall patterns around the planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-04

Autonomous wave gliders, right, are seen onboard the the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution research vessel Knorr on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Woods Hole, Mass. The autonomous gliders will be deployed in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS) which is set to sail on Sept. 6. The NASA-sponsored expedition will sail to the North Atlantic's saltiest spot to get a detailed, 3-D picture of how salt content fluctuates in the ocean's upper layers and how these variations are related to shifts in rainfall patterns around the planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-04

NASA Physical Oceanography Program Scientist Eric Lindstrom inspects an autonomous wave glider onboard the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution research vessel Knorr on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Woods Hole, Mass. The autonomous gliders will be deployed in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS) which is set to sail on Sept. 6. The NASA-sponsored expedition will sail to the North Atlantic's saltiest spot to get a detailed, 3-D picture of how salt content fluctuates in the ocean's upper layers and how these variations are related to shifts in rainfall patterns around the planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Contribution to knowledge of the genus Chydaeus in Xizang Autonomous Region [Tibet] and Yunnan Province, China (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Harpalini)

PubMed Central

Kataev, Boris M.; Liang, Hongbin; Kavanaugh, David H.

2012-01-01

Abstract Five new species of the genus Chydaeus Chaudoir, 1854 are described from China: Chydaeus fugongensis sp. n. (Shibali, Fugong County, Yunnan Province), Chydaeus gutangensis sp. n. (Gutang, Medog County, Xizang Autonomous Region [Tibet]), Chydaeus hanmiensis sp. n. (Hanmi, Medog County, Xizang Autonomous Region [Tibet]), Chydaeus asetosus sp. n. (NE of Fugong, Yunnan Province), and Chydaeus baoshanensis sp. n. (N of Baoshan, Yunnan Province). Taxonomic and faunistic notes on eleven other species occurring in Xizang and Yunnan are also provided. Chydaeus shunichii Ito, 2006 is re-described, based on specimens from Lushui County, Yunnan. Chydaeus kumei Ito, 1992 is treated as a subspecies of Chydaeus andrewesi Schauberger, 1932 [NEW STATUS]. The taxonomic status of Chydaeus guangxiensis Ito, 2006 is discussed. The following taxa are recorded from China for the first time: Chydaeus obtusicollis Schauberger, 1932 (Xizang and Yunnan), Chydaeus malaisei Kataev & Schmidt, 2006 (Yunnan), Chydaeus semenowi (Tschitschérine, 1899) (Xizang and Yunnan), Chydaeus andrewesi andrewesi Schauberger, 1932 (Xizang and Yunnan), Chydaeus andrewesi kumei Ito (Yunnan), Chydaeus bedeli interjectus Kataev & Schmidt, 2002 (Xizang), and Chydaeus bedeli vietnamensis Kataev & Schmidt, 2002 (Yunnan). PMID:22423195

PubMed Central

St-Laurent, J.; Gastaut, H.; Lanoir, J.; Naquet, R.

1966-01-01

One hundred patients with slow rhythmical electro-encephalographic (EEG) activity in the posterior regions were classified according to their clinical symptomatology. Correlations were established between the occurrence of the slow posterior rhythm (SPR) and head injury, and psychological, autonomic or vascular disturbances. In contrast to most previous publications, the patients with head injury constituted only one-half of the series. Autonomic and psychological complaints were frequently encountered in this group. A second group of 11 patients had some type of vascular pathology. A third group of 39 patients had symptoms of anxiety and autonomic system disturbance. The importance of head injury as a factor responsible for SPR seems to have been overrated. Regardless of classification, psychological symptoms were found in 50% and autonomic dysfunction in 53% of all patients. It is apparent that the origin and significance of slow posterior rhythm have not yet been eludicated. PMID:5940323

Central autonomic nervous system response to autonomic challenges is altered in patients with a previous episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Pereira, Vitor H; Marques, Paulo; Magalhães, Ricardo; Português, João; Calvo, Lucy; Cerqueira, João J; Sousa, Nuno

2016-04-01

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an intriguing disease characterized by acute transient left ventricular dysfunction usually triggered by an episode of severe stress. The excessive levels of catecholamines and the overactivation of the sympathetic system are believed to be the main pathophysiologic mechanisms of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, but it is unclear whether there is a structural or functional signature of the disease. In this sense, our aim was to characterize the central autonomic system response to autonomic challenges in patients with a previous episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy when compared with a control group of healthy volunteers. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in four patients with a previous episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (average age of 67 ± 12 years) and in eight healthy volunteers (average age of 66 ± 5 years) while being submitted to different autonomic challenges (cold exposure and Valsalva manoeuvre). The fMRI analysis revealed a significant variation of the blood oxygen level dependent signal triggered by the Valsalva manoeuvre in specific areas of the brain involved in the cortical control of the autonomic system and significant differences in the pattern of activation of the insular cortex, amygdala and the right hippocampus between patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and controls, even though these regions did not present significant volumetric changes. The central autonomic response to autonomic challenges is altered in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, thus suggesting a dysregulation of the central autonomic nervous system network. Subsequent studies are needed to unveil whether these alterations are causal or predisposing factors to Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

A Study of Problems and Responses in the Development of Dual-Language Education Models in Tibetan Regions: Taking Xiahe County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture as an Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hongzhi, Long

2017-01-01

Dual-language education models are theoretical and practical systems formed through the process of dual-language education and centered on study and teaching. The language environment is the basis for developing and reforming dual-language education models. The author takes Xiahe County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture as an example and…

Cardiac and peripheral adjustments induced by early exercise training intervention were associated with autonomic improvement in infarcted rats: role in functional capacity and mortality.

PubMed

Jorge, Luciana; Rodrigues, Bruno; Rosa, Kaleizu Teodoro; Malfitano, Christiane; Loureiro, Tatiana Carolina Alba; Medeiros, Alessandra; Curi, Rui; Brum, Patricia Chakur; Lacchini, Silvia; Montano, Nicola; De Angelis, Kátia; Irigoyen, Maria-Cláudia

2011-04-01

To test the effects of early exercise training (ET) on left ventricular (LV) and autonomic functions, haemodynamics, tissues blood flows (BFs), maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2) max), and mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into: control (C), sedentary-infarcted (SI), and trained-infarcted (TI). One week after MI, TI group underwent an ET protocol (90 days, 50-70% VO(2) max). Left ventricular function was evaluated non-invasively and invasively. Baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, and pulse interval were measured. Cardiac output (CO) and regional BFs were determined using coloured microspheres. Infarcted area was reduced in TI (19 ± 6%) compared with SI (34 ± 5%) after ET. Exercise training improved the LV and autonomic functions, the CO and regional BF changes induced by MI, as well as increased SERCA2 expression and mRNA vascular endothelial growth factor levels. These changes brought about by ET resulted in mortality rate reduction in the TI (13%) group compared with the SI (54%) group. Early aerobic ET reduced cardiac and peripheral dysfunctions and preserved cardiovascular autonomic control after MI in trained rats. Consequently, these ET-induced changes resulted in improved functional capacity and survival after MI.

Central autonomic network mediates cardiovascular responses to acute inflammation: Relevance to increased cardiovascular risk in depression?

PubMed Central

Harrison, Neil A.; Cooper, Ella; Voon, Valerie; Miles, Ken; Critchley, Hugo D.

2013-01-01

Inflammation is a risk factor for both depression and cardiovascular disease. Depressed mood is also a cardiovascular risk factor. To date, research into mechanisms through which inflammation impacts cardiovascular health rarely takes into account central effects on autonomic cardiovascular control, instead emphasizing direct effects of peripheral inflammatory responses on endothelial reactivity and myocardial function. However, brain responses to inflammation engage neural systems for motivational and homeostatic control and are expressed through depressed mood state and changes in autonomic cardiovascular regulation. Here we combined an inflammatory challenge, known to evoke an acute reduction in mood, with neuroimaging to identify the functional brain substrates underlying potentially detrimental changes in autonomic cardiovascular control. We first demonstrated that alterations in the balance of low to high frequency (LF/HF) changes in heart rate variability (a measure of baroreflex sensitivity) could account for some of the inflammation-evoked changes in diastolic blood pressure, indicating a central (rather than solely local endothelial) origin. Accompanying alterations in regional brain metabolism (measured using 18FDG-PET) were analysed to localise central mechanisms of inflammation-induced changes in cardiovascular state: three discrete regions previously implicated in stressor-evoked blood pressure reactivity, the dorsal anterior and posterior cingulate and pons, strongly mediated the relationship between inflammation and blood pressure. Moreover, activity changes within each region predicted the inflammation-induced shift in LF/HF balance. These data are consistent with a centrally-driven component originating within brain areas supporting stressor evoked blood pressure reactivity. Together our findings highlight mechanisms binding psychological and physiological well-being and their perturbation by peripheral inflammation. PMID:23416033

Environmental monitoring using autonomous vehicles: a survey of recent searching techniques.

PubMed

Bayat, Behzad; Crasta, Naveena; Crespi, Alessandro; Pascoal, António M; Ijspeert, Auke

2017-06-01

Autonomous vehicles are becoming an essential tool in a wide range of environmental applications that include ambient data acquisition, remote sensing, and mapping of the spatial extent of pollutant spills. Among these applications, pollution source localization has drawn increasing interest due to its scientific and commercial interest and the emergence of a new breed of robotic vehicles capable of operating in harsh environments without human supervision. The aim is to find the location of a region that is the source of a given substance of interest (e.g. a chemical pollutant at sea or a gas leakage in air) using a group of cooperative autonomous vehicles. Motivated by fast paced advances in this challenging area, this paper surveys recent advances in searching techniques that are at the core of environmental monitoring strategies using autonomous vehicles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genomic fossils reveal adaptation of non-autonomous pararetroviruses driven by concerted evolution of noncoding regulatory sequences.

PubMed

Chen, Sunlu; Zheng, Huizhen; Kishima, Yuji

2017-06-01

The interplay of different virus species in a host cell after infection can affect the adaptation of each virus. Endogenous viral elements, such as endogenous pararetroviruses (PRVs), have arisen from vertical inheritance of viral sequences integrated into host germline genomes. As viral genomic fossils, these sequences can thus serve as valuable paleogenomic data to study the long-term evolutionary dynamics of virus-virus interactions, but they have rarely been applied for this purpose. All extant PRVs have been considered autonomous species in their parasitic life cycle in host cells. Here, we provide evidence for multiple non-autonomous PRV species with structural defects in viral activity that have frequently infected ancient grass hosts and adapted through interplay between viruses. Our paleogenomic analyses using endogenous PRVs in grass genomes revealed that these non-autonomous PRV species have participated in interplay with autonomous PRVs in a possible commensal partnership, or, alternatively, with one another in a possible mutualistic partnership. These partnerships, which have been established by the sharing of noncoding regulatory sequences (NRSs) in intergenic regions between two partner viruses, have been further maintained and altered by the sequence homogenization of NRSs between partners. Strikingly, we found that frequent region-specific recombination, rather than mutation selection, is the main causative mechanism of NRS homogenization. Our results, obtained from ancient DNA records of viruses, suggest that adaptation of PRVs has occurred by concerted evolution of NRSs between different virus species in the same host. Our findings further imply that evaluation of within-host NRS interactions within and between populations of viral pathogens may be important.

Cardiac Dysautonomia in Huntington's Disease.

PubMed

Abildtrup, Mads; Shattock, Michael

2013-01-01

Huntington's disease is a fatal, hereditary, neurodegenerative disorder best known for its clinical triad of progressive motor impairment, cognitive deficits and psychiatric disturbances. Although a disease of the central nervous system, mortality surveys indicate that heart disease is a leading cause of death. The nature of such cardiac abnormalities remains unknown. Clinical findings indicate a high prevalence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction - dysautonomia - which may be a result of pathology of the central autonomic network. Dysautonomia can have profound effects on cardiac health, and pronounced autonomic dysfunction can be associated with neurogenic arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Significant advances in the knowledge of neural mechanisms in cardiac disease have recently been made which further aid our understanding of cardiac mortality in Huntington's disease. Even so, despite the evidence of aberrant autonomic activity the potential cardiac consequences of autonomic dysfunction have been somewhat ignored. In fact, underlying cardiac abnormalities such as arrhythmias have been part of the exclusion criteria in clinical autonomic Huntington's disease research. A comprehensive analysis of cardiac function in Huntington's disease patients is warranted. Further experimental and clinical studies are needed to clarify how the autonomic nervous system is controlled and regulated in higher, central areas of the brain - and how these regions may be altered in neurological pathology, such as Huntington's disease. Ultimately, research will hopefully result in an improvement of management with the aim of preventing early death in Huntington's disease from cardiac causes.

Brain Circuitry Supporting Multi-Organ Autonomic Outflow in Response to Nausea.

PubMed

Sclocco, Roberta; Kim, Jieun; Garcia, Ronald G; Sheehan, James D; Beissner, Florian; Bianchi, Anna M; Cerutti, Sergio; Kuo, Braden; Barbieri, Riccardo; Napadow, Vitaly

2016-02-01

While autonomic outflow is an important co-factor of nausea physiology, central control of this outflow is poorly understood. We evaluated sympathetic (skin conductance level) and cardiovagal (high-frequency heart rate variability) modulation, collected synchronously with functional MRI (fMRI) data during nauseogenic visual stimulation aimed to induce vection in susceptible individuals. Autonomic data guided analysis of neuroimaging data, using a stimulus-based (analysis windows set by visual stimulation protocol) and percept-based (windows set by subjects' ratings) approach. Increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic modulation was associated with robust and anti-correlated brain activity in response to nausea. Specifically, greater autonomic response was associated with reduced fMRI signal in brain regions such as the insula, suggesting an inhibitory relationship with premotor brainstem nuclei. Interestingly, some sympathetic/parasympathetic specificity was noted. Activity in default mode network and visual motion areas was anti-correlated with parasympathetic outflow at peak nausea. In contrast, lateral prefrontal cortical activity was anti-correlated with sympathetic outflow during recovery, soon after cessation of nauseogenic stimulation. These results suggest divergent central autonomic control for sympathetic and parasympathetic response to nausea. Autonomic outflow and the central autonomic network underlying ANS response to nausea may be an important determinant of overall nausea intensity and, ultimately, a potential therapeutic target. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

World Regionalization of Higher Education: Policy Proposals for International Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Prado Yepes, Cesar

2006-01-01

International organizations dealing with higher education should pay more attention to the rise of autonomous world regional processes and explore synergies. This article gives an overview of new macro-regional processes around the world. The European case is the most salient, but developments in America and East Asia are also noticeable. In the…

‘Civilising’ Deaf people in Tibet and Inner Mongolia: governing linguistic, ethnic and bodily difference in China

PubMed Central

Hofer, Theresia; Sagli, Gry

2017-01-01

Abstract The People’s Republic of China is home to over 20 million d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, many among them belonging to ethnic minorities. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in two minority regions, the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, this article comparatively discusses findings on sign language use, education and state welfare policies. The situation in these domains is analysed through the framework of the ‘civilising project’, coined by Harrell, and its impacts on the d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing among ethnic minorities are shown. For instance, through the promotion of Chinese and Chinese Sign Language over and above the use of local sign and written languages as well as through education and the medicalisation of disabilities. PMID:28553018

Autonomous rock detection on mars through region contrast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xueming; Cui, Hutao; Yao, Meibao; Tian, Yang

2017-08-01

In this paper, we present a new autonomous rock detection approach through region contrast. Unlike current state-of-art pixel-level rock segmenting methods, new method deals with this issue in region level, which will significantly reduce the computational cost. Image is firstly splitted into homogeneous regions based on intensity information and spatial layout. Considering the high-water memory constraints of onboard flight processor, only low-level features, average intensity and variation of superpixel, are measured. Region contrast is derived as the integration of intensity contrast and smoothness measurement. Rocks are then segmented from the resulting contrast map by an adaptive threshold. Since the merely intensity-based method may cause false detection in background areas with different illuminations from surroundings, a more reliable method is further proposed by introducing spatial factor and background similarity to the region contrast. Spatial factor demonstrates the locality of contrast, while background similarity calculates the probability of each subregion belonging to background. Our method is efficient in dealing with large images and only few parameters are needed. Preliminary experimental results show that our algorithm outperforms edge-based methods in various grayscale rover images.

Identification and phylogenetic analysis of a sheep pox virus isolated from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China.

PubMed

Zhu, X L; Yang, F; Li, H X; Dou, Y X; Meng, X L; Li, H; Luo, X N; Cai, X P

2013-05-14

An outbreak of sheep pox was investigated in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China. Through immunofluorescence testing, isolated viruses, polymerase chain reaction identification, and electron microscopic examination, the isolated strain was identified as a sheep pox virus. The virus was identified through sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the P32 gene, open reading frame (ORF) 095, and ORF 103 genes. This study is the first to use the ORF 095 and ORF 103 genes as candidate genes for the analysis of sheep pox. The results showed that the ORF 095 and ORF 103 genes could be used for the genotyping of the sheep pox virus.

Tier-scalable reconnaissance: the future in autonomous C4ISR systems has arrived: progress towards an outdoor testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fink, Wolfgang; Brooks, Alexander J.-W.; Tarbell, Mark A.; Dohm, James M.

2017-05-01

Autonomous reconnaissance missions are called for in extreme environments, as well as in potentially hazardous (e.g., the theatre, disaster-stricken areas, etc.) or inaccessible operational areas (e.g., planetary surfaces, space). Such future missions will require increasing degrees of operational autonomy, especially when following up on transient events. Operational autonomy encompasses: (1) Automatic characterization of operational areas from different vantages (i.e., spaceborne, airborne, surface, subsurface); (2) automatic sensor deployment and data gathering; (3) automatic feature extraction including anomaly detection and region-of-interest identification; (4) automatic target prediction and prioritization; (5) and subsequent automatic (re-)deployment and navigation of robotic agents. This paper reports on progress towards several aspects of autonomous C4ISR systems, including: Caltech-patented and NASA award-winning multi-tiered mission paradigm, robotic platform development (air, ground, water-based), robotic behavior motifs as the building blocks for autonomous tele-commanding, and autonomous decision making based on a Caltech-patented framework comprising sensor-data-fusion (feature-vectors), anomaly detection (clustering and principal component analysis), and target prioritization (hypothetical probing).

Human abdomen recognition using camera and force sensor in medical robot system for automatic ultrasound scan.

PubMed

Bin Mustafa, Ammar Safwan; Ishii, Takashi; Matsunaga, Yoshiki; Nakadate, Ryu; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Kouji; Saito, Akiko; Sugawara, Motoaki; Niki, Kiyomi; Takanishi, Atsuo

2013-01-01

Physicians use ultrasound scans to obtain real-time images of internal organs, because such scans are safe and inexpensive. However, people in remote areas face difficulties to be scanned due to aging society and physician's shortage. Hence, it is important to develop an autonomous robotic system to perform remote ultrasound scans. Previously, we developed a robotic system for automatic ultrasound scan focusing on human's liver. In order to make it a completely autonomous system, we present in this paper a way to autonomously localize the epigastric region as the starting position for the automatic ultrasound scan. An image processing algorithm marks the umbilicus and mammary papillae on a digital photograph of the patient's abdomen. Then, we made estimation for the location of the epigastric region using the distances between these landmarks. A supporting algorithm distinguishes rib position from epigastrium using the relationship between force and displacement. We implemented these algorithms with the automatic scanning system into an apparatus: a Mitsubishi Electric's MELFA RV-1 six axis manipulator. Tests on 14 healthy male subjects showed the apparatus located the epigastric region with a success rate of 94%. The results suggest that image recognition was effective in localizing a human body part.

Prevention and control of Hb Bart's disease in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

PubMed

He, Sheng; Zhang, Qiang; Li, Dongming; Chen, Shaoke; Tang, Yanqing; Chen, Qiuli; Zheng, Chenguang

2014-07-01

To demonstrate the performance of Hb Bart's Disease prevention in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. A prenatal control program for Hb Bart's disease was conducted from January 2006 to December 2012. A total of 17,555 pregnant women were screened for α-thalassemia in our prenatal screening program. Pregnancy at-risk for Hb Bart's disease was offered the choice of direct invasive testing or the non-invasive approach with serial ultrasonography. A total of 1425 at-risk couples attended the prenatal diagnosis. Three hundred ninety couples were screened at our own hospital, and the remaining 1035 couples were referred from other hospitals. Two hundred and three pregnant women chose non-invasive approach, and 1122 chose invasive testing. A total of 365 fetuses were diagnosed with Hb Bart's disease. All cases were finally confirmed by fetal DNA analysis. Eighty-two cases (22.4%) were diagnosed by chorionic villous sampling and 194 (53.2%) by amniocentesis samples. The other 89 (24.4%) cases were performed by cordocentesis. All of the affected pregnancies were terminated. Implementation of a prevention and control program accompanying with a referral system for prenatal diagnosis is technically feasible in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Shades and shadows in the application of the long-term care law].

PubMed

Correa, Manuel; Jiménez-Aguilera, Juan de Dios

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to provide a brief overview of the most controversial aspects of the Spanish Act of Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Long-Term Care 39/2006, which, in the last few years, has led to heated debates between the state and the autonomous regions. Because of the funding problems due to initial poor planning, the decline of contributions from the Spanish Government in the last few years, including the suppression of the agreed level, and low cash collection from the user through copayment, the autonomous regions have had to provide significant economic resources to maintain this social policy in an environment characterised by a lack of transparency of the system. In addition, the regulatory reforms of mid-2012 to ease the burden on state and autonomous budgets have represented a clear setback to the spirit of the act and a loss of welfare to dependent individuals and their families. All these circumstances have contributed to a widely heterogeneous picture in the territorial implementation of the act, with clear differences in waiting lists, abuse in the granting of cash benefits in some regions, and differences in the number of applications for benefits and services. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Animating Autonomous Pedestrians

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

walkable surface in a region may be mapped onto a horizontal plane without loss of essential geometric information. Consequently, the 3D space may be...that the walkable surface in a region may be mapped onto a horizontal plane without loss of essential geometric information, such as the distance

Response of ESV to Climate Change and Human Activities in the Yanqi Basin, Xinjiang, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusuli, Yusufujiang; Sidik, Halida; Gupur, Adila; Hong, Jiang; Kadir, Rayila

2016-04-01

Ecosystem goods and services refer to the dependence of economic wealth and human well-being on natural systems. It is a common knowledge that the changing of structure and function of the ecosystem due to climate change and human activities. It is a priority issue to study on various spatiotemporal scales, the sensitivity of ecosystems to climate change and anthropogenic pressure in inland areas. In an effort to better understand the influence of climate change and human activities on ecosystem services, we evaluated the change in ESV of the Yanqi Basin in Xinjiang, China from 1973 to 2014 employing methods of MK, MK Sneyers, ESV and dynamic degree of LUCC. The Landsat images, digital elevation model (DEM) and metrological data were applied to assessing the ESV and its change. According to the degree of effects of the climate change and human activities, the research area was divided into two parts: the mountain area and the plain oasis area at a contour of 1400 m above sea level. According to type and affect, the land cover was classified as water, wetland, desert, fields, glacier, warm shrub grassland, cold meadow steppe and highland vegetation. We analyzed the relationship between the variation of ESV and precipitation, and evaporation and then quantitatively differentiated the influence of climate change and human activities on ESV. Results show that: (1) distinct change points of precipitation and evaporation in mountain and plain oasis of the Yanqi basin were detected by the MK-Sneyers test. The precipitation increased and the evaporation declined in mountain and plain oasis in the same way. Enlargement of agricultural areas to accommodate an increased population and socio-economic development was detected by conversion matrix of LUCC in oasis area. As a result, the variation of ESV was caused by climate change and human activities jointly; (2) the declining trend of ESV in the mountain area was mainly caused by shrinking of the glacier area; (3) ESV was decreased initially and increased afterwards taking 2004 as a turning point following the trend of increased precipitation and decreased evaporation. Combined effects of climate change and human activities are main cause of ESV variations in the past 40 years in Yanqi basin. The main reasons for increased ESV in plain oasis include enlarging the artificial oasis due to intensified human activities, and supporting favorable climate change (increased precipitation and decreased evaporation). Key words: Climate change; Human activities; Ecosystem Service Value; Yanqi basin Acknowledgements: This work was supported jointly by the Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No.41161007, No. 41461006), the Doctoral Start-up Foundation of Xinjiang Normal University (No.XJNUBS1528) and the Special funds for Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (No.2014KL016).

Empirical algorithms to predict aragonite saturation state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turk, Daniela; Dowd, Michael

2017-04-01

Novel sensor packages deployed on autonomous platforms (Profiling Floats, Gliders, Moorings, SeaCycler) and biogeochemical models have a potential to increase the coverage of a key water chemistry variable, aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) in time and space, in particular in the under sampled regions of global ocean. However, these do not provide the set of inorganic carbon measurements commonly used to derive ΩAr. There is therefore a need to develop regional predictive models to determine ΩAr from measurements of commonly observed or/and non carbonate oceanic variables. Here, we investigate predictive skill of several commonly observed oceanographic variables (temperature, salinity, oxygen, nitrate, phosphate and silicate) in determining ΩAr using climatology and shipboard data. This will allow us to assess potential for autonomous sensors and biogeochemical models to monitor ΩAr regionally and globally. We apply the regression models to several time series data sets and discuss regional differences and their implications for global estimates of ΩAr.

Contribution of Insula in Parkinson’s Disease: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis Study

PubMed Central

Criaud, Marion; Christopher, Leigh; Boulinguez, Philippe; Ballanger, Benedicte; Lang, Anthony E.; Cho, Sang S.; Houle, Sylvain; Strafella, Antonio P.

2016-01-01

The insula region is known to be an integrating hub interacting with multiple brain networks involved in cognitive, affective, sensory, and autonomic processes. There is growing evidence suggesting that this region may have an important role in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Thus, to investigate the functional organization of the insular cortex and its potential role in parkinsonian features, we used a coordinate-based quantitative meta-analysis approach, the activation likelihood estimation. A total of 132 insular foci were selected from 96 published experiments comprising the five functional categories: cognition, affective/behavioral symptoms, bodily awareness/autonomic function, sensorimotor function, and nonspecific resting functional changes associated with the disease. We found a significant convergence of activation maxima related to PD in different insular regions including anterior and posterior regions bilaterally. This study provides evidence of an important functional distribution of different domains within the insular cortex in PD, particularly in relation to nonmotor aspects, with an influence of medication effect. PMID:26800238

Contribution of insula in Parkinson's disease: A quantitative meta-analysis study.

PubMed

Criaud, Marion; Christopher, Leigh; Boulinguez, Philippe; Ballanger, Benedicte; Lang, Anthony E; Cho, Sang S; Houle, Sylvain; Strafella, Antonio P

2016-04-01

The insula region is known to be an integrating hub interacting with multiple brain networks involved in cognitive, affective, sensory, and autonomic processes. There is growing evidence suggesting that this region may have an important role in Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, to investigate the functional organization of the insular cortex and its potential role in parkinsonian features, we used a coordinate-based quantitative meta-analysis approach, the activation likelihood estimation. A total of 132 insular foci were selected from 96 published experiments comprising the five functional categories: cognition, affective/behavioral symptoms, bodily awareness/autonomic function, sensorimotor function, and nonspecific resting functional changes associated with the disease. We found a significant convergence of activation maxima related to PD in different insular regions including anterior and posterior regions bilaterally. This study provides evidence of an important functional distribution of different domains within the insular cortex in PD, particularly in relation to nonmotor aspects, with an influence of medication effect. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analytical evidence of heterogeneous lead accumulation in the hypothalamic defence area and nucleus tractus solitarius.

PubMed

Guimarães, D; Santos, J P; Carvalho, M L; Diniz, M S; House, B; Miller, V M

2014-09-01

Lead is a potent toxicant associated with adverse cardiovascular effects and hypertension in children. Yet, few studies have determined if autonomic dysfunction associated with lead exposure involves brain regions which regulate autonomic responses. Central autonomic nuclei such as the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and hypothalamic defence area (HDA) may be particularly sensitive to lead infiltration because they are adjacent to ventricles and areas with semi-permeable blood-brain-barriers. To understand if autonomic nuclei are sensitive to lead accumulation Wistar rats were exposed to lead from the gestational period and lead levels were quantified in brain regions that regulate arterial pressure: the NTS and the HDA. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was used to quantify total brain lead levels and revealed no differences between exposed and control tissues; measured values were close to the detection limit (2μg/g). Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was also used, which has a greater sensitivity, to quantify lead. There was ∼2.1μg/g lead in the NTS and ∼3.1μg/g lead in the HDA of exposed rats, and no lead in the control rats. There were greater lead levels in the HDA (∼50%) as compared with the NTS. Pathology studies revealed more prominent lead granules in the HDA as compared with the NTS. Increased microglia and astrocyte activation was also noted in the NTS of lead exposed rats as compared with the HDA. Regional differences in neuro-inflammatory responses likely contribute to heterogeneous lead accumulation, with enhanced clearance of lead in the NTS. Future studies will resolve the mechanisms underpinning tissue-specific lead accumulation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Functional Neuroanatomy of Male Psychosexual and Physiosexual Arousal: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Poeppl, Timm B.; Langguth, Berthold; Laird, Angela R.; Eickhoff, Simon B.

2016-01-01

Reproductive behavior is mandatory for conservation of species and mediated by a state of sexual arousal (SA), involving both complex mental processes and bodily reactions. An early neurobehavioral model of SA proposes cognitive, emotional, motivational, and autonomic components. In a comprehensive quantitative meta-analysis on previous neuroimaging findings, we provide here evidence for distinct brain networks underlying psychosexual and physiosexual arousal. Psychosexual (i.e., mental sexual) arousal recruits brain areas crucial for cognitive evaluation, top-down modulation of attention and exteroceptive sensory processing, relevance detection and affective evaluation, as well as regions implicated in the representation of urges and in triggering autonomic processes. In contrast, physiosexual (i.e., physiological sexual) arousal is mediated by regions responsible for regulation and monitoring of initiated autonomic processes and emotions and for somatosensory processing. These circuits are interconnected by subcortical structures (putamen and claustrum) that provide exchange of sensorimotor information and crossmodal processing between and within the networks. Brain deactivations may imply attenuation of introspective processes and social cognition, but be necessary to release intrinsic inhibition of SA. PMID:23674246

Association Between Autonomic Impairment and Structural Deficit in Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Chen, Meng-Hsiang; Lu, Cheng-Hsien; Chen, Pei-Chin; Tsai, Nai-Wen; Huang, Chih-Cheng; Chen, Hsiu-Ling; Yang, I-Hsiao; Yu, Chiun-Chieh; Lin, Wei-Che

2016-01-01

Abstract Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) have impaired autonomic function and altered brain structure. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of gray matter volume (GMV) determined by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to autonomic impairment in patients with PD. Whole-brain VBM analysis was performed on 3-dimensional T1-weighted images in 23 patients with PD and 15 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers. The relationship of cardiovascular autonomic function (determined by survey) to baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) (determined from changes in heart rate and blood pressure during the early phase II of the Valsalva maneuver) was tested using least-squares regression analysis. The differences in GMV, autonomic parameters, and clinical data were correlated after adjusting for age and sex. Compared with controls, patients with PD had low BRS, suggesting worse cardiovascular autonomic function, and smaller GMV in several brain locations, including the right amygdala, left hippocampal formation, bilateral insular cortex, bilateral caudate nucleus, bilateral cerebellum, right fusiform, and left middle frontal gyri. The decreased GMVs of the selected brain regions were also associated with increased presence of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the circulation. In patients with PD, decrease in cardiovascular autonomic function and increase in circulating EPC level are associated with smaller GMV in several areas of the brain. Because of its possible role in the modulation of the circulatory EPC pool and baroreflex control, the left hippocampal formation may be a bio-target for disease-modifying therapy and treatment monitoring in PD. PMID:26986144

Association Between Autonomic Impairment and Structural Deficit in Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Chen, Meng-Hsiang; Lu, Cheng-Hsien; Chen, Pei-Chin; Tsai, Nai-Wen; Huang, Chih-Cheng; Chen, Hsiu-Ling; Yang, I-Hsiao; Yu, Chiun-Chieh; Lin, Wei-Che

2016-03-01

Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) have impaired autonomic function and altered brain structure. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of gray matter volume (GMV) determined by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to autonomic impairment in patients with PD. Whole-brain VBM analysis was performed on 3-dimensional T1-weighted images in 23 patients with PD and 15 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers. The relationship of cardiovascular autonomic function (determined by survey) to baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) (determined from changes in heart rate and blood pressure during the early phase II of the Valsalva maneuver) was tested using least-squares regression analysis. The differences in GMV, autonomic parameters, and clinical data were correlated after adjusting for age and sex. Compared with controls, patients with PD had low BRS, suggesting worse cardiovascular autonomic function, and smaller GMV in several brain locations, including the right amygdala, left hippocampal formation, bilateral insular cortex, bilateral caudate nucleus, bilateral cerebellum, right fusiform, and left middle frontal gyri. The decreased GMVs of the selected brain regions were also associated with increased presence of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the circulation. In patients with PD, decrease in cardiovascular autonomic function and increase in circulating EPC level are associated with smaller GMV in several areas of the brain. Because of its possible role in the modulation of the circulatory EPC pool and baroreflex control, the left hippocampal formation may be a bio-target for disease-modifying therapy and treatment monitoring in PD.

Sex Differences in the Neural Correlates of Autonomic Arousal: A Pilot PET Study

PubMed Central

Nugent, Allison C.; Bain, Earle E.; Thayer, Julian F.; Sollers, John J.; Drevets, Wayne C.

2011-01-01

Electrophysiology, behavioral, and neuroimaging studies have revealed sex-related differences in autonomic cardiac control, as reflected in measurements of heart rate variability (HRV). Imaging studies indicate that the neurobiological correlates of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function can be investigated by measuring indices of HRV during the performance of mildly strenuous motor tasks or mildly stressful cognitive tasks. In this preliminary study, fifteen male and seven female healthy subjects underwent H215O-positron emission tomography (PET) and electrocardiograph (ECG) recording while performing a handgrip motor task and an n-back task. Indices of HRV were calculated and correlated with regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). We hypothesized that sex differences would be evident in brain regions known to participate in autonomic regulation: the anterior insula, the anterior cingulate cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the amygdala. Our study found that associations between rCBF and parasympathetic indices differed significantly between female and male subjects in the amygdala. Females showed a positive correlation between rCBF and parasympathetic indices while males exhibited negative correlations. This differential correlation of amygdala rCBF and parasympathetic activity between males and females may reflect differences in parasympathetic/sympathetic balance between sexes, consistent with known sexual dimorphism in the amygdala and closely related structures such as the hypothalamus. These preliminary imaging results are consistent with earlier reports of significant correlation between brain activity and HRV, and extend these findings by demonstrating prominent sex differences in the neural control of the ANS. While the generalizability of our results was limited by the small size of the study samples, the relatively robust effect size of the differences found between groups encourages further work in larger samples to characterize sex differences in the neural correlates of autonomic arousal. PMID:21414364

Intelligent systems for the autonomous exploration of Titan and Enceladus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furfaro, Roberto; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Kargel, Jeffrey S.; Fink, Wolfgang

2008-04-01

Future planetary exploration of the outer satellites of the Solar System will require higher levels of onboard automation, including autonomous determination of sites where the probability of significant scientific findings is highest. Generally, the level of needed automation is heavily influenced by the distance between Earth and the robotic explorer(s) (e.g. spacecraft(s), rover(s), and balloon(s)). Therefore, planning missions to the outer satellites mandates the analysis, design and integration within the mission architecture of semi- and/or completely autonomous intelligence systems. Such systems should (1) include software packages that enable fully automated and comprehensive identification, characterization, and quantification of feature information within an operational region with subsequent target prioritization and selection for close-up reexamination; and (2) integrate existing information with acquired, "in transit" spatial and temporal sensor data to automatically perform intelligent planetary reconnaissance, which includes identification of sites with the highest potential to yield significant geological and astrobiological information. In this paper we review and compare some of the available Artificial Intelligence (AI) schemes and their adaptation to the problem of designing expert systems for onboard-based, autonomous science to be performed in the course of outer satellites exploration. More specifically, the fuzzy-logic framework proposed is analyzed in some details to show the effectiveness of such a scheme when applied to the problem of designing expert systems capable of identifying and further exploring regions on Titan and/or Enceladus that have the highest potential to yield evidence for past or present life. Based on available information (e.g., Cassini data), the current knowledge and understanding of Titan and Enceladus environments is evaluated to define a path for the design of a fuzzy-based system capable of reasoning over collected data and capable of providing the inference required to autonomously optimize future outer satellites explorations.

Geomagnetic Navigation of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Based on Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm.

PubMed

Li, Hong; Liu, Mingyong; Zhang, Feihu

2017-01-01

This paper presents a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm of bio-inspired geomagnetic navigation for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). Inspired by the biological navigation behavior, the solution was proposed without using a priori information, simply by magnetotaxis searching. However, the existence of the geomagnetic anomalies has significant influence on the geomagnetic navigation system, which often disrupts the distribution of the geomagnetic field. An extreme value region may easily appear in abnormal regions, which makes AUV lost in the navigation phase. This paper proposes an improved bio-inspired algorithm with behavior constraints, for sake of making AUV escape from the abnormal region. First, the navigation problem is considered as the optimization problem. Second, the environmental monitoring operator is introduced, to determine whether the algorithm falls into the geomagnetic anomaly region. Then, the behavior constraint operator is employed to get out of the abnormal region. Finally, the termination condition is triggered. Compared to the state-of- the-art, the proposed approach effectively overcomes the disturbance of the geomagnetic abnormal. The simulation result demonstrates the reliability and feasibility of the proposed approach in complex environments.

Geomagnetic Navigation of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Based on Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm

PubMed Central

Li, Hong; Liu, Mingyong; Zhang, Feihu

2017-01-01

This paper presents a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm of bio-inspired geomagnetic navigation for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). Inspired by the biological navigation behavior, the solution was proposed without using a priori information, simply by magnetotaxis searching. However, the existence of the geomagnetic anomalies has significant influence on the geomagnetic navigation system, which often disrupts the distribution of the geomagnetic field. An extreme value region may easily appear in abnormal regions, which makes AUV lost in the navigation phase. This paper proposes an improved bio-inspired algorithm with behavior constraints, for sake of making AUV escape from the abnormal region. First, the navigation problem is considered as the optimization problem. Second, the environmental monitoring operator is introduced, to determine whether the algorithm falls into the geomagnetic anomaly region. Then, the behavior constraint operator is employed to get out of the abnormal region. Finally, the termination condition is triggered. Compared to the state-of- the-art, the proposed approach effectively overcomes the disturbance of the geomagnetic abnormal. The simulation result demonstrates the reliability and feasibility of the proposed approach in complex environments. PMID:28747884

Sympathetic preganglionic efferent and afferent neurons mediated by the greater splanchnic nerve in rabbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torigoe, Yasuhiro; Cernucan, Roxana D.; Nishimoto, Jo Ann S.; Blanks, Robert H. I.

1985-01-01

As a part of the study of the vestibular-autonomic pathways involved in motion sickness, the location and the morphology of preganglionic sympathetic neurons (PSNs) projecting via the greater splanchnic nerve were examined. Retrograde labeling of neurons was obtained by application of horseradish peroxidase to the cut end of the greater splanchnic nerve. Labeled PSNs were found, ipsilaterally, within the T1 to T11 spinal cord segments, with the highest density of neurons in T6. Most PSNs were located within the intermediolateral column, but a significant portion also occurred within the lateral funiculus, the intercalated region, and the central autonomic area; the proportion of labeling between the four regions depended on the spinal cord segment.

Genome-wide detection of natural selection in African Americans pre- and post-admixture

PubMed Central

Jin, Wenfei; Xu, Shuhua; Wang, Haifeng; Yu, Yongguo; Shen, Yiping; Wu, Bailin; Jin, Li

2012-01-01

It is particularly meaningful to investigate natural selection in African Americans (AfA) due to the high mortality their African ancestry has experienced in history. In this study, we examined 491,526 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped in 5210 individuals and conducted a genome-wide search for selection signals in 1890 AfA. Several genomic regions showing an excess of African or European ancestry, which were considered the footprints of selection since population admixture, were detected based on a commonly used approach. However, we also developed a new strategy to detect natural selection both pre- and post-admixture by reconstructing an ancestral African population (AAF) from inferred African components of ancestry in AfA and comparing it with indigenous African populations (IAF). Interestingly, many selection-candidate genes identified by the new approach were associated with AfA-specific high-risk diseases such as prostate cancer and hypertension, suggesting an important role these disease-related genes might have played in adapting to a new environment. CD36 and HBB, whose mutations confer a degree of protection against malaria, were also located in the highly differentiated regions between AAF and IAF. Further analysis showed that the frequencies of alleles protecting against malaria in AAF were lower than those in IAF, which is consistent with the relaxed selection pressure of malaria in the New World. There is no overlap between the top candidate genes detected by the two approaches, indicating the different environmental pressures AfA experienced pre- and post-population admixture. We suggest that the new approach is reasonably powerful and can also be applied to other admixed populations such as Latinos and Uyghurs. PMID:22128132

Developing a novel panel of genome-wide ancestry informative markers for bio-geographical ancestry estimates.

PubMed

Jia, Jing; Wei, Yi-Liang; Qin, Cui-Jiao; Hu, Lan; Wan, Li-Hua; Li, Cai-Xia

2014-01-01

Inferring the ancestral origin of DNA samples can be helpful in correcting population stratification in disease association studies or guiding crime investigations. Populations throughout the world vary in appearance features and biological characteristics. Based on this idea, we performed a genome-wide scan for SNPs within genes that are related to physical and biological traits. Using the HapMap database, we screened 52 genes and their flanking regions. Thirty-five SNPs that displayed highly contrasting allele frequencies (F(st)>0.3, linkage disequilibrium r(2)<0.2, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium P>0.001) among Africans, Europeans, and East Asians were selected and validated. A multiplexed assay was developed to genotype these 35 SNPs in 357 individuals from 10 populations worldwide. This panel provided accurate estimates of individual ancestry proportions with balanced discriminatory power among the three continental ancestries: Africans, Europeans, and East Asians. It also proved very effective in evaluating admixed populations living in joint regions of continents (e.g., Uyghurs and Indians) and discriminating some subpopulations within each of the three continents. Structure analysis was performed to establish and evaluate the panel of ancestry-informative markers, and the components of each population were also described to indicate the structural composition. The 21 population structures in our study are consistent with geographic patterns, and individuals were properly assigned to their original ancestral populations with proportion analyses and random match probability calculations. Thus, the panel and its population information will be useful resources to minimize the effects of population stratification in association analyses and to assign the most likely origin of an unknown DNA contributor in forensic investigations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lhasa, Tibet, China

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-18

JPL Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer aboard NASA Terra satellite, shows Lhasa, the traditional seat of the Dalai Lama and capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China.

AUTONOMIC AXONS IN THE HUMAN ENDOCRINE PANCREAS SHOW UNIQUE INNERVATION PATTERNS

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Diaz, Rayner; Abdulreda, Midhat H.; Formoso, Alexander L.; Gans, Itai; Ricordi, Camillo; Berggren, Per-Olof; Caicedo, Alejandro

2011-01-01

SUMMARY The autonomic nervous system regulates hormone secretion from the endocrine pancreas, the islets of Langerhans, and thus impacts glucose metabolism. The parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves innervate the pancreatic islet, but the precise innervation patterns are not known, particularly in human islets. Here we demonstrate that the innervation of human islets is different from that of mouse islets and that it does not conform to existing models of autonomic control of islet function. By visualizing axons in three dimensions and quantifying axonal densities and contacts within pancreatic islets, we found that, in contrast to mouse endocrine cells, human endocrine cells are sparsely contacted by autonomic axons. Few parasympathetic cholinergic axons penetrate the human islet and the invading sympathetic fibers preferentially innervate smooth muscle cells of blood vessels located within the islet. Thus, rather than modulating endocrine cell function directly, sympathetic nerves may regulate hormone secretion in human islets by controlling local blood flow or by acting on islet regions located downstream. PMID:21723503

Stating asymmetry in neural pathways: methodological trends in autonomic neuroscience.

PubMed

Xavier, Carlos Henrique; Mendonça, Michelle Mendanha; Marins, Fernanda Ribeiro; da Silva, Elder Sales; Ianzer, Danielle; Colugnati, Diego Basile; Pedrino, Gustavo Rodrigues; Fontes, Marco Antonio Peliky

2018-05-22

Many particularities concerning interhemispheric differences still need to be explored and unveiled. Functional and anatomical differential features found between left and right brain sides are best known as asymmetries and are consequence of the unilateral neuronal recruitment or predominance that is set to organize some function. The outflow from different neural pathways involved in the autonomic control of the cardiovascular system may route through asymmetrically relayed efferences (ipsilateral/lateralized and/or contralateral). In spite of this, the literature reporting on the role of central nuclei involved in the autonomic control is not always dedicated on these interhemispheric comparisons. Considering the recent reports demonstrating that asymmetries may set differential functional responses, it is worth checking differences between right and left sides of central regions. This review aims to inspire neuroscientists with the idea that studying the interhemispheric differences may deepen the understanding on several centrally controlled responses, with special regard to the autonomic functions underlying the cardiovascular regulation. Thus, an avenue of knowledge may unfold from a field of research that requires further exploration.

Micronuclear DNA of Oxytricha nova contains sequences with autonomously replicating activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed Central

Colombo, M M; Swanton, M T; Donini, P; Prescott, D M

1984-01-01

Oxytricha nova is a hypotrichous ciliate with micronuclei and macronuclei. Micronuclei, which contain large, chromosomal-sized DNA, are genetically inert but undergo meiosis and exchange during cell mating. Macronuclei, which contain only small, gene-sized DNA molecules, provide all of the nuclear RNA needed to run the cell. After cell mating the macronucleus is derived from a micronucleus, a derivation that includes excision of the genes from chromosomes and elimination of the remaining DNA. The eliminated DNA includes all of the repetitious sequences and approximately 95% of the unique sequences. We cloned large restriction fragments from the micronucleus that confer replication ability on a replication-deficient plasmid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sequences that confer replication ability are called autonomously replicating sequences. The frequency and effectiveness of autonomously replicating sequences in micronuclear DNA are similar to those reported for DNAs of other organisms introduced into yeast cells. Of the 12 micronuclear fragments with autonomously replicating sequence activity, 9 also showed homology to macronuclear DNA, indicating that they contain a macronuclear gene sequence. We conclude from this that autonomously replicating sequence activity is nonrandomly distributed throughout micronuclear DNA and is preferentially associated with those regions of micronuclear DNA that contain genes. Images PMID:6092934

A Novel Method of Autonomous Inspection for Transmission Line based on Cable Inspection Robot LiDAR Data

PubMed Central

Qin, Xinyan; Wu, Gongping; Fan, Fei; Ye, Xuhui; Mei, Quanjie

2018-01-01

With the growth of the national economy, there is increasing demand for electricity, which forces transmission line corridors to become structurally complicated and extend to complex environments (e.g., mountains, forests). It is a great challenge to inspect transmission line in these regions. To address these difficulties, a novel method of autonomous inspection for transmission line is proposed based on cable inspection robot (CIR) LiDAR data, which mainly includes two steps: preliminary inspection and autonomous inspection. In preliminary inspection, the position and orientation system (POS) data is used for original point cloud dividing, ground point filtering, and structured partition. A hierarchical classification strategy is established to identify the classes and positions of the abnormal points. In autonomous inspection, CIR can autonomously reach the specified points through inspection planning. These inspection targets are imaged with PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras by coordinate transformation. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by test site experiments and actual line experiments, respectively. The proposed method greatly reduces manpower and improves inspection accuracy, providing a theoretical basis for intelligent inspection of transmission lines in the future. PMID:29462865

Role of Autonomic Reflex Arcs in Cardiovascular Responses to Air Pollution Exposure

PubMed Central

Hazari, Mehdi S.; Farraj, Aimen K.

2016-01-01

The body responds to environmental stressors by triggering autonomic reflexes in the pulmonary receptors, baroreceptors, and chemoreceptors to maintain homeostasis. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to various gases and airborne particles can alter the functional outcome of these reflexes, particularly with respect to the cardiovascular system. Modulation of autonomic neural input to the heart and vasculature following direct activation of sensory nerves in the respiratory system, elicitation of oxidative stress and inflammation, or through other mechanisms is one of the primary ways that exposure to air pollution affects normal cardiovascular function. Any homeostatic process that utilizes the autonomic nervous system to regulate organ function might be affected. Thus, air pollution and other inhaled environmental irritants have the potential to alter both local airway function and baro-and chemoreflex responses, which modulate autonomic control of blood pressure and detect concentrations of key gases in the body. While each of these reflex pathways causes distinct responses, the systems are heavily integrated and communicate through overlapping regions of the brainstem to cause global effects. This short review summarizes the function of major pulmonary sensory receptors, baroreceptors, and carotid body chemoreceptors and discusses the impacts of air pollution exposure on these systems. PMID:25123706

Boundaries Delineation of Marine Management Sharing According to Local Government Law No. 23/2014 (Case Study: Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Bangkalan and Sampang)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomsin; Intan Ary Prayogi, S.

2018-03-01

Regional autonomy is the right, the authority, and the obligation of autonomous region to set up and manage their own affairs and interests of the community in accordance with the potential and peculiarities of each area. To implement regional autonomy, the autonomous region must be clear where the location of its borders. Boundary area is divided into two, namely boundaries in the land and boundaries in the sea. Based on the authority of region government that regulated in Law of Republic Indonesia Number 23 in 2014, the regional maritime boundary consist of maritime management boundary for the province and maritime income sharing boundary for the district/city. This study aimed to determine the maritime income sharing boundary between Surabaya City, Sidoarjo, Bangkalan and Sampang District related to the presence of tanah oloran. Tanah oloran is located in the border of Surabaya City and Sidoarjo district which is currently being disputed border and seizure of property by the two districts/cities. The results of research represent that the claim ownership of Tanah Oloran can impact on maritime income sharing boundaries of Surabaya City and Sidoarjo District with region maritime overlapping is 2,258 ha and will benefit for the region maritime income sharing Sidoarjo District Government.

A new car-following model for autonomous vehicles flow with mean expected velocity field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen-Xing, Zhu; Li-Dong, Zhang

2018-02-01

Due to the development of the modern scientific technology, autonomous vehicles may realize to connect with each other and share the information collected from each vehicle. An improved forward considering car-following model was proposed with mean expected velocity field to describe the autonomous vehicles flow behavior. The new model has three key parameters: adjustable sensitivity, strength factor and mean expected velocity field size. Two lemmas and one theorem were proven as criteria for judging the stability of homogeneousautonomous vehicles flow. Theoretical results show that the greater parameters means larger stability regions. A series of numerical simulations were carried out to check the stability and fundamental diagram of autonomous flow. From the numerical simulation results, the profiles, hysteresis loop and density waves of the autonomous vehicles flow were exhibited. The results show that with increased sensitivity, strength factor or field size the traffic jam was suppressed effectively which are well in accordance with the theoretical results. Moreover, the fundamental diagrams corresponding to three parameters respectively were obtained. It demonstrates that these parameters play almost the same role on traffic flux: i.e. before the critical density the bigger parameter is, the greater flux is and after the critical density, the opposite tendency is. In general, the three parameters have a great influence on the stability and jam state of the autonomous vehicles flow.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the Siwai and Buin districts of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

PubMed

Waruruai, Julie; Sipana, Beulah; Koch, Michael; Barrows, Louis R; Matainaho, Teatulohi K; Rai, Prem P

2011-11-18

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use in many regions of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is poorly described and rapidly disappearing. A program initiated by the University of Papua New Guinea to systematically document and preserve traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use was initiated with WHO help in 2001. To document and compare medicinal plant use in the Siwai and Buin districts of the Island of Bougainville. Siwai and Buin districts represent two adjacent geographic regions of differing language traditions. This report is a combination of two University of Papua New Guinea reports generated using a University of Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea Department of Health approved survey questionnaire "Information sheet on traditional herbal reparations and medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea". Although Siwai and Buin districts are adjacent in Southern Bougainville, there is considerable variation in the specific plants used medicinally and the specific uses of those plants that are used commonly in the two regions. In addition, many of the plants used in the region are widely distributed species that are used medicinally in other settings. Nevertheless, the high endemicity of plants and the extraordinary cultural diversity in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has yielded description of the medicinal use of many plants that have not previously been reported in the wider scientific literature. Efforts to document and preserve traditional knowledge of plant use in Papua New Guinea have yielded important new records of plants with potential application in the provision of health care for a developing nation with an under developed Western style rural health care system. This report documents substantial commonality in the general modes of medicinal plant preparation and in the health care applications of plant use in the Siwai and Buin traditions, however, there was considerable difference noted in the particular uses of the specific plants used in one or another of the districts. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The influence of environmental factors on heart rate chronostructure depending on the individual characteristics of autonomic regulation. Results of long-term medical-ecological studies.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaeva, Olga; Zenchenko, Tatiana; Breus, Tamara; Chernikova, Anna; Baevsky, Roman

It was previously shown [Baevsky, Petrov, 1998] that during space flight under influence of geomagnetic disturbances there are both specific response of the autonomic regulation system in the form of vasomotor cardiovascular center activation (LF spectral components) and non-specific stress response, which depends on the actual autonomic balance [Breus, Baevsky, 2002]. Within the project "Mars-500" the parallel medical-ecological studies were conducted in 10 groups (10-16 people), that lived in different regions of the world under the influence of various environmental factors - climatic, geographic, industrial, social and other. It allowed us to obtain a sufficiently large number of variants of adaptive reactions caused by differences in external impacts. The main research method was the heart rate variability (HRV) analysis in short ECG samples (5 minutes) for assessing heart rate chronostructure and functional status of autonomic regulation. Results of studies have demonstrated that environmental loads on the regulatory mechanisms is higher in the northern and north-eastern regions of Russia - Magadan and Syktyvkar. Stress-index of regulatory systems and adaptive risk indicator is significantly higher in these groups [Baevsky, Berseneva, 2013]. The preliminary search of weather factors (atmospheric pressure, air temperature, humidity and magnetic index Kp) influence on the autonomic regulation of heart rate showed that there are no any significant changes and relationships in the entire group of participants. We have assumed that the character of adaptive responses, including responses to changing weather and geomagnetic conditions, is associated with the individual characteristics and the initial functional state of autonomic regulation. To test this hypothesis, we have identified two groups of subjects with different autonomic balance. The first group included individuals with a pronounced predominance of sympathetic regulation (n = 127), the second - with a strong predominance of parasympathetic activity (n = 64). The analysis of correlations between weather and heart rate chronostructure and functional condition of autonomic regulation revealed that attitude of low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) of heart rhythm spectrum higher in both groups at declining geomagnetic activity and lower at its growth. The comparison of other HRV indicators at decreasing and increasing geomagnetic activity displayed the opposite trends in these groups. Stress-index of regulatory systems (SI), which reflects the sympathetic activity, rises in group with sympathetic dominance at reducing geomagnetic activity, and at its growth - in group with parasympathetic dominance. So, we can see that specific adaptive reaction as response to changing geomagnetic situation, which manifested in activation of vasomotor cardiovascular center, is the similar in subjects with different autonomic balance. Non-specific component depends on initial dominance of one or another regulatory mechanism.

The Influence of Land Use on the Grassland Fire Occurrence in the Northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

PubMed

Li, Yiping; Zhao, Jianjun; Guo, Xiaoyi; Zhang, Zhengxiang; Tan, Gang; Yang, Jihong

2017-02-23

Grassland, as one of the most important ecosystems on Earth, experiences fires that affect the local ecology, economy and society. Notably, grassland fires occur frequently each year in northeastern China. Fire occurrence is a complex problem with multiple causes, such as natural factors, human activities and land use. This paper investigates the disruptive effects of grassland fire in the northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. In this study, we relied on thermal anomaly detection from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor to identify fire occurrences, and land use data were acquired by Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper (TM/ETM). We discussed the relationship between land use and the spatial distribution of grassland fires. The results showed that the impact of land use on grassland fires was significant. Spatially, approximately 80% of grassland fires were clustered within 10 km of cultivated land, and grassland fires generally occurred in areas of intense human activity. The correlation between the spatial distribution of grassland fires and the land use degree in 2000, 2005 and 2010 was high, with R² values of 0.686, 0.716, 0.633, respectively ( p < 0.01). These results highlight the importance of the relationship between land use and grassland fire occurrence in the northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This study provides significance for local fire management and prevention.

Population genetic structure analysis and forensic evaluation of Xinjiang Uigur ethnic group on genomic deletion and insertion polymorphisms.

PubMed

Mei, Ting; Shen, Chun-Mei; Liu, Yao-Shun; Meng, Hao-Tian; Zhang, Yu-Dang; Guo, Yu-Xin; Dong, Qian; Wang, Xin-Xin; Yan, Jiang-Wei; Zhu, Bo-Feng; Zhang, Li-Ping

2016-01-01

The Uigur ethnic minority is the largest ethnic group in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, and valuable resource for the study of ethnogeny. The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic diversities and forensic parameters of 30 insertion-deletion loci in Uigur ethnic group from Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region of China and to analyze the genetic relationships between Xinjiang Uigur group and other previously published groups based on population data of these loci. All the tested loci were conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.3750 to 0.5515; and 0.4057 to 0.5037, respectively. The combined power of discrimination and probability of exclusion in the group were 0.99999999999940 and 0.9963, respectively. We analyzed the D A distance, interpopulation differentiations and population structure, conducted principal component analysis and neighbor-joining tree based on our studied group and 21 reference groups. The present results indicated that the studied Xinjiang Uigur group (represented our samples from the whole territory of Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region) had a close relationships with Urumchi Uigur (represented previously reported samples from Urumchi of Xinjiang) and Kazak groups. The present study may provide novel biological information for the study of population genetics, and can also increase our understanding of the genetic relationships between Xinjiang Uigur group and other groups.

The Influence of Land Use on the Grassland Fire Occurrence in the Northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China

PubMed Central

Li, Yiping; Zhao, Jianjun; Guo, Xiaoyi; Zhang, Zhengxiang; Tan, Gang; Yang, Jihong

2017-01-01

Grassland, as one of the most important ecosystems on Earth, experiences fires that affect the local ecology, economy and society. Notably, grassland fires occur frequently each year in northeastern China. Fire occurrence is a complex problem with multiple causes, such as natural factors, human activities and land use. This paper investigates the disruptive effects of grassland fire in the northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. In this study, we relied on thermal anomaly detection from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor to identify fire occurrences, and land use data were acquired by Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper (TM/ETM). We discussed the relationship between land use and the spatial distribution of grassland fires. The results showed that the impact of land use on grassland fires was significant. Spatially, approximately 80% of grassland fires were clustered within 10 km of cultivated land, and grassland fires generally occurred in areas of intense human activity. The correlation between the spatial distribution of grassland fires and the land use degree in 2000, 2005 and 2010 was high, with R2 values of 0.686, 0.716, 0.633, respectively (p < 0.01). These results highlight the importance of the relationship between land use and grassland fire occurrence in the northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This study provides significance for local fire management and prevention. PMID:28241476

Impaired neural structure and function contributing to autonomic symptoms in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.

PubMed

Harper, Ronald M; Kumar, Rajesh; Macey, Paul M; Harper, Rebecca K; Ogren, Jennifer A

2015-01-01

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) patients show major autonomic alterations in addition to their better-known breathing deficiencies. The processes underlying CCHS, mutations in the PHOX2B gene, target autonomic neuronal development, with frame shift extent contributing to symptom severity. Many autonomic characteristics, such as impaired pupillary constriction and poor temperature regulation, reflect parasympathetic alterations, and can include disturbed alimentary processes, with malabsorption and intestinal motility dyscontrol. The sympathetic nervous system changes can exert life-threatening outcomes, with dysregulation of sympathetic outflow leading to high blood pressure, time-altered and dampened heart rate and breathing responses to challenges, cardiac arrhythmia, profuse sweating, and poor fluid regulation. The central mechanisms contributing to failed autonomic processes are readily apparent from structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies, which reveal substantial cortical thinning, tissue injury, and disrupted functional responses in hypothalamic, hippocampal, posterior thalamic, and basal ganglia sites and their descending projections, as well as insular, cingulate, and medial frontal cortices, which influence subcortical autonomic structures. Midbrain structures are also compromised, including the raphe system and its projections to cerebellar and medullary sites, the locus coeruleus, and medullary reflex integrating sites, including the dorsal and ventrolateral medullary nuclei. The damage to rostral autonomic sites overlaps metabolic, affective and cognitive regulatory regions, leading to hormonal disruption, anxiety, depression, behavioral control, and sudden death concerns. The injuries suggest that interventions for mitigating hypoxic exposure and nutrient loss may provide cellular protection, in the same fashion as interventions in other conditions with similar malabsorption, fluid turnover, or hypoxic exposure.

Navigation of robotic system using cricket motes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Yogendra J.; Baine, Nicholas A.; Rattan, Kuldip S.

2011-06-01

This paper presents a novel algorithm for self-mapping of the cricket motes that can be used for indoor navigation of autonomous robotic systems. The cricket system is a wireless sensor network that can provide indoor localization service to its user via acoustic ranging techniques. The behavior of the ultrasonic transducer on the cricket mote is studied and the regions where satisfactorily distance measurements can be obtained are recorded. Placing the motes in these regions results fine-grain mapping of the cricket motes. Trilateration is used to obtain a rigid coordinate system, but is insufficient if the network is to be used for navigation. A modified SLAM algorithm is applied to overcome the shortcomings of trilateration. Finally, the self-mapped cricket motes can be used for navigation of autonomous robotic systems in an indoor location.

Translational neurocardiology: preclinical models and cardioneural integrative aspects

PubMed Central

Andresen, M. C.; Armour, J. A.; Billman, G. E.; Chen, P.‐S.; Foreman, R. D.; Herring, N.; O'Leary, D. S.; Sabbah, H. N.; Schultz, H. D.; Sunagawa, K.; Zucker, I. H.

2016-01-01

Abstract Neuronal elements distributed throughout the cardiac nervous system, from the level of the insular cortex to the intrinsic cardiac nervous system, are in constant communication with one another to ensure that cardiac output matches the dynamic process of regional blood flow demand. Neural elements in their various ‘levels’ become differentially recruited in the transduction of sensory inputs arising from the heart, major vessels, other visceral organs and somatic structures to optimize neuronal coordination of regional cardiac function. This White Paper will review the relevant aspects of the structural and functional organization for autonomic control of the heart in normal conditions, how these systems remodel/adapt during cardiac disease, and finally how such knowledge can be leveraged in the evolving realm of autonomic regulation therapy for cardiac therapeutics. PMID:27098459

Snowstorm

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

... article title:  Snowstorm Along the China-Mongolia-Russia Border     View Larger Image ... north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Mongolia and Russia, caused train and highway traffic to stop for several days along the ...

Autonomous selection of PDE inpainting techniques vs. exemplar inpainting techniques for void fill of high resolution digital surface models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmes, Mark; Yates, J. Harlan; Allen, Josef DeVaughn; Kelley, Patrick

2007-04-01

High resolution Digital Surface Models (DSMs) may contain voids (missing data) due to the data collection process used to obtain the DSM, inclement weather conditions, low returns, system errors/malfunctions for various collection platforms, and other factors. DSM voids are also created during bare earth processing where culture and vegetation features have been extracted. The Harris LiteSite TM Toolkit handles these void regions in DSMs via two novel techniques. We use both partial differential equations (PDEs) and exemplar based inpainting techniques to accurately fill voids. The PDE technique has its origin in fluid dynamics and heat equations (a particular subset of partial differential equations). The exemplar technique has its origin in texture analysis and image processing. Each technique is optimally suited for different input conditions. The PDE technique works better where the area to be void filled does not have disproportionately high frequency data in the neighborhood of the boundary of the void. Conversely, the exemplar based technique is better suited for high frequency areas. Both are autonomous with respect to detecting and repairing void regions. We describe a cohesive autonomous solution that dynamically selects the best technique as each void is being repaired.

Mobility and generation of mosaic non-autonomous transposons by Tn3-derived inverted-repeat miniature elements (TIMEs).

PubMed

Szuplewska, Magdalena; Ludwiczak, Marta; Lyzwa, Katarzyna; Czarnecki, Jakub; Bartosik, Dariusz

2014-01-01

Functional transposable elements (TEs) of several Pseudomonas spp. strains isolated from black shale ore of Lubin mine and from post-flotation tailings of Zelazny Most in Poland, were identified using a positive selection trap plasmid strategy. This approach led to the capture and characterization of (i) 13 insertion sequences from 5 IS families (IS3, IS5, ISL3, IS30 and IS1380), (ii) isoforms of two Tn3-family transposons--Tn5563a and Tn4662a (the latter contains a toxin-antitoxin system), as well as (iii) non-autonomous TEs of diverse structure, ranging in size from 262 to 3892 bp. The non-autonomous elements transposed into AT-rich DNA regions and generated 5- or 6-bp sequence duplications at the target site of transposition. Although these TEs lack a transposase gene, they contain homologous 38-bp-long terminal inverted repeat sequences (IRs), highly conserved in Tn5563a and many other Tn3-family transposons. The simplest elements of this type, designated TIMEs (Tn3 family-derived Inverted-repeat Miniature Elements) (262 bp), were identified within two natural plasmids (pZM1P1 and pLM8P2) of Pseudomonas spp. It was demonstrated that TIMEs are able to mobilize segments of plasmid DNA for transposition, which results in the generation of more complex non-autonomous elements, resembling IS-driven composite transposons in structure. Such transposon-like elements may contain different functional genetic modules in their core regions, including plasmid replication systems. Another non-autonomous element "captured" with a trap plasmid was a TIME derivative containing a predicted resolvase gene and a res site typical for many Tn3-family transposons. The identification of a portable site-specific recombination system is another intriguing example confirming the important role of non-autonomous TEs of the TIME family in shuffling genetic information in bacterial genomes. Transposition of such mosaic elements may have a significant impact on diversity and evolution, not only of transposons and plasmids, but also of other types of mobile genetic elements.

[Study on HIV-1 subtype among elderly male clients and female sex workers of low-cost venues in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China].

PubMed

Deng, Y Q; Li, J J; Fang, N Y; Wang, B; Wang, J W; Liang, S S; Shen, Z Y; Lan, G H; Zhang, H M; Wu, X H; Lu, H X; Ge, X M

2017-03-10

Objective: To understand HIV-1 subtype characteristics and transmission clusters in elderly male clients and female sex workers (FSWs) of low-cost commercial sex venues in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted in FSWs and elderly male clients (≥50 years) of low-cost commercial sex venues in 4 cities and 9 counties in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region by convenient sampling in 2012. The blood sample was collected from each case for HIV-1 antibody detection. The pol gene fragments were amplified and sequenced from viral RNA template extracted from plasma samples. The phylogenetic tree was constructed and the subtypes were identified. Results: A total of 4 048 elderly male clients and 784 FSWs were surveyed, and 116 HIV-1 infections were detected, the positive rate was 2.5% (103/4 048) in the clients and 1.7% (13/784) in FSWs. The gene amplification and sequencing of HIV-1 detected in 84 blood samples indicated that 53 pol gene sequences were successfully determined (48 blood samples from elderly male clients and 5 blood samples from FSWs). Among 53 pol sequences, 48(90.6% ), 4(7.5% ), and 1(1.9% ) sequences were identified as CRF01_AE, CRF08_BC, and CRF07_BC, respectively. Two transmission clusters were identified among CRF01_AE, including 4 sub-clusters. One transmission cluster was identified among CRF08_BC. The transmission cluster or sub-cluster were from the infected individuals at same low-cost commercial sex venue, or different low-cost commercial sex venues in the same town, or same place, or adjacent villages and towns. Conclusions: CRF01_AE was the predominant HIV-1 subtype among elderly male clients and FSWs of low-cost commercial sex venues in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, circulating in same venue or adjacent villages and towns. The HIV-1 positive male clients and FSWs might play an important role in the spread of the strains.

The Insula: A ‘Hub of Activity’ in Migraine

PubMed Central

Borsook, David; Veggeberg, Rosanna; Erpelding, Nathalie; Borra, Ronald; Linnman, Clas; Burstein, Rami; Becerra, Lino

2017-01-01

The insula, a ‘cortical hub’ buried within the lateral sulcus, is involved in a number of processes including goal-directed cognition, conscious awareness, autonomic regulation, interoception and somatosensation. While some of these processes are well known in the clinical presentation of migraine (i.e., autonomic and somatosensory alterations), other more complex behaviors in migraine, such as conscious awareness and error detection, are less well described. Since the insula processes and relays afferent inputs from brain areas involved in these functions to areas involved in higher cortical function such as frontal, temporal and parietal regions, it may be implicated as a brain region that translates the signals of altered internal milieu in migraine, along with other chronic pain conditions, through the insula into complex behaviors. Here we review how the insula function and structure is altered in migraine. As a brain region of a number of brain functions, it may serve as a model to study new potential clinical perspectives for migraine treatment. PMID:26290446

Spectral indices of cardiovascular adaptations to short-term simulated microgravity exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patwardhan, A. R.; Evans, J. M.; Berk, M.; Grande, K. J.; Charles, J. B.; Knapp, C. F.

1995-01-01

We investigated the effects of exposure to microgravity on the baseline autonomic balance in cardiovascular regulation using spectral analysis of cardiovascular variables measured during supine rest. Heart rate, arterial pressure, radial flow, thoracic fluid impedance and central venous pressure were recorded from nine volunteers before and after simulated microgravity, produced by 20 hours of 6 degrees head down bedrest plus furosemide. Spectral powers increased after simulated microgravity in the low frequency region (centered at about 0.03 Hz) in arterial pressure, heart rate and radial flow, and decreased in the respiratory frequency region (centered at about 0.25 Hz) in heart rate. Reduced heart rate power in the respiratory frequency region indicates reduced parasympathetic influence on the heart. A concurrent increase in the low frequency power in arterial pressure, heart rate, and radial flow indicates increased sympathetic influence. These results suggest that the baseline autonomic balance in cardiovascular regulation is shifted towards increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic influence after exposure to short-term simulated microgravity.

Autonomic control of the eye

PubMed Central

McDougal, David H.; Gamlin, Paul D.

2016-01-01

The autonomic nervous system influences numerous ocular functions. It does this by way of parasympathetic innervation from postganglionic fibers that originate from neurons in the ciliary and pterygopalatine ganglia, and by way of sympathetic innervation from postganglionic fibers that originate from neurons in the superior cervical ganglion. Ciliary ganglion neurons project to the ciliary body and the sphincter pupillae muscle of the iris to control ocular accommodation and pupil constriction, respectively. Superior cervical ganglion neurons project to the dilator pupillae muscle of the iris to control pupil dilation. Ocular blood flow is controlled both via direct autonomic influences on the vasculature of the optic nerve, choroid, ciliary body, and iris, as well as via indirect influences on retinal blood flow. In mammals, this vasculature is innervated by vasodilatory fibers from the pterygopalatine ganglion, and by vasoconstrictive fibers from the superior cervical ganglion. Intraocular pressure is regulated primarily through the balance of aqueous humor formation and outflow. Autonomic regulation of ciliary body blood vessels and the ciliary epithelium is an important determinant of aqueous humor formation; autonomic regulation of the trabecular meshwork and episcleral blood vessels is an important determinant of aqueous humor outflow. These tissues are all innervated by fibers from the pterygopalatine and superior cervical ganglia. In addition to these classical autonomic pathways, trigeminal sensory fibers exert local, intrinsic influences on many of these regions of the eye, as well as on some neurons within the ciliary and pterygopalatine ganglia. PMID:25589275

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Reactivates from Autonomic Ciliary Ganglia Independently from Sensory Trigeminal Ganglia To Cause Recurrent Ocular Disease

PubMed Central

Lee, Sungseok; Ives, Angela M.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 establish latency in sensory and autonomic neurons after ocular or genital infection, but their recurrence patterns differ. HSV-1 reactivates from latency to cause recurrent orofacial disease, and while HSV-1 also causes genital lesions, HSV-2 recurs more efficiently in the genital region and rarely causes ocular disease. The mechanisms regulating these anatomical preferences are unclear. To determine whether differences in latent infection and reactivation in autonomic ganglia contribute to differences in HSV-1 and HSV-2 anatomical preferences for recurrent disease, we compared HSV-1 and HSV-2 clinical disease, acute and latent viral loads, and viral gene expression in sensory trigeminal and autonomic superior cervical and ciliary ganglia in a guinea pig ocular infection model. HSV-2 produced more severe acute disease, correlating with higher viral DNA loads in sensory and autonomic ganglia, as well as higher levels of thymidine kinase expression, a marker of productive infection, in autonomic ganglia. HSV-1 reactivated in ciliary ganglia, independently from trigeminal ganglia, to cause more frequent recurrent symptoms, while HSV-2 replicated simultaneously in autonomic and sensory ganglia to cause more persistent disease. While both HSV-1 and HSV-2 expressed the latency-associated transcript (LAT) in the trigeminal and superior cervical ganglia, only HSV-1 expressed LAT in ciliary ganglia, suggesting that HSV-2 is not reactivation competent or does not fully establish latency in ciliary ganglia. Thus, differences in replication and viral gene expression in autonomic ganglia may contribute to differences in HSV-1 and HSV-2 acute and recurrent clinical disease. IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 establish latent infections, from which the viruses reactivate to cause recurrent disease throughout the life of the host. However, the viruses exhibit different manifestations and frequencies of recurrent disease. HSV-1 and HSV-2 establish latency in both sensory and autonomic ganglia. Autonomic ganglia are more responsive than sensory ganglia to stimuli associated with recurrent disease in humans, such as stress and hormone fluctuations, suggesting that autonomic ganglia may play an important role in recurrent disease. We show that HSV-1 can reactivate from autonomic ganglia, independently from sensory ganglia, to cause recurrent ocular disease. We found no evidence that HSV-2 could reactivate from autonomic ganglia independently from sensory ganglia after ocular infection, but HSV-2 did replicate in both ganglia simultaneously to cause persistent disease. Thus, viral replication and reactivation in autonomic ganglia contribute to different clinical disease manifestations of HSV-1 and HSV-2 after ocular infection. PMID:26041294

Dual stage potential field method for robotic path planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Pradyumna Kumar; Parida, Pramod Kumar

2018-04-01

Path planning for autonomous mobile robots are the root for all autonomous mobile systems. Various methods are used for optimization of path to be followed by the autonomous mobile robots. Artificial potential field based path planning method is one of the most used methods for the researchers. Various algorithms have been proposed using the potential field approach. But in most of the common problems are encounters while heading towards the goal or target. i.e. local minima problem, zero potential regions problem, complex shaped obstacles problem, target near obstacle problem. In this paper we provide a new algorithm in which two types of potential functions are used one after another. The former one is to use to get the probable points and later one for getting the optimum path. In this algorithm we consider only the static obstacle and goal.

Political and Legal Consciousness of Young People in the Region (a Case Study of Jewish Autonomous Region)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lutsenko, Ekaterina; Tyurina, Yulia; Korolyova, Irina; Shishmakov, Stanislav; Shishmakov, Vladimir; Nikolaeva, Natalia

2016-01-01

The paper deals with particularities of political and legal consciousness of young people in view of a region against the background of the general standpoint of the Russian citizens and Russian youth in questions of the political and legal spheres. The opinion of the young people and citizens of the country as a whole is evaluated based on the…

Microglia PACAP and glutamate: Friends or foes in seizure-induced autonomic dysfunction and SUDEP?

PubMed

Bhandare, Amol M; Kapoor, Komal; Farnham, Melissa M J; Pilowsky, Paul M

2016-06-01

Seizure-induced cardiorespiratory autonomic dysfunction is a major cause of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), and the underlying mechanism is unclear. Seizures lead to increased synthesis, and release of glutamate, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP), and other neurotransmitters, and cause extensive activation of microglia at multiple regions in the brain including central autonomic cardiorespiratory brainstem nuclei. Glutamate contributes to neurodegeneration, and inflammation in epilepsy. PACAP has neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties, whereas microglia are key players in inflammatory responses in CNS. Seizure-induced increase in PACAP is neuroprotective. PACAP produces neuroprotective effects acting on microglial PAC1 and VPAC1 receptors. Microglia also express glutamate transporters, and their expression can be increased by PACAP in response to harmful or stressful situations such as seizures. Here we discuss the mechanism of autonomic cardiorespiratory dysfunction in seizure, and the role of PACAP, glutamate and microglia in regulating cardiorespiratory brainstem neurons in their physiological state that could provide future therapeutic options for SUDEP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heart rate variability during motor and cognitive tasks in females with major depressive disorder

PubMed Central

Nugent, Allison Carol; Bain, Earle Eugene; Thayer, Julian Francis; Sollers, John James; Drevets, Wayne Curtis

2010-01-01

Research indicates that major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with alterations in autonomic control, particularly cardiac control as measured by heart rate variability (HRV). In this preliminary study, we investigated the neural correlates of autonomic control by measuring both HRV and associated brain activity during the performance of mildly stressful tasks. Medically healthy female subjects with MDD (N=10) and healthy controls (N=7) underwent H2 15O-PET and ECG recording while performing a handgrip motor task and an n-back task. Indices of HRV were calculated and correlated with regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Differences in the rCBF and HRV correlations between depressed and healthy subjects were evident in both the medial and lateral orbital cortices. In addition, these areas appeared to be involved in different facets of autonomic control with regard to sympathetic or parasympathetic dominance of cardiac control. These results are consistent with the known roles of networks within the orbital cortex in both autonomic control and the pathophysiology of MDD. PMID:21129936

Abnormal autonomic and associated brain activities during rest in autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Eilam-Stock, Tehila; Xu, Pengfei; Cao, Miao; Gu, Xiaosi; Van Dam, Nicholas T.; Anagnostou, Evdokia; Kolevzon, Alexander; Soorya, Latha; Park, Yunsoo; Siller, Michael; He, Yong; Hof, Patrick R.

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are associated with social and emotional deficits, the aetiology of which are not well understood. A growing consensus is that the autonomic nervous system serves a key role in emotional processes, by providing physiological signals essential to subjective states. We hypothesized that altered autonomic processing is related to the socio-emotional deficits in autism spectrum disorders. Here, we investigated the relationship between non-specific skin conductance response, an objective index of sympathetic neural activity, and brain fluctuations during rest in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder relative to neurotypical controls. Compared with control participants, individuals with autism spectrum disorder showed less skin conductance responses overall. They also showed weaker correlations between skin conductance responses and frontal brain regions, including the anterior cingulate and anterior insular cortices. Additionally, skin conductance responses were found to have less contribution to default mode network connectivity in individuals with autism spectrum disorders relative to controls. These results suggest that autonomic processing is altered in autism spectrum disorders, which may be related to the abnormal socio-emotional behaviours that characterize this condition. PMID:24424916

The transcription factor Foxg1 regulates telencephalic progenitor proliferation cell autonomously, in part by controlling Pax6 expression levels

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The transcription factor Foxg1 is an important regulator of telencephalic cell cycles. Its inactivation causes premature lengthening of telencephalic progenitor cell cycles and increased neurogenic divisions, leading to severe hypoplasia of the telencephalon. These proliferation defects could be a secondary consequence of the loss of Foxg1 caused by the abnormal expression of several morphogens (Fibroblast growth factor 8, bone morphogenetic proteins) in the telencephalon of Foxg1 null mutants. Here we investigated whether Foxg1 has a cell autonomous role in the regulation of telencephalic progenitor proliferation. We analysed Foxg1+/+↔Foxg1-/- chimeras, in which mutant telencephalic cells have the potential to interact with, and to have any cell non-autonomous defects rescued by, normal wild-type cells. Results Our analysis showed that the Foxg1-/- cells are under-represented in the chimeric telencephalon and the proportion of them in S-phase is significantly smaller than that of their wild-type neighbours, indicating that their under-representation is caused by a cell autonomous reduction in their proliferation. We then analysed the expression of the cell-cycle regulator Pax6 and found that it is cell-autonomously downregulated in Foxg1-/- dorsal telencephalic cells. We went on to show that the introduction into Foxg1-/- embryos of a transgene designed to reverse Pax6 expression defects resulted in a partial rescue of the telencephalic progenitor proliferation defects. Conclusions We conclude that Foxg1 exerts control over telencephalic progenitor proliferation by cell autonomous mechanisms that include the regulation of Pax6, which itself is known to regulate proliferation cell autonomously in a regional manner. PMID:21418559

Diverse autonomic regulation of pupillary function and the cardiovascular system during alcohol withdrawal.

PubMed

Jochum, Thomas; Hoyme, Johannes; Schulz, Steffen; Weißenfels, Markus; Voss, Andreas; Bär, Karl-Jürgen

2016-02-01

Previous research indicated the complexity of autonomic dysfunction during acute alcohol withdrawal. This study aimed to investigate the pupillary light reflex as an indicator of midbrain and brainstem regulatory systems in relation to cardiovascular autonomic function. Thirty male patients were included in the study. They were investigated during acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome and 24h later during clomethiazole treatment and compared to healthy controls. Parameters of pupillary light reflex of both eyes as well as heart rate variability, blood pressure variability and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were studied. We observed significantly reduced sympathetic (small diameter, e.g., left eye: 5.00 in patients vs. 5.91 mm in controls) and vagal modulation (e.g., prolonged latencies, left eye: 0.28 vs. 0.26 ms) regarding both pupils during acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Cardiovascular parameters showed reduced vagal modulation (e.g., b-slope of BRS: 7. 57 vs. 13.59 ms/mm Hg) and mixed results for sympathetic influence. After 24h, autonomic dysfunction improved significantly, both for the pupils (e.g., left diameter: 5.38 mm) and the heart (e.g., b-slope of BRS: 9.34 ms/mm Hg). While parameters obtained from the pupil correlated with cardiac autonomic function (e.g, BRS and left diameter: r=0.564) in healthy controls, no such pattern was observed in patients. Results obtained from the pupil during acute alcohol withdrawal do not simply mirror autonomic dysfunction regarding the heart. Pupillary and cardiovascular changes after 24h indicate state dependencies of the results. The findings are discussed with respect to autonomic mechanisms and potentially involved brain regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Translational neurocardiology: preclinical models and cardioneural integrative aspects.

PubMed

Ardell, J L; Andresen, M C; Armour, J A; Billman, G E; Chen, P-S; Foreman, R D; Herring, N; O'Leary, D S; Sabbah, H N; Schultz, H D; Sunagawa, K; Zucker, I H

2016-07-15

Neuronal elements distributed throughout the cardiac nervous system, from the level of the insular cortex to the intrinsic cardiac nervous system, are in constant communication with one another to ensure that cardiac output matches the dynamic process of regional blood flow demand. Neural elements in their various 'levels' become differentially recruited in the transduction of sensory inputs arising from the heart, major vessels, other visceral organs and somatic structures to optimize neuronal coordination of regional cardiac function. This White Paper will review the relevant aspects of the structural and functional organization for autonomic control of the heart in normal conditions, how these systems remodel/adapt during cardiac disease, and finally how such knowledge can be leveraged in the evolving realm of autonomic regulation therapy for cardiac therapeutics. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

Outbreaks of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis caused by human adenovirus type 8 in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 2016

PubMed Central

mei, Hong; Li, Hong; ga, Dan zeng gong; jie, Guo; chi, Mi ma bu; Zhang, Sheng; Ma, Chaofeng

2017-01-01

From April to November 2016, two outbreaks of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) occurred successively at primary and middle schools in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and a total of 197 clinically diagnosed cases were reported. Real-time PCR analyses confirmed that human adenovirus (HAdV) infection was related to these outbreaks. Further studies involving sequence determination and phylogenetic analysis based on the penton base, hexon, and fiber genes indicated that human adenovirus type 8 (HAdV-8), belonging to species D, was responsible for the outbreaks. This is the first report of a HAdV-8 associated EKC outbreak in mainland of China, and the results of this study are expected to provide support for future research into HAdV-8 in China. PMID:28915257

Ancient engineering geology projects in China; A canal system in Ganzu province and trenches along the Great Wall in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wallace, R.E.; Bucknam, R.C.; Hanks, T.C.

1994-01-01

Two major construction projects of ancient times in China involved what today would be considered engineering geology. We describe an ancient canal system in Gaotai County, Gansu province that was possibly begun in the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). The canal system heads at the Dasha River and extends northwestward for about 55 km to the City of Camels and Xusanwan village. Four parallel canals are present at the local site we examined. The canals were likely built primarily to transport water but may also have served as defensive military barriers. A second project involves trenches and berms along the north side of the Great Wall, clearly part of the Great Wall defensive system. This site is in Ningxia Autonomous Region near the town of Shizuishan. ?? 1994.

Growth trends in boys and girls (10-17 years-old) from autonomous region of Madeira, Portugal between 1996-1998 and 2007-2009.

PubMed

Sousa, B; Oliveira, B M P M; de Almeida, M D V

2012-01-01

Growth trends have never been studied in adolescents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. To analyse growth trends in weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and triceps skin-fold thickness (TST) of adolescents (10-17 years old) of the Autonomous Region of Madeira between 1996-1998 and 2007-2009. A cross-sectional study was carried out between 2007-2009, including 4314 adolescents, 2237 girls and 2077 boys (10-17 years old). To study secular growth trends, data were compared with a sample from 1996-1998, comparing the means for each anthropometric variable by age and sex using the independent-sample t-test. An average increase was found in weight of 5.8 kg in boys and 6.3 kg in girls; in height of 3.0 cm in boys and 3.7 cm in girls; in BMI of 1.5 kg/m(2) in boys and 1.7 kg/m(2) in girls; in WC a difference of 5.6 cm and 4.9 cm for boys and girls, respectively, and for MUAC a difference of 2.7 cm in boys and 2.0 cm in girls. No differences were found in TST in boys, but in girls an increase of 1.2 mm was observed. A general increase in anthropometric measurements, more marked in weight, BMI, WC and MUAC and at younger ages, was observed.

[Contextual indicators to assess social determinants of health and the Spanish economic recession].

PubMed

Cabrera-León, Andrés; Daponte Codina, Antonio; Mateo, Inmaculada; Arroyo-Borrell, Elena; Bartoll, Xavier; Bravo, María José; Domínguez-Berjón, María Felicitas; Renart, Gemma; Álvarez-Dardet, Carlos; Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Bolívar Muñoz, Julia; Saez, Marc; Escribà-Agüir, Vicenta; Palència, Laia; López, María José; Saurina, Carme; Puig, Vanessa; Martín, Unai; Gotsens, Mercè; Borrell, Carme; Serra Saurina, Laura; Sordo, Luis; Bacigalupe, Amaia; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Pérez, Glòria; Espelt, Albert; Ruiz, Miguel; Bernal, Mariola

To provide indicators to assess the impact on health, its social determinants and health inequalities from a social context and the recent economic recession in Spain and its autonomous regions. Based on the Spanish conceptual framework for determinants of social inequalities in health, we identified indicators sequentially from key documents, Web of Science, and organisations with official statistics. The information collected resulted in a large directory of indicators which was reviewed by an expert panel. We then selected a set of these indicators according to geographical (availability of data according to autonomous regions) and temporal (from at least 2006 to 2012) criteria. We identified 203 contextual indicators related to social determinants of health and selected 96 (47%) based on the above criteria; 16% of the identified indicators did not satisfy the geographical criteria and 35% did not satisfy the temporal criteria. At least 80% of the indicators related to dependence and healthcare services were excluded. The final selection of indicators covered all areas for social determinants of health, and 62% of these were not available on the Internet. Around 40% of the indicators were extracted from sources related to the Spanish Statistics Institute. We have provided an extensive directory of contextual indicators on social determinants of health and a database to facilitate assessment of the impact of the economic recession on health and health inequalities in Spain and its autonomous regions. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Zebrafish heart as a model to study the integrative autonomic control of pacemaker function

PubMed Central

Stoyek, Matthew R.; Quinn, T. Alexander; Croll, Roger P.

2016-01-01

The cardiac pacemaker sets the heart's primary rate, with pacemaker discharge controlled by the autonomic nervous system through intracardiac ganglia. A fundamental issue in understanding the relationship between neural activity and cardiac chronotropy is the identification of neuronal populations that control pacemaker cells. To date, most studies of neurocardiac control have been done in mammalian species, where neurons are embedded in and distributed throughout the heart, so they are largely inaccessible for whole-organ, integrative studies. Here, we establish the isolated, innervated zebrafish heart as a novel alternative model for studies of autonomic control of heart rate. Stimulation of individual cardiac vagosympathetic nerve trunks evoked bradycardia (parasympathetic activation) and tachycardia (sympathetic activation). Simultaneous stimulation of both vagosympathetic nerve trunks evoked a summative effect. Effects of nerve stimulation were mimicked by direct application of cholinergic and adrenergic agents. Optical mapping of electrical activity confirmed the sinoatrial region as the site of origin of normal pacemaker activity and identified a secondary pacemaker in the atrioventricular region. Strong vagosympathetic nerve stimulation resulted in a shift in the origin of initial excitation from the sinoatrial pacemaker to the atrioventricular pacemaker. Putative pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial and atrioventricular regions expressed adrenergic β2 and cholinergic muscarinic type 2 receptors. Collectively, we have demonstrated that the zebrafish heart contains the accepted hallmarks of vertebrate cardiac control, establishing this preparation as a viable model for studies of integrative physiological control of cardiac function by intracardiac neurons. PMID:27342878

Autonomic components of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) are favourably affected by Electrical Twitch-Obtaining Intramuscular Stimulation (ETOIMS): effects on blood pressure and heart rate.

PubMed

Chu, Jennifer; Bruyninckx, Frans; Neuhauser, Duncan V

2017-07-01

Favourable pain relief results on evoking autonomous twitches at myofascial trigger points with Electrical Twitch Obtaining Intramuscular Stimulation (ETOIMS). To document autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) from blood pressure (BP) and pulse/heart rate changes with ETOIMS. A patient with persistent pain regularly received serial ETOIMS sessions of 60, 90, 120 or ≥150 min over 24 months. Outcome measures include BP: systolic, diastolic, pulse pressure and pulse/heart rate, pre-session/immediate-post-session summed differences (SDPPP index), and pain reduction. His results were compared with that of two other patients and one normal control. Each individual represented the following maximal elicitable twitch forces (TWF) graded 1-5: maximum TWF2: control subject; maximum TWF3: CRPS patient with suspected ANS dysfunction; and maximum TWF4 and TWF5: two patients with respective slow-fatigue and fast-fatigue twitches who during ETOIMS had autonomous twitching at local and remote myotomes simultaneously from denervation supersensitivity. ETOIMS results between TWFs were compared using one-way analysis of variance test. The patients showed immediate significant pain reduction, BP and pulse/heart rate changes/reduction(s) except for diastolic BP in the TWF5 patient. TWF2 control subject had diastolic BP reduction with ETOIMS but not with rest. Linear regression showed TWF grade to be the most significant variable in pain reduction, more so than the number of treatments, session duration and treatment interval. TWF grade was the most important variable in significantly reducing outcome measures, especially pulse/heart rate. Unlike others, the TWF3 patient had distinctive reductions in SDPPP index. Measuring BP and pulse/heart rate is clinically practical for alerting ANS dysfunction maintained CRPS. SDPPP index (≥26) and pulse/heart rate (≥8) reductions with almost every ETOIMS treatment, plus inability to evoke autonomous twitches due to pain-induced muscle hypertonicity, are pathognomonic of this problem.

[Occupational health in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. OSALAN-Instituto Vasco de Seguridad y Salud Laborales].

PubMed

Martínez Castillo, A; Achutegui Basagoiti, G

1996-01-01

O.S.A.L.A.N.-Instituto Vasco de Seguridad y Salud Laborales is an autonomous administrative body depending on the Basque Government, ascribed to the Dept. of Justice, Economy, Work and Social Security, which is in charge of managing the general occupational health policies in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Its objectives are: To promote an ongoing improvement in safety and occupational health for all the workers in the Basque Autonomous Region, through the management of programmes in matters affecting safety, hygiene, the environment and occupational health. To co-ordinate and concentrate the different activities related to occupational health, unifying and giving coherence to the functions which were previously the jurisdiction of different departments. Making companies aware of national and E.U. regulations, taking the measures that are set out by the European Directives and the Prevention of Occupational Hazards Act and the rest of the employment regulations, establishing the training and information channels required for promoting and applying these in the companies. It acts: from an overall perspective as regards the prevention of occupational hazards, thanks to co-ordination with all the disciplines involved, applying a multi-disciplinary treatment to the study of each and every one of the occupational hazard factors, which is aimed at the prevention of risks at their source. Providing companies with the ideal means for managing the safety and health of their workers. Promoting the implementation of systems which guarantee an ongoing improvement in occupational safety and health in the companies of the Basque Autonomous Region. Providing the technical and research support that makes it possible to tackle prevention efficiently. The provision established in the Creation Act (O.S.A.L.A.N.) should also be mentioned, as regards its application in public administration and the field of social economy, which was later endorsed and ratified through inclusion in the recent Prevention of Occupational Hazards Act.

Investigation on the Development of Preschool Education Informationization of Ethnic Region in Gansu, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Yanhua

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the informationization situation of preschool education taking Linxia City in Gansu province. The analysis was conducted by the mean of questionnaire survey and individual interview which was collected in July 2013 in seven ethnic counties in Hui autonomous prefecture of Linxia. As a typical ethnic region, Linxia can…

Physiological and psychological individual differences influence resting brain function measured by ASL perfusion.

PubMed

Kano, M; Coen, S J; Farmer, A D; Aziz, Q; Williams, S C R; Alsop, D C; Fukudo, S; O'Gorman, R L

2014-09-01

Effects of physiological and/or psychological inter-individual differences on the resting brain state have not been fully established. The present study investigated the effects of individual differences in basal autonomic tone and positive and negative personality dimensions on resting brain activity. Whole-brain resting cerebral perfusion images were acquired from 32 healthy subjects (16 males) using arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI. Neuroticism and extraversion were assessed with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised. Resting autonomic activity was assessed using a validated measure of baseline cardiac vagal tone (CVT) in each individual. Potential associations between the perfusion data and individual CVT (27 subjects) and personality score (28 subjects) were tested at the level of voxel clusters by fitting a multiple regression model at each intracerebral voxel. Greater baseline perfusion in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and cerebellum was associated with lower CVT. At a corrected significance threshold of p < 0.01, strong positive correlations were observed between extraversion and resting brain perfusion in the right caudate, brain stem, and cingulate gyrus. Significant negative correlations between neuroticism and regional cerebral perfusion were identified in the left amygdala, bilateral insula, ACC, and orbitofrontal cortex. These results suggest that individual autonomic tone and psychological variability influence resting brain activity in brain regions, previously shown to be associated with autonomic arousal (dorsal ACC) and personality traits (amygdala, caudate, etc.) during active task processing. The resting brain state may therefore need to be taken into account when interpreting the neurobiology of individual differences in structural and functional brain activity.

Autonomous low-power magnetic data collection platform to enable remote high latitude array deployment.

PubMed

Musko, Stephen B; Clauer, C Robert; Ridley, Aaron J; Arnett, Kennneth L

2009-04-01

A major driver in the advancement of geophysical sciences is improvement in the quality and resolution of data for use in scientific analysis, discovery, and for assimilation into or validation of empirical and physical models. The need for more and better measurements together with improvements in technical capabilities is driving the ambition to deploy arrays of autonomous geophysical instrument platforms in remote regions. This is particularly true in the southern polar regions where measurements are presently sparse due to the remoteness, lack of infrastructure, and harshness of the environment. The need for the acquisition of continuous long-term data from remote polar locations exists across geophysical disciplines and is a generic infrastructure problem. The infrastructure, however, to support autonomous instrument platforms in polar environments is still in the early stages of development. We report here the development of an autonomous low-power magnetic variation data collection system. Following 2 years of field testing at the south pole station, the system is being reproduced to establish a dense chain of stations on the Antarctic plateau along the 40 degrees magnetic meridian. The system is designed to operate for at least 5 years unattended and to provide data access via satellite communication. The system will store 1 s measurements of the magnetic field variation (<0.2 nT resolution) in three vector components plus a variety of engineering status and environment parameters. We believe that the data collection platform can be utilized by a variety of low-power instruments designed for low-temperature operation. The design, technical characteristics, and operation results are presented here.

Use of an allostatic neurotechnology by adolescents with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is associated with improvements in heart rate variability and changes in temporal lobe electrical activity.

PubMed

Fortunato, John E; Tegeler, Catherine L; Gerdes, Lee; Lee, Sung W; Pajewski, Nicholas M; Franco, Meghan E; Cook, Jared F; Shaltout, Hossam A; Tegeler, Charles H

2016-03-01

Autonomic dysregulation and heterogeneous symptoms characterize postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). This study evaluated the effect of high-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM(®)), a noninvasive, allostatic neurotechnology for relaxation and auto-calibration of neural oscillations, on heart rate variability, brain asymmetry, and autonomic symptoms, in adolescents with POTS. Seven subjects with POTS (three males, ages 15-18) underwent a median of 14 (10-16) HIRREM sessions over 13 (8-17) days. Autonomic function was assessed from 10-min continuous heart rate and blood pressure recordings, pre- and post-HIRREM. One-minute epochs of temporal high-frequency (23-36 Hz) brain electrical activity data (T3 and T4, eyes closed) were analyzed from baseline HIRREM assessment and subsequent sessions. Subjects rated autonomic symptoms before and after HIRREM. Four of seven were on fludrocortisone, which was stopped before or during their sessions. Heart rate variability in the time domain (standard deviation of the beat-to-beat interval) increased post-HIRREM (mean increase 51%, range 10-143, p = 0.03), as did baroreflex sensitivity (mean increase in high-frequency alpha 65%, range -6 to 180, p = 0.05). Baseline temporal electrical asymmetry negatively correlated with change in asymmetry from assessment to the final HIRREM session (p = 0.01). Summed high-frequency amplitudes at left and right temporal lobes decreased a median of 3.8 μV (p = 0.02). There was a trend for improvements in self-reported symptoms related to the autonomic nervous system. Use of HIRREM was associated with reduced sympathetic bias in autonomic cardiovascular regulation, greater symmetry and reduced amplitudes in temporal lobe high-frequency electrical activity, and a trend for reduced autonomic symptoms. Data suggest the potential for allostatic neurotechnology to facilitate increased flexibility in autonomic cardiovascular regulation, possibly through more balanced activity at regions of the neocortex responsible for autonomic management. Clinical trial registry "Tilt Table with Suspected postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) Subjects," Protocol Record: WFUBAHA01.

The use of geoinformation technologies for renewable energy and regional aspects of developing renewable energy in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafikova, Y. Y.; Kiseleva, S. V.; Nefedova, L. V.; Frid, S. E.

2014-12-01

The work presents the results of development of the geoinformation system "Renewable Energy Sources of Russia". Regional maps of installations and resources are presented. The problem of determination of small hydropower potential connected with the shortage of hydrological data is stated. Assessment of efficiency of techno-economic analysis of simulation-based autonomous solar lighting systems is described. Overview of regional experience, policies and targets is included.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the Siwai and Buin districts of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville

PubMed Central

Waruruai, Julie; Sipana, Beuluah; Koch, Michael; Barrows, Louis R.; Matainaho, Teatulohi K.; Rai, Prem P

2011-01-01

Ethnopharmacological relevance Traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use in many regions of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is poorly described and rapidly disappearing. A program initiated by the University of Papua New Guinea to systematically document and preserve traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use was initiated with WHO help in 2001. Aim of the study To document and compare medicinal plant use in the Siwai and Buin Districts of the Island of Bougainville. Siwai and Buin districts represent two adjacent geographic regions of differing language traditions. Materials and methods This report is a combination of two University of Papua New Guinea reports generated using a University of Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea Department of Health approved survey questionnaire “Information sheet on traditional herbal reparations and medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea”. Results Although Siwai and Buin Districts are adjacent in Southern Bougainville, there is considerable variation in the specific plants used medicinally and the specific uses of those plants that are used commonly in the two regions. In addition, many of the plants used in the region are widely distributed species that are used medicinally in other settings. Nevertheless, the high endemicity of plants and the extraordinary cultural diversity in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has yielded description of the medicinal use of many plants that have not previously been reported in the wider scientific literature. Conclusions Efforts to document and preserve traditional knowledge of plant use in Papua New Guinea have yielded important new records of plants with potential application in the provision of health care for a developing nation with an under developed Western style rural health care system. This report documents substantial commonality in the general modes of medicinal plant preparation and in the health care applications of plant use in the Siwai and Buin traditions, however, there was considerable difference noted in the particular uses of the specific plants used in one or another of the districts. PMID:22004894

Non-cell autonomous cell death caused by transmission of Huntingtin aggregates in Drosophila.

PubMed

Babcock, Daniel T; Ganetzky, Barry

2015-01-01

Recent evidence indicates that protein aggregates can spread between neurons in several neurodegenerative diseases but much remains unknown regarding the underlying mechanisms responsible for this spreading and its role in disease progression. We recently demonstrated that mutant Huntingtin aggregates spread between cells within the Drosophila brain resulting in non-cell autonomous loss of a pair of large neurons in the posterior protocerebrum. However, the full extent of neuronal loss throughout the brain was not determined. Here we examine the effects of driving expression of mutant Huntingtin in Olfactory Receptor Neurons (ORNs) by using a marker for cleaved caspase activity to monitor neuronal apoptosis as a function of age. We find widespread caspase activity in various brain regions over time, demonstrating that non-cell autonomous damage is widespread. Improved understanding of which neurons are most vulnerable and why should be useful in developing treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases that involve transcellular spreading of aggregates.

Eye gaze tracking for endoscopic camera positioning: an application of a hardware/software interface developed to automate Aesop.

PubMed

Ali, S M; Reisner, L A; King, B; Cao, A; Auner, G; Klein, M; Pandya, A K

2008-01-01

A redesigned motion control system for the medical robot Aesop allows automating and programming its movements. An IR eye tracking system has been integrated with this control interface to implement an intelligent, autonomous eye gaze-based laparoscopic positioning system. A laparoscopic camera held by Aesop can be moved based on the data from the eye tracking interface to keep the user's gaze point region at the center of a video feedback monitor. This system setup provides autonomous camera control that works around the surgeon, providing an optimal robotic camera platform.

Autonomous sensor manager agents (ASMA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osadciw, Lisa A.

2004-04-01

Autonomous sensor manager agents are presented as an algorithm to perform sensor management within a multisensor fusion network. The design of the hybrid ant system/particle swarm agents is described in detail with some insight into their performance. Although the algorithm is designed for the general sensor management problem, a simulation example involving 2 radar systems is presented. Algorithmic parameters are determined by the size of the region covered by the sensor network, the number of sensors, and the number of parameters to be selected. With straight forward modifications, this algorithm can be adapted for most sensor management problems.

Dynamic pupillary exchange engages brain regions encoding social salience

PubMed Central

Harrison, Neil A.; Gray, Marcus A.; Critchley, Hugo D.

2008-01-01

Covert exchange of autonomic responses may shape social affective behavior, as observed in mirroring of pupillary responses during sadness processing. We examined how, independent of facial emotional expression, dynamic coherence between one's own and another's pupil size modulates regional brain activity. Fourteen subjects viewed pairs of eye stimuli while undergoing fMRI. Using continuous pupillometry biofeedback, the size of the observed pupils was varied, correlating positively or negatively with changes in participants’ own pupils. Viewing both static and dynamic stimuli activated right fusiform gyrus. Observing dynamically changing pupils activated STS and amygdala, regions engaged by non-static and salient facial features. Discordance between observed and observer's pupillary changes enhanced activity within bilateral anterior insula, left amygdala and anterior cingulate. In contrast, processing positively correlated pupils enhanced activity within left frontal operculum. Our findings suggest pupillary signals are monitored continuously during social interactions and that incongruent changes activate brain regions involved in tracking motivational salience and attentionally meaningful information. Naturalistically, dynamic coherence in pupillary change follows fluctuations in ambient light. Correspondingly, in social contexts discordant pupil response is likely to reflect divergence of dispositional state. Our data provide empirical evidence for an autonomically mediated extension of forward models of motor control into social interaction. PMID:19048432

Coordinating an Autonomous Earth-Observing Sensorweb

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, Robert; Cichy, Benjamin; Tran, Daniel; Chien, Steve; Rabideau, Gregg; Davies, Ashley; Castano, Rebecca; frye, Stuart; Mandl, Dan; Shulman, Seth;

The Reasons and Solutions for Problems in Rural School Consolidation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qingyang, Guo

2013-01-01

Based on investigations in six midwestern provinces/autonomous regions, Hubei, Henan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia, this article analyzes the reasons for problems in the process of consolidating rural schools and their solutions.

Snowstorm Along the China-Mongolia-Russia Borders

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-31

Heavy snowfall on March 12, 2004, across north China Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Mongolia and Russia, caused train and highway traffic to stop for several days along the Russia-China border shown here by NASA Terra spacecraft.

76 FR 77806 - International Affairs; U.S. Fish Quotas in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-14

... available from Douglas Christel, at the NMFS Northeast Regional Office at 55 Great Republic Drive..., autonomous vessel monitoring system; and adherence to all relevant minimum size, gear, bycatch, and other...

Empirical analysis of consumer aspects of autonomous cars.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-11

This research was funded via a start-up grant provided by the University Transportation : Research Center, Region 2. : The objective is to advance the state-of-knowledge regarding Vehicle Automation technologies : (cf. Anderson et al. 2014), by...

An Autonomous BMP2 Regulatory Element in Mesenchymal Cells

PubMed Central

Kruithof, Boudewijn P.T.; Fritz, David T.; Liu, Yijun; Garsetti, Diane E.; Frank, David B.; Pregizer, Steven K.; Gaussin, Vinciane; Mortlock, Douglas P.; Rogers, Melissa B.

2014-01-01

BMP2 is a morphogen that controls mesenchymal cell differentiation and behavior. For example, BMP2 concentration controls the differentiation of mesenchymal precursors into myocytes, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteoblasts. Sequences within the 3′untranslated region (UTR) of the Bmp2 mRNA mediate a post-transcriptional block of protein synthesis. Interaction of cell and developmental stage-specific trans-regulatory factors with the 3′UTR is a nimble and versatile mechanism for modulating this potent morphogen in different cell types. We show here, that an ultra-conserved sequence in the 3′UTR functions independently of promoter, coding region, and 3′UTR context in primary and immortalized tissue culture cells and in transgenic mice. Our findings indicate that the ultra-conserved sequence is an autonomously functioning post-transcriptional element that may be used to modulate the level of BMP2 and other proteins while retaining tissue specific regulatory elements. PMID:21268088

[Design of a questionnaire on the knowledge and attitudes of the population of Madrid (Spain) facing the end-of-life].

PubMed

Ortiz-Gonçalves, Belén; Santiago-Sáez, Andrés; Albarrán Juan, Elena; Labajo González, Elena; Perea-Pérez, Bernardo

2017-12-05

To create and validate a questionnaire about knowledge and attitudes of the general population in Madrid (Spain) about life's end stage. A descriptive study designed as a structured self-administered questionnaire, validated by seven Madrid Health Service professional experts and assessed through a pilot study. The questionnaire consisted of 42 questions, divided into six modules: 1) decisions and psychological-physical care at life's end; 2) palliative care; 3) euthanasia and assisted suicide; 4) advance directives document; 5) spiritual factors; and 6) socio-demographic data. The questionnaire was a useful, indirect method to ascertain the opinion of life's end in the Autonomous Region of Madrid. If it were applied in primary health care and hospital care, comparisons could be made among users in different autonomous regions of Spain. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Correlative anatomy for the electrophysiologist: ablation for atrial fibrillation. Part II: regional anatomy of the atria and relevance to damage of adjacent structures during AF ablation.

PubMed

Macedo, Paula G; Kapa, Suraj; Mears, Jennifer A; Fratianni, Amy; Asirvatham, Samuel J

2010-07-01

Ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation have become an established and increasingly used option for managing patients with symptomatic arrhythmia. The anatomic structures relevant to the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation and ablation procedures are varied and include the pulmonary veins, other thoracic veins, the left atrial myocardium, and autonomic ganglia. Exact regional anatomic knowledge of these structures is essential to allow correlation with fluoroscopy and electrograms and, importantly, to avoid complications from damage of adjacent structures within the chest. We present this information as a series of 2 articles. In a prior issue, we have discussed the thoracic vein anatomy relevant to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. In the present article, we focus on the atria themselves, the autonomic ganglia, and anatomic issues relevant for minimizing complications during atrial fibrillation ablation.

Biocorrosive activity analysis of the oil pipeline soil in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of Ugra and the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesnokova, M. G.; Shalay, V. V.; Kriga, A. S.

2017-08-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the biocorrosive activity of oil pipeline soil in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of Yugra and the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation, due to the action of a complex of factors and analysis of sulfate-reducing and thionic bacteria content. The number of bacteria in the sulfur cycle (autotrophic thionic and sulfate-reducing bacteria), the total concentration of sulfur and iron in soil samples adjacent to the surface of underground pipelines, the specific electrical resistivity of the soil was determined. A criterion for the biocorrosive activity of the soil (CBA) was established. The study of the biocorrosive activity of the soil has established its features in the area of the oil pipeline construction in the compared territories. In the soil of the Krasnodar Territory pipeline, aggressive samples were recorded in 5.75% of cases, samples with moderate aggressiveness (49.43%), with weak soil aggressiveness (42.53% of cases), and samples with potential aggressiveness (2.30%). On the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of Yugra, samples with weak soil aggressiveness prevailed (55.17% of cases), with moderate aggressiveness (34.5% of cases). When carrying out multiple regression analysis in the system of variables "factors of soil biocorrosive activity", informative data of modeling the indicator "the content of thiobacteria in soil" was established. The results of the research show the need for dynamic monitoring and the development of preventive measures to prevent biocorrosion.

Sensitization of the Nociceptive System in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

PubMed Central

Diedrichs, Carolina; Baron, Ralf; Gierthmühlen, Janne

2016-01-01

Background Complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS-I) is characterized by sensory, motor and autonomic abnormalities without electrophysiological evidence of a nerve lesion. Objective Aims were to investigate how sensory, autonomic and motor function change in the course of the disease. Methods 19 CRPS-I patients (17 with acute, 2 with chronic CRPS, mean duration of disease 5.7±8.3, range 1–33 months) were examined with questionnaires (LANSS, NPS, MPI, Quick DASH, multiple choice list of descriptors for sensory, motor, autonomic symptoms), motor and autonomic tests as well as quantitative sensory testing according to the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain at two visits (baseline and 36±10.6, range 16–53 months later). Results CRPS-I patients had an improvement of sudomotor and vasomotor function, but still a great impairment of sensory and motor function upon follow-up. Although pain and mechanical detection improved upon follow-up, thermal and mechanical pain sensitivity increased, including the contralateral side. Increase in mechanical pain sensitivity and loss of mechanical detection were associated with presence of ongoing pain. Conclusions The results demonstrate that patients with CRPS-I show a sensitization of the nociceptive system in the course of the disease, for which ongoing pain seems to be the most important trigger. They further suggest that measured loss of function in CRPS-I is due to pain-induced hypoesthesia rather than a minimal nerve lesion. In conclusion, this article gives evidence for a pronociceptive pain modulation profile developing in the course of CRPS and thus helps to assess underlying mechanisms of CRPS that contribute to the maintenance of patients’ pain and disability. PMID:27149519

VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 innervation in autonomic regions of intact and transected rat spinal cord.

PubMed

Llewellyn-Smith, Ida J; Martin, Carolyn L; Fenwick, Natalie M; Dicarlo, Stephen E; Lujan, Heidi L; Schreihofer, Ann M

2007-08-20

Fast excitatory neurotransmission to sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN and PPN) is glutamatergic. To characterize this innervation in spinal autonomic regions, we localized immunoreactivity for vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) 1 and 2 in intact cords and after upper thoracic complete transections. Preganglionic neurons were retrogradely labeled by intraperitoneal Fluoro-Gold or with cholera toxin B (CTB) from superior cervical, celiac, or major pelvic ganglia or adrenal medulla. Glutamatergic somata were localized with in situ hybridization for VGLUT mRNA. In intact cords, all autonomic areas contained abundant VGLUT2-immunoreactive axons and synapses. CTB-immunoreactive SPN and PPN received many close appositions from VGLUT2-immunoreactive axons. VGLUT2-immunoreactive synapses occurred on Fluoro-Gold-labeled SPN. Somata with VGLUT2 mRNA occurred throughout the spinal gray matter. VGLUT2 immunoreactivity was not noticeably affected caudal to a transection. In contrast, in intact cords, VGLUT1-immunoreactive axons were sparse in the intermediolateral cell column (IML) and lumbosacral parasympathetic nucleus but moderately dense above the central canal. VGLUT1-immunoreactive close appositions were rare on SPN in the IML and the central autonomic area and on PPN. Transection reduced the density of VGLUT1-immunoreactive axons in sympathetic subnuclei but increased their density in the parasympathetic nucleus. Neuronal cell bodies with VGLUT1 mRNA occurred only in Clarke's column. These data indicate that SPN and PPN are densely innervated by VGLUT2-immunoreactive axons, some of which arise from spinal neurons. In contrast, the VGLUT1-immunoreactive innervation of spinal preganglionic neurons is sparse, and some may arise from supraspinal sources. Increased VGLUT1 immunoreactivity after transection may correlate with increased glutamatergic transmission to PPN. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Gross anatomical study on the human myocardial bridges with special reference to the spatial relationship among coronary arteries, cardiac veins, and autonomic nerves.

PubMed

Watanabe, Yuko; Arakawa, Takamitsu; Kageyama, Ikuo; Aizawa, Yukio; Kumaki, Katsuji; Miki, Akinori; Terashima, Toshio

2016-04-01

Coronary arteries are frequently covered by cardiac muscles. This arrangement is termed a myocardial bridge. Previous studies have shown that myocardial bridges can cause myocardial ischemic diseases or cardiac arrhythmia, but the relevant pathogenic mechanisms remain unknown. We examined 60 hearts from Japanese cadavers macroscopically to clarify the spatial relationships among coronary arteries, cardiac veins and autonomic nerves. We found 86 myocardial bridges in 47 hearts from the 60 cadavers examined (78.3%). Next, we dissected out nine hearts with myocardial bridges in detail under the operating microscope. We found no additional branches of coronary arteries on the myocardial bridge surfaces. However, the cardiac veins, which usually accompany the coronary arteries, ran independently on the myocardial bridge surfaces in the same region. Cardiac autonomic nerves comprised two rami: one was associated with the coronary artery under the myocardial bridge and the other ran on the surface of the bridge. Such spatial relationships among the coronary arteries, cardiac veins and cardiac autonomic nerves at the myocardial bridges are quite similar to those in mouse embryo hearts. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

77 FR 74467 - International Affairs; U.S. Fishing Opportunities in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-14

... Regional Office at 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 (phone: 978-281-9141, fax: 978-281-9135...; presence of an on-board observer; deployment of a functioning, autonomous vessel monitoring system...

[Variations among Spanish regions in the use of three cardiovascular technologies].

PubMed

Fitch-Warner, Kathryn; García de Yébenes, María J; Lázaro y de Mercado, Pablo; Belaza-Santurde, Javier

2006-12-01

There is evidence that some geographic variations in the use of medical technologies are not explained by differences in disease burden. The objectives of this study were to quantify variability in the use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in Spanish autonomous regions and to try to explain the variability found for the first two technologies. Linear regression models were developed in which the number of procedures performed per million population (pmp) in 2003 in each autonomous region was the dependent variable. Independent variables used included indices of technology provision, regional wealth, and disease burden. For PCI, the mean utilization rate for the whole of Spain was 1038 procedures pmp, with a high-low ratio of 1.95. Differences in gross domestic product explained 21% of the variability, but there was no relationship between the number of procedures performed and disease burden. For ICDs, the mean number of procedures performed in the whole of Spain was 46 pmp, with a high-low ratio of 3.04. As for PCI, differences in regional wealth explained 40% of the variability, with disease burden making no contribution. For CRT, the mean number of procedures performed in Spain in 2003 was 15 pmp, with a high-low ratio of 15.7. The considerable regional variation that exists in the use of these three medical technologies is principally explained by differences in regional wealth and not in disease burden.

Autonomous geodynamics of the Pamir-Tien Shan junction zone from seismology data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukk, A. A.; Shevchenko, V. I.; Leonova, V. G.

2015-11-01

The geodynamics of the Tajik Depression, the junction zone of the Pamirs and Tien Shan, is typically considered in the context of plate tectonic concept, which implies intense subhorizontal compression of the zone resulting from the subduction of the Indian and Eurasian lithospheric plates. This convergence has been reliably confirmed by the GPS measurements. However, the joint analysis of the geological structure, seismicity, and geodimeter measurements conducted during a few years at the Garm geodynamical testing site of the Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences, demonstrates a widening of the Tajik Depression instead of its shortening, as should be expected from the subhorizontal compression predominant in the present-day stress-state of this region. This conclusion, together with the data from the other regions, suggests that, along with the plate tectonic mechanisms, there are also other, local, autonomous drivers that contribute to the tectogenesis of this region. Besides, the probable existence of these autonomous sources within the Tajik Depression directly follows from the seismology data. Among them is the crustal spreading within the depression suggested by the seismotectonic displacements in the focal mechanisms of the earthquakes. These displacements are directed in different azimuths off the axial's most subsided part of the depression at a depth of 20-30 km. Above this region the distribution of seismotectonic deformations (STD) is chaotic. This pattern of deformation is barely accounted for by a simple model of subhorizontal compression of the Earth's crust in the region. In our opinion, these features of the seismotectonic deformation in the crust within the studied part of the Tajik Depression is probably associated with the gain in the volume of the rocks due to the inflow of the additional material, which is supplied from the bottom crust or upper mantle by the deep fluids. This increase in the rock volume produces the state of horizontal compression (or, more exactly, outward all-round pressure). We suggest considering the subvertical pillar-like object, identified as a cluster of the earthquake hypocenters in the northern part of the region with chaotic STD, as one of the probable channels of fluid supply. This structure' plane is isometric and has a diameter of about 20 km. It stretches downwards to a depth of 40 km, where the seismicity ceases. The suggested scenario of generation of the outward all-round pressure (autonomous geodynamics) can be considered as an independent driver of tectogenesis along with the traditional mechanisms relating the emergence of the stressstate of subhorizontal compression to the plate-tectonic convergence of the Eurasian and Indian lithospheric plates.

Autonomic nervous system profile in fibromyalgia patients and its modulation by exercise: a mini review.

PubMed

Kulshreshtha, Poorvi; Deepak, Kishore K

2013-03-01

This review imparts an impressionistic tone to our current understanding of autonomic nervous system abnormalities in fibromyalgia. In the wake of symptoms present in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), autonomic dysfunction seems plausible in fibromyalgia. A popular notion is that of a relentless sympathetic hyperactivity and hyporeactivity based on heart rate variability (HRV) analyses and responses to various physiological stimuli. However, some exactly opposite findings suggesting normal/hypersympathetic reactivity in patients with fibromyalgia do exist. This heterogeneous picture along with multiple comorbidities accounts for the quantitative and qualitative differences in the degree of dysautonomia present in patients with FM. We contend that HRV changes in fibromyalgia may not actually represent increased cardiac sympathetic tone. Normal muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and normal autonomic reactivity tests in patients with fibromyalgia suggest defective vascular end organ in fibromyalgia. Previously, we proposed a model linking deconditioning with physical inactivity resulting from widespread pain in patients with fibromyalgia. Deconditioning also modulates the autonomic nervous system (high sympathetic tone and a low parasympathetic tone). A high peripheral sympathetic tone causes regional ischaemia, which in turn results in widespread pain. Thus, vascular dysregulation and hypoperfusion in patients with FM give rise to ischaemic pain leading to physical inactivity. Microvascular abnormalities are also found in patients with FM. Therapeutic interventions (e.g. exercise) that result in vasodilatation and favourable autonomic alterations have proven to be effective. In this review, we focus on the vascular end organ in patients with fibromyalgia in particular and its modulation by exercise in general. © 2012 The Authors Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging © 2012 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine.

Behavioral and biological effects of autonomous versus scheduled mission management in simulated space-dwelling groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roma, Peter G.; Hursh, Steven R.; Hienz, Robert D.; Emurian, Henry H.; Gasior, Eric D.; Brinson, Zabecca S.; Brady, Joseph V.

2011-05-01

Logistical constraints during long-duration space expeditions will limit the ability of Earth-based mission control personnel to manage their astronaut crews and will thus increase the prevalence of autonomous operations. Despite this inevitability, little research exists regarding crew performance and psychosocial adaptation under such autonomous conditions. To this end, a newly-initiated study on crew management systems was conducted to assess crew performance effectiveness under rigid schedule-based management of crew activities by Mission Control versus more flexible, autonomous management of activities by the crews themselves. Nine volunteers formed three long-term crews and were extensively trained in a simulated planetary geological exploration task over the course of several months. Each crew then embarked on two separate 3-4 h missions in a counterbalanced sequence: Scheduled, in which the crews were directed by Mission Control according to a strict topographic and temporal region-searching sequence, and Autonomous, in which the well-trained crews received equivalent baseline support from Mission Control but were free to explore the planetary surface as they saw fit. Under the autonomous missions, performance in all three crews improved (more high-valued geologic samples were retrieved), subjective self-reports of negative emotional states decreased, unstructured debriefing logs contained fewer references to negative emotions and greater use of socially-referent language, and salivary cortisol output across the missions was attenuated. The present study provides evidence that crew autonomy may improve performance and help sustain if not enhance psychosocial adaptation and biobehavioral health. These controlled experimental data contribute to an emerging empirical database on crew autonomy which the international astronautics community may build upon for future research and ultimately draw upon when designing and managing missions.

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Image Processing and Earth Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The titles in this section include: 1) Expansion in Geographic Information Services for PIGWAD; 2) Modernization of the Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers; 3) Science-based Region-of-Interest Image Compression; 4) Topographic Analysis with a Stereo Matching Tool Kit; 5) Central Avra Valley Storage and Recovery Project (CAVSARP) Site, Tucson, Arizona: Floodwater and Soil Moisture Investigations with Extraterrestrial Applications; 6) ASE Floodwater Classifier Development for EO-1 HYPERION Imagery; 7) Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) Operations on EO-1 in 2004; 8) Autonomous Vegetation Cover Scene Classification of EO-1 Hyperion Hyperspectral Data; 9) Long-Term Continental Areal Reduction Produced by Tectonic Processes.

Neural correlates of the behavioral-autonomic interaction response to potentially threatening stimuli

PubMed Central

Farrow, Tom F. D.; Johnson, Naomi K.; Hunter, Michael D.; Barker, Anthony T.; Wilkinson, Iain D.; Woodruff, Peter W. R.

2013-01-01

Subjective assessment of emotional valence is typically associated with both brain activity and autonomic arousal. Accurately assessing emotional salience is particularly important when perceiving threat. We sought to characterize the neural correlates of the interaction between behavioral and autonomic responses to potentially threatening visual and auditory stimuli. Twenty-five healthy male subjects underwent fMRI scanning whilst skin conductance responses (SCR) were recorded. One hundred and eighty pictures, sentences, and sounds were assessed as “harmless” or “threatening.” Individuals' stimulus-locked, phasic SCRs and trial-by-trial behavioral assessments were entered as regressors into a flexible factorial design to establish their separate autonomic and behavioral neural correlates, and convolved to examine psycho-autonomic interaction (PAI) effects. Across all stimuli, “threatening,” compared with “harmless” behavioral assessments were associated with mainly frontal and precuneus activation with specific within-modality activations including bilateral parahippocampal gyri (pictures), bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and frontal pole (sentences), and right Heschl's gyrus and bilateral temporal gyri (sounds). Across stimulus modalities SCRs were associated with activation of parieto-occipito-thalamic regions, an activation pattern which was largely replicated within-modality. In contrast, PAI analyses revealed modality-specific activations including right fusiform/parahippocampal gyrus (pictures), right insula (sentences), and mid-cingulate gyrus (sounds). Phasic SCR activity was positively correlated with an individual's propensity to assess stimuli as “threatening.” SCRs may modulate cognitive assessments on a “harmless–threatening” dimension, thereby modulating affective tone and hence behavior. PMID:23335893

Proposing an International Collaboration on Lightweight Autonomous Vehicles to Conduct Scientific Traverses and Surveys over Antarctica and the Surrounding Sea Ice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, Frank; Behar, Alberto

2004-01-01

We have continued to develop a concept for use of autonomous rovers, originally developed for use in planetary exploration, in polar science on Earth; the concept was the subject of a workshop, and this report summarizes and extends that workshop. The workshop on Antarctic Autonomous Scientific Vehicles and Traverses met at the National Geographic Society on February 14 and 15, 2001 to discuss scientific objectives and benefits of the use of autonomous rovers. The participants enthusiastically viewed rovers as being uniquely valuable for such tasks as data taking on tedious or repetitive routes, traverses in polar night, difficult or hazardous routes, extremely remote regions, routes requiring only simple instrumentation, traverses that must be conducted at low speed, augments of manned traverses, and scientific procedures not compatible with human presence or combustion engines. The workshop has concluded that instrumented autonomous vehicles, of the type being developed for planetary exploration, have the potential to contribute significantly to the way science in conducted in Antarctica while also aiding planetary technology development, and engaging the public's interest. Specific objectives can be supported in understanding ice sheet mass balance, sea ice heat and momentum exchange, and surface air chemistry processes. In the interval since the workshop, we have concluded that organized program to employ such rovers to perform scientific tasks in the Fourth International Polar Year would serve the objectives of that program well.

Evidence for vestibular regulation of autonomic functions in a mouse genetic model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murakami, Dean M.; Erkman, Linda; Hermanson, Ola; Rosenfeld, Michael G.; Fuller, Charles A.

2002-01-01

Physiological responses to changes in the gravitational field and body position, as well as symptoms of patients with anxiety-related disorders, have indicated an interrelationship between vestibular function and stress responses. However, the relative significance of cochlear and vestibular information in autonomic regulation remains unresolved because of the difficulties in distinguishing the relative contributions of other proprioceptive and interoceptive inputs, including vagal and somatic information. To investigate the role of cochlear and vestibular function in central and physiological responses, we have examined the effects of increased gravity in wild-type mice and mice lacking the POU homeodomain transcription factor Brn-3.1 (Brn-3bPou4f3). The only known phenotype of the Brn-3.1(-/-) mouse is related to hearing and balance functions, owing to the failure of cochlear and vestibular hair cells to differentiate properly. Here, we show that normal physiological responses to increased gravity (2G exposure), such as a dramatic drop in body temperature and concomitant circadian adjustment, were completely absent in Brn-3.1(-/-) mice. In line with the lack of autonomic responses, the massive increase in neuronal activity after 2G exposure normally detected in wild-type mice was virtually abolished in Brn-3.1(-/-) mice. Our results suggest that cochlear and vestibular hair cells are the primary regulators of autonomic responses to altered gravity and provide genetic evidence that these cells are sufficient to alter neural activity in regions involved in autonomic and neuroendocrine control.

Maximizing Science Return from Future Mars Missions with Onboard Image Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulick, V. C.; Morris, R. L.; Bandari, E. B.; Roush, T. L.

2000-01-01

We have developed two new techniques to enhance science return and to decrease returned data volume for near-term Mars missions: 1) multi-spectral image compression and 2) autonomous identification and fusion of in-focus regions in an image series.

76 FR 464 - Notification of U.S. Fish Quotas and an Effort Allocation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-05

... Northeast Regional Office at 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 (phone: 978- 281-9103, fax: 978..., autonomous vessel monitoring system; and adherence to all relevant minimum size, gear, bycatch, and other...

Assessment of a visually guided autonomous exploration robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, C.; Evans, R.; Tidey, E.

2008-10-01

A system has been developed to enable a robot vehicle to autonomously explore and map an indoor environment using only visual sensors. The vehicle is equipped with a single camera, whose output is wirelessly transmitted to an off-board standard PC for processing. Visual features within the camera imagery are extracted and tracked, and their 3D positions are calculated using a Structure from Motion algorithm. As the vehicle travels, obstacles in its surroundings are identified and a map of the explored region is generated. This paper discusses suitable criteria for assessing the performance of the system by computer-based simulation and practical experiments with a real vehicle. Performance measures identified include the positional accuracy of the 3D map and the vehicle's location, the efficiency and completeness of the exploration and the system reliability. Selected results are presented and the effect of key system parameters and algorithms on performance is assessed. This work was funded by the Systems Engineering for Autonomous Systems (SEAS) Defence Technology Centre established by the UK Ministry of Defence.

Reversible inactivation of rostral nucleus raphe pallidus attenuates acute autonomic responses but not their habituation to repeated audiogenic stress in rats.

PubMed

Nyhuis, Tara J; Masini, Cher V; Taufer, Kirsten L; Day, Heidi E W; Campeau, Serge

2016-01-01

The medullary nucleus raphe pallidus (RPa) mediates several autonomic responses evoked by acute stress exposure, including tachycardia and hyperthermia. The present study assessed whether the RPa contributes to the decline/habituation of these responses observed during repeated audiogenic stress. Adult male rats were implanted with cannulae aimed at the RPa, and abdominal E-mitters that wirelessly acquire heart rate and core body temperature. After surgical recovery, animals were injected with muscimol or vehicle (aCSF) in the RPa region, followed by 30 min of 95-dBA loud noise or no noise control exposures on 3 consecutive days at 24-h intervals. Forty-eight hours after the third exposure, animals were exposed to an additional, but injection-free, loud noise or no noise test to assess habituation of hyperthermia and tachycardia. Three days later, rats were restrained for 30-min to evaluate their ability to display normal acute autonomic responses following the repeated muscimol injection regimen. The results indicated that the inhibition of cellular activity induced by the GABAA-receptor agonist muscimol centered in the RPa region reliably attenuated acute audiogenic stress-evoked tachycardia and hyperthermia, compared with vehicle-injected rats. Animals in the stress groups exhibited similar attenuated tachycardia and hyperthermia during the injection-free fourth audiogenic stress exposure, and displayed similar and robust increases in these responses to the subsequent restraint test. These results suggest that cellular activity in neurons of the RPa region is necessary for the expression of acute audiogenic stress-induced tachycardia and hyperthermia, but may not be necessary for the acquisition of habituated tachycardic responses to repeated stress.

Reversible inactivation of rostral nucleus raphe pallidus attenuates acute autonomic responses but not their habituation to repeated audiogenic stress in rats

PubMed Central

Nyhuis, Tara J.; Masini, Cher V.; Taufer, Kirsten L.; Day, Heidi E.W.; Campeau, Serge

2016-01-01

The medullary nucleus raphe pallidus (RPa) mediates several autonomic responses evoked by acute stress exposure, including tachycardia and hyperthermia. The present study assessed whether the RPa contributes to the decline/habituation of these responses observed during repeated audiogenic stress. Adult male rats were implanted with cannulae aimed at the RPa, and abdominal E-mitters that wirelessly acquire heart rate and core body temperature. After surgical recovery, animals were injected with muscimol or vehicle (aCSF) in the RPa region, followed by 30 minutes of 95-dBA loud noise or no noise control exposures on 3 consecutive days at 24-hr intervals. Forty-eight hours after the third exposure, animals were exposed to an additional, but injection-free, loud noise or no noise test to assess habituation of hyperthermia and tachycardia. Three days later, rats were restrained for 30-minutes to evaluate their ability to display normal acute autonomic responses following the repeated muscimol injection regimen. The results indicated that the inhibition of cellular activity induced by the GABAA-receptor agonist muscimol centered in the RPa region reliably attenuated acute audiogenic stress-evoked tachycardia and hyperthermia, compared with vehicle-injected rats. Animals in the stress groups exhibited similarly attenuated tachycardia and hyperthermia during the injection-free fourth audiogenic stress exposure, and displayed similar and robust increases in these responses to the subsequent restraint test. These results suggest that cellular activity in neurons of the RPa region is necessary for the expression of acute audiogenic stress-induced tachycardia and hyperthermia, but may not be necessary for the acquisition of habituated tachycardic responses to repeated stress. PMID:26998558

Autonomic control of heart rate during orthostasis and the importance of orthostatic-tachycardia in the snake Python molurus.

PubMed

Armelin, Vinicius Araújo; da Silva Braga, Victor Hugo; Abe, Augusto Shinya; Rantin, Francisco Tadeu; Florindo, Luiz Henrique

2014-10-01

Orthostasis dramatically influences the hemodynamics of terrestrial vertebrates, especially large and elongated animals such as snakes. When these animals assume a vertical orientation, gravity tends to reduce venous return, cardiac filling, cardiac output and blood pressure to the anterior regions of the body. The hypotension triggers physiological responses, which generally include vasomotor adjustments and tachycardia to normalize blood pressure. While some studies have focused on understanding the regulation of these vasomotor adjustments in ectothermic vertebrates, little is known about regulation and the importance of heart rate in these animals during orthostasis. We acquired heart rate and carotid pulse pressure (P PC) in pythons in their horizontal position, and during 30 and 60° inclinations while the animals were either untreated (control) or upon muscarinic cholinoceptor blockade and a double autonomic blockade. Double autonomic blockade completely eradicated the orthostatic-tachycardia, and without this adjustment, the P PC reduction caused by the tilts became higher than that which was observed in untreated animals. On the other hand, post-inclinatory vasomotor adjustments appeared to be of negligible importance in counterbalancing the hemodynamic effects of gravity. Finally, calculations of cardiac autonomic tones at each position revealed that the orthostatic-tachycardia is almost completely elicited by a withdrawal of vagal drive.

Distinct gene networks modulate floral induction of autonomous maize and photoperiod-dependent teosinte.

PubMed

Minow, Mark A A; Ávila, Luis M; Turner, Katie; Ponzoni, Elena; Mascheretti, Iride; Dussault, Forest M; Lukens, Lewis; Rossi, Vincenzo; Colasanti, Joseph

2018-05-25

Temperate maize was domesticated from its tropical ancestor, teosinte. Whereas temperate maize is an autonomous day-neutral plant, teosinte is an obligate short-day plant that requires uninterrupted long nights to induce flowering. Leaf-derived florigenic signals trigger reproductive growth in both teosinte and temperate maize. To study the genetic mechanisms underlying floral inductive pathways in maize and teosinte, mRNA and small RNA genome-wide expression analyses were conducted on leaf tissue from plants that were induced or not induced to flower. Transcriptome profiles reveal common differentially expressed genes during floral induction, but a comparison of candidate flowering time genes indicates that photoperiod and autonomous pathways act independently. Expression differences in teosinte are consistent with the current paradigm for photoperiod-induced flowering, where changes in circadian clock output trigger florigen production. Conversely, differentially expressed genes in temperate maize link carbon partitioning and flowering, but also show altered expression of circadian clock genes that are distinct from those altered upon photoperiodic induction in teosinte. Altered miRNA399 levels in both teosinte and maize suggest a novel common connection between flowering and phosphorus perception. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying a strengthened autonomous pathway that enabled maize growth throughout temperate regions.

An Autonomous Connectivity Restoration Algorithm Based on Finite State Machine for Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Wang, Jun; Hao, Guan

2018-01-08

With the development of autonomous unmanned intelligent systems, such as the unmanned boats, unmanned planes and autonomous underwater vehicles, studies on Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks (WSANs) have attracted more attention. Network connectivity algorithms play an important role in data exchange, collaborative detection and information fusion. Due to the harsh application environment, abnormal nodes often appear, and the network connectivity will be prone to be lost. Network self-healing mechanisms have become critical for these systems. In order to decrease the movement overhead of the sensor-actor nodes, an autonomous connectivity restoration algorithm based on finite state machine is proposed. The idea is to identify whether a node is a critical node by using a finite state machine, and update the connected dominating set in a timely way. If an abnormal node is a critical node, the nearest non-critical node will be relocated to replace the abnormal node. In the case of multiple node abnormality, a regional network restoration algorithm is introduced. It is designed to reduce the overhead of node movements while restoration happens. Simulation results indicate the proposed algorithm has better performance on the total moving distance and the number of total relocated nodes compared with some other representative restoration algorithms.

An Autonomous Connectivity Restoration Algorithm Based on Finite State Machine for Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ying; Wang, Jun; Hao, Guan

2018-01-01

With the development of autonomous unmanned intelligent systems, such as the unmanned boats, unmanned planes and autonomous underwater vehicles, studies on Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks (WSANs) have attracted more attention. Network connectivity algorithms play an important role in data exchange, collaborative detection and information fusion. Due to the harsh application environment, abnormal nodes often appear, and the network connectivity will be prone to be lost. Network self-healing mechanisms have become critical for these systems. In order to decrease the movement overhead of the sensor-actor nodes, an autonomous connectivity restoration algorithm based on finite state machine is proposed. The idea is to identify whether a node is a critical node by using a finite state machine, and update the connected dominating set in a timely way. If an abnormal node is a critical node, the nearest non-critical node will be relocated to replace the abnormal node. In the case of multiple node abnormality, a regional network restoration algorithm is introduced. It is designed to reduce the overhead of node movements while restoration happens. Simulation results indicate the proposed algorithm has better performance on the total moving distance and the number of total relocated nodes compared with some other representative restoration algorithms. PMID:29316702

Deep brain stimulation for trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias.

PubMed

Messina, Giuseppe; Broggi, Giovanni; Levi, Vincenzo; Franzini, Angelo

2018-04-19

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior hypothalamic region (pHyr) has been shown to be efficacious for more than a half of patients suffering from trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs); nonetheless, controversies about the mechanisms of action and the actual site of stimulation have arisen in recent years. Areas covered: Firstly, a review of the most recent literature on the subject is presented, stressing the critical points that could, in the future, make a difference for optimal management of patients afflicted by these life-threating diseases. Hypothalamic functional anatomy, experimental data and pathophysiological hypotheses are reported. Expert commentary: About 32% of patients who underwent DBS for TACs are pain-free. The determination of the pHyr region seems to be crucial for the generation of pain attack in these pathologies, although other structures are involved in complex mechanisms and circuits that interact with each other. Neurophysiological data, combined with more advanced experimental models, are of primary importance regarding our understanding of what the real target is, and how to overcome the issue of refractory patients.

A network of autonomous surface ozone monitors in Antarctica: technical description and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauguitte, S. J.; Brough, N.; Frey, M. M.; Jones, A. E.; Roscoe, H. K.; Wolff, E. W.

2009-12-01

Concentrations of surface ozone over polar regions cannot be derived from satellite data so can only be studied from ground-based platforms. To understand the regional picture a carefully-designed network of ground-based monitors is required. Here we report on a network of 10 autonomous ozone monitors that was established around the Weddell Sea sector of coastal Antarctica with a transect up onto the Antarctic Plateau during the International Polar Year. The aim was to measure for a full year, thus gaining a much-improved broader view of boundary layer ozone seasonality at different locations as well as on factors affecting the budget of surface ozone in Antarctica. Of specific interest were the balance between halogen-driven destruction and photochemical production from snow-emitted precursors, as well as the spatial extent of ozone depletion events. Each ozone monitor measured successfully within its predefined duty cycle throughout the year, with some differences in performance dependent on power availability. Here we present technical information and first results from the network.

Synergistic nonuniform shortening of atrial refractory period induced by autonomic stimulation.

PubMed

Takei, M; Furukawa, Y; Narita, M; Ren, L M; Karasawa, Y; Murakami, M; Chiba, S

1991-12-01

We investigated the nonuniform effects of autonomic nerve stimulation of the effective refractory period (ERP) of the right atrium in the anesthetized dog. Stimulation of the discrete intracardiac sympathetic nerves to the sinoatrial (SA) nodal region uniformly shortened ERPs at three sites in the right atrium after administration of atropine. Right ansa subclavia (RS) stimulation similarly shortened ERPs in the absence of atropine. Stimulation of the discrete intracardiac parasympathetic nerves to the SA nodal region (SAP stimulation) shortened ERPs of the right atrium in a nonuniform manner. Simultaneous RS and SAP stimulation additively shortened ERPs at each site and decreased sinus rate much more than SAP stimulation alone. Shortening of ERP induced by SAP stimulation was greater than that induced by RS stimulation at similar absolute changes in heart rate. These results suggest that simultaneous activation of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves nonuniformly shortens the ERP in the right atrium as the algebraic sum of the individual responses to each stimulation. However, parasympathetics exert the principal neural control over atrial ERP.

A Behavior-Based Strategy for Single and Multi-Robot Autonomous Exploration

PubMed Central

Cepeda, Jesus S.; Chaimowicz, Luiz; Soto, Rogelio; Gordillo, José L.; Alanís-Reyes, Edén A.; Carrillo-Arce, Luis C.

2012-01-01

In this paper, we consider the problem of autonomous exploration of unknown environments with single and multiple robots. This is a challenging task, with several potential applications. We propose a simple yet effective approach that combines a behavior-based navigation with an efficient data structure to store previously visited regions. This allows robots to safely navigate, disperse and efficiently explore the environment. A series of experiments performed using a realistic robotic simulator and a real testbed scenario demonstrate that our technique effectively distributes the robots over the environment and allows them to quickly accomplish their mission in large open spaces, narrow cluttered environments, dead-end corridors, as well as rooms with minimum exits.

Spatial Coverage Planning for a Planetary Rover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaines, Daniel M.; Estlin, Tara; Chouinard, Caroline

2008-01-01

We are developing onboard planning and execution technologies to support the exploration and characterization of geological features by autonomous rovers. In order to generate high quality mission plans, an autonomous rover must reason about the relative importance of the observations it can perform. In this paper we look at the scientific criteria of selecting observations that improve the quality of the area covered by samples. Our approach makes use of a priori information, if available, and allows scientists to mark sub-regions of the area with relative priorities for exploration. We use an efficient algorithm for prioritizing observations based on spatial coverage that allows the system to update observation rankings as new information is gained during execution.

Repeated aerosol-vapor JP-8 jet fuel exposure affects neurobehavior and neurotransmitter levels in a rat model.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carol M; Figueredo, Aurelio J; Wright, Lynda S; Wong, Simon S; Witten, Mark L

2007-07-01

Four groups of Fischer Brown Norway hybrid rats were exposed for 5, 10, 15, or 20 d to aerosolized-vapor jet propulsion fuel 8 (JP-8) compared to freely moving (5 and 10-d exposures) or sham-confined controls (15 and 20-d exposures). Behavioral testing utilized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Functional Observational Battery. Exploratory ethological factor analysis identified three salient factors (central nervous system [CNS] excitability, autonomic 1, and autonomic 2) for use in profiling JP-8 exposure in future studies. The factors were used as dependent variables in general linear modeling. Exposed animals were found to engage in more rearing and hyperaroused behavior compared to controls, replicating prior JP-8 exposure findings. Exposed animals also showed increasing but rapidly decelerating stool output (autonomic 1), and a significant increasing linear trend for urine output (autonomic 2). No significant trends were noted for either of the control groups for the autonomic factors. Rats from each of the groups for each of the time frames were randomly selected for tissue assay from seven brain regions for neurotransmitter levels. Hippocampal DOPAC was significantly elevated after 4-wk JP-8 exposure compared to both control groups, suggesting increased dopamine release and metabolism. Findings indicate that behavioral changes do not appear to manifest until wk 3 and 4 of exposure, suggesting the need for longitudinal studies to determine if these behaviors occur due to cumulative exposure, or due to behavioral sensitization related to repeated exposure to aerosolized-vapor JP-8.

Autonomous Aircraft Operations using RTCA Guidelines for Airborne Conflict Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishnamurthy, Karthik; Wing, David J.; Barmore, Bryan E.; Barhydt, Richard; Palmer, Michael T.; Johnson, Edward J.; Ballin, Mark G.; Eischeid, Todd M.

2003-01-01

A human-in-the-loop experiment was performed at the NASA Langley Research Center to study the feasibility of DAG-TM autonomous aircraft operations in highly constrained airspace. The airspace was constrained by a pair of special-use airspace (SUA) regions on either side of the pilot's planned route. Traffic flow management (TFM) constraints were imposed as a required time of arrival and crossing altitude at an en route fix. Key guidelines from the RTCA Airborne Conflict Management (ACM) concept were applied to autonomous aircraft operations for this experiment. These concepts included the RTCA ACM definitions of distinct conflict detection and collision avoidance zones, and the use of a graded system of conflict alerts for the flight crew. Three studies were conducted in the course of the experiment. The first study investigated the effect of hazard proximity upon pilot ability to meet constraints and solve conflict situations. The second study investigated pilot use of the airborne tools when faced with an unexpected loss of separation (LOS). The third study explored pilot interactions in an over-constrained conflict situation, with and without priority rules dictating who should move first. Detailed results from these studies were presented at the 5th USA/Europe Air Traffic Management R&D Seminar (ATM2003). This overview paper focuses on the integration of the RTCA ACM concept into autonomous aircraft operations in highly constrained situations, and provides an overview of the results presented at the ATM2003 seminar. These results, together with previously reported studies, continue to support the feasibility of autonomous aircraft operations.

Effects of linear ablation at the isthmus between the tricuspid annulus and inferior vena cava for atrial flutter on autonomic nervous activity: analysis of heart rate variability.

PubMed

Li, Aiyan; Kuga, Keisuke; Suzuki, Akihiro; Endo, Masae; Niho, Bumpei; Enomoto, Mami; Kanemoto, Miyako; Yamaguchi, Iwao

2002-01-01

Heart rate is largely affected by the autonomic nervous system. However, little is known about the anatomic pathway of autonomic nerve fibers innervating the sinus node. The present study: (1) evaluates the effects of cavotricuspid isthmus ablation for common atrial flutter (AFL) on autonomic nervous function by using heart rate variability analysis, and (2) investigates the distribution of autonomic nerve pathways innervating the sinus node. Twelve patients with paroxysmal common atrial flutter who maintained sinus rhythm both before and after radiofrequency ablation were selected for the study. Holter ambulatory recordings were performed before and after (2.3 +/- 1.0 days) radiofrequency ablation of cavotricuspid isthmus. Heart rate and time domain (SDANN, rMSSD, pNN50) and frequency domain (low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), LF/HF) analysis of heart rate variability were compared before and after ablation. Mean heart rate did not change significantly after ablation (59 +/- 6 vs 61 +/- 9 beats/min); parasympathetic indices of heart rate variability (SDANN, rMSSD, pNN50, HF) did not change significantly (110 +/- 37 vs 117 +/- 20 ms; 32 +/- 21 vs 28 +/- 9 ms; 4.8 +/- 0.9 vs 4.7 +/- 0.71n(ms2)); and sympathetic indices of heart rate variability (LF/HF) did not change significantly (1.1 +/- 0.2 vs 1.2 +/- 0.1). Cavotricuspid isthmus ablation for atrial flutter did not significantly change heart rate and heart rate variability because parasympathetic and sympathetic fibers innervating the sinus node are scarce in this region.

GAELIC: Consortial Strategies for Survival.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Heather

This paper discusses GAELIC (Gauteng and Environs Library Consortium), a regional consortium of South African higher education libraries with the vision of creating a virtual library by linking together autonomous libraries via networks. Topics covered include: (1) GAELIC objectives; (2) selection of INNOPAC as the common library system for GAELIC…

The surgical experience of general surgery residents: an analysis of the applicability of the specialty program in General and Digestive Surgery.

PubMed

Targarona Soler, Eduardo Ma; Jover Navalon, Jose Ma; Gutierrez Saiz, Javier; Turrado Rodríguez, Víctor; Parrilla Paricio, Pascual

2015-03-01

Residents in our country have achieved a homogenous surgical training by following a structured residency program. This is due to the existence of specific training programs for each specialty. The current program, approved in 2007, has a detailed list of procedures that a surgeon should have performed in order to complete training. The aim of this study is to analyze the applicability of the program with regard to the number of procedures performed during the residency period. A data collection form was designed that included the list of procedures from the program of the specialty; it was sent in April 2014 to all hospitals with accredited residency programs. In September 2014 the forms were analysed, and a general descriptive study was performed; a subanalysis according to the resident's sex and Autonomous region was also performed. The number of procedures performed according to the number of residents in the different centers was also analyzed. The survey was sent to 117 hospitals with accredited programs, which included 190 resident places. A total of 91 hospitals responded (53%). The training offered adapts in general to the specialty program. The total number of procedures performed in the different sub-areas, in laparoscopic and emergency surgery is correct or above the number recommended by the program, with the exception of esophageal-gastric and hepatobiliary surgery. The sub-analysis according to Autonomous region did not show any significant differences in the total number of procedures, however, there were significant differences in endocrine surgery (P=.001) and breast surgery (P=.042). A total of 55% of residents are female, with no significant differences in distribution in Autonomous regions. However, female surgeons operate more than their male counterparts during the residency period (512±226 vs. 625±244; P<.01). The number of residents in the hospital correlates with the number of procedures performed; the residents with more procedures trained in hospitals where there were less residents (669±237 vs. 527±209; P=.004). The surgical activity performed by spanish surgeons is adequate to the specialty program, except in hepatobiliary and esophageal-gastric surgery. The distribution is homogeneous in the different autonomous regions, although there are differences that depend on the number and sex the of residents in each hospital. This information is essential to evaluate the quality of the specialty program and to design new training programs. Copyright © 2015 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Spatial distribution of HIV, HCV, and co-infections among drug users in the southwestern border areas of China (2004-2014): a cohort study of a national methadone maintenance treatment program.

PubMed

Li, Mingli; Li, Rongjian; Shen, Zhiyong; Li, Chunying; Liang, Nengxiu; Peng, Zhenren; Huang, Wenbo; He, Chongwei; Zhong, Feng; Tang, Xianyan; Lan, Guanghua

2017-09-30

A methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program to curb the dual epidemics of HIV/AIDS and drug use has been administered by China since 2004. Little is known regarding the geographic heterogeneity of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among MMT clients in the resource-constrained context of Chinese provinces, such as Guangxi. This study aimed to characterize the geographic distribution patterns and co-clustered epidemic factors of HIV, HCV and co-infections at the county level among drug users receiving MMT in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, located in the southwestern border area of China. Baseline data on drug users' demographic, behavioral and biological characteristics in the MMT clinics of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during the period of March 2004 to December 2014 were obtained from national HIV databases. Residential addresses were entered into a geographical information system (GIS) program and analyzed for spatial clustering of HIV, HCV and co-infections among MMT clients at the county level using geographic autocorrelation analysis and geographic scan statistics. A total of 31,015 MMT clients were analyzed, and the prevalence of HIV, HCV and co-infections were 13.05%, 72.51% and 11.96% respectively. Both the geographic autocorrelation analysis and geographic scan statistics showed that HIV, HCV and co-infections in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region exhibited significant geographic clustering at the county level, and the Moran's I values were 0.33, 0.41 and 0.30, respectively (P < 0.05). The most significant high-risk overlapping clusters for these infections were restricted to within a 10.95 km 2 radius of each of the 13 locations where P county was the cluster center. These infections also co-clustered with certain characteristics, such as being unmarried, having a primary level of education or below, having used drugs for more than 10 years, and receptive sharing of syringes with others. The high-risk clusters for these characteristics were more likely to reside in the areas surrounding P county. HIV, HCV and co-infections among MMT clients in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region all presented substantial geographic heterogeneity at the county level with a number of overlapping significant clusters. The areas surrounding P county were effective in enrolling high-risk clients in their MMT programs which, in turn, might enable people who inject drugs to inject less, share fewer syringes, and receive referrals for HIV or HCV treatment in a timely manner.

Global and regional brain mean diffusivity changes in patients with heart failure.

PubMed

Woo, Mary A; Palomares, Jose A; Macey, Paul M; Fonarow, Gregg C; Harper, Ronald M; Kumar, Rajesh

2015-04-01

Heart failure (HF) patients show gray and white matter changes in multiple brain sites, including autonomic and motor coordination areas. It is unclear whether the changes represent acute or chronic tissue pathology, a distinction necessary for understanding pathological processes that can be resolved with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based mean diffusivity (MD) procedures. We collected four DTI series from 16 HF (age 55.1 ± 7.8 years, 12 male) and 26 control (49.7 ± 10.8 years, 17 male) subjects with a 3.0-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. MD maps were realigned, averaged, normalized, and smoothed. Global and regional MD values from autonomic and motor coordination sites were calculated by using normalized MD maps and brain masks; group MD values and whole-brain smoothed MD maps were compared by analysis of covariance (covariates; age and gender). Global brain MD (HF vs. controls, units × 10(-6) mm(2) /sec, 1103.8 ± 76.6 vs. 1035.9 ± 69.4, P = 0.038) and regional autonomic and motor control site values (left insula, 1,085.4 ± 95.7 vs. 975.7 ± 65.4, P = 0.001; right insula, 1,050.2 ± 100.6 vs. 965.7 ± 58.4, P = 0.004; left hypothalamus, 1,419.6 ± 165.2 vs. 1,234.9 ± 136.3, P = 0.002; right hypothalamus, 1,446.5 ± 178.8 vs. 1,273.3 ± 136.9, P = 0.004; left cerebellar cortex, 889.1 ± 81.9 vs. 796.6 ± 46.8, P < 0.001; right cerebellar cortex, 797.8 ± 50.8 vs. 750.3 ± 27.5, P = 0.001; cerebellar deep nuclei, 1,236.1 ± 193.8 vs. 1,071.7 ± 107.1, P = 0.002) were significantly higher in HF vs. control subjects, indicating chronic tissue changes. Whole-brain comparisons showed increased MD values in HF subjects, including limbic, basal-ganglia, thalamic, solitary tract nucleus, frontal, and cerebellar regions. Brain injury occurs in autonomic and motor control areas, which may contribute to deficient function in HF patients. The chronic tissue changes likely result from processes that develop over a prolonged period. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Association between the level of fasting blood glucose over 35-year-old and carotid intima-media thickness in Han, Uygur and Kazak population from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from 2007 to 2010].

PubMed

Li, Xiaomei; Li, Haixia; Liu, Fen; Chen, Bangdang; Yang, Yining; Ma, Yitong

2014-10-01

To analyze the relationship between different levels of fasting blood glucose over 35-year old and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in Han, Uygur and Kazak adult population from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. From October 2007 to April 2010, the present study was performed in 13 935 inhabitants among Han, Uygur and Kazak adult population of aged 35 years old and over by multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling principles from 7 regions in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous and we excluded the IMT over 0.9 millimeter, long-term out and the floating population. All subjects were measured fasting blood glucose and IMT values of carotid artery. The subjects were divided into three groups according to different fasting blood glucose levels: normal, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes mellitus (DM) and we used the analysis of variance to compare the differences among groups of IMT. Multiple linear regression model was used to explore factors of carotid IMT. The IMT of males of Han, Uygur and Kazak were (0.81 ± 0.29), (0.71 ± 0.27) and (0.79 ± 0.21) mm respectively, the differences were significant (F = 88.50, P < 0.05) . The IMT in DM group ((0.82 ± 0.29) mm) was significantly higher than the normal ((0.77 ± 0.26) mm) and the IFG groups ((0.79 ± 0.27) mm) (F = 7.49, P < 0.05). The IMT of females of Han, Uygur and Kazak were (0.72 ± 0.27), (0.63 ± 0.25) and (0.77 ± 0.22) mm, respectively, the differences were significant (F = 173.93, P < 0.05) . The IMT in DM group ((0.75 ± 0.29) mm) and the IFG groups ((0.74 ± 0.26) mm) were significantly higher than the normal group ((0.70 ± 0.25) mm) (F = 10.46, P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.101, P < 0.01) , total cholesterol (β = 0.056, P < 0.05) and fasting blood glucose (β = 0.023, P = 0.009) were independent risk factors of IMT. The level of fasting blood glucose was an independent influence factor of carotid IMT and had a positive correlation in Han, Uygur and Kazak population of Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

Mathematical assessment of the role of temperature and rainfall on mosquito population dynamics.

PubMed

Abdelrazec, Ahmed; Gumel, Abba B

2017-05-01

A new stage-structured model for the population dynamics of the mosquito (a major vector for numerous vector-borne diseases), which takes the form of a deterministic system of non-autonomous nonlinear differential equations, is designed and used to study the effect of variability in temperature and rainfall on mosquito abundance in a community. Two functional forms of eggs oviposition rate, namely the Verhulst-Pearl logistic and Maynard-Smith-Slatkin functions, are used. Rigorous analysis of the autonomous version of the model shows that, for any of the oviposition functions considered, the trivial equilibrium of the model is locally- and globally-asymptotically stable if a certain vectorial threshold quantity is less than unity. Conditions for the existence and global asymptotic stability of the non-trivial equilibrium solutions of the model are also derived. The model is shown to undergo a Hopf bifurcation under certain conditions (and that increased density-dependent competition in larval mortality reduces the likelihood of such bifurcation). The analyses reveal that the Maynard-Smith-Slatkin oviposition function sustains more oscillations than the Verhulst-Pearl logistic function (hence, it is more suited, from ecological viewpoint, for modeling the egg oviposition process). The non-autonomous model is shown to have a globally-asymptotically stable trivial periodic solution, for each of the oviposition functions, when the associated reproduction threshold is less than unity. Furthermore, this model, in the absence of density-dependent mortality rate for larvae, has a unique and globally-asymptotically stable periodic solution under certain conditions. Numerical simulations of the non-autonomous model, using mosquito surveillance and weather data from the Peel region of Ontario, Canada, show a peak mosquito abundance for temperature and rainfall values in the range [Formula: see text]C and [15-35] mm, respectively. These ranges are recorded in the Peel region between July and August (hence, this study suggests that anti-mosquito control effects should be intensified during this period).

[Tilt test and orthostatic intolerance: abnormalities in the neural sympathetic response to gravitational stimulus].

PubMed

Furlan, R

2001-05-01

In the present manuscript the different methodologies aimed at assessing the autonomic profile in humans during a gravitational stimulus have been described. In addition, strengths and drawbacks of the tilt test in relation to occasional orthostatic intolerance were addressed. Finally, different autonomic abnormalities underlying occasional and chronic orthostatic intolerance syndromes have been schematically highlighted. The direct recording of the neural sympathetic discharge from the peroneal nerve (MSNA), in spite of its invasive nature, still represents the recognized reference to quantify the changes in the sympathetic activity to the vessels attending postural modifications. The increase of plasma norepinephrine during a tilt test is achieved by both an increase in plasma spillover and a concomitant decrease in systemic clearance. Changes in the indices of cardiac sympathetic and vagal modulation may also be quantified during a tilt test by power spectrum analysis of RR interval variability. The spectral markers of cardiac autonomic control, if evaluated concomitantly with MSNA, may contribute to assess abnormalities in the regional distribution of the sympathetic activity to the heart and the vessels. The capability of the tilt test of reproducing a vasovagal event or of inducing "false positive responses" seems to be markedly affected by the age, thus suggesting that additional or different etiopathogenetic mechanisms might be involved in the loss of consciousness in older as compared to younger subjects. In subjects suffering from occasional or habitual neurally mediated syncope an increase or, respectively, a decrease in cardiac and vascular sympathetic modulation has been documented before the loss of consciousness. In patients with pure autonomic failure, a global dysautonomia affecting both the sympathetic and the vagal modulation to the heart, seems to be present. In chronic orthostatic intolerance, the most common form of dysautonomia of young women, an abnormal regional distribution of sympathetic activity has been hypothesized during up-right posture. Indeed, during standing a blunted increase of sympathetic activity to the vessels is attended by a cardiac sympathetic overactivity leading to an exaggerated tachycardia.

Acupuncture Modulates Resting State Connectivity in Default and Sensorimotor Brain Networks

PubMed Central

Dhond, Rupali P.; Yeh, Calvin; Park, Kyungmo; Kettner, Norman; Napadow, Vitaly

2008-01-01

Previous studies have defined low-frequency, spatially consistent networks in resting fMRI data which may reflect functional connectivity. We sought to explore how a complex somatosensory stimulation, acupuncture, influences intrinsic connectivity in two of these networks: the default mode network (DMN) and sensorimotor network (SMN). We analyzed resting fMRI data taken before and after verum and sham acupuncture. Electrocardiography data was used to infer autonomic modulation through measures of heart rate variability (HRV). Probabilistic independent component analysis was used to separate resting fMRI data into DMN and SMN components. Following verum, but not sham, acupuncture there was increased DMN connectivity with pain (anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), periaqueductal gray), affective (amygdala, ACC), and memory (hippocampal formation, middle temporal gyrus) related brain regions. Furthermore, increased DMN connectivity with the hippocampal formation, a region known to support memory and interconnected with autonomic brain regions, was negatively correlated with acupuncture-induced increase in a sympathetic related HRV metric (LFu), and positively correlated with a parasympathetic related metric (HFu). Following verum, but not sham, acupuncture there was also increased SMN connectivity with pain related brain regions (ACC, cerebellum). We attribute differences between verum and sham acupuncture to more varied and stronger sensations evoked by verum acupuncture. Our results demonstrate for the first time that acupuncture can enhance the post-stimulation spatial extent of resting brain networks to include anti-nociceptive, memory, and affective brain regions. This modulation and sympathovagal response may relate to acupuncture analgesia and other potential therapeutic effects. PMID:18337009

Cell-autonomous-like silencing of GFP-partitioned transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana.

PubMed

Sohn, Seong-Han; Frost, Jennifer; Kim, Yoon-Hee; Choi, Seung-Kook; Lee, Yi; Seo, Mi-Suk; Lim, Sun-Hyung; Choi, Yeonhee; Kim, Kook-Hyung; Lomonossoff, George

2014-08-01

We previously reported the novel partitioning of regional GFP-silencing on leaves of 35S-GFP transgenic plants, coining the term "partitioned silencing". We set out to delineate the mechanism of partitioned silencing. Here, we report that the partitioned plants were hemizygous for the transgene, possessing two direct-repeat copies of 35S-GFP. The detection of both siRNA expression (21 and 24 nt) and DNA methylation enrichment specifically at silenced regions indicated that both post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) and transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) were involved in the silencing mechanism. Using in vivo agroinfiltration of 35S-GFP/GUS and inoculation of TMV-GFP RNA, we demonstrate that PTGS, not TGS, plays a dominant role in the partitioned silencing, concluding that the underlying mechanism of partitioned silencing is analogous to RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). The initial pattern of partitioned silencing was tightly maintained in a cell-autonomous manner, although partitioned-silenced regions possess a potential for systemic spread. Surprisingly, transcriptome profiling through next-generation sequencing demonstrated that expression levels of most genes involved in the silencing pathway were similar in both GFP-expressing and silenced regions although a diverse set of region-specific transcripts were detected.This suggests that partitioned silencing can be triggered and regulated by genes other than the genes involved in the silencing pathway. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lateralized Resting-State Functional Brain Network Organization Changes in Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Park, Bumhee; Roy, Bhaswati; Woo, Mary A.; Palomares, Jose A.; Fonarow, Gregg C.; Harper, Ronald M.; Kumar, Rajesh

2016-01-01

Heart failure (HF) patients show brain injury in autonomic, affective, and cognitive sites, which can change resting-state functional connectivity (FC), potentially altering overall functional brain network organization. However, the status of such connectivity or functional organization is unknown in HF. Determination of that status was the aim here, and we examined region-to-region FC and brain network topological properties across the whole-brain in 27 HF patients compared to 53 controls with resting-state functional MRI procedures. Decreased FC in HF appeared between the caudate and cerebellar regions, olfactory and cerebellar sites, vermis and medial frontal regions, and precentral gyri and cerebellar areas. However, increased FC emerged between the middle frontal gyrus and sensorimotor areas, superior parietal gyrus and orbito/medial frontal regions, inferior temporal gyrus and lingual gyrus/cerebellar lobe/pallidum, fusiform gyrus and superior orbitofrontal gyrus and cerebellar sites, and within vermis and cerebellar areas; these connections were largely in the right hemisphere (p<0.005; 10,000 permutations). The topology of functional integration and specialized characteristics in HF are significantly changed in regions showing altered FC, an outcome which would interfere with brain network organization (p<0.05; 10,000 permutations). Brain dysfunction in HF extends to resting conditions, and autonomic, cognitive, and affective deficits may stem from altered FC and brain network organization that may contribute to higher morbidity and mortality in the condition. Our findings likely result from the prominent axonal and nuclear structural changes reported earlier in HF; protecting neural tissue may improve FC integrity, and thus, increase quality of life and reduce morbidity and mortality. PMID:27203600

An Exploration and Analysis of the Modes of Rural School Consolidation in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hongyong, Jia; Fenfen, Zhou

2013-01-01

Based on research involving 177 primary and secondary schools spread over thirty-eight counties in six provinces (including one autonomous region), this article explores and analyzes four modes used in rural school consolidation in China. These four modes are: complete amalgamation, annexation, crossover, and centralization-decentralization.

Flight propensty of Anoplophora glabripennis, an Asian longhorned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Treesearch

J. A. Francese; B. Wang; D. R. Lance; Z. Xu; S. Zong; Y. Luo; A. J. Sawyer; V. C. Mastro

2003-01-01

Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) (Motschulsky), is a recently introduced pest of hardwoods. Research to study its flight behavior was conducted in the field in Ningxia Autonomous Region, Peoples' Republic of China. To study the flight propensity of A. glabripennis, adult beetles were observed in population...

Two new species of the Rhopalopsole magnicerca group (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) from China.

PubMed

Mo, Raorao; Wang, Guoquan; Yang, Ding; Li, Weihai

2018-03-04

Two leuctrid species of the Rhopalopsole magnicerca group are described as new, R. brevicula sp. nov. and R. jizushana sp. nov. from the Guangxi Autonomous Region of southern China, bordering Vietnam and Yunnan Province of southwestern China, respectively. The new species are compared with related taxa.

Mathematics, PISA, and Culture: An Unpredictable Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Paul

2015-01-01

Recent studies have indicated, particularly in the European context, that students' mathematical successes on international tests of student achievement may not be attributable to the quality of classroom instruction, although, as is shown, this is unlikely to be the case in Flanders, the autonomous Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. Flemish…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Hami 50 MW CSP Project | Concentrating

Science.gov Websites

Solar Power | NREL Hami 50 MW CSP Project Status Date: April 6, 2018 Project Overview Project MW Status: Under construction Do you have more information, corrections, or comments? Background Technology: Power tower Status: Under construction Country: China City: Hami Region: Xinjiang Autonomous

Quality Assurance through Accreditation: When Resistance Meets Over-Compliance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salto, Dante J.

2018-01-01

A large number of countries worldwide have established quality assurance mechanisms in Higher Education, ranging from the long-engrained system (United States) to more recent developments in Europe, Latin America and other regions. This study explores the way Higher Education institutions, as examples of autonomous organisations, respond to a new…

Venezuelas Pursuit of Caribbean Basin Interests: Implications for United States National Security.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

as one of three regional powers in the Caribbean Basin, the others being Cuba and Mexico . This study analyzes Venezuela’s political, economic... Mexico , Venezuela has become one of three regional powers in the Basin. Unlike the other two actors, however, Venezuela pursues policies that largely...about each of the several subregions of the Caribb ’an Basin almost autonomously. This is especially true concerning Mexico , which only from t ,e

Mechanisms underpinning sympathetic nervous activity and its modulation using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation.

PubMed

Deuchars, Susan A; Lall, Varinder K; Clancy, Jennifer; Mahadi, Mohd; Murray, Aaron; Peers, Lucy; Deuchars, Jim

2018-03-01

What is the topic of this review? This review briefly considers what modulates sympathetic nerve activity and how it may change as we age or in pathological conditions. It then focuses on transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, a method of neuromodulation in autonomic cardiovascular control. What advances does it highlight? The review considers the pathways involved in eliciting the changes in autonomic balance seen with transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in relationship to other neuromodulatory techniques. The autonomic nervous system, consisting of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, is a major contributor to the maintenance of cardiovascular variables within homeostatic limits. As we age or in certain pathological conditions, the balance between the two branches changes such that sympathetic activity is more dominant, and this change in dominance is negatively correlated with prognosis in conditions such as heart failure. We have shown that non-invasive stimulation of the tragus of the ear increases parasympathetic activity and reduces sympathetic activity and that the extent of this effect is correlated with the baseline cardiovascular parameters of different subjects. The effects could be attributable to activation of the afferent branch of the vagus and, potentially, other sensory nerves in that region. This indicates that tragus stimulation may be a viable treatment in disorders where autonomic activity to the heart is compromised. © 2017 The Authors. Experimental Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society.

A digital retina-like low-level vision processor.

PubMed

Mertoguno, S; Bourbakis, N G

2003-01-01

This correspondence presents the basic design and the simulation of a low level multilayer vision processor that emulates to some degree the functional behavior of a human retina. This retina-like multilayer processor is the lower part of an autonomous self-organized vision system, called Kydon, that could be used on visually impaired people with a damaged visual cerebral cortex. The Kydon vision system, however, is not presented in this paper. The retina-like processor consists of four major layers, where each of them is an array processor based on hexagonal, autonomous processing elements that perform a certain set of low level vision tasks, such as smoothing and light adaptation, edge detection, segmentation, line recognition and region-graph generation. At each layer, the array processor is a 2D array of k/spl times/m hexagonal identical autonomous cells that simultaneously execute certain low level vision tasks. Thus, the hardware design and the simulation at the transistor level of the processing elements (PEs) of the retina-like processor and its simulated functionality with illustrative examples are provided in this paper.

Autonomous Robotic Inspection in Tunnels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protopapadakis, E.; Stentoumis, C.; Doulamis, N.; Doulamis, A.; Loupos, K.; Makantasis, K.; Kopsiaftis, G.; Amditis, A.

2016-06-01

In this paper, an automatic robotic inspector for tunnel assessment is presented. The proposed platform is able to autonomously navigate within the civil infrastructures, grab stereo images and process/analyse them, in order to identify defect types. At first, there is the crack detection via deep learning approaches. Then, a detailed 3D model of the cracked area is created, utilizing photogrammetric methods. Finally, a laser profiling of the tunnel's lining, for a narrow region close to detected crack is performed; allowing for the deduction of potential deformations. The robotic platform consists of an autonomous mobile vehicle; a crane arm, guided by the computer vision-based crack detector, carrying ultrasound sensors, the stereo cameras and the laser scanner. Visual inspection is based on convolutional neural networks, which support the creation of high-level discriminative features for complex non-linear pattern classification. Then, real-time 3D information is accurately calculated and the crack position and orientation is passed to the robotic platform. The entire system has been evaluated in railway and road tunnels, i.e. in Egnatia Highway and London underground infrastructure.

A reactive system for open terrain navigation: Performance and limitations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, D.; Rosenblatt, J.; Hebert, M.

1994-01-01

We describe a core system for autonomous navigation in outdoor natural terrain. The system consists of three parts: a perception module which processes range images to identify untraversable regions of the terrain, a local map management module which maintains a representation of the environment in the vicinity of the vehicle, and a planning module which issues commands to the vehicle controller. Our approach is to use the concept of 'early traversability evaluation', and on the use of reactive planning for generating commands to drive the vehicle. We argue that our approach leads to a robust and efficient navigation system. We illustrate our approach by an experiment in which a vehicle travelled autonomously for one kilometer through unmapped cross-country terrain.

Autonomous observing platform CO2 data shed new light on the Southern Ocean carbon cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Are

2017-06-01

While the number of surface ocean CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) measurements has soared the recent decades, the Southern Ocean remains undersampled. Williams et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GB005541) now present pCO2 estimates based on data from pH-sensor equipped Bio-Argo floats, which have been measuring in the Southern Ocean since 2014. The authors demonstrate the utility of these data for understanding the carbon cycle in this region, which has a large influence on the distribution of CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere. Biogeochemical sensors deployed on autonomous platforms hold the potential to shape our view of the ocean carbon cycle in the coming decades.

A Markov Chain Approach to Probabilistic Swarm Guidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acikmese, Behcet; Bayard, David S.

2012-01-01

This paper introduces a probabilistic guidance approach for the coordination of swarms of autonomous agents. The main idea is to drive the swarm to a prescribed density distribution in a prescribed region of the configuration space. In its simplest form, the probabilistic approach is completely decentralized and does not require communication or collabo- ration between agents. Agents make statistically independent probabilistic decisions based solely on their own state, that ultimately guides the swarm to the desired density distribution in the configuration space. In addition to being completely decentralized, the probabilistic guidance approach has a novel autonomous self-repair property: Once the desired swarm density distribution is attained, the agents automatically repair any damage to the distribution without collaborating and without any knowledge about the damage.

High-efficiency transformation of Pichia stipitis based on its URA3 gene and a homologous autonomous replication sequence, ARS2.

PubMed Central

Yang, V W; Marks, J A; Davis, B P; Jeffries, T W

1994-01-01

This paper describes the first high-efficiency transformation system for the xylose-fermenting yeast Pichia stipitis. The system includes integrating and autonomously replicating plasmids based on the gene for orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase (URA3) and an autonomous replicating sequence (ARS) element (ARS2) isolated from P. stipitis CBS 6054. Ura- auxotrophs were obtained by selecting for resistance to 5-fluoroorotic acid and were identified as ura3 mutants by transformation with P. stipitis URA3. P. stipitis URA3 was cloned by its homology to Saccharomyces cerevisiae URA3, with which it is 69% identical in the coding region. P. stipitis ARS elements were cloned functionally through plasmid rescue. These sequences confer autonomous replication when cloned into vectors bearing the P. stipitis URA3 gene. P. stipitis ARS2 has features similar to those of the consensus ARS of S. cerevisiae and other ARS elements. Circular plasmids bearing the P. stipitis URA3 gene with various amounts of flanking sequences produced 600 to 8,600 Ura+ transformants per micrograms of DNA by electroporation. Most transformants obtained with circular vectors arose without integration of vector sequences. One vector yielded 5,200 to 12,500 Ura+ transformants per micrograms of DNA after it was linearized at various restriction enzyme sites within the P. stipitis URA3 insert. Transformants arising from linearized vectors produced stable integrants, and integration events were site specific for the genomic ura3 in 20% of the transformants examined. Plasmids bearing the P. stipitis URA3 gene and ARS2 element produced more than 30,000 transformants per micrograms of plasmid DNA. Autonomously replicating plasmids were stable for at least 50 generations in selection medium and were present at an average of 10 copies per nucleus. Images PMID:7811063

Redistribution of blood within the body is important for thermoregulation in an ectothermic vertebrate (Crocodylus porosus).

PubMed

Seebacher, Frank; Franklin, Craig E

2007-11-01

Changes in blood flow are a principal mechanism of thermoregulation in vertebrates. Changes in heart rate will alter blood flow, although multiple demands for limited cardiac output may compromise effective thermoregulation. We tested the hypothesis that regional differences in blood flow during heating and cooling can occur independently from changes in heart rate. We measured heart rate and blood pressure concurrently with blood flow in the crocodile, Crocodylus porosus. We measured changes in blood flow by laser Doppler flowmetry, and by injecting coloured microspheres. All measurements were made under different heat loads, with and without blocking cholinergic and beta-adrenergic receptors (autonomic blockade). Heart rates were significantly faster during heating than cooling in the control animals, but not when autonomic receptors were blocked. There were no significant differences in blood flow distribution between the control and autonomic blockade treatments. In both treatments, blood flow was directed to the dorsal skin and muscle and away from the tail and duodenum during heating. When the heat source was switched off, there was a redistribution of blood from the dorsal surface to the duodenum. Blood flow to the leg skin and muscle, and to the liver did not change significantly with thermal state. Blood pressure was significantly higher during the autonomic blockade than during the control. Thermal time constants of heating and cooling were unaffected by the blockade of autonomic receptors. We concluded that animals partially compensated for a lack of differential heart rates during heating and cooling by redistributing blood within the body, and by increasing blood pressure to increase flow. Hence, measures of heart rate alone are insufficient to assess physiological thermoregulation in reptiles.

Mobile robot exploration and navigation of indoor spaces using sonar and vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kortenkamp, David; Huber, Marcus; Koss, Frank; Belding, William; Lee, Jaeho; Wu, Annie; Bidlack, Clint; Rodgers, Seth

1994-01-01

Integration of skills into an autonomous robot that performs a complex task is described. Time constraints prevented complete integration of all the described skills. The biggest problem was tuning the sensor-based region-finding algorithm to the environment involved. Since localization depended on matching regions found with the a priori map, the robot became lost very quickly. If the low level sensing of the world is not working, then high level reasoning or map making will be unsuccessful.

Impacts of climate change on growth period and planting boundaries of winter wheat in China under RCP4.5 scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Z.; Jia, S. F.; Lv, A. F.; Yang, K. J.; Svensson, J.; Gao, Y. C.

2015-10-01

This paper advances understanding of the impacts of climate change on crops in China by moving from ex-post analysis to forecasting, and by demonstrating how the effects of climate change will affect the growth period and the planting boundaries of winter wheat. Using a multiple regression model based on agricultural meteorological observations and the IPCC AR5 GCMs simulations, we find that the sowing date of winter wheat in the base period, 2040s and 2070s, shows a gradually delayed trend from north to south and the growth period of winter wheat in China will be shortened under climate change. The simulation results also show that (i) the north planting boundaries of winter wheat in China will likely move northward and expand westward in the future, while the south planting boundary will rise and spread in south Hainan and Taiwan; and (ii) the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will have the largest increases in planting areas in 2040s and 2070s. Our simulation implies that Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia are more sensitive to climate change than other regions in China and priority should be given to design adaptation strategies for winter wheat planting for these provinces.

Genotypic Diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clinical Isolates in the Multiethnic Area of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China.

PubMed

Liu, Jie; Li, Junlian; Liu, Jiao; Zhao, Xiuqin; Lian, Lulu; Liu, Haican; Lu, Bing; Yu, Qin; Zhang, Jingrui; Qi, Yingcheng; Wan, Kanglin

2017-01-01

Objectives. We studied the genetic diversity of clinical isolates from patients with tuberculosis in the multiethnic area of Xinjiang autonomous region in China. A total of 311 clinical M. tuberculosis isolates were collected in 2006 and 2011 and genotyped by two genotyping methods. All isolates were grouped into 68 distinct spoligotypes using the spoligotyping method. The Beijing family was dominant, followed by T1 and CAS. MIRU-VNTR results showed that a total of 195 different VNTR types were identified. Ten of the 15 loci were highly or moderately discriminant according to their HGDI scores, and 13 loci had good discriminatory power in non-Beijing family strains, whereas only two loci had good discriminatory power in Beijing family strains. Chi-square tests demonstrated that there were no correlations between four characteristics (sex, age, type of case, and treatment history) and the Beijing family. In summary, Beijing family strains were predominant in Xinjiang, and the VNTR-15 China locus-set was suitable for genotyping all Xinjiang strains, but not for the Beijing family strains. Thus, these data suggested that different genotype distributions may exist in different regions; MLVA locus-sets should be adjusted accordingly, with newly added loci to increase resolution if necessary.

Autonomous Surface Sample Acquisition for Planetary and Lunar Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, D. P.

2007-08-01

Surface science sample acquisition is a critical activity within any planetary and lunar exploration mission, and our research is focused upon the design, implementation, experimentation and demonstration of an onboard autonomous surface sample acquisition capability for a rover equipped with a robotic arm upon which are mounted appropriate science instruments. Images captured by a rover stereo camera system can be processed using shape from stereo methods and a digital elevation model (DEM) generated. We have developed a terrain feature identification algorithm that can determine autonomously from DEM data suitable regions for instrument placement and/or surface sample acquisition. Once identified, surface normal data can be generated autonomously which are then used to calculate an arm trajectory for instrument placement and sample acquisition. Once an instrument placement and sample acquisition trajectory has been calculated, a collision detection algorithm is required to ensure the safe operation of the arm during sample acquisition.We have developed a novel adaptive 'bounding spheres' approach to this problem. Once potential science targets have been identified, and these are within the reach of the arm and will not cause any undesired collision, then the 'cost' of executing the sample acquisition activity is required. Such information which includes power expenditure and duration can be used to select the 'best' target from a set of potential targets. We have developed a science sample acquisition resource requirements calculation that utilises differential inverse kinematics methods to yield a high fidelity result, thus improving upon simple 1st order approximations. To test our algorithms a new Planetary Analogue Terrain (PAT) Laboratory has been created that has a terrain region composed of Mars Soil Simulant-D from DLR Germany, and rocks that have been fully characterised in the laboratory. These have been donated by the UK Planetary Analogue Field Study network, and constitute the science targets for our autonomous sample acquisition work. Our PAT Lab. terrain has been designed to support our new rover chassis which is based upon the ExoMars rover Concept-E mechanics which were investigated during the ESA ExoMars Phase A study. The rover has 6 wheel drives, 6 wheels steering, and a 6 wheel walking capability. Mounted on the rover chassis is the UWA robotic arm and mast. We have designed and built a PanCam system complete with a computer controlled pan and tilt mechanism. The UWA PanCam is based upon the ExoMars PanCam (Phase A study) and hence supports two Wide Angle Cameras (WAC - 64 degree FOV), and a High Resolution Camera (HRC - 5 degree FOV). WAC separation is 500 mm. Software has been developed to capture images which form the data input into our on-board autonomous surface sample acquisition algorithms.

Reconsideration of the Coexistence of Buddhist Temple Education and State Education in Xishuangbanna, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jing; Moore, Danièle

2014-01-01

This paper presents data gathered in interviews with 29 informants in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan, China--an administrative region with Theravada Buddhist religious identity. The data highlight tensions between the traditional faith-based education provided by Theravada Buddhist temple schools and secular state education. The…

Tibetan Primary Curriculum and Its Role in Nation Building

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bass, Catriona

2008-01-01

This study looks at how primary education plays a central role in cultural reproduction in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). The paper compares primary-level Tibetan language textbooks from different periods to explore the process by which shifting political trends are reflected in the curriculum. It looks at how Tibetan identity is recreated, at…

Iraq: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Iraq begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Arabic and Kurdish, especially in the context of recent political events and the agreement to make Kurdish a second official language in the Kurdish autonomous region, and to allow limited use of Kurdish in instruction and public communication. A…

Two new species of Amphinemura (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Tibet.

PubMed

Li, Weihai; Wang, Ying; Yang, Ding

2017-03-28

Two new species of the nemourid genus Amphinemura are described based on recent material collected from the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The new taxa include A. chayuensis sp. nov. and A. hexalobata sp. nov., the latter species is respresented by both sexes. The new species are compared to related taxa.

CARDIOMETABOLIC, AUTONOMIC, AND AIRWAY TOXICITY OF ACUTE EXPOSURES TO PM2.5 FROM MULTIPOLLUTANT ATMOSPHERES IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION

EPA Science Inventory

Our research has the potential to identify potentially harmful effects of exposures to specific PM_2.5 components, emission sources, and O₃ to cardiovascular function. It will also provide mechanistic evidence for the dysregulation of normal cardiovascular...

Making Tibetans in China: The Educational Challenges of Harmonious Multiculturalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Postiglione, Gerard A.

2008-01-01

This discussant paper focuses on education in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), and provides a background to situate the articles that follow about education in selected Tibetan communities of China and India. It also provides a brief review of education policies concerning free basic education, bilingual education, and hinterland boarding…

Anomalous dismeter distribution shifts estimated from FIA inventories through time

Treesearch

Francis A. Roesch; Paul C. Van Deusen

2010-01-01

In the past decade, the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) has replaced regionally autonomous, periodic, state-wide forest inventories using various probability proportional to tree size sampling designs with a nationally consistent annual forest inventory design utilizing systematically spaced clusters...

The Alcoholism Situation in a Northern City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martynov, M. Iu.; Martynova, D. Iu.

2012-01-01

Alcohol abuse in Russia has been increasing in recent years, especially in northern regions, as has the incidence of alcohol-related disease rates. A survey was conducted in Surgut (the Khanty-Mansi autonomous okrug) that determined the factors lending to the prevalence of alcohol abuse among the population of the northern city and assessed the…

Reflections on Basic Education under the "Three Guarantees" Policy in Tibet's Pastoral Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhiyong, Zhu

2008-01-01

The "two exemptions and one subsidy" (TEOS) policy presages the coming of an era of free education in compulsory education. Actually, the agricultural and pastoral districts of China's Tibet Autonomous Region had already experienced policies of free compulsory education in the mid-1980s, that is, the "three guarantees"…

Effects of spinal manipulation and myofascial techniques on heart rate variability: A systematic review.

PubMed

Amoroso Borges, Bruno Luis; Bortolazzo, Gustavo Luiz; Neto, Hugo Pasin

2018-01-01

The analysis of heart rate variability is important to the investigation of stimuli from the autonomic nervous system. Osteopathy is a form of treatment that can influence this system in healthy individuals as well as those with a disorder or disease. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the literature regarding the effect of spinal manipulation and myofascial techniques on heart rate variability. Searches were performed of the Pubmed, Scielo, Lilacs, PEDro, Ibesco, Cochrane and Scopus databases for relevant studies. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of each study selected. A total of 505 articles were retrieved during the initial search. After an analysis of the abstracts, nine studies were selected for the present review. Based on the findings, osteopathy exerts an influence on the autonomic nervous system depending on the stimulation site and type. A greater parasympathetic response was found when stimulation was performed in the cervical and lumbar regions, whereas a greater sympathetic response was found when stimulation was performed in the thoracic region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Paradigm for Robotic Rovers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, P. E.; Curtis, S. A.; Rilee, M. L.

We are in the process of developing rovers with extreme mobility needed to explore remote, rugged terrain. We call these systems Tetrahedral Explorer Technologies (TETs). Architecture is based on conformable tetrahedra, the simplest space-filling form, as building blocks, single or networked, where apices act as nodes from which struts reversibly deploy. The tetrahedral framework acts as a simple skeletal muscular structure. We have already prototyped a simple robotic walker from a single reconfigurable tetrahedron capable of tumbling and a more evolved 12Tetrahedral Walker, the Autonomous Landed Investigator (ALI), which has interior nodes for payload, more continuous motion, and is commandable through a user friendly interface. ALI is an EMS level mission concept which would allow autonomous in situ exploration of the lunar poles within the next decade. ALI would consist of one or more 12tetrahedral walkers capable of rapid locomotion with the many degrees of freedom and equipped for navigation in the unilluminated, inaccessible and thus largely unexplored rugged terrains where lunar resources are likely to be found: the Polar Regions. ALI walkers would act as roving reconnaissance teams for unexplored regions, analyzing samples along the way.

Raman microscopy of hand stencils rock art from the Yabrai Mountain, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernanz, Antonio; Chang, Jinlong; Iriarte, Mercedes; Gavira-Vallejo, Jose M.; de Balbín-Behrmann, Rodrigo; Bueno-Ramírez, Primitiva; Maroto-Valiente, Angel

2016-07-01

A series of rock art pictographs in the form of hand stencils discovered in two sites of the Yabrai Mountain, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (China) has been studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electronic microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for the first time. These studies have made possible to characterise the materials present. The minerals α-quartz, phlogopite, albite and microcline have been identified in the granitic rocks supporting the paintings. Calcite and dolomite micro-particles detected on the rock surface have been attributed to desert dust. Accretions of gypsum, anhydrite and whewellite have also been identified on the rock surface. Haematite is the pigment used in the red pictographs, whereas well-crystallised graphite has been used in the black ones. The use of crystalline graphite instead of amorphous carbon (charcoal, soot or bone black) as a black pigment in rock art is an interesting novelty. Overlapped hands are proposed as a new type of hand stencils to make an unusual pictorial symbol in rock art that has been found in these sites.

Scalable autonomous operations of unmanned assets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Sunghun

Although there have been great theoretical advances in the region of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) autonomy, applications of those theories into real world are still hesitated due to unexpected disturbances. Most of UAVs which are currently used are mainly, strictly speaking, Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPA) since most works related with the flight control, sensor data analysis, and decision makings are done by human operators. To increase the degree of autonomy, many researches are focused on developing Unmanned Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (UAAV) which can takeoff, fly to the interested area by avoiding unexpected obstacles, perform various missions with decision makings, come back to the base station, and land on by itself without any human operators. To improve the performance of UAVs, the accuracies of position and orientation sensors are enhanced by integrating a Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) or a solar compass to a UAV; Position sensor accuracy of a GPS sensor on a UAV is improved by referencing the position of a UGV which is calculated by using three GPS sensors and Weighted Centroid Localization (WCL) method; Orientation sensor accuracy is improved as well by using Three Pixel Theorem (TPT) and integrating a solar compass which composed of nine light sensors to a magnetic compass. Also, improved health management of a UAV is fulfilled by developing a wireless autonomous charging station which uses four pairs of transmitter and receiver magnetic loops with four robotic arms. For the software aspect, I also analyze the error propagation of the proposed mission planning hierarchy to achieve the safest size of the buffer zone. In addition, among seven future research areas regarding UAV, this paper mainly focuses on developing algorithms of path planning, trajectory generation, and cooperative tactics for the operations of multiple UAVs using GA based multiple Traveling Salesman Problem (mTSP) which is solved by dividing into m number of Traveling Salesman Problems (TSP) using two region division methods such as Uniform Region Division (URD) and K-means Voronoi Region Division (KVRD). The topic of the maximum fuel efficiency is also dealt to ensure the minimum amount fuel consumption to perform surveillance on a given region using multiple UAVs. Last but not least, I present an application example of cattle roundup with two UAVs and two animals using the feedback linearization controller.

Association analysis between genetic variants in interleukin genes among different populations with hyperuricemia in Xinjiang Autonomous Region

PubMed Central

Zhang, Bei; Sun, Yuping; Li, Yuanyuan; Yu, Jiahui; Wang, Tingting; Xia, He; Li, Changgui; Liu, Shiguo; Yao, Hua

2015-01-01

To investigate whether functional variants of five interleukin genes (IL-1β, IL-10, IL-8, IL-18 and IL-18RAP) are associated with susceptibility to hyperuricemia among different nationalities (including Uygur, Kazak and Han populations) in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. A total of 884 hyperuricemia patients and 1316 matched controls were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi. After genotyping of rs4073 in IL-8, rs16944 in IL-1, rs187238 in IL-18, rs1800871 in IL-10 and rs13015714 in IL-18RAP by TaqMan allele discrimination assays, an association analysis was performed using the χ2 test as well as a genotype-phenotype analysis. For the Uygur population, IL-8 rs4073, IL-18 rs187238 and IL-18RAP rs130154 polymorphisms were all associated with hyperuricemia (P<0.001 by genotype and P=0.008, OR 0.802 by allele for IL-8; P=0.01 by genotype and P=0.006, OR 1.332 by allele for IL-18 rs187238; P=0.007 by genotype and P=0.005, OR 1.27 by allele for IL-18RAP rs130154). For the Kazak population, only IL-18 rs187238 showed statistical significance with hyperuricemia (P=0.002 by genotype and P=0.007, OR 1.823 by allele). However, no differences were found between the five SNPs and hyperuricemia among the Han population. This study demonstrated genetic polymorphisms of different interleukin genes related to hyperuricemia vary in different nationalities in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region because of different geographical environments. IL-8, IL-1RL1 and IL-18 might be involved in the development of hyperuricemia in the Uygur population, whereas only IL-18 might be involved in the Kazak population. PMID:26722554

[Carbon sequestration status of forest ecosystems in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region].

PubMed

Gao, Yang; Jin, Jing-Wei; Cheng, Ji-Min; Su, Ji-Shuai; Zhu, Ren-Bin; Ma, Zheng-Rui; Liu, Wei

2014-03-01

Based on the data of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region forest resources inventory, field investigation and laboratory analysis, this paper studied the carbon sequestration status of forest ecosystems in Ningxia region, estimated the carbon density and storage of forest ecosystems, and analyzed their spatial distribution characteristics. The results showed that the biomass of each forest vegetation component was in the order of arbor layer (46.64 Mg x hm(-2)) > litterfall layer (7.34 Mg x hm(-2)) > fine root layer (6.67 Mg x hm(-2)) > shrub-grass layer (0.73 Mg x hm(-2)). Spruce (115.43 Mg x hm(-2)) and Pinus tabuliformis (94.55 Mg x hm(-2)) had higher vegetation biomasses per unit area than other tree species. Over-mature forest had the highest arbor carbon density among the forests with different ages. However, the young forest had the highest arbor carbon storage (1.90 Tg C) due to its widest planted area. Overall, the average carbon density of forest ecosystems in Ningxia region was 265.74 Mg C x hm(-2), and the carbon storage was 43.54 Tg C. Carbon density and storage of vegetation were 27.24 Mg C x hm(-2) and 4.46 Tg C, respectively. Carbon storage in the soil was 8.76 times of that in the vegetation. In the southern part of Ningxia region, the forest carbon storage was higher than in the northern part, where the low C storage was mainly related to the small forest area and young forest age structure. With the improvement of forest age structure and the further implementation of forestry ecoengineering, the forest ecosystems in Ningxia region would achieve a huge carbon sequestration potential.

Spatial and decadal variations in satellite-based terrestrial evapotranspiration and drought over Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China during 1982-2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhaolu; Kang, Hui; Yao, Yunjun; Fadhil, Ayad M.; Zhang, Yuhu; Jia, Kun

2017-12-01

Evapotranspiration ( ET) plays an important role in exchange of water budget and carbon cycles over the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China (IMARC). However, the spatial and decadal variations in terrestrial ET and drought over the IMARC in the past was calculated by only using sparse meteorological point-based data which remain quite uncertain. In this study, by combining satellite and meteorology datasets, a satellite-based semi-empirical Penman ET (SEMI-PM) algorithm is used to estimate regional ET and evaporative wet index (EWI) calculated by the ratio of ET and potential ET ( PET) over the IMARC. Validation result shows that the square of the correlation coefficients (R2) for the four sites varies from 0.45 to 0.84 and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) is 0.78 mm. We found that the ET has decreased on an average of 4.8 mm per decade (p=0.10) over the entire IMARC during 1982-2009 and the EWI has decreased on an average of 1.1% per decade (p=0.08) during the study period. Importantly, the patterns of monthly EWI anomalies have a good spatial and temporal correlation with the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) anomalies from 1982 to 2009, indicating EWI can be used to monitor regional surface drought with high spatial resolution. In high-latitude ecosystems of northeast region of the IMARC, both air temperature (Ta) and incident solar radiation (Rs) are the most important parameters in determining ET. However, in semiarid and arid areas of the central and southwest regions of the IMARC, both relative humidity (RH) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) are the most important factors controlling annual variation of ET.

Diversity and structure of PIF/Harbinger-like elements in the genome of Medicago truncatula

PubMed Central

Grzebelus, Dariusz; Lasota, Slawomir; Gambin, Tomasz; Kucherov, Gregory; Gambin, Anna

2007-01-01

Background Transposable elements constitute a significant fraction of plant genomes. The PIF/Harbinger superfamily includes DNA transposons (class II elements) carrying terminal inverted repeats and producing a 3 bp target site duplication upon insertion. The presence of an ORF coding for the DDE/DDD transposase, required for transposition, is characteristic for the autonomous PIF/Harbinger-like elements. Based on the above features, PIF/Harbinger-like elements were identified in several plant genomes and divided into several evolutionary lineages. Availability of a significant portion of Medicago truncatula genomic sequence allowed for mining PIF/Harbinger-like elements, starting from a single previously described element MtMaster. Results Twenty two putative autonomous, i.e. carrying an ORF coding for TPase and complete terminal inverted repeats, and 67 non-autonomous PIF/Harbinger-like elements were found in the genome of M. truncatula. They were divided into five families, MtPH-A5, MtPH-A6, MtPH-D,MtPH-E, and MtPH-M, corresponding to three previously identified and two new lineages. The largest families, MtPH-A6 and MtPH-M were further divided into four and three subfamilies, respectively. Non-autonomous elements were usually direct deletion derivatives of the putative autonomous element, however other types of rearrangements, including inversions and nested insertions were also observed. An interesting structural characteristic – the presence of 60 bp tandem repeats – was observed in a group of elements of subfamily MtPH-A6-4. Some families could be related to miniature inverted repeat elements (MITEs). The presence of empty loci (RESites), paralogous to those flanking the identified transposable elements, both autonomous and non-autonomous, as well as the presence of transposon insertion related size polymorphisms, confirmed that some of the mined elements were capable for transposition. Conclusion The population of PIF/Harbinger-like elements in the genome of M. truncatula is diverse. A detailed intra-family comparison of the elements' structure proved that they proliferated in the genome generally following the model of abortive gap repair. However, the presence of tandem repeats facilitated more pronounced rearrangements of the element internal regions. The insertion polymorphism of the MtPH elements and related MITE families in different populations of M. truncatula, if further confirmed experimentally, could be used as a source of molecular markers complementary to other marker systems. PMID:17996080

Risk Assessment of Maize Drought Disaster in Agro-Pastoral Transitional Zone in North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, H.; Pan, D.

2017-12-01

Agricultural drought is one of the focuses of global concern and one of the natural disasters that affect the agriculture production mostly in China. Farming-pastoral zones in China are located in the monsoon fringe area, precipitation of which is extremely unstable, and drought occurs frequently. The agro-pastoral transitional zone in North China is one of the main producing areas of northern spring maize in northern China, and maize is the second largest grain crop in the region. An assessment of the risk of drought disaster in this region is therefore important in ensuring a reduction in such disasters and an increase in food security. A risk assessment model, EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate) model, for maize drought disasters based on the Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator crop model is proposed for areas with the topographic characteristics of agro-pastoral transitional zone in North China. The results showed that the hazard risk level for the maize zone of agro-pastoral transitional zone in North China is generally high. Most hazard index values were between 0.4 and 0.5, accounting for 48.77% of total study area. The high-risk areas were mainly distributed in Ordos Plateau (South of Inner Mongolia Autonomous region), South of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Center of Gansu Province. These results provide a scientific basis and support for the reduction of agricultural drought disasters and an increase in food security in the agro-pastoral transitional zone in North China.

A region-specific quantitative profile of autonomic innervation of the canine left atrium and pulmonary veins.

PubMed

Gao, Chong-han; Wang, Fei; Jiang, Rong; Zhang, Jin; Mou, Huamin; Yin, Yue-hui

2011-07-05

The aim of the present study was to determine and quantify the cardiac autonomic innervation of the canine atria and pulmonary vein. Tissue specimens were taken from the canine pulmonary veins (PVs), posterior left atrium (PLA), left atrial roof (LAR), anterior left atrium (ALA), interatrial septum (IAS), and left atrial appendage (LAA) respectively for immunohistochemical analysis and nerve density determination. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve densities decreased in the order: PLA>PV>IAS>LAR>ALA>LAA. For sympathetic nerve, multiple comparisons between any two regions showed a significant difference (P<0.05-P<0.01) except for PV vs. PLA, IAS vs. LAR, and LAR vs. ALA; for parasympathetic nerve, all the differences between any pair of regions were statistically significant (P<0.05-P<0.01) with the exception of PV vs. PLA, IAS vs. LAR, LAR vs. ALA, and ALA vs. LAA. For both nerve types, there was a decreasing gradient of nerve densities from the external to internal layer (P<0.001, for each comparisons). Nerve density at the ostia for either nerve type was significantly higher than at the distal segments of PVs (P<0.001). In summary, the LA and PVs are innervated by sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in a regionally heterogeneous way, which may be important for the pathophysiological investigation and ablation therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method of evaluating, expanding, and collapsing connectivity regions within dynamic systems

DOEpatents

Bailey, David A [Schenectady, NY

2004-11-16

An automated process defines and maintains connectivity regions within a dynamic network. The automated process requires an initial input of a network component around which a connectivity region will be defined. The process automatically and autonomously generates a region around the initial input, stores the region's definition, and monitors the network for a change. Upon detecting a change in the network, the effect is evaluated, and if necessary the regions are adjusted and redefined to accommodate the change. Only those regions of the network affected by the change will be updated. This process eliminates the need for an operator to manually evaluate connectivity regions within a network. Since the automated process maintains the network, the reliance on an operator is minimized; thus, reducing the potential for operator error. This combination of region maintenance and reduced operator reliance, results in a reduction of overall error.

Autonomous exoskeleton reduces metabolic cost of human walking during load carriage.

PubMed

Mooney, Luke M; Rouse, Elliott J; Herr, Hugh M

2014-05-09

Many soldiers are expected to carry heavy loads over extended distances, often resulting in physical and mental fatigue. In this study, the design and testing of an autonomous leg exoskeleton is presented. The aim of the device is to reduce the energetic cost of loaded walking. In addition, we present the Augmentation Factor, a general framework of exoskeletal performance that unifies our results with the varying abilities of previously developed exoskeletons. We developed an autonomous battery powered exoskeleton that is capable of providing substantial levels of positive mechanical power to the ankle during the push-off region of stance phase. We measured the metabolic energy consumption of seven subjects walking on a level treadmill at 1.5 m/s, while wearing a 23 kg vest. During the push-off portion of the stance phase, the exoskeleton applied positive mechanical power with an average across the gait cycle equal to 23 ± 2 W (11.5 W per ankle). Use of the autonomous leg exoskeleton significantly reduced the metabolic cost of walking by 36 ± 12 W, which was an improvement of 8 ± 3% (p = 0.025) relative to the control condition of not wearing the exoskeleton. In the design of leg exoskeletons, the results of this study highlight the importance of minimizing exoskeletal power dissipation and added limb mass, while providing substantial positive power during the walking gait cycle.

Epidemiology of Echinococcosis Among Schoolchildren in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, China.

PubMed

Cai, Huixia; Guan, Yayi; Ma, Xiao; Wang, Liying; Wang, Hu; Su, Guoming; Zhang, Xuefei; Han, Xiumin; Ma, Junying; Liu, Yu Fang; Li, Jun; Zhang, Jingxiao; Wang, Yongshun; Wang, Wei; Du, Rui; Lei, Wen; Wu, Weiping

2017-03-01

Echinococcosis is a serious zoonotic parasitic disease that is highly endemic in Qinghai Province. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of echinococcosis among schoolchildren in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to improve early diagnosis and treatment of patients and to provide information for echinococcosis prevention and control. A total of 11,260 schoolchildren from five counties (Maqin, Gander, Dari, Jiuzhi, and Banma) in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, were screened for echinococcosis. Screening involved ultrasound imaging combined with serologic examination as an auxiliary diagnostic test. The prevalence of echinococcosis in the schoolchildren was 2.1% (235/11,260), with a rate of 0.8% for cystic echinococcosis (CE; 89/11,260) and 1.3% for alveolar echinococcosis (AE; 146/11,260). Additionally, one child had a mixed infection. The prevalence ranged between 1.1% and 4.1% among the five investigated counties, and was highest in Dari County (4.1%). The prevalence of echinococcosis was higher in girls than in boys and gradually increased with age. In addition, children with CE mainly had type 1 (CE1) and type 3 (CE3) lesions, and children with AE mainly had small-diameter calcified lesions, suggesting that they were in the early asymptomatic stage of echinococcosis. In conclusion, children of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture appear to exhibit the highest recorded prevalence of CE and AE globally. Ultrasound is useful for screening populations in regions where both CE and AE are endemic.

Epidemiology of Echinococcosis among Schoolchildren in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, China

PubMed Central

Cai, Huixia; Guan, Yayi; Ma, Xiao; Wang, Liying; Wang, Hu; Su, Guoming; Zhang, Xuefei; Han, Xiumin; Ma, Junying; Liu, Yu Fang; Li, Jun; Zhang, Jingxiao; Wang, Yongshun; Wang, Wei; Du, Rui; Lei, Wen; Wu, Weiping

2017-01-01

Echinococcosis is a serious zoonotic parasitic disease that is highly endemic in Qinghai Province. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of echinococcosis among schoolchildren in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to improve early diagnosis and treatment of patients and to provide information for echinococcosis prevention and control. A total of 11,260 schoolchildren from five counties (Maqin, Gander, Dari, Jiuzhi, and Banma) in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, were screened for echinococcosis. Screening involved ultrasound imaging combined with serologic examination as an auxiliary diagnostic test. The prevalence of echinococcosis in the schoolchildren was 2.1% (235/11,260), with a rate of 0.8% for cystic echinococcosis (CE; 89/11,260) and 1.3% for alveolar echinococcosis (AE; 146/11,260). Additionally, one child had a mixed infection. The prevalence ranged between 1.1% and 4.1% among the five investigated counties, and was highest in Dari County (4.1%). The prevalence of echinococcosis was higher in girls than in boys and gradually increased with age. In addition, children with CE mainly had type 1 (CE1) and type 3 (CE3) lesions, and children with AE mainly had small-diameter calcified lesions, suggesting that they were in the early asymptomatic stage of echinococcosis. In conclusion, children of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture appear to exhibit the highest recorded prevalence of CE and AE globally. Ultrasound is useful for screening populations in regions where both CE and AE are endemic. PMID:28070013

Autonomous exoskeleton reduces metabolic cost of human walking during load carriage

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Many soldiers are expected to carry heavy loads over extended distances, often resulting in physical and mental fatigue. In this study, the design and testing of an autonomous leg exoskeleton is presented. The aim of the device is to reduce the energetic cost of loaded walking. In addition, we present the Augmentation Factor, a general framework of exoskeletal performance that unifies our results with the varying abilities of previously developed exoskeletons. Methods We developed an autonomous battery powered exoskeleton that is capable of providing substantial levels of positive mechanical power to the ankle during the push-off region of stance phase. We measured the metabolic energy consumption of seven subjects walking on a level treadmill at 1.5 m/s, while wearing a 23 kg vest. Results During the push-off portion of the stance phase, the exoskeleton applied positive mechanical power with an average across the gait cycle equal to 23 ± 2 W (11.5 W per ankle). Use of the autonomous leg exoskeleton significantly reduced the metabolic cost of walking by 36 ± 12 W, which was an improvement of 8 ± 3% (p = 0.025) relative to the control condition of not wearing the exoskeleton. Conclusions In the design of leg exoskeletons, the results of this study highlight the importance of minimizing exoskeletal power dissipation and added limb mass, while providing substantial positive power during the walking gait cycle. PMID:24885527

Distributed autonomous systems: resource management, planning, and control algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, James F., III; Nguyen, ThanhVu H.

2005-05-01

Distributed autonomous systems, i.e., systems that have separated distributed components, each of which, exhibit some degree of autonomy are increasingly providing solutions to naval and other DoD problems. Recently developed control, planning and resource allocation algorithms for two types of distributed autonomous systems will be discussed. The first distributed autonomous system (DAS) to be discussed consists of a collection of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are under fuzzy logic control. The UAVs fly and conduct meteorological sampling in a coordinated fashion determined by their fuzzy logic controllers to determine the atmospheric index of refraction. Once in flight no human intervention is required. A fuzzy planning algorithm determines the optimal trajectory, sampling rate and pattern for the UAVs and an interferometer platform while taking into account risk, reliability, priority for sampling in certain regions, fuel limitations, mission cost, and related uncertainties. The real-time fuzzy control algorithm running on each UAV will give the UAV limited autonomy allowing it to change course immediately without consulting with any commander, request other UAVs to help it, alter its sampling pattern and rate when observing interesting phenomena, or to terminate the mission and return to base. The algorithms developed will be compared to a resource manager (RM) developed for another DAS problem related to electronic attack (EA). This RM is based on fuzzy logic and optimized by evolutionary algorithms. It allows a group of dissimilar platforms to use EA resources distributed throughout the group. For both DAS types significant theoretical and simulation results will be presented.

GNC architecture for autonomous robotic capture of a non-cooperative target: Preliminary concept design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jankovic, Marko; Paul, Jan; Kirchner, Frank

2016-04-01

Recent studies of the space debris population in low Earth orbit (LEO) have concluded that certain regions have already reached a critical density of objects. This will eventually lead to a cascading process called the Kessler syndrome. The time may have come to seriously consider active debris removal (ADR) missions as the only viable way of preserving the space environment for future generations. Among all objects in the current environment, the SL-8 (Kosmos 3M second stages) rocket bodies (R/Bs) are some of the most suitable targets for future robotic ADR missions. However, to date, an autonomous relative navigation to and capture of an non-cooperative target has never been performed. Therefore, there is a need for more advanced, autonomous and modular systems that can cope with uncontrolled, tumbling objects. The guidance, navigation and control (GNC) system is one of the most critical ones. The main objective of this paper is to present a preliminary concept of a modular GNC architecture that should enable a safe and fuel-efficient capture of a known but uncooperative target, such as Kosmos 3M R/B. In particular, the concept was developed having in mind the most critical part of an ADR mission, i.e. close range proximity operations, and state of the art algorithms in the field of autonomous rendezvous and docking. In the end, a brief description of the hardware in the loop (HIL) testing facility is made, foreseen for the practical evaluation of the developed architecture.

HEALTH RISKS FROM CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC VIA DRINKING WATER: FINDINGS FROM THE CLINICAL INVESTIGATIONS DATA IN INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA

EPA Science Inventory

Prior studies have reported a large number of arsenicism cases in the Mongolia Autonomous Region of China due to drinking arsenic-contaminated water with concentrations up to 1.8 mg/L. However, the endemic health risks from chronic exposure to arsenic in this population have not...

Global perspectives on poisonous plants: The 9th International Symposium on Poisonous Plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The 9th International Symposium on Poisonous Plants (ISOPP9) was held from 15th-21st July, 2013, at the Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The Symposium consisted of three days of oral and poster presentations, followed by a tour of the Xilin...

Tablet PCs, Academic Results and Educational Inequalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrer, Ferran; Belvis, Esther; Pamies, Jordi

2011-01-01

This article is the result of a study carried out in 2008 and 2009 by a team from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in order to evaluate the implementation of the Digital Whiteboard Program in public schools in the region of Aragon (Spain). The following pages present some of the results obtained during the study. More specifically, this…

Whose Schools Are They? Principals' Experience of Profound Change during a School Reorganization Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanlon, Kathleen P.

2012-01-01

Since their inception more than 150 years ago, Catholic schools in the Diocese of Scranton were autonomous, locally managed entities. This completely changed on July 1, 2007 when the schools were reorganized into geographically determined regions, each governed by Central Office. This change replaced local authority over, and responsibility for, a…

Learner-Centred Pedagogy in Tibet: International Education Reform in a Local Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carney, Stephen

2008-01-01

The paper explores the introduction in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of the new Chinese curriculum for basic education. In contrast to many previous initiatives since 1949 the present reform attempts to change not only what is taught, and by whom, but fundamental notions of how learning is best facilitated. The paper considers the connections…

Energy Transition Initiative: Island Energy Snapshot - Curacao; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

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

None

2015-06-01

This profile provides a snapshot of the energy landscape of Curacao, an autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located off the coast of Venezuela. Curacao’s utility rates are approximately $0.26 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), below the Caribbean regional average of $0.33/kWh.

78 FR 24670 - Notice of a Determination Regarding the Swine Vesicular Disease Status of Certain Regions in Italy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-26

.... APHIS-2012-0094] Notice of a Determination Regarding the Swine Vesicular Disease Status of Certain...-Romagna, Veneto, and Piemonte and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano are free of swine... introducing swine vesicular disease into the United States. This determination is based on our review of the...

Language Competition in an Ethnic Autonomous Region: A Case of Ethnic Mongol Students in Inner Mongolia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojijed, Wuyuncang

2010-01-01

This study examines language attitudes among Mongols in Inner Mongolia, using an extensive questionnaire. Forty Mongolian students who are studying at Inner Mongolia Normal University participated in this study. The results show that Mongols hold more positive attitudes toward putonghua and English than toward the Mongolian language in many…

Will Dutch Become Flemish? Autonomous Developments in Belgian Dutch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van de Velde, Hans; Kissine, Mikhail; Tops, Evie; van der Harst, Sander; van Hout, Roeland

2010-01-01

In this paper a series of studies of standard Dutch pronunciation in Belgium and the Netherlands is presented. The research is based on two speech corpora: a diachronic corpus of radio speech (1935-1995) and a synchronic corpus of Belgian and Netherlandic standard Dutch from different regions at the turn of the millennium. It is shown that two…

Construction and Evolution of a Multidimensional Well-Being Index for the Spanish Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jurado, Antonio; Perez-Mayo, Jesus

2012-01-01

The study presented here is an attempt to calculate a comparative multidimensional index of economic well-being for the Spanish Autonomous Communities. Based on the dimensions of adjusted consumption, real wealth, equity and economic security per inhabitant, we obtain one relative index using a system of uniform weightings, a second resulting from…

The Languages of the Valencian Educational System: The Results of Two Decades of Language Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arroyo, Jose Luis Blas

2002-01-01

The compulsory education system in the autonomous Spanish region known as the Comunidad Valenciano has offered a varied program of bilingual education. Spanish and Valenciano, an autochthonous variety of Catalan, alternate according to various curricular programs as the main teaching languages. Examines the objectives of each of these programs, as…

Clinical and electrophysiologic attributes as predictors of results of autonomic function tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, C. L.; Denq, J. C.; Harper, C. M.; O'Brien, P. C.; Low, P. A.

1998-01-01

Autonomic dysfunction is a feature of some neuropathies and not others. It has been suggested that some clinical and electrophysiologic attributes are predictable of autonomic impairment detected using laboratory testing; however, dear guidelines are unavailable. We evaluated 138 relatively unselected patients with peripheral neuropathy who underwent neurologic evaluation, electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies, and autonomic function tests to determine which variables were predictive of laboratory findings of autonomic failure. The variables evaluated were 1) clinical somatic neuropathic findings, 2) clinical autonomic symptoms, and 3) electrophysiologic findings. Autonomic symptoms were strongly predictive (Rs = 0.40, p < 0.001) of autonomic failure. Among the non-autonomic indices, absent ankle reflexes were mildly predictive (Rs = 0.19, p = 0.022) of autonomic impairment, but all others were not (duration, clinical pattern, severity, weakness, sensory loss). Electrophysiologic changes of an axonal neuropathy predicted autonomic impairment while demyelinating neuropathy did not. We conclude that autonomic studies will most likely be abnormal in patients who have symptoms of autonomic involvement and those who have an axonal neuropathy.

Heart rate autonomic regulation system at rest and during paced breathing among patients with CRPS as compared to age-matched healthy controls.

PubMed

Bartur, Gadi; Vatine, Jean-Jacques; Raphaely-Beer, Noa; Peleg, Sara; Katz-Leurer, Michal

2014-09-01

The objective of this study is to assess the autonomic nerve heart rate regulation system at rest and its immediate response to paced breathing among patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) as compared with age-matched healthy controls. Quasiexperimental. Outpatient clinic. Ten patients with CRPS and 10 age- and sex-matched controls. Participants underwent Holter ECG (NorthEast Monitoring, Inc., Maynard, MA, USA) recording during rest and biofeedback-paced breathing session. Heart rate variability (HRV), time, and frequency measures were assessed. HRV and time domain values were significantly lower at rest among patients with CRPS as compared with controls. A significant association was noted between pain rank and HRV frequency measures at rest and during paced breathing; although both groups reduced breathing rate significantly during paced breathing, HRV time domain parameters increased only among the control group. The increased heart rate and decreased HRV at rest in patients with CRPS suggest a general autonomic imbalance. The inability of the patients to increase HRV time domain values during paced breathing may suggest that these patients have sustained stress response with minimal changeability in response to slow-paced breathing stimuli. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of psychological stress test on the cardiac response of public safety workers: alternative parameters to autonomic balance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerta-Franco, M. R.; Vargas-Luna, F. M.; Delgadillo-Holtfort, I.

2015-01-01

It is well known that public safety workers (PSW) face many stressful situations that yield them as high-risk population for suffering chronic stress diseases. In this multidisciplinary research the cardiac response to induced psychological stress by a short duration Stroop test was evaluated in 20 female and 19 male PSW, in order to compare traditionally used cardiac response parameters with alternative ones. Electrocardiograms have been recorded using the Eindhoven electrodes configuration for 1 min before, 3 min during and 1 min after the test. Signals analysis has been performed for the heart rate and the power spectra of its variability and of the variability of the amplitude of the R-wave, i.e. the highest peak of the electrocardiographic signal periodic sequence. The results demonstrated that the traditional autonomic balance index shows no significant differences between stages. In contrast, the median of the area of the power spectrum of the R-wave amplitude variability in the frequency region dominated by the autonomous nervous system (0.04-to-0.4 Hz) is the more sensitive parameter. Moreover, this parameter allows to identify gender differences consistent with those encountered in other studies.

360-Degree Visual Detection and Target Tracking on an Autonomous Surface Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Michael T; Assad, Christopher; Kuwata, Yoshiaki; Howard, Andrew; Aghazarian, Hrand; Zhu, David; Lu, Thomas; Trebi-Ollennu, Ashitey; Huntsberger, Terry

2010-01-01

This paper describes perception and planning systems of an autonomous sea surface vehicle (ASV) whose goal is to detect and track other vessels at medium to long ranges and execute responses to determine whether the vessel is adversarial. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has developed a tightly integrated system called CARACaS (Control Architecture for Robotic Agent Command and Sensing) that blends the sensing, planning, and behavior autonomy necessary for such missions. Two patrol scenarios are addressed here: one in which the ASV patrols a large harbor region and checks for vessels near a fixed asset on each pass and one in which the ASV circles a fixed asset and intercepts approaching vessels. This paper focuses on the ASV's central perception and situation awareness system, dubbed Surface Autonomous Visual Analysis and Tracking (SAVAnT), which receives images from an omnidirectional camera head, identifies objects of interest in these images, and probabilistically tracks the objects' presence over time, even as they may exist outside of the vehicle's sensor range. The integrated CARACaS/SAVAnT system has been implemented on U.S. Navy experimental ASVs and tested in on-water field demonstrations.

Genetic polymorphisms, forensic efficiency and phylogenetic analysis of 15 autosomal STR loci in the Kazak population of Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwestern China.

PubMed

Feng, Chunmei; Wang, Xin; Wang, Xiaolong; Yu, Hao; Zhang, Guohua

2018-03-01

We investigated the frequencies of 15 autosomal STR loci in the Kazak population of the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture with the aim of expanding the available population information in human genetic databases and for forensic DNA analysis. Genetic polymorphisms of 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci were analysed in 456 individuals of the Kazak population from Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, northwestern China. A total of 173 alleles at 15 autosomal STR loci were found; the allele frequencies ranged from 0.5022-0.0011. The combined power of discrimination and exclusion statistics for the 15 STR loci were 0.999 999 999 85 and 0.999 998 800 65, respectively. In addition, phylogenetic analysis involving the Ili Uygur population and other relevant populations was carried out. A neighbour-joining tree and multidimensional scaling plot were generated based on Nei's standard genetic distance. Results of the population comparison indicated that the Ili Uygur population was most closely related genetically to the Uygur populations from other regions in China. These findings are consistent with the historical and geographic backgrounds of these populations.

Accumulation of arachidonic acid-containing phosphatidylinositol at the outer edge of colorectal cancer

PubMed Central

Hiraide, Takanori; Ikegami, Koji; Sakaguchi, Takanori; Morita, Yoshifumi; Hayasaka, Takahiro; Masaki, Noritaka; Waki, Michihiko; Sugiyama, Eiji; Shinriki, Satoru; Takeda, Makoto; Shibasaki, Yasushi; Miyazaki, Shinichiro; Kikuchi, Hirotoshi; Okuyama, Hiroaki; Inoue, Masahiro; Setou, Mitsutoshi; Konno, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that cancer cells show specific alterations in phospholipid metabolism that contribute to tumour progression in several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Questions still remain as to what lipids characterize the outer edge of cancer tissues and whether those cancer outer edge-specific lipid compositions emerge autonomously in cancer cells. Cancer tissue-originated spheroids (CTOSs) that are composed of pure primary cancer cells have been developed. In this study, we aimed to seek out the cancer cell-autonomous acquisition of cancer outer edge-characterizing lipids in colorectal cancer by analysing phospholipids in CTOSs derived from colorectal cancer patients with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). A signal at m/z 885.5 in negative ion mode was detected specifically at the surface regions. The signal was identified as an arachidonic acid (AA)-containing phosphatidylinositol (PI), PI(18:0/20:4), by tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Quantitative analysis revealed that the amount of PI(18:0/20:4) in the surface region of CTOSs was two-fold higher than that in the medial region. Finally, PI(18:0/20:4) was enriched at the cancer cells/stromal interface in colorectal cancer patients. These data imply a possible importance of AA-containing PI for colorectal cancer progression, and suggest cells expressing AA-containing PI as potential targets for anti-cancer therapy. PMID:27435310

Age-related changes in the cerebral substrates of cognitive procedural learning.

PubMed

Hubert, Valérie; Beaunieux, Hélène; Chételat, Gaël; Platel, Hervé; Landeau, Brigitte; Viader, Fausto; Desgranges, Béatrice; Eustache, Francis

2009-04-01

Cognitive procedural learning occurs in three qualitatively different phases (cognitive, associative, and autonomous). At the beginning of this process, numerous cognitive functions are involved, subtended by distinct brain structures such as the prefrontal and parietal cortex and the cerebellum. As the learning progresses, these cognitive components are gradually replaced by psychomotor abilities, reflected by the increasing involvement of the cerebellum, thalamus, and occipital regions. In elderly subjects, although cognitive studies have revealed a learning effect, performance levels differ during the acquisition of a procedure. The effects of age on the learning of a cognitive procedure have not yet been examined using functional imaging. The aim of this study was therefore to characterize the cerebral substrates involved in the learning of a cognitive procedure, comparing a group of older subjects with young controls. For this purpose, we performed a positron emission tomography activation study using the Tower of Toronto task. A direct comparison of the two groups revealed the involvement of a similar network of brain regions at the beginning of learning (cognitive phase). However, the engagement of frontal and cingulate regions persisted in the older group as learning continued, whereas it ceased in the younger controls. We assume that this additional activation in the older group during the associative and autonomous phases reflected compensatory processes and the fact that some older subjects failed to fully automate the procedure. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Dying with dignity. A study of living wills].

PubMed

Nebot, Cristina; Ortega, Blas; Mira, José Joaquín; Ortiz, Lidia

2010-01-01

To describe the profile of persons who exercise their right to draw up a living will, to analyze physicians' knowledge of living wills and attitudes toward them, and to compare the regulations pertaining to this right in the distinct autonomous regions of Spain. A descriptive study that included an analysis of a systematic sample of 931 living wills registered in the autonomous region of Valencia (Spain), a self-administered structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 84 physicians working in emergency departments and intensive care units (45% response rate), and a comparison of the regional legislation covering living wills. A total of 1.6% of inhabitants aged 16 or over had registered a living will (female/male ratio: 1.8/1). Most (73.8%) used a standard document drawn up by a particular religious faith. The most common reasons for writing a living will were to limit therapeutic efforts (99%) and obtain pain-relieving drugs (98%). Although 61 physicians (72.6%) frequently attended the terminally ill, only 6% consulted the register of living wills in these situations and 28% did not know how to consult this register. There is wide variation among regions in the minimum age for registering a living will, in the procedure to be followed if the signer is pregnant, in designating a person as having the authority to make a living will, and in the number of registration points available to deposit living wills. Most persons registering a living will are healthy individuals with a particular religious faith who reject certain treatments. Most health professionals do not check whether critically ill patients have made a living will. Exercising the rights contained in living wills is complicated by the diversity of criteria among different regions. Copyright © 2009 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Flightspeed Integral Image Analysis Toolkit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, David R.

2009-01-01

The Flightspeed Integral Image Analysis Toolkit (FIIAT) is a C library that provides image analysis functions in a single, portable package. It provides basic low-level filtering, texture analysis, and subwindow descriptor for applications dealing with image interpretation and object recognition. Designed with spaceflight in mind, it addresses: Ease of integration (minimal external dependencies) Fast, real-time operation using integer arithmetic where possible (useful for platforms lacking a dedicated floatingpoint processor) Written entirely in C (easily modified) Mostly static memory allocation 8-bit image data The basic goal of the FIIAT library is to compute meaningful numerical descriptors for images or rectangular image regions. These n-vectors can then be used directly for novelty detection or pattern recognition, or as a feature space for higher-level pattern recognition tasks. The library provides routines for leveraging training data to derive descriptors that are most useful for a specific data set. Its runtime algorithms exploit a structure known as the "integral image." This is a caching method that permits fast summation of values within rectangular regions of an image. This integral frame facilitates a wide range of fast image-processing functions. This toolkit has applicability to a wide range of autonomous image analysis tasks in the space-flight domain, including novelty detection, object and scene classification, target detection for autonomous instrument placement, and science analysis of geomorphology. It makes real-time texture and pattern recognition possible for platforms with severe computational restraints. The software provides an order of magnitude speed increase over alternative software libraries currently in use by the research community. FIIAT can commercially support intelligent video cameras used in intelligent surveillance. It is also useful for object recognition by robots or other autonomous vehicles

[Emergency care in the autonomous regions of Spain. Improvement in pre-hospital emergency care and welfare coordination. SESPAS Report 2012].

PubMed

Miguel García, Félix; Fernández Quintana, Ana Isabel; Díaz Prats, Amadeo

2012-03-01

The present article describes the general organization of pre-hospital emergency care in the autonomous regions and provides data on activity corresponding to 2010, drawn from the information available in the Primary Care Information System of the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Emergency care is provided through various organizational structures covering 24-hour periods. Family medicine attended 17.8 million emergency consultations and nursing attended 10.2 million (year 2010, 14 autonomous communities, 79.7% of the National Health System population). Emergency department utilization ranged between 0.11 and 0.83 urgent family physician consultations per inhabitant/year and between 0.05 and 0.57 nursing consultations per inhabitant/year. Any reform in the management of pre-hospital emergency care will involve organizational changes and aims to produce measurable improvements in healthcare coordination. In the new organizational designs, most of the responsibility lies with human resources in order to achieve the new goals for the future aims to be presented in an operational teamwork structure. Undoubtedly, the main challenge is to achieve optimal coordination with other welfare levels, including the police, social services, nursing homes, etc. If optimal care of the population needs to count on the efforts of all these groups, mobility, individual differences, consistent achievement of high standards, and -most of all- the use of these services by citizens will determine the final result. The results can be quantified in various ways, but evaluation should concentrate on the resources used, the degree of satisfaction among all the parties involved and optimal management of demand, which will help to disseminate the need for a rational resource use. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Autonomous navigation method for substation inspection robot based on travelling deviation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Guoqing; Xu, Wei; Li, Jian; Fu, Chongguang; Zhou, Hao; Zhang, Chuanyou; Shao, Guangting

2017-06-01

A new method of edge detection is proposed in substation environment, which can realize the autonomous navigation of the substation inspection robot. First of all, the road image and information are obtained by using an image acquisition device. Secondly, the noise in the region of interest which is selected in the road image, is removed with the digital image processing algorithm, the road edge is extracted by Canny operator, and the road boundaries are extracted by Hough transform. Finally, the distance between the robot and the left and the right boundaries is calculated, and the travelling distance is obtained. The robot's walking route is controlled according to the travel deviation and the preset threshold. Experimental results show that the proposed method can detect the road area in real time, and the algorithm has high accuracy and stable performance.

Chinese Teachers' Self-Reported Beliefs and Practices Related to Majority and Minority Students in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, Hongyan Z.

2011-01-01

This study begins to address the questions of what beliefs Chinese teachers hold about teaching and learning, about different student groups, and how these beliefs and expectations mediate their daily instructional practices. A triangulated mixed methods design was used for this study. This is a type of design in which different but complementary…

Afghanistan as a Federal System with Autonomous Regions

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-21

took place before any type of long-term government in Afghanistan was solidified. In 1927, the new self -appointed King Amanullah, embarked upon a...38 Scott Greer, Nationalism and Self -Government, (State University, NY, 2007) 2-3 19 people with differing...39 Greer, Nationalism and Self -Government, 3-4 40 Greer, Nationalism and Self -Government, 6 41 Henry Hale, “The Federal Option

Forecasting and Reanalysis in the Monterey Bay/California Current Region for the Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network-II Experiment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-26

only after shifting the GDEM 2 climatology (Davis et al., 1986) to the observed AOSN-II mean that the larger-scale Off Shore Domain was of some use...T.M., K.A. Countryman and M.J. Carron (1986) Tailored acoustic products utilizing the NAVOCEANO GDEM (a generalized digital envi- ronmental model). in

A Helitron-like Transposon Superfamily from Lepidoptera Disrupts (GAAA)n Microsatellites and is Responsible for Flanking Sequence Similarity within a Microsatellite Family

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA regions that alter host genome structure and gene expression. A novel 588 bp non-autonomous high copy number TE in the Ostrinia nubilalis genome has features in common with miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs): high A+T content (62.3%),...

77 FR 59896 - Honey From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited Sunset Review of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

...' Substantive Response,'' dated August 1, 2012. Scope of the Order The products covered by the order are natural... Autonomous Region Native Produce and 57.13 Animal By-Products Import and Export Corporation.... Kunshan Foreign Trade Co., Ltd 49.60 Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal By-Products Import 25.88 and Export...

Two new species of Oxycera (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) from Ningxia, China.

PubMed

Zai-Hua, Yang; Jin-Yong, Yu; Mao-Fa, Yang

2012-01-01

Two new speices, Oxycera rozkosnyisp. n. and Oxycera ningxiaensissp. n., are described from Liupanshan Nature Reserve, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Northwest China. All essential diagnostic characters are figured and possible relationships of both taxa are briefly discussed, and a new key to species of Oxycera from China. The type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang (GUGC).

Educating "Barbaros": Educational Policies on the Latin American Frontiers between Colonies and Independent Republics (Araucania, Southern Chile/Sonora, Mexico)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holck, Lasse; Saiz, Monika Contreras

2010-01-01

This article compares the methods and means employed by the state to enforce the education of (semi-)autonomous indigenous groups in southern Chile and northwestern Mexico (Sonora), border regions in the Latin American periphery, covering the transition from colonial times to the consolidation of independent republics until the middle of the…

Impact of anthropogenic and natural environmental changes on Echinococcus transmission in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the People’s Republic of China

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Echinococcus transmission is known to be affected by various environmental factors, which may be modified by human influence or natural events including global warming. Considerable population growth in the last fifty years in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), has led to dramatic increases in deforestation and modified agricultural practices. In turn, this has resulted in many changes in the habitats for the definitive and intermediate hosts of both Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis, which have increased the risks for transmission of both parasites, affecting echinococcosis prevalence and human disease. Ecological environmental changes due to anthropogenic activities and natural events drive Echinococcus transmission and NHAR provides a notable example illustrating how human activity can impact on a parasitic infection of major public health significance. It is very important to continually monitor these environmental (including climatic) factors that drive the distribution of Echinococcus spp. and their impact on transmission to humans because such information is necessary to formulate reliable future public health policy for echinococcosis control programs and to prevent disease spread. PMID:22827890

Autonomic Cardiovascular Responses in Acclimatized Lowlanders on Prolonged Stay at High Altitude: A Longitudinal Follow Up Study

PubMed Central

Dhar, Priyanka; Sharma, Vijay K.; Hota, Kalpana B.; Das, Saroj K.; Hota, Sunil K.; Srivastava, Ravi B.; Singh, Shashi B.

2014-01-01

Acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude is reported to cause sympathetic dominance that may contribute to the pathophysiology of high altitude illnesses. The effect of prolonged stay at high altitude on autonomic functions, however, remains to be explored. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the effect of high altitude on autonomic neural control of cardiovascular responses by monitoring heart rate variability (HRV) during chronic hypobaric hypoxia. Baseline electrocardiography (ECG) data was acquired from the volunteers at mean sea level (MSL) (<250 m) in Rajasthan. Following induction of the study population to high altitude (4500–4800 m) in Ladakh region, ECG data was acquired from the volunteers after 6 months (ALL 6) and 18 months of induction (ALL 18). Out of 159 volunteers who underwent complete investigation during acquisition of baseline data, we have only included the data of 104 volunteers who constantly stayed at high altitude for 18 months to complete the final follow up after 18 months. HRV parameters, physiological indices and biochemical changes in serum were investigated. Our results show sympathetic hyperactivation along with compromise in parasympathetic activity in ALL 6 and ALL 18 when compared to baseline data. Reduction of sympathetic activity and increased parasympathetic response was however observed in ALL 18 when compared to ALL 6. Our findings suggest that autonomic response is regulated by two distinct mechanisms in the ALL 6 and ALL 18. While the autonomic alterations in the ALL 6 group could be attributed to increased sympathetic activity resulting from increased plasma catecholamine concentration, the sympathetic activity in ALL 18 group is associated with increased concentration of serum coronary risk factors and elevated homocysteine. These findings have important clinical implications in assessment of susceptibility to cardio-vascular risks in acclimatized lowlanders staying for prolonged duration at high altitude. PMID:24404157

Semi-autonomous unmanned ground vehicle control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Jonathan; Lee, Dah-Jye; Schoenberger, Robert; Wei, Zhaoyi; Archibald, James

2006-05-01

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) have advantages over people in a number of different applications, ranging from sentry duty, scouting hazardous areas, convoying goods and supplies over long distances, and exploring caves and tunnels. Despite recent advances in electronics, vision, artificial intelligence, and control technologies, fully autonomous UGVs are still far from being a reality. Currently, most UGVs are fielded using tele-operation with a human in the control loop. Using tele-operations, a user controls the UGV from the relative safety and comfort of a control station and sends commands to the UGV remotely. It is difficult for the user to issue higher level commands such as patrol this corridor or move to this position while avoiding obstacles. As computer vision algorithms are implemented in hardware, the UGV can easily become partially autonomous. As Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) become larger and more powerful, vision algorithms can run at frame rate. With the rapid development of CMOS imagers for consumer electronics, frame rate can reach as high as 200 frames per second with a small size of the region of interest. This increase in the speed of vision algorithm processing allows the UGVs to become more autonomous, as they are able to recognize and avoid obstacles in their path, track targets, or move to a recognized area. The user is able to focus on giving broad supervisory commands and goals to the UGVs, allowing the user to control multiple UGVs at once while still maintaining the convenience of working from a central base station. In this paper, we will describe a novel control system for the control of semi-autonomous UGVs. This control system combines a user interface similar to a simple tele-operation station along with a control package, including the FPGA and multiple cameras. The control package interfaces with the UGV and provides the necessary control to guide the UGV.

Quantitative pilomotor axon reflex test: a novel test of pilomotor function.

PubMed

Siepmann, Timo; Gibbons, Christopher H; Illigens, Ben M; Lafo, Jacob A; Brown, Christopher M; Freeman, Roy

2012-11-01

Cutaneous autonomic function can be quantified by the assessment of sudomotor and vasomotor responses. Although piloerector muscles are innervated by the sympathetic nervous system, there are at present no methods to quantify pilomotor function. To quantify piloerection using phenylephrine hydrochloride in humans. Pilot study. Hospital-based study. Twenty-two healthy volunteers (18 males,4 females) aged 24 to 48 years participated in 6 studies. Piloerection was stimulated by iontophoresis of 1% phenylephrine. Silicone impressions of piloerection were quantified by number and area. The direct and indirect responses to phenylephrine iontophoresis were compared on both forearms after pre treatment to topical and subcutaneous lidocaine and iontophoresis of normal saline. Iontophoresis of phenylephrine induced piloerection in both the direct and axon reflex–mediated regions, with similar responses in both arms. Topical lidocaine blocked axon reflex–mediated piloerection post-iontophoresis (mean [SD], 66.6 [19.2] for control impressions vs 7.2 [4.3] for lidocaine impressions;P.001). Subcutaneous lidocaine completely blocked piloerection.The area of axon reflex–mediated piloerection was also attenuated in the lidocaine-treated region postiontophoresis (mean [SD], 46.2 [16.1]cm2 vs 7.2 [3.9]cm2; P.001). Piloerection was delayed in the axon reflex region compared with the direct region. Normal saline did not cause piloerection. Phenylephrine provoked piloerection directly and indirectly through an axon reflex–mediated response that is attenuated by lidocaine. Piloerection is not stimulated by iontophoresis of normal saline alone.The quantitative pilomotor axon reflex test (QPART) may complement other measures of cutaneous autonomic nerve fiber function.

Examining Dynamical Processes of Tropical Mountain Hydroclimate, Particularly During the Wet Season, Through Integration of Autonomous Sensor Observations and Climate Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hellstrom, R. A.; Fernandez, A.; Mark, B. G.; Covert, J. M.

2016-12-01

Peru is facing imminent water resource issues as glaciers retreat and demand increases, yet limited observations and model resolution hamper understanding of hydrometerological processes on local to regional scales. Much of current global and regional climate studies neglect the meteorological forcing of lapse rates (LRs) and valley and slope wind dynamics on critical components of the Peruvian Andes' water-cycle, and herein we emphasize the wet season. In 2004 and 2005 we installed an autonomous sensor network (ASN) within the glacierized Llanganuco Valley, Cordillera Blanca (9°S), consisting of discrete, cost-effective, automatic temperature loggers located along the valley axis and anchored by two automatic weather stations. Comparisons of these embedded hydrometeorological measurements from the ASN and climate modeling by dynamical downscaling using the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) elucidate distinct diurnal and seasonal characteristics of the mountain wind regime and LRs. Wind, temperature, humidity, and cloud simulations suggest that thermally driven up-valley and slope winds converging with easterly flow aloft enhance late afternoon and evening cloud development which helps explain nocturnal wet season precipitation maxima measured by the ASN. Furthermore, the extreme diurnal variability of along-valley-axis LR, and valley wind detected from ground observations and confirmed by dynamical downscaling demonstrate the importance of realistic scale parameterizations of the atmospheric boundary layer to improve regional climate model projections in mountainous regions. We are currently considering to use intermediate climate models such as ICAR to reduce computing cost and we continue to maintain the ASN in the Cordillera Blanca.

The Autonomic Symptom Profile: a new instrument to assess autonomic symptoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, G. A.; Opfer-Gehrking, T. L.; Offord, K. P.; Atkinson, E. J.; O'Brien, P. C.; Low, P. A.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new specific instrument called the Autonomic Symptom Profile to measure autonomic symptoms and test its validity. BACKGROUND: Measuring symptoms is important in the evaluation of quality of life outcomes. There is no validated, self-completed questionnaire on the symptoms of patients with autonomic disorders. METHODS: The questionnaire is 169 items concerning different aspects of autonomic symptoms. The Composite Autonomic Symptom Scale (COMPASS) with item-weighting was established; higher scores indicate more or worse symptoms. Autonomic function tests were performed to generate the Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale (CASS) and to quantify autonomic deficits. We compared the results of the COMPASS with the CASS derived from the Autonomic Reflex Screen to evaluate validity. RESULTS: The instrument was tested in 41 healthy controls (mean age 46.6 years), 33 patients with nonautonomic peripheral neuropathies (mean age 59.5 years), and 39 patients with autonomic failure (mean age 61.1 years). COMPASS scores correlated well with the CASS, demonstrating an acceptable level of content and criterion validity. The mean (+/-SD) overall COMPASS score was 9.8 (+/-9) in controls, 25.9 (+/-17.9) in the patients with nonautonomic peripheral neuropathies, and 52.3 (+/-24.2) in the autonomic failure group. Scores of symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and secretomotor dysfunction best predicted the CASS on multiple stepwise regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a questionnaire that measures autonomic symptoms and present evidence for its validity. The instrument shows promise in assessing autonomic symptoms in clinical trials and epidemiologic studies.

Cryosphere Sensor Webs With The Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharenbroich, L.; Doggett, T.; Kratz, T.; Castano, R.; Chien, S.; Davies, A. G.; Tran, D.; Mazzoni, D.

2006-12-01

Autonomous sensor-webs are being deployed as part of the Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment [1], whereby observations using the Hyperion instrument [2] on-board Earth Observing-1 (EO-1 are triggered by either ground sensors or by near-real-time analysis of data from other space-based sensors. In the realm of cryosphere monitoring, one sensor-web has been set up pairing EO-1 with a sensor buoy [3] deployed in Sparkling Lake, one of several lakes in northern Wisconsin monitored by University of Wisconsin's Trout Lake Station. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was trained on historical thermistor chain data with manually recorded ice-in and ice-out times and used to trigger Hyperion observations of the Trout Lake area during spring thaw and winter freeze in 2005. A second sensor-web is being developed using near-real time sea ice data products, based on Department of Defense meteorological satellites, available from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) [4]. Once operational, this sensor web will trigger Hyperion observations of pre-defined targets in the Arctic and Antarctic where regional resolution data shows sea ice formation or break up. [1] Chien et al. (2005), An autonomous earth-observing sensor-web, IEEE Intelligent Systems, [2] Pearlman et al. (2003), Hyperion, a space-based imaging spectrometer, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens., 41(6), [3] Kratz, T. et al. (in press) Toward a Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network, Proceedings of the Karelian Institute, [4] Cavalieri et al. (1999) Near real-time DMSP SSM/I daily polar gridded sea ice concentrations, National Snow and Ice Data Center. Digital Media.

A direct repeat of E-box-like elements is required for cell-autonomous circadian rhythm of clock genes

PubMed Central

Nakahata, Yasukazu; Yoshida, Mayumi; Takano, Atsuko; Soma, Haruhiko; Yamamoto, Takuro; Yasuda, Akio; Nakatsu, Toru; Takumi, Toru

2008-01-01

Background The circadian expression of the mammalian clock genes is based on transcriptional feedback loops. Two basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) PAS (for Period-Arnt-Sim) domain-containing transcriptional activators, CLOCK and BMAL1, are known to regulate gene expression by interacting with a promoter element termed the E-box (CACGTG). The non-canonical E-boxes or E-box-like sequences have also been reported to be necessary for circadian oscillation. Results We report a new cis-element required for cell-autonomous circadian transcription of clock genes. This new element consists of a canonical E-box or a non-canonical E-box and an E-box-like sequence in tandem with the latter with a short interval, 6 base pairs, between them. We demonstrate that both E-box or E-box-like sequences are needed to generate cell-autonomous oscillation. We also verify that the spacing nucleotides with constant length between these 2 E-elements are crucial for robust oscillation. Furthermore, by in silico analysis we conclude that several clock and clock-controlled genes possess a direct repeat of the E-box-like elements in their promoter region. Conclusion We propose a novel possible mechanism regulated by double E-box-like elements, not to a single E-box, for circadian transcriptional oscillation. The direct repeat of the E-box-like elements identified in this study is the minimal required element for the generation of cell-autonomous transcriptional oscillation of clock and clock-controlled genes. PMID:18177499

Behavioral and autonomic responses to acute restraint stress are segregated within the lateral septal area of rats.

PubMed

Reis, Daniel G; Scopinho, América A; Guimarães, Francisco S; Corrêa, Fernando M A; Resstel, Leonardo B M

2011-01-01

The Lateral Septal Area (LSA) is involved with autonomic and behavior responses associated to stress. In rats, acute restraint (RS) is an unavoidable stress situation that causes autonomic (body temperature, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) increases) and behavioral (increased anxiety-like behavior) changes in rats. The LSA is one of several brain regions that have been involved in stress responses. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the neurotransmission blockade in the LSA would interfere in the autonomic and behavioral changes induced by RS. Male Wistar rats with bilateral cannulae aimed at the LSA, an intra-abdominal datalogger (for recording internal body temperature), and an implanted catheter into the femoral artery (for recording and cardiovascular parameters) were used. They received bilateral microinjections of the non-selective synapse blocker cobalt chloride (CoCl(2), 1 mM/ 100 nL) or vehicle 10 min before RS session. The tail temperature was measured by an infrared thermal imager during the session. Twenty-four h after the RS session the rats were tested in the elevated plus maze (EPM). Inhibition of LSA neurotransmission reduced the MAP and HR increases observed during RS. However, no changes were observed in the decrease in skin temperature and increase in internal body temperature observed during this period. Also, LSA inhibition did not change the anxiogenic effect induced by RS observed 24 h later in the EPM. The present results suggest that LSA neurotransmission is involved in the cardiovascular but not the temperature and behavioral changes induced by restraint stress.

Quantitative Evaluation of Serum Proteins Uncovers a Protein Signature Related to Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY).

PubMed

Tuerxunyiming, Muhadasi; Xian, Feng; Zi, Jin; Yimamu, Yilihamujiang; Abuduwayite, Reshalaiti; Ren, Yan; Li, Qidan; Abudula, Abulizi; Liu, SiQi; Mohemaiti, Patamu

2018-01-05

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is an inherited monogenic type of diabetes. Genetic mutations in MODY often cause nonsynonymous changes that directly lead to the functional distortion of proteins and the pathological consequences. Herein, we proposed that the inherited mutations found in a MODY family could cause a disturbance of protein abundance, specifically in serum. The serum samples were collected from a Uyghur MODY family through three generations, and the serum proteins after depletion treatment were examined by quantitative proteomics to characterize the MODY-related serum proteins followed by verification using target quantification of proteomics. A total of 32 serum proteins were preliminarily identified as the MODY-related. Further verification test toward the individual samples demonstrated the 12 candidates with the significantly different abundance in the MODY patients. A comparison of the 12 proteins among the sera of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, MODY, and healthy subjects was conducted and revealed a protein signature related with MODY composed of the serum proteins such as SERPINA7, APOC4, LPA, C6, and F5.

Overview of the Autonomic Nervous System

MedlinePlus

... be reversible or progressive. Anatomy of the autonomic nervous system The autonomic nervous system is the part of ... organs they connect with. Function of the autonomic nervous system The autonomic nervous system controls internal body processes ...

Identification of cryovolcanism on Titan using fuzzy cognitive maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furfaro, Roberto; Kargel, Jeffrey S.; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Fink, Wolfgang; Bishop, Michael P.

2010-04-01

Future planetary exploration of Titan will require higher degrees of on-board automation, including autonomous determination of sites where the probability of significant scientific findings is the highest. In this paper, a novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) method for the identification and interpretation of sites that yield the highest potential of cryovolcanic activity is presented. We introduce the theory of fuzzy cognitive maps (FCM) as a tool for the analysis of remotely collected data in planetary exploration. A cognitive model embedded in a fuzzy logic framework is constructed via the synergistic interaction of planetary scientists and AI experts. As an application example, we show how FCM can be employed to solve the challenging problem of recognizing cryovolcanism from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Cassini data. The fuzzy cognitive map is constructed using what is currently known about cryovolcanism on Titan and relies on geological mapping performed by planetary scientists to interpret different locales as cryovolcanic in nature. The system is not conceived to replace the human scientific interpretation, but to enhance the scientists' ability to deal with large amounts of data, and it is a first step in designing AI systems that will be able, in the future, to autonomously make decisions in situations where human analysis and interpretation is not readily available or could not be sufficiently timely. The proposed FCM is tested on Cassini radar data to show the effectiveness of the system in reaching conclusions put forward by human experts and published in the literature. Four tests are performed using the Ta SAR image (October 2004 fly-by). Two regions (i.e. Ganesa Macula and the lobate high backscattering region East of Ganesa) are interpreted by the designed FCM as exhibiting cryovolcanism in agreement with the initial interpretation of the regions by Stofan et al. (2006). Importantly, the proposed FCM is shown to be flexible and adaptive as new data and knowledge are acquired during the course of exploration. Subsequently, the FCM has been modified to include topographic information derived from SAR stereo data. With this additional information, the map concludes that Ganesa Macula is not a cryovolcanic region. In conclusion, the FCM methodology is shown to be a critical and powerful component of future autonomous robotic spacecraft (e.g., orbiter(s), balloon(s), surface/lake lander(s), rover(s)) that will be deployed for the exploration of Titan.

[Study on gay identity status and its association with sexual behaviors among men who has sex with men in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region].

PubMed

Ni, Mingjian; Hu, Xiaomin; Li, Zhijun; Ma, Yuanyuan; Chen, Xueling; Hu, Xiaoyuan

2014-11-01

To investigate gay identity status of men who have sex with men(MSM) in Xinjiang, and analyze its association with sexual behaviors. From May to August in 2013, an anonymous questionnaire survey with convenience sampling was conducted among MSM in Urumqi, Kashgar, Aksu and Yining cities of Xinjiang. Those who were ≥ 16 years of age and claimed to have male-to-male sex behaviors were eligible for the survey. A total of 1 467 participants were recruited. Chi square analysis was performed for examining the association between ego-identity, social-identity and relevant sexual behaviors. Selected variables associated with ego-identity, social-identity in the univariate analysis were subsequently assessed in a multivariate analysis using logistic regression. The MSM with positive ego-identity accounted for 44.7% (656/1 467), and positive social-identity accounted for 29.1% (427/1 467). For ego-identity, Uyghur MSM were less positive than Han MSM (OR (95%CI) was 0.43 (0.32-0.58) ) ; those who were over 20 years of age when accepting their sexual orientation were less positive than those who were younger than 20 years of age when accepting their sexual orientation (OR (95%CI) was 0.61 (0.47-0.80) );and homosexuals were more positive than bisexuals (OR (95%CI) was 1.98 (1.50-2.61) ). For social-identity, Hui MSM were less positive than Han MSM (OR (95%CI) was 0.61 (0.42-0.88) ); those whose education level was higher than college were less positive than those with junior high education (OR (95%CI) was 0.60 (0.40-0.89) ); famers/herdsmen were more positive than students (OR (95%CI) was 4.17 (2.13-8.17) ); the divorced/widowed were more positive than the singles (OR (95%CI) was 2.40 (1.34-4.29) ); those who were over 20 years of age when accepting their sexual orientation were less positive than those who were younger than 20 years of age when accepting their sexual orientation (OR (95%CI) was 0.59 (0.44-0.81) ). Among the MSM with negative ego-identity and negative social-identity, the proportion of planning to get married with women was 66.8% (267/400) and 76.5% (306/400), respectively, which were higher than those with positive ego-identity (33.2% (133/400)) and positive social-identity (23.5% (94/400)) ; their proportion of intending to have offspring was 62.0% (287/463) and 73.4% (340/463), respectively, which were higher than those with positive ego-identity and social-identity (38.0% (176/463), 26.6% (123/463)) (χ(2) = 39.61 and 7.90, respectively, both P values were <0.05). Among the MSM with negative social-identity, the proportion of looking for male sexual partners in toilets or parks was 18.1% (188/1 040), in bathhouse or sauna was 17.3% (180/1 040), and through internet was 82.0% (853/1 040), which were higher than those with positive social-identity (8.9% (38/427), 9.8% (42/427) and 61.6% (263/427)) (χ(2) = 66.78, P < 0.01). In 2013, the gay identity of MSM in Xinjiang was relatively poor, and the factors associated with it included ethnicity, occupation, marital status and education level. The MSM with negative identity tended to involve in risk sexual behaviors, and had increased risk of HIV infection.

Ten-Year Change in the Scientific Literacy of Primary Science Teachers in China: Reflections on Training Programs and Personnel Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Hongshia; Shamsi, Imran Haider; Batool, Iffat; Wan, Dongsheng; Yu, Bo

2016-01-01

Using two rounds in 2003 and 2013 of large sample longitudinal surveys of science teachers in primary schools from 21 provinces and autonomous regions of China, results suggest that Chinese teachers' basic scientific literacy was still low with only a slight increase in the procedural knowledge of science. The evidence also suggests little…

A stem–loop structure in the 59 untranslated region of bean pod mottle virus RNA2 is specifically required for RNA2 accumulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) is a bipartite, positive-sense (+) RNA plant virus of the family Secoviridae. Its RNA1 encodes all proteins needed for genome replication and is capable of autonomous replication. By contrast, BPMV RNA2 must utilize RNA1-encoded proteins for replication. Here, we sought ...

Mother Tongue as a Determining Variable in Language Attitudes. The Case of Immigrant Latin American Students in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huguet, Angel; Janes, Judit

2008-01-01

Bearing in mind the relevance of immigration in Spain, we consider the linguistic idiosyncrasy of the autonomous community of Catalonia in the present study to describe and analyse language attitudes to Catalan and Spanish in a sample of 225 students of immigrant origin living in different parts of the region. We focus on language attitudes in so…

Application of the Constrained Admissible Region Multiple Hypothesis Filter to Initial Orbit Determination of a Break-up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelecy, Tom; Shoemaker, Michael; Jah, Moriba

2013-08-01

A break-up in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is simulated for 10 objects having area-to-mass ratios (AMR's) ranging from 0.1-10.0 m2/kg. The Constrained Admissible Region Multiple Hypothesis Filter (CAR-MHF) is applied to determining and characterizing the orbit and atmospheric drag parameters (CdA/m) simultaneously for each of the 10 objects with no a priori orbit or drag information. The results indicate that CAR-MHF shows promise for accurate, unambiguous and autonomous determination of the orbit and drag states.

[A prevalence study on mild cognitive impairment among the elderly populations of Mongolian and Han nationalities in a pastoral area of Inner Mongolia].

PubMed

Hu, Riletemuer; Zhao, Shi-gang; Wang, De-sheng; Wen, Shi-rong; Niu, Guang-ming; A, Rong; Wang, Zhi-guang; Jiang, Ming-fang; Zhang, Chun-yu

2012-04-01

To understand the epidemiological characteristics and distribution of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly populations from Mongolian and Han nationalities living in the pastoral areas of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. According to the MCI clinical diagnostic criteria from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th revised edition (DSM-IV) by American Psychiatric Association, the individuals under study were at the age of 55 or over, with Mongolian or Han ethnicities and living in the pastoral area of Inner Mongolia. The crude MCI morbidity rates of Mongolian and Han of the study populations in the pastoral area of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China was 19.48% (1782/9146) and the standardization morbidity was 18.98%. The crude MCI morbidity rates of both Mongolian and Han ethnicities were 17.46% (the standardization morbidity was 16.99%) and 20.60% (the standardization morbidity was 19.98%), respectively. There showed a significant positive correlation between the crude morbidities and age, also significantly increasing with the latter. In the Mongolian population, the morbidity increased from 12.17% at the age 55-59 to 27.78% at 85 while in the Han population, the morbidity increased from 15.50% at the age 55-59 to 23.53% at 85. In both the populations of Mongolian and Han, there was a statistically difference found between the morbidities of MCI (χ2=13.229, P=0.000). The morbidity was higher in Hans than in the Mongolians. However, there was no statistically significant difference noticed between the morbidities of MCI in the Mongolian males and females (χ2=2.376, P=0.123). There was statistically significant difference found between the morbidities of MCI in the Han males and females, with females having higher risk than males (χ2=24.470, P=0.000). The morbidity of MCI in the elderly Mongolian and Han populations from the pastoral area of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China was considered to be quite high and correlated to age and gender.

Insights into the background of autonomic medicine.

PubMed

Laranjo, Sérgio; Geraldes, Vera; Oliveira, Mário; Rocha, Isabel

2017-10-01

Knowledge of the physiology underlying the autonomic nervous system is pivotal for understanding autonomic dysfunction in clinical practice. Autonomic dysfunction may result from primary modifications of the autonomic nervous system or be secondary to a wide range of diseases that cause severe morbidity and mortality. Together with a detailed history and physical examination, laboratory assessment of autonomic function is essential for the analysis of various clinical conditions and the establishment of effective, personalized and precise therapeutic schemes. This review summarizes the main aspects of autonomic medicine that constitute the background of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Genetic contributions of the serotonin transporter to social learning of fear and economic decision making.

PubMed

Crişan, Liviu G; Pana, Simona; Vulturar, Romana; Heilman, Renata M; Szekely, Raluca; Druğa, Bogdan; Dragoş, Nicolae; Miu, Andrei C

2009-12-01

Serotonin (5-HT) modulates emotional and cognitive functions such as fear conditioning (FC) and decision making. This study investigated the effects of a functional polymorphism in the regulatory region (5-HTTLPR) of the human 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) gene on observational FC, risk taking and susceptibility to framing in decision making under uncertainty, as well as multidimensional anxiety and autonomic control of the heart in healthy volunteers. The present results indicate that in comparison to the homozygotes for the long (l) version of 5-HTTLPR, the carriers of the short (s) version display enhanced observational FC, reduced financial risk taking and increased susceptibility to framing in economic decision making. We also found that s-carriers have increased trait anxiety due to threat in social evaluation, and ambiguous threat perception. In addition, s-carriers also show reduced autonomic control over the heart, and a pattern of reduced vagal tone and increased sympathetic activity in comparison to l-homozygotes. This is the first genetic study that identifies the association of a functional polymorphism in a key neurotransmitter-related gene with complex social-emotional and cognitive processes. The present set of results suggests an endophenotype of anxiety disorders, characterized by enhanced social learning of fear, impaired decision making and dysfunctional autonomic activity.

Optical Delineation of Benthic Habitat Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

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

Moline, Mark A.; Woodruff, Dana L.; Evans, Nathan R.

To improve understanding and characterization of coastal regions, there has been an increasing emphasis on autonomous systems that can sample the ocean on relevant scales. Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with active propulsion are especially well suited for studies of the coastal ocean because they are able to provide systematic and near-synoptic spatial observations. With this capability, science users are beginning to integrate sensor suits for a broad range of specific and often novel applications. Here, the relatively mature Remote Environmental Monitoring Units (REMUS) AUV system is configured with multi-spectral radiometers to delineate benthic habitat in Sequim Bay, WA. The vehiclemore » was deployed in a grid pattern along 5 km of coastline in depths from 30 to less than 2 meters. Similar to satellite and/or aerial remote sensing, the bandwidth ratios from the downward looking radiance sensor and upward looking irradiance sensor were used to identify beds of eelgrass on sub-meter scales. Strong correlations were found between the optical reflectance signals and the geo-referenced in situ data collected with underwater video within the grid. Results demonstrate the ability of AUVs to map littoral habitats at high resolution and highlight the overall utility of the REMUS vehicle for nearshore oceanography.« less

Frequency of mutations in the genes associated with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in a UK cohort

PubMed Central

Davidson, G. L.; Murphy, S. M.; Polke, J. M.; Laura, M.; Salih, M. A. M.; Muntoni, F.; Blake, J.; Brandner, S.; Davies, N.; Horvath, R.; Price, S.; Donaghy, M.; Roberts, M.; Foulds, N.; Ramdharry, G.; Soler, D.; Lunn, M. P.; Manji, H.; Davis, M. B.; Houlden, H.; Reilly, M. M.

2013-01-01

The hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSAN, also known as the hereditary sensory neuropathies) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders, characterised by a progressive sensory neuropathy often complicated by ulcers and amputations, with variable motor and autonomic involvement. To date, mutations in twelve genes have been identified as causing HSAN. To study the frequency of mutations in these genes and the associated phenotypes, we screened 140 index patients in our inherited neuropathy cohort with a clinical diagnosis of HSAN for mutations in the coding regions of SPTLC1, RAB7, WNK1/HSN2, FAM134B, NTRK1 (TRKA) and NGFB. We identified 25 index patients with mutations in six genes associated with HSAN (SPTLC1, RAB7, WNK1/HSN2, FAM134B, NTRK1 and NGFB); 20 of which appear to be pathogenic giving an overall mutation frequency of 14.3%. Mutations in the known genes for HSAN are rare suggesting that further HSAN genes are yet to be identified. The p.Cys133Trp mutation in SPTLC1 is the most common cause of HSAN in the UK population and should be screened first in all patients with sporadic or autosomal dominant HSAN. PMID:22302274

Frequency of mutations in the genes associated with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in a UK cohort.

PubMed

Davidson, G L; Murphy, S M; Polke, J M; Laura, M; Salih, M A M; Muntoni, F; Blake, J; Brandner, S; Davies, N; Horvath, R; Price, S; Donaghy, M; Roberts, M; Foulds, N; Ramdharry, G; Soler, D; Lunn, M P; Manji, H; Davis, M B; Houlden, H; Reilly, M M

2012-08-01

The hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSAN, also known as the hereditary sensory neuropathies) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders, characterised by a progressive sensory neuropathy often complicated by ulcers and amputations, with variable motor and autonomic involvement. To date, mutations in twelve genes have been identified as causing HSAN. To study the frequency of mutations in these genes and the associated phenotypes, we screened 140 index patients in our inherited neuropathy cohort with a clinical diagnosis of HSAN for mutations in the coding regions of SPTLC1, RAB7, WNK1/HSN2, FAM134B, NTRK1 (TRKA) and NGFB. We identified 25 index patients with mutations in six genes associated with HSAN (SPTLC1, RAB7, WNK1/HSN2, FAM134B, NTRK1 and NGFB); 20 of which appear to be pathogenic giving an overall mutation frequency of 14.3%. Mutations in the known genes for HSAN are rare suggesting that further HSAN genes are yet to be identified. The p.Cys133Trp mutation in SPTLC1 is the most common cause of HSAN in the UK population and should be screened first in all patients with sporadic or autosomal dominant HSAN.

In vivo functional connectome of human brainstem nuclei of the ascending arousal, autonomic, and motor systems by high spatial resolution 7-Tesla fMRI.

PubMed

Bianciardi, Marta; Toschi, Nicola; Eichner, Cornelius; Polimeni, Jonathan R; Setsompop, Kawin; Brown, Emery N; Hämäläinen, Matti S; Rosen, Bruce R; Wald, Lawrence L

2016-06-01

Our aim was to map the in vivo human functional connectivity of several brainstem nuclei with the rest of the brain by using seed-based correlation of ultra-high magnetic field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. We used the recently developed template of 11 brainstem nuclei derived from multi-contrast structural MRI at 7 Tesla as seed regions to determine their connectivity to the rest of the brain. To achieve this, we used the increased contrast-to-noise ratio of 7-Tesla fMRI compared with 3 Tesla and time-efficient simultaneous multi-slice imaging to cover the brain with high spatial resolution (1.1-mm isotropic nominal resolution) while maintaining a short repetition time (2.5 s). The delineated Pearson's correlation-based functional connectivity diagrams (connectomes) of 11 brainstem nuclei of the ascending arousal, motor, and autonomic systems from 12 controls are presented and discussed in the context of existing histology and animal work. Considering that the investigated brainstem nuclei play a crucial role in several vital functions, the delineated preliminary connectomes might prove useful for future in vivo research and clinical studies of human brainstem function and pathology, including disorders of consciousness, sleep disorders, autonomic disorders, Parkinson's disease, and other motor disorders.

Acupuncture's Cardiovascular Actions: A Mechanistic Perspective.

PubMed

Longhurst, John

2013-04-01

Over the last several decades, there has been an explosion of articles on acupuncture, including studies that have begun to explore mechanisms underlying its analgesic and cardiovascular actions. Modulation of cardiovascular function is most effective during manual and low-frequency, low-intensity electroacupuncture (EA) at a select set of acupoints situated along meridians located over deep somatic nerves on the upper and lower extremities. Stimulation at these acupoints activates underlying sensory neural pathways that project to a number of regions in the central nervous system (CNS) that ultimately regulate autonomic outflow and hence cardiovascular function. A long-loop pathway involving the hypothalamus, midbrain, and medulla underlies EA modulation of reflex increases in blood pressure (BP). Actions of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the supraspinal CNS underlie processing of the somatic input and adjustment of autonomic outflow during EA. Acupuncture also decreases elevated blood pressure through actions in the thoracic spinal cord. Reflexes that lower BP likewise are modulated by EA through its actions on sympathetic and parasympathetic nuclei in the medulla. The autonomic influence of acupuncture is slow in onset but prolonged in duration, typically lasting beyond the period of stimulation. Clinical studies suggest that acupuncture can be used to treat cardiac diseases, such as myocardial ischemia and hypertension, associated with overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system.

Acupuncture's Cardiovascular Actions: A Mechanistic Perspective

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Over the last several decades, there has been an explosion of articles on acupuncture, including studies that have begun to explore mechanisms underlying its analgesic and cardiovascular actions. Modulation of cardiovascular function is most effective during manual and low-frequency, low-intensity electroacupuncture (EA) at a select set of acupoints situated along meridians located over deep somatic nerves on the upper and lower extremities. Stimulation at these acupoints activates underlying sensory neural pathways that project to a number of regions in the central nervous system (CNS) that ultimately regulate autonomic outflow and hence cardiovascular function. A long-loop pathway involving the hypothalamus, midbrain, and medulla underlies EA modulation of reflex increases in blood pressure (BP). Actions of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the supraspinal CNS underlie processing of the somatic input and adjustment of autonomic outflow during EA. Acupuncture also decreases elevated blood pressure through actions in the thoracic spinal cord. Reflexes that lower BP likewise are modulated by EA through its actions on sympathetic and parasympathetic nuclei in the medulla. The autonomic influence of acupuncture is slow in onset but prolonged in duration, typically lasting beyond the period of stimulation. Clinical studies suggest that acupuncture can be used to treat cardiac diseases, such as myocardial ischemia and hypertension, associated with overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. PMID:24761168

Genetic contributions of the serotonin transporter to social learning of fear and economic decision making

PubMed Central

Crişan, Liviu G.; Pană, Simona; Vulturar, Romana; Heilman, Renata M.; Szekely, Raluca; Drugă, Bogdan; Dragoş, Nicolae

2009-01-01

Serotonin (5-HT) modulates emotional and cognitive functions such as fear conditioning (FC) and decision making. This study investigated the effects of a functional polymorphism in the regulatory region (5-HTTLPR) of the human 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) gene on observational FC, risk taking and susceptibility to framing in decision making under uncertainty, as well as multidimensional anxiety and autonomic control of the heart in healthy volunteers. The present results indicate that in comparison to the homozygotes for the long (l) version of 5-HTTLPR, the carriers of the short (s) version display enhanced observational FC, reduced financial risk taking and increased susceptibility to framing in economic decision making. We also found that s-carriers have increased trait anxiety due to threat in social evaluation, and ambiguous threat perception. In addition, s-carriers also show reduced autonomic control over the heart, and a pattern of reduced vagal tone and increased sympathetic activity in comparison to l-homozygotes. This is the first genetic study that identifies the association of a functional polymorphism in a key neurotransmitter-related gene with complex social–emotional and cognitive processes. The present set of results suggests an endophenotype of anxiety disorders, characterized by enhanced social learning of fear, impaired decision making and dysfunctional autonomic activity. PMID:19535614

Multiple-Agent Air/Ground Autonomous Exploration Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Wolfgang; Chao, Tien-Hsin; Tarbell, Mark; Dohm, James M.

2007-01-01

Autonomous systems of multiple-agent air/ground robotic units for exploration of the surfaces of remote planets are undergoing development. Modified versions of these systems could be used on Earth to perform tasks in environments dangerous or inaccessible to humans: examples of tasks could include scientific exploration of remote regions of Antarctica, removal of land mines, cleanup of hazardous chemicals, and military reconnaissance. A basic system according to this concept (see figure) would include a unit, suspended by a balloon or a blimp, that would be in radio communication with multiple robotic ground vehicles (rovers) equipped with video cameras and possibly other sensors for scientific exploration. The airborne unit would be free-floating, controlled by thrusters, or tethered either to one of the rovers or to a stationary object in or on the ground. Each rover would contain a semi-autonomous control system for maneuvering and would function under the supervision of a control system in the airborne unit. The rover maneuvering control system would utilize imagery from the onboard camera to navigate around obstacles. Avoidance of obstacles would also be aided by readout from an onboard (e.g., ultrasonic) sensor. Together, the rover and airborne control systems would constitute an overarching closed-loop control system to coordinate scientific exploration by the rovers.

Systems, methods and apparatus for quiesence of autonomic safety devices with self action

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Sterritt, Roy (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic environmental safety device may be quiesced. In at least one embodiment, a method for managing an autonomic safety device, such as a smoke detector, based on functioning state and operating status of the autonomic safety device includes processing received signals from the autonomic safety device to obtain an analysis of the condition of the autonomic safety device, generating one or more stay-awake signals based on the functioning status and the operating state of the autonomic safety device, transmitting the stay-awake signal, transmitting self health/urgency data, and transmitting environment health/urgency data. A quiesce component of an autonomic safety device can render the autonomic safety device inactive for a specific amount of time or until a challenging situation has passed.

Tissue modification with feedback: the smart scalpel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebern, Elizabeth L.; Brenan, Colin J. H.; Anderson, R. Rox; Hunter, Ian W.

1998-10-01

While feedback control is widespread throughout many engineering fields, there are almost no examples of surgical instruments that utilize a real-time detection and intervention strategy. This concept of closed loop feedback can be applied to the development of autonomous or semi- autonomous minimally invasive robotic surgical systems for efficient excision or modification of diseased tissue. Spatially localized regions of the tissue are first probed to distinguish pathological from healthy tissue based on differences in histochemical and morphological properties. Energy is directed to only the diseased tissue, minimizing collateral damage by leaving the adjacent healthy tissue intact. Continuous monitoring determines treatment effectiveness and, if needed, enables real-time treatment modifications to produce optimal therapeutic outcomes. The present embodiment of this general concept is a microsurgical instrument we call the Smart Scalpel, designed to treat skin angiodysplasias such as port wine stains. Other potential Smart Scalpel applications include psoriasis treatment and early skin cancer detection and intervention.

Optimality and oscillations near the edge of stability in the dynamics of autonomous vehicle platoons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, L. C.

2013-09-01

A model that includes the mechanical response of a vehicle to a demanded change in acceleration is analyzed to determine the string stability of a platoon of autonomous vehicles. The response is characterized by a first-order time constant τ and an explicit delay td. The minimum value of the acceleration feedback control gain is found from calculations of the velocity of vehicles following a lead vehicle that decelerates sharply from high speed to low speed. Larger values of ξ (in the stable range) give larger values of deceleration for vehicles in the platoon. Optimal operation is attained close to the minimum value of ξ for stability. Small oscillations are found after the main peak in deceleration for ξ in the stable region but near the transition to instability. A theory for predicting the frequency and amplitude of the oscillations is presented.

Data-Rate Estimation for Autonomous Receiver Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tkacenko, A.; Simon, M. K.

2005-01-01

In this article, we present a series of algorithms for estimating the data rate of a signal whose admissible data rates are integer base, integer powered multiples of a known basic data rate. These algorithms can be applied to the Electra radio currently used in the Deep Space Network (DSN), which employs data rates having the above relationship. The estimation is carried out in an autonomous setting in which very little a priori information is assumed. It is done by exploiting an elegant property of the split symbol moments estimator (SSME), which is traditionally used to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal. By quantizing the assumed symbol-timing error or jitter, we present an all-digital implementation of the SSME which can be used to jointly estimate the data rate, SNR, and jitter. Simulation results presented show that these joint estimation algorithms perform well, even in the low SNR regions typically encountered in the DSN.

Autonomous mechanism of internal choice estimate underlies decision inertia.

PubMed

Akaishi, Rei; Umeda, Kazumasa; Nagase, Asako; Sakai, Katsuyuki

2014-01-08

Our choice is influenced by choices we made in the past, but the mechanism responsible for the choice bias remains elusive. Here we show that the history-dependent choice bias can be explained by an autonomous learning rule whereby an estimate of the likelihood of a choice to be made is updated in each trial by comparing between the actual and expected choices. We found that in perceptual decision making without performance feedback, a decision on an ambiguous stimulus is repeated on the subsequent trial more often than a decision on a salient stimulus. This inertia of decision was not accounted for by biases in motor response, sensory processing, or attention. The posterior cingulate cortex and frontal eye field represent choice prediction error and choice estimate in the learning algorithm, respectively. Interactions between the two regions during the intertrial interval are associated with decision inertia on a subsequent trial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Globally conditioned Granger causality in brain–brain and brain–heart interactions: a combined heart rate variability/ultra-high-field (7 T) functional magnetic resonance imaging study

PubMed Central

Passamonti, Luca; Wald, Lawrence L.; Barbieri, Riccardo

2016-01-01

The causal, directed interactions between brain regions at rest (brain–brain networks) and between resting-state brain activity and autonomic nervous system (ANS) outflow (brain–heart links) have not been completely elucidated. We collected 7 T resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data with simultaneous respiration and heartbeat recordings in nine healthy volunteers to investigate (i) the causal interactions between cortical and subcortical brain regions at rest and (ii) the causal interactions between resting-state brain activity and the ANS as quantified through a probabilistic, point-process-based heartbeat model which generates dynamical estimates for sympathetic and parasympathetic activity as well as sympathovagal balance. Given the high amount of information shared between brain-derived signals, we compared the results of traditional bivariate Granger causality (GC) with a globally conditioned approach which evaluated the additional influence of each brain region on the causal target while factoring out effects concomitantly mediated by other brain regions. The bivariate approach resulted in a large number of possibly spurious causal brain–brain links, while, using the globally conditioned approach, we demonstrated the existence of significant selective causal links between cortical/subcortical brain regions and sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation as well as sympathovagal balance. In particular, we demonstrated a causal role of the amygdala, hypothalamus, brainstem and, among others, medial, middle and superior frontal gyri, superior temporal pole, paracentral lobule and cerebellar regions in modulating the so-called central autonomic network (CAN). In summary, we show that, provided proper conditioning is employed to eliminate spurious causalities, ultra-high-field functional imaging coupled with physiological signal acquisition and GC analysis is able to quantify directed brain–brain and brain–heart interactions reflecting central modulation of ANS outflow. PMID:27044985

Long range epigenetic silencing is a trans-species mechanism that results in cancer specific deregulation by overriding the chromatin domains of normal cells.

PubMed

Forn, Marta; Muñoz, Mar; Tauriello, Daniele V F; Merlos-Suárez, Anna; Rodilla, Verónica; Bigas, Anna; Batlle, Eduard; Jordà, Mireia; Peinado, Miguel A

2013-12-01

DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling are frequently implicated in the silencing of genes involved in carcinogenesis. Long Range Epigenetic Silencing (LRES) is a mechanism of gene inactivation that affects multiple contiguous CpG islands and has been described in different human cancer types. However, it is unknown whether there is a coordinated regulation of the genes embedded in these regions in normal cells and in early stages of tumor progression. To better characterize the molecular events associated with the regulation and remodeling of these regions we analyzed two regions undergoing LRES in human colon cancer in the mouse model. We demonstrate that LRES also occurs in murine cancer in vivo and mimics the molecular features of the human phenomenon, namely, downregulation of gene expression, acquisition of inactive histone marks, and DNA hypermethylation of specific CpG islands. The genes embedded in these regions showed a dynamic and autonomous regulation during mouse intestinal cell differentiation, indicating that, in the framework considered here, the coordinated regulation in LRES is restricted to cancer. Unexpectedly, benign adenomas in Apc(Min/+) mice showed overexpression of most of the genes affected by LRES in cancer, which suggests that the repressive remodeling of the region is a late event. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of the transcriptional insulator CTCF in mouse colon cancer cells revealed disrupted chromatin domain boundaries as compared with normal cells. Malignant regression of cancer cells by in vitro differentiation resulted in partial reversion of LRES and gain of CTCF binding. We conclude that genes in LRES regions are plastically regulated in cell differentiation and hyperproliferation, but are constrained to a coordinated repression by abolishing boundaries and the autonomous regulation of chromatin domains in cancer cells. Copyright © 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heart rate variability and short duration spaceflight: relationship to post-flight orthostatic intolerance

PubMed Central

Blaber, Andrew P; Bondar, Roberta L; Kassam, Mahmood S

2004-01-01

Background Upon return from space many astronauts experience symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. Research has implicated altered autonomic cardiovascular regulation due to spaceflight with further evidence to suggest that there might be pre-flight autonomic indicators of post-flight orthostatic intolerance. We used heart rate variability (HRV) to determine whether autonomic regulation of the heart in astronauts who did or did not experience post-flight orthostatic intolerance was different pre-flight and/or was differentially affected by short duration (8 – 16 days) spaceflight. HRV data from ten-minute stand tests collected from the 29 astronauts 10 days pre-flight, on landing day and three days post-flight were analysed using coarse graining spectral analysis. From the total power (PTOT), the harmonic component was extracted and divided into high (PHI: >0.15 Hz) and low (PLO: = 0.15 Hz) frequency power regions. Given the distribution of autonomic nervous system activity with frequency at the sinus node, PHI/PTOT was used as an indicator of parasympathetic activity; PLO/PTOT as an indicator of sympathetic activity; and, PLO/PHI as an estimate of sympathovagal balance. Results Twenty-one astronauts were classified as finishers, and eight as non-finishers, based on their ability to remain standing for 10 minutes on landing day. Pre-flight, non-finishers had a higher supine PHI/PTOT than finishers. Supine PHI/PTOT was the same pre-flight and on landing day in the finishers; whereas, in the non-finishers it was reduced. The ratio PLO/PHI was lower in non-finishers compared to finishers and was unaffected by spaceflight. Pre-flight, both finishers and non-finishers had similar supine values of PLO/PTOT, which increased from supine to stand. Following spaceflight, only the finishers had an increase in PLO/PTOT from supine to stand. Conclusions Both finishers and non-finishers had an increase in sympathetic activity with stand on pre-flight, yet only finishers retained this response on landing day. Non-finishers also had lower sympathovagal balance and higher pre-flight supine parasympathetic activity than finishers. These results suggest pre-flight autonomic status and post-flight impairment in autonomic control of the heart may contribute to orthostatic intolerance. The mechanism by which higher pre-flight parasympathetic activity might contribute to post-flight orthostatic intolerance is not understood and requires further investigation. PMID:15113425

Prevalence survey of nosocomial infections in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China [2012-2014

PubMed Central

Liu, Wei-Ping; Hai, Yun-Ting; Zheng, Zhi-Nan; Cao, Qing-Ling

2015-01-01

Background To investigate the prevalence of nosocomial infections, the distribution of nosocomial infection sites, the use of antibiotic and the situation of detected nosocomial infection pathogens in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China from 2012 to 2014, to grasp the current conditions of regional nosocomial infections in timely, for the development of infection prevention and control measures to provide a basis for effective hospital. Methods A survey of the prevalence of nosocomial infections was conducted in target hospitals using the combination of a bedside survey and medical record review. Results In total, 101,907 inpatients were surveyed from 2012 to 2014. There were 1,997 cases of nosocomial infections, accounting for an average prevalence of 1.96%. The infection site was mainly the lower respiratory tract. Higher prevalence of nosocomial infections occurred in the comprehensive intensive care unit (ICU), Neurosurgery Department, and Hematology Department. The average rate of antibiotic use was 33.72%, and the average submission rate for bacterial cultures for patients who received therapeutic treatment with antibiotics was 28.26%. The most common pathogens associated with nosocomial infections were Gram-negative (G−) bacteria, and frequently detected bacterial pathogens included Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusions The survey of the prevalence of nosocomial infections helped to identify problems in the control process of nosocomial infections and to develop targeted measures for the prevention and control of these infections accordingly. PMID:26543614

The Structural Connectome of the Human Central Homeostatic Network.

PubMed

Edlow, Brian L; McNab, Jennifer A; Witzel, Thomas; Kinney, Hannah C

2016-04-01

Homeostatic adaptations to stress are regulated by interactions between the brainstem and regions of the forebrain, including limbic sites related to respiratory, autonomic, affective, and cognitive processing. Neuroanatomic connections between these homeostatic regions, however, have not been thoroughly identified in the human brain. In this study, we perform diffusion spectrum imaging tractography using the MGH-USC Connectome MRI scanner to visualize structural connections in the human brain linking autonomic and cardiorespiratory nuclei in the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata with forebrain sites critical to homeostatic control. Probabilistic tractography analyses in six healthy adults revealed connections between six brainstem nuclei and seven forebrain regions, several over long distances between the caudal medulla and cerebral cortex. The strongest evidence for brainstem-homeostatic forebrain connectivity in this study was between the brainstem midline raphe and the medial temporal lobe. The subiculum and amygdala were the sampled forebrain nodes with the most extensive brainstem connections. Within the human brainstem-homeostatic forebrain connectome, we observed that a lateral forebrain bundle, whose connectivity is distinct from that of rodents and nonhuman primates, is the primary conduit for connections between the brainstem and medial temporal lobe. This study supports the concept that interconnected brainstem and forebrain nodes form an integrated central homeostatic network (CHN) in the human brain. Our findings provide an initial foundation for elucidating the neuroanatomic basis of homeostasis in the normal human brain, as well as for mapping CHN disconnections in patients with disorders of homeostasis, including sudden and unexpected death, and epilepsy.

Climate and its change over the Tibetan Plateau and its Surroundings in 1963-2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, J.; Cuo, L.

2017-12-01

Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings (TPS, 23°-43°N, 73°-106°E) lies in the southwest of China and includes Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, southern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, part of Gansu Province, western Sichuan Province, and northern Yunnan Province. The region is of strategic importance in water resources because it is the headwater of ten large rivers that support more than 16 billion population. In this study, we use daily temperature maximum and minimum, precipitation and wind speed in 1963-2015 obtained from Climate Data Center of China Meteorological Administration and Qinghai Meteorological Bureau to investigate extreme climate conditions and their changes over the TPS. The extreme events are selected based on annual extreme values and percentiles. Annual extreme value approach produces one value each year for all variables, which enables us to examine the magnitude of extreme events; whereas percentile approach selects extreme values by setting 95th percentile as thresholds for maximum temperature, precipitation and wind speed, and 5th percentile for minimum temperature. Percentile approach not only enables us to investigate the magnitude but also frequency of the extreme events. Also, Mann-Kendall trend and mutation analysis were applied to analyze the changes in mean and extreme conditions. The results will help us understand more about the extreme events during the past five decades on the TPS and will provide valuable information for the upcoming IPCC reports on climate change.

The autonomic laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, P. A.; Opfer-Gehrking, T. L.

1999-01-01

The autonomic nervous system can now be studied quantitatively, noninvasively, and reproducibly in a clinical autonomic laboratory. The approach at the Mayo Clinic is to study the postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers of peripheral nerve (using the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test [QSART]), the parasympathetic nerves to the heart (cardiovagal tests), and the regulation of blood pressure by the baroreflexes (adrenergic tests). Patient preparation is extremely important, since the state of the patient influences the results of autonomic function tests. The autonomic technologist in this evolving field needs to have a solid core of knowledge of autonomic physiology and autonomic function tests, followed by training in the performance of these tests in a standardized fashion. The range and utilization of tests of autonomic function will likely continue to evolve.

A Robust Compositional Architecture for Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brat, Guillaume; Deney, Ewen; Farrell, Kimberley; Giannakopoulos, Dimitra; Jonsson, Ari; Frank, Jeremy; Bobby, Mark; Carpenter, Todd; Estlin, Tara

2006-01-01

Space exploration applications can benefit greatly from autonomous systems. Great distances, limited communications and high costs make direct operations impossible while mandating operations reliability and efficiency beyond what traditional commanding can provide. Autonomous systems can improve reliability and enhance spacecraft capability significantly. However, there is reluctance to utilizing autonomous systems. In part this is due to general hesitation about new technologies, but a more tangible concern is that of reliability of predictability of autonomous software. In this paper, we describe ongoing work aimed at increasing robustness and predictability of autonomous software, with the ultimate goal of building trust in such systems. The work combines state-of-the-art technologies and capabilities in autonomous systems with advanced validation and synthesis techniques. The focus of this paper is on the autonomous system architecture that has been defined, and on how it enables the application of validation techniques for resulting autonomous systems.

Assessing hydraulic conditions through Francis turbines using an autonomous sensor device

DOE PAGES

Fu, Tao; Deng, Zhiqun Daniel; Duncan, Joanne P.; ...

2016-08-19

Downstream migratory fish, including some endangered species, can be injured or killed during turbine passage. In this study an autonomous Sensor Fish device was deployed at Arrowrock Dam, Cougar Dam, and Detroit Dam to evaluate the hydraulic conditions and physical stresses that fish experienced when passing through these Francis turbines. Pressure data was used to identify the location of the Sensor Fish and to calculate the nadir pressure and the magnitude and the rate of change in pressure during turbine passage. Acceleration data was used to identify events (collisions or shear) Sensor Fish experienced and to categorize the severity levelmore » (severe, medium, and slight) of each event. The results showed that Sensor Fish experienced severe events mostly in the stay vane/wicket gate region and the runner region. In the stay vane/wicket gate region, almost all severe events were collisions. In the runner region, Sensor fish experienced both severe collisions and severe shear events. Sensor Fish data at three wicket gate opening treatments at Cougar Dam indicated that the wicket gate opening of the Francis turbine can affect the hydraulic conditions in the turbine runner region. Fewer Sensor Fish experienced severe collisions in the turbine runner region at the peak efficiency than at the minimum opening and the maximum opening treatments. Comparisons between the Francis turbines at the three dams and the AHT Kaplan turbine at Wanapum Dam showed that higher percentage of Sensor Fish experienced severe events in the runner region when passing through Francis turbines than the AHT Kaplan turbine. The nadir pressures of the Francis turbines were lower than those of the AHT Kaplan turbine at Wanapum Dam. Both the magnitude and the rate of change in pressure were higher in Francis turbines than in the AHT Kaplan turbine at Wanapum Dam in the runner region. This study can be used to guide future laboratory studies of fish passing through Francis turbine and help the design of more fish-friendly turbines for new hydroelectric dams or the rehabilitations of existing dams.« less

Assessing hydraulic conditions through Francis turbines using an autonomous sensor device

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

Fu, Tao; Deng, Zhiqun Daniel; Duncan, Joanne P.

Downstream migratory fish, including some endangered species, can be injured or killed during turbine passage. In this study an autonomous Sensor Fish device was deployed at Arrowrock Dam, Cougar Dam, and Detroit Dam to evaluate the hydraulic conditions and physical stresses that fish experienced when passing through these Francis turbines. Pressure data was used to identify the location of the Sensor Fish and to calculate the nadir pressure and the magnitude and the rate of change in pressure during turbine passage. Acceleration data was used to identify events (collisions or shear) Sensor Fish experienced and to categorize the severity levelmore » (severe, medium, and slight) of each event. The results showed that Sensor Fish experienced severe events mostly in the stay vane/wicket gate region and the runner region. In the stay vane/wicket gate region, almost all severe events were collisions. In the runner region, Sensor fish experienced both severe collisions and severe shear events. Sensor Fish data at three wicket gate opening treatments at Cougar Dam indicated that the wicket gate opening of the Francis turbine can affect the hydraulic conditions in the turbine runner region. Fewer Sensor Fish experienced severe collisions in the turbine runner region at the peak efficiency than at the minimum opening and the maximum opening treatments. Comparisons between the Francis turbines at the three dams and the AHT Kaplan turbine at Wanapum Dam showed that higher percentage of Sensor Fish experienced severe events in the runner region when passing through Francis turbines than the AHT Kaplan turbine. The nadir pressures of the Francis turbines were lower than those of the AHT Kaplan turbine at Wanapum Dam. Both the magnitude and the rate of change in pressure were higher in Francis turbines than in the AHT Kaplan turbine at Wanapum Dam in the runner region. This study can be used to guide future laboratory studies of fish passing through Francis turbine and help the design of more fish-friendly turbines for new hydroelectric dams or the rehabilitations of existing dams.« less

PPG neurons of the lower brain stem and their role in brain GLP-1 receptor activation

PubMed Central

Cork, Simon C.

2015-01-01

Within the brain, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) affects central autonomic neurons, including those controlling the cardiovascular system, thermogenesis, and energy balance. Additionally, GLP-1 influences the mesolimbic reward system to modulate the rewarding properties of palatable food. GLP-1 is produced in the gut and by hindbrain preproglucagon (PPG) neurons, located mainly in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and medullary intermediate reticular nucleus. Transgenic mice expressing glucagon promoter-driven yellow fluorescent protein revealed that PPG neurons not only project to central autonomic control regions and mesolimbic reward centers, but also strongly innervate spinal autonomic neurons. Therefore, these brain stem PPG neurons could directly modulate sympathetic outflow through their spinal inputs to sympathetic preganglionic neurons. Electrical recordings from PPG neurons in vitro have revealed that they receive synaptic inputs from vagal afferents entering via the solitary tract. Vagal afferents convey satiation to the brain from signals like postprandial gastric distention or activation of peripheral GLP-1 receptors. CCK and leptin, short- and long-term satiety peptides, respectively, increased the electrical activity of PPG neurons, while ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide, had no effect. These findings indicate that satiation is a main driver of PPG neuronal activation. They also show that PPG neurons are in a prime position to respond to both immediate and long-term indicators of energy and feeding status, enabling regulation of both energy balance and general autonomic homeostasis. This review discusses the question of whether PPG neurons, rather than gut-derived GLP-1, are providing the physiological substrate for the effects elicited by central nervous system GLP-1 receptor activation. PMID:26290108

PPG neurons of the lower brain stem and their role in brain GLP-1 receptor activation.

PubMed

Trapp, Stefan; Cork, Simon C

2015-10-15

Within the brain, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) affects central autonomic neurons, including those controlling the cardiovascular system, thermogenesis, and energy balance. Additionally, GLP-1 influences the mesolimbic reward system to modulate the rewarding properties of palatable food. GLP-1 is produced in the gut and by hindbrain preproglucagon (PPG) neurons, located mainly in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and medullary intermediate reticular nucleus. Transgenic mice expressing glucagon promoter-driven yellow fluorescent protein revealed that PPG neurons not only project to central autonomic control regions and mesolimbic reward centers, but also strongly innervate spinal autonomic neurons. Therefore, these brain stem PPG neurons could directly modulate sympathetic outflow through their spinal inputs to sympathetic preganglionic neurons. Electrical recordings from PPG neurons in vitro have revealed that they receive synaptic inputs from vagal afferents entering via the solitary tract. Vagal afferents convey satiation to the brain from signals like postprandial gastric distention or activation of peripheral GLP-1 receptors. CCK and leptin, short- and long-term satiety peptides, respectively, increased the electrical activity of PPG neurons, while ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide, had no effect. These findings indicate that satiation is a main driver of PPG neuronal activation. They also show that PPG neurons are in a prime position to respond to both immediate and long-term indicators of energy and feeding status, enabling regulation of both energy balance and general autonomic homeostasis. This review discusses the question of whether PPG neurons, rather than gut-derived GLP-1, are providing the physiological substrate for the effects elicited by central nervous system GLP-1 receptor activation. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Neural signatures of economic parameters during decision-making: a functional MRI (FMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and autonomic monitoring study.

PubMed

Minati, Ludovico; Grisoli, Marina; Franceschetti, Silvana; Epifani, Francesca; Granvillano, Alice; Medford, Nick; Harrison, Neil A; Piacentini, Sylvie; Critchley, Hugo D

2012-01-01

Adaptive behaviour requires an ability to obtain rewards by choosing between different risky options. Financial gambles can be used to study effective decision-making experimentally, and to distinguish processes involved in choice option evaluation from outcome feedback and other contextual factors. Here, we used a paradigm where participants evaluated 'mixed' gambles, each presenting a potential gain and a potential loss and an associated variable outcome probability. We recorded neural responses using autonomic monitoring, electroencephalography (EEG) and functional neuroimaging (fMRI), and used a univariate, parametric design to test for correlations with the eleven economic parameters that varied across gambles, including expected value (EV) and amount magnitude. Consistent with behavioural economic theory, participants were risk-averse. Gamble evaluation generated detectable autonomic responses, but only weak correlations with outcome uncertainty were found, suggesting that peripheral autonomic feedback does not play a major role in this task. Long-latency stimulus-evoked EEG potentials were sensitive to expected gain and expected value, while alpha-band power reflected expected loss and amount magnitude, suggesting parallel representations of distinct economic qualities in cortical activation and central arousal. Neural correlates of expected value representation were localized using fMRI to ventromedial prefrontal cortex, while the processing of other economic parameters was associated with distinct patterns across lateral prefrontal, cingulate, insula and occipital cortices including default-mode network and early visual areas. These multimodal data provide complementary evidence for distributed substrates of choice evaluation across multiple, predominantly cortical, brain systems wherein distinct regions are preferentially attuned to specific economic features. Our findings extend biologically-plausible models of risky decision-making while providing potential biomarkers of economic representations that can be applied to the study of deficits in motivational behaviour in neurological and psychiatric patients.

Simulated climate effects of land degradation near Urumqi, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, N. J.; Qi, J.

2009-12-01

Western China's drylands, particularly around Urumqi city in Xinjiang Autonomous Region are changing due to increased grazing pressures, urban growth, and increasing population. These changes, driven by national policies of openness and economic development, are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The continued degradation of rangelands surrounding Urumqi can impact not only socioeconomic characteristics but also regional climate patterns. Here we show results from high-resolution regional climate simulations of the Urumqi area using the RAMS regional climate model. Under differing levels of rangeland degradation, from no degradation in vegetative cover and leaf area index (LAI) to 75% reduction a variety of impacts are found in the region. We examined the impacts of these changes in land cover properties via current rangeland management practices, including influences on summertime rainfall (important for grassland production) and year-round wind patterns, which are two major natural factors related to the air pollution and water scarcity of the city.

Research on support effectiveness modeling and simulating of aviation materiel autonomic logistics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yan; Zhou, Yang; Yuan, Kai; Jia, Zhiyu; Li, Shuo

2018-05-01

Aiming at the demonstration of autonomic logistics system to be used at the new generation of aviation materiel in our country, the modeling and simulating method of aviation materiel support effectiveness considering autonomic logistics are studied. Firstly, this paper introduced the idea of JSF autonomic logistics and analyzed the influence of autonomic logistics on support effectiveness from aspects of reliability, false alarm rate, troubleshooting time, and support delay time and maintenance level. On this basis, the paper studies the modeling and simulating methods of support effectiveness considering autonomic logistics, and puts forward the maintenance support simulation process considering autonomic logistics. Finally, taking the typical aviation materiel as an example, this paper analyzes and verifies the above-mentioned support effectiveness modeling and simulating method of aviation materiel considering autonomic logistics.

Resting state connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex covaries with individual differences in high-frequency heart rate variability.

PubMed

Jennings, J Richard; Sheu, Lei K; Kuan, Dora C-H; Manuck, Stephen B; Gianaros, Peter J

2016-04-01

Resting high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) relates to cardiac vagal control and predicts individual differences in health and longevity, but its functional neural correlates are not well defined. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) encompasses visceral control regions that are components of intrinsic networks of the brain, particularly the default mode network (DMN) and the salience network (SN). Might individual differences in resting HF-HRV covary with resting state neural activity in the DMN and SN, particularly within the mPFC? This question was addressed using fMRI data from an eyes-open, 5-min rest period during which echoplanar brain imaging yielded BOLD time series. Independent component analysis yielded functional connectivity estimates defining the DMN and SN. HF-HRV was measured in a rest period outside of the scanner. Midlife (52% female) adults were assessed in two studies (Study 1, N = 107; Study 2, N = 112). Neither overall DMN nor SN connectivity strength was related to HF-HRV. However, HF-HRV related to connectivity of one region within mPFC shared by the DMN and SN, namely, the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex, an area with connectivity to other regions involved in autonomic control. In sum, HF-HRV does not seem directly related to global resting state activity of intrinsic brain networks, but rather to more localized connectivity. A mPFC region was of particular interest as connectivity related to HF-HRV was shared by the DMN and SN. These findings may indicate a functional basis for the coordination of autonomic cardiac control with engagement and disengagement from the environment. © 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

INL Autonomous Navigation System

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

2005-03-30

The INL Autonomous Navigation System provides instructions for autonomously navigating a robot. The system permits high-speed autonomous navigation including obstacle avoidance, waypoing navigation and path planning in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Autonomic Function in Infancy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Nathan A.; Fitzgerald, Hiram E.

1990-01-01

Reviews research that uses autonomic responses of human infants as dependent measures. Focuses on the history of research on the autonomic nervous system, measurement issues, and autonomic correlates of infant behavior and systems. (RJC)

Understanding the Effect of KIPP as It Scales: Volume II, Leadership Practices at KIPP. Final Report of KIPP's Investing in Innovation Grant Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knechtel, Virginia; Anderson, Mary Anne; Burnett, Alyson; Coen, Thomas; Sullivan, Margaret; Tuttle, Christina Clark; Gleason, Philip

2015-01-01

The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) charter schools' consistently positive impacts on student achievement (detailed in Volume I of this report) have prompted efforts to scale up the KIPP model to serve more students. According to the KIPP model, highly qualified and autonomous principals, supported by national and regional staff, drive the…

Midwifery education in Central-Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Mivšek, Polona; Baškova, Martina; Wilhelmova, Radka

2016-02-01

Problems in midwifery in many Central-Eastern European countries are very similar; it is possible to speak about the evolving Central-Eastern model of midwifery care. The educational models of this region have a relatively strong theoretical part; however, there is an insufficient practical dimension. Theoretical part of midwifery education in the universities is relatively autonomous and is slowly changing the professional identity of graduates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Autonomous Circuit for the Measurement of Photovoltaic Devices Parameters.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

Comparison Data, Gallium Arsenide ................ 80 A 7 A,. TABLE OF SYMBOLS A Curve Fitting Constant ADC Analog to Digital Converter AMO Air-Mass-Zero...in Radiation Fluence in the Logarithmic Region CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor DAC Digital to Analog Converter DC Direct Current Dp Hole...characteristics of individual solar cells. A novel circuit is developed that uses a microprocessor controlled Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) to obtain

Integrating CALL into Language Teaching: Implementing WBLL Technique to Teach English Language to EFL Learners in a Secondary School in Kurdistan Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamamorad, Atta

2016-01-01

The rapid advance in technological tools and their expansiveness, has made their impact on different aspects of life undeniable. Education has also been a field in which technology has found a fertile ground to grow. Technology has made education much easier for both teachers and learners and provided a more autonomous and amusing ambiance for…

Deployment of Autonomous Hydrophone Array in the Scotia Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

originated by the Clarence Island in the Bransfield strait near the Antarctic Peninsula (Figure 3). The signals originated from a 10x5 km iceberg ...Atlantic Ocean near the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Scotia Sea is a region where acoustic surveillance by International Monitoring System (IMS...study sound propagation through the Antarctic Convergence Zone (ACZ), as well as acoustic blockage and reflection caused by islands and associated

Optimal Partitioning of a Surveillance Space for Persistent Coverage Using Multiple Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: An Integer Programming Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

asymptotically equal. Carlsson shows that the problem is solved by treating each subregion Ri as a traveling salesman problem (TSP) with a set of points that...terminal state to the goal. If no- travel zones are repre- sented as the union of regions Akx > Bk, the coverage problem can be expressed as an IP [14...3 1.2 Problem Statement

Two new species of Oxycera (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) from Ningxia, China

PubMed Central

Zai-Hua, Yang; Jin-Yong, Yu; Mao-Fa, Yang

2012-01-01

Abstract Two new speices, Oxycera rozkosnyi sp. n. and Oxycera ningxiaensis sp. n., are described from Liupanshan Nature Reserve, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Northwest China. All essential diagnostic characters are figured and possible relationships of both taxa are briefly discussed, and a new key to species of Oxycera from China. The type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang (GUGC). PMID:22707906

[Prospective cohort study on the occupational stress and mental disorder among the oilfield workers in Xinjiang Autonomous Region in 2013-2015].

PubMed

Han, Rui; Shi, Haohua; Chen, Yulu; Lian, Yulong; Liu, Jiwen

2018-01-01

To explore the relationship between occupational stress and psychological disorder among oilfield workers. In 2013, 1485 psychological normal oilfield workers using the stratified cluster sampling in Xinjiang Autonomous Region were investigated, and the follow-up was conducted in 2015. Occupational stress and mental health status were assessed by questionnaire for the occupation stress and self-rating symptom. The people with mental disorder was 556, the incidence rate was40. 29%. The level of occupational stress level low-high group( RR = 2. 689, 95% CI1. 342-5. 391) and middle-high group( RR = 2. 878, 95% CI 1. 205-6. 875) of mental disorder were higher than the low-low group, the level of Personal Strain Questionnaire low-middle group( RR = 2. 500, 95% CI 1. 700-3. 763) and low-high group( RR =3. 907, 95% CI 1. 955-7. 651) and middle-middle group( RR = 2. 141, 95% CI 1. 016-4. 512) of mental disorder were higher than low-low group. Without drinking( RR =0. 779, 95% CI = 0. 622-0. 976) was protective factor for mental disorders. Occupational stress and drinking are the risk factors of mental disorder, it is more practical to multiple measurement of the psychological disorder of occupational stress exposure than single one.

Automated segmentation and dose-volume analysis with DICOMautomaton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, H.; Thomas, S.; Moiseenko, V.; Lee, R.; Gill, B.; Duzenli, C.; Wu, J.

2014-03-01

Purpose: Exploration of historical data for regional organ dose sensitivity is limited by the effort needed to (sub-)segment large numbers of contours. A system has been developed which can rapidly perform autonomous contour sub-segmentation and generic dose-volume computations, substantially reducing the effort required for exploratory analyses. Methods: A contour-centric approach is taken which enables lossless, reversible segmentation and dramatically reduces computation time compared with voxel-centric approaches. Segmentation can be specified on a per-contour, per-organ, or per-patient basis, and can be performed along either an embedded plane or in terms of the contour's bounds (e.g., split organ into fractional-volume/dose pieces along any 3D unit vector). More complex segmentation techniques are available. Anonymized data from 60 head-and-neck cancer patients were used to compare dose-volume computations with Varian's EclipseTM (Varian Medical Systems, Inc.). Results: Mean doses and Dose-volume-histograms computed agree strongly with Varian's EclipseTM. Contours which have been segmented can be injected back into patient data permanently and in a Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM)-conforming manner. Lossless segmentation persists across such injection, and remains fully reversible. Conclusions: DICOMautomaton allows researchers to rapidly, accurately, and autonomously segment large amounts of data into intricate structures suitable for analyses of regional organ dose sensitivity.

Geology of the Chinese nuclear test site near Lop Nor, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matzko, J.R.

1994-01-01

The Chinese underground nuclear test site in the Kuruktag and Kyzyltag mountains of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China, is the location of sixteen underground tests that occurred between 1969 and 1992. The largest test to date, conducted on 21 May 1992, had a reported yield of about one megaton. Geophysical properties of the rocks and a large-scale geologic map of part of the test area were published by the Chinese in 1986 and 1987 and are the first site-specific data available for this test site. In areas of low relief, underground nuclear testing has occurred below the water table, in shafts drilled vertically into dense, low porosity Paleozoic granitic and metasedimentary rocks. Additional testing in areas of more rugged terrain has occurred in horizontal tunnels, probably above the water table. At least one of these tunnels was driven into granite. The upper 50 m of the rock in the area of the vertical tests is weathered and fractured; these conditions have been shown to influence the magnitude of the disturbance of the land surface after a nuclear explosion. These descriptions suggest hard rock coupling at depth and a closer resemblance to the former Soviet test site in eastern Kazakhstan than to the U.S. test site in Nevada. ?? 1994.

[Analysis of activities of the preventive dentistry service in the Health Area 8 of the Valencia Autonomous Region].

PubMed

Llena Puy, M C; Ausina Márquez, V

1996-02-29

We describe and analize the activities we carried out in a surgery from a preventive dentistry unit. Longitudinal descriptive study from 1993 since 1994. Health Area 8 from the Valencian Autonomous Region. Children from 3 to 14 year-old attendant to the preventive dentistry unit's surgery (2.497). We visited 5.012 children. The highest percentage of population corresponded to the zona 4, where began at first the preventive service. The activities distribution was as follow: oral explorations and plaque control (100%), fluoride topic aplication (90.38%), diet control (36.81%), pit and fisure sealants (6.46%), profilaxis (8.71%), radiological diagnosis (6.46%), dental emergencies (2.17%). The users origin was: 38.88% school oral explorations made over 6- and 10-year-old children; 63.71% from self-request; and 16.45% sent by other health professionals. 41.42% were continuated visits. Demand of preventive dental services is very high in our health area, although incorporation of therapeutic techniques is wished by the population. This demand increase as well as the surgery is closer to the user. People from big cities are stubborn using these services from smallest villages, even having transport facilities. Children start coming to the consults between 5-6 year-old, keeping an acceptable control until 12 approximately.

Association between heart rate variability and fluctuations in resting-state functional connectivity

PubMed Central

Chang, Catie; Metzger, Coraline D.; Glover, Gary H.; Duyn, Jeff H.; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Walter, Martin

2012-01-01

Functional connectivity has been observed to fluctuate across the course of a resting state scan, though the origins and functional relevance of this phenomenon remain to be shown. The present study explores the link between endogenous dynamics of functional connectivity and autonomic state in an eyes-closed resting condition. Using a sliding window analysis on resting state fMRI data from 35 young, healthy male subjects, we examined how heart rate variability (HRV) covaries with temporal changes in whole-brain functional connectivity with seed regions previously described to mediate effects of vigilance and arousal (amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex; dACC). We identified a set of regions, including brainstem, thalamus, putamen, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, that became more strongly coupled with the dACC and amygdala seeds during states of elevated HRV. Effects differed between high and low frequency components of HRV, suggesting specific contributions of parasympathetic and sympathetic tone on individual connections. Furthermore, dynamics of functional connectivity could be separated from those primarily related to BOLD signal fluctuations. The present results contribute novel information about the neural basis of transient changes of autonomic nervous system states, and suggest physiological and psychological components of the recently observed non-stationarity in resting state functional connectivity. PMID:23246859

Why Computer-Based Systems Should be Autonomic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2005-01-01

The objective of this paper is to discuss why computer-based systems should be autonomic, where autonomicity implies self-managing, often conceptualized in terms of being self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing, self-protecting and self-aware. We look at motivations for autonomicity, examine how more and more systems are exhibiting autonomic behavior, and finally look at future directions.

Asteroid Exploration with Autonomic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Rouff, Christopher; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. The prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission comprises autonomous agents including worker agents (small spacecra3) designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration under the overall authoriq of at least one ruler agent (a larger spacecraft) whose goal is to cause science data to be returned to Earth. The ANTS team (ruler plus workers and messenger agents), but not necessarily any individual on the team, will exhibit behaviors that qualify it as an autonomic system, where an autonomic system is defined as a system that self-reconfigures, self-optimizes, self-heals, and self-protects. Autonomic system concepts lead naturally to realistic, scalable architectures rich in capabilities and behaviors. In-depth consideration of a major mission like ANTS in terms of autonomic systems brings new insights into alternative definitions of autonomic behavior. This paper gives an overview of the ANTS mission and discusses the autonomic properties of the mission.

The Prevalence and Severity of Autonomic Dysfunction in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

PubMed Central

Pasangulapati, Suresh Babu; Murthy, T. V.; Sivadasan, Ajith; Gideon, L. Rynjah; Prabhakar, A. T.; Sanjith, Aaron; Mathew, Vivek; Alexander, Mathew

2017-01-01

Introduction: In chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), emphasis has been on motor disabilities, and autonomic dysfunction in these patients has not been addressed systematically. Materials and Methods: Autonomic function was prospectively analyzed in 38 patients with CIDP. Quantitative autonomic function testing was done using Finometer® PRO and severity of adrenergic and cardiovagal dysfunction graded according to composite autonomic severity score and sudomotor dysfunction assessed using sympathetic skin response. Results: Thirty-four (89%) patients had features of autonomic dysfunction. Thirty-three (86%) patients had cardiovagal dysfunction, 21 (55%) had adrenergic dysfunction, and 24 (63%) had sudomotor dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction was mild to moderate in the majority (86%). Conclusions: Autonomic dysfunction in CIDP is underreported and potentially amenable to therapy. Our cohort had a high proportion of adrenergic dysfunction compared to previous studies. PMID:28904461

Biologically-Inspired Concepts for Autonomic Self-Protection in Multiagent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2006-01-01

Biologically-inspired autonomous and autonomic systems (AAS) are essentially concerned with creating self-directed and self-managing systems based on metaphors &om nature and the human body, such as the autonomic nervous system. Agent technologies have been identified as a key enabler for engineering autonomy and autonomicity in systems, both in terms of retrofitting into legacy systems and in designing new systems. Handing over responsibility to systems themselves raises concerns for humans with regard to safety and security. This paper reports on the continued investigation into a strand of research on how to engineer self-protection mechanisms into systems to assist in encouraging confidence regarding security when utilizing autonomy and autonomicity. This includes utilizing the apoptosis and quiescence metaphors to potentially provide a self-destruct or self-sleep signal between autonomic agents when needed, and an ALice signal to facilitate self-identification and self-certification between anonymous autonomous agents and systems.

Development of a Commercially Viable, Modular Autonomous Robotic Systems for Converting any Vehicle to Autonomous Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parish, David W.; Grabbe, Robert D.; Marzwell, Neville I.

1994-01-01

A Modular Autonomous Robotic System (MARS), consisting of a modular autonomous vehicle control system that can be retrofit on to any vehicle to convert it to autonomous control and support a modular payload for multiple applications is being developed. The MARS design is scalable, reconfigurable, and cost effective due to the use of modern open system architecture design methodologies, including serial control bus technology to simplify system wiring and enhance scalability. The design is augmented with modular, object oriented (C++) software implementing a hierarchy of five levels of control including teleoperated, continuous guidepath following, periodic guidepath following, absolute position autonomous navigation, and relative position autonomous navigation. The present effort is focused on producing a system that is commercially viable for routine autonomous patrolling of known, semistructured environments, like environmental monitoring of chemical and petroleum refineries, exterior physical security and surveillance, perimeter patrolling, and intrafacility transport applications.

Multivariate Brain Prediction of Heart Rate and Skin Conductance Responses to Social Threat.

PubMed

Eisenbarth, Hedwig; Chang, Luke J; Wager, Tor D

2016-11-23

Psychosocial stressors induce autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses in multiple body systems that are linked to health risks. Much work has focused on the common effects of stress, but ANS responses in different body systems are dissociable and may result from distinct patterns of cortical-subcortical interactions. Here, we used machine learning to develop multivariate patterns of fMRI activity predictive of heart rate (HR) and skin conductance level (SCL) responses during social threat in humans (N = 18). Overall, brain patterns predicted both HR and SCL in cross-validated analyses successfully (r HR = 0.54, r SCL = 0.58, both p < 0.0001). These patterns partly reflected central stress mechanisms common to both responses because each pattern predicted the other signal to some degree (r HR→SCL = 0.21 and r SCL→HR = 0.22, both p < 0.01), but they were largely physiological response specific. Both patterns included positive predictive weights in dorsal anterior cingulate and cerebellum and negative weights in ventromedial PFC and local pattern similarity analyses within these regions suggested that they encode common central stress mechanisms. However, the predictive maps and searchlight analysis suggested that the patterns predictive of HR and SCL were substantially different across most of the brain, including significant differences in ventromedial PFC, insula, lateral PFC, pre-SMA, and dmPFC. Overall, the results indicate that specific patterns of cerebral activity track threat-induced autonomic responses in specific body systems. Physiological measures of threat are not interchangeable, but rather reflect specific interactions among brain systems. We show that threat-induced increases in heart rate and skin conductance share some common representations in the brain, located mainly in the vmPFC, temporal and parahippocampal cortices, thalamus, and brainstem. However, despite these similarities, the brain patterns that predict these two autonomic responses are largely distinct. This evidence for largely output-measure-specific regulation of autonomic responses argues against a common system hypothesis and provides evidence that different autonomic measures reflect distinct, measurable patterns of cortical-subcortical interactions. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/3611987-12$15.00/0.

Autonomous search and surveillance with small fixed wing aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGee, Timothy Garland

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to act as low cost tools in a variety of both civilian and military applications including traffic monitoring, border patrol, and search and rescue. While most current operational UAV systems require human operators, advances in autonomy will allow these systems to reach their full potential as sensor platforms. This dissertation specifically focuses on developing advanced control, path planning, search, and image processing techniques that allow small fixed wing aircraft to autonomously collect data. The problems explored were motivated by experience with the development and experimental flight testing of a fleet of small autonomous fixed wing aircraft. These issues, which have not been fully addressed in past work done on ground vehicles or autonomous helicopters, include the influence of wind and turning rate constraints, the non-negligible velocity of ground targets relative to the aircraft velocity, and limitations on sensor size and processing power on small vehicles. Several contributions for the autonomous operation of small fixed wing aircraft are presented. Several sliding surface controllers are designed which extend previous techniques to include variable sliding surface coefficients and the use of spatial vehicle dynamics. These advances eliminate potential singularities in the control laws to follow spatially defined paths and allow smooth transition between controllers. The optimal solution for the problem of path planning through an ordered set of points for an aircraft with a bounded turning rate in the presence of a constant wind is then discussed. Path planning strategies are also explored to guarantee that a searcher will travel within sensing distance of a mobile ground target. This work assumes only a maximum velocity of the target and is designed to succeed for any possible path of the target. Closed-loop approximations of both the path planning and search techniques, using the sliding surface controllers already discussed, are also studied. Finally, a novel method is presented to detect obstacles by segmenting an image into sky and non-sky regions. The feasibility of this method is demonstrated experimentally on an aircraft test bed.

Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-04

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Scientist Dave Fratantoni works on the EcoMapper AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) onboard the Institute's research vessel Knorr, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Woods Hole, Mass. The EcoMappers will be deployed in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS) which is set to sail on Sept. 6. The NASA-sponsored expedition will sail to the North Atlantic's saltiest spot to get a detailed, 3-D picture of how salt content fluctuates in the ocean's upper layers and how these variations are related to shifts in rainfall patterns around the planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-04

Two EcoMapper AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) are seen onboard the the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution research vessel Knorr on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Woods Hole, Mass. The EcoMappers will be deployed in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS) which is set to sail on Sept. 6. The NASA-sponsored expedition will sail to the North Atlantic's saltiest spot to get a detailed, 3-D picture of how salt content fluctuates in the ocean's upper layers and how these variations are related to shifts in rainfall patterns around the planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The evolving neurobiology of gut feelings.

PubMed

Mayer, E A; Naliboff, B; Munakata, J

2000-01-01

The bi-directional communication between limbic regions and the viscera play a central role in the generation and expression of emotional responses and associated emotional feelings. The response of different viscera to distinct, emotion-specific patterns of autonomic output is fed back to the brain, in particular to the cingulofrontal convergence region. Even though this process unfolds largely without conscious awareness, it plays an important role in emotional function and may influence rational decision making in the healthy individual. Alterations in this bi-directional process such as peripheral pathologies within the gut or alterations at the brain level may explain the close association between certain affective disorders and functional visceral syndromes.

Adaptive Control Allocation for Fault Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles Casavola, A.; Garone, E. (2007) Adaptive Control Allocation for Fault Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous ...Adaptive Control Allocation for Fault Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles 3.2 - 2 RTO-MP-AVT-145 UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED Control allocation problem (CAP) - Given a virtual input v(t

Unmanned tactical autonomous control and collaboration (utacc) human machine integration measures of performance and measures of effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

AUTONOMOUS CONTROL AND COLLABORATION (UTACC) HUMAN-MACHINE INTEGRATION MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS by Thomas A...TACTICAL AUTONOMOUS CONTROL AND COLLABORATION (UTACC) HUMAN-MACHINE INTEGRATION MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS 5. FUNDING...Tactical Autonomous Control and Collaboration (UTACC) program seeks to integrate Marines and autonomous machines to address the challenges encountered in

Effects of the ethanol extract of black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruit on experimental atherosclerosis in rats.

PubMed

Jiang, Yan; Dai, Min; Nie, Wen-Jing; Yang, Xiao-Rong; Zeng, Xian-Chun

2017-03-22

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the major pathogenic component of coronary artery and cardiovascular disease. Studies have increasingly focused on natural medicines that have lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial-protection activities. Black mulberry fruits are traditionally used in Uyghur folk medicine for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in southern Xinjiang region of China. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Thus, our objective was to explore the effects and underlying mechanisms of ethanol extract of black mulberry (EEBM) in experimental atherosclerotic rats. The black mulberry fruit was extracted with acid ethanol and chromatographed on an AB-8 macroporous resin to obtain EEBM. Atherosclerotic rats were divided into five groups: normal, model, model plus simvastatin (5mg/kgd·body weight), and model plus low-dose and high-dose EEBM groups (105 and 210mg/kgd·body weight, respectively). Serum lipid profiles were measured by an automatic biochemistry analyser. The activities of anti-oxidative enzymes were determined using the chemical colorimetric method. Pathological changes in liver and arteries were examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and the intima-media thickness was measured. The high-dose EEBM group showed significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, as well as atherogenic index. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose EEBM markedly decreased malondialdehyde content and enhanced anti-oxidative enzyme activities. Histopathological examination showed that EEBM attenuated hepatic steatosis and reduced intima-media thickness and arterial atherosclerotic lesions in atherosclerotic rats. These results suggest that EEBM suppressed atherosclerosis development in atherosclerotic rats by regulating lipid metabolism abnormalities, enhancing anti-oxidative activities, and reducing atherosclerotic lesions, which could be attributed to anthocyanins (23.75%), or the cooperative action of anthocyanins, polyphenols (2.95%), and flavonoids (0.94%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Republic Act No. 6734, 1 August 1989.

PubMed

1989-01-01

This document contains provisions of the Republic Act No. 6734 of August 1989 which sets forth the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region of Mindanao. Article 9 creates a Shari'ah Appellate Court for the Region which will have jurisdiction over cases involving persons, family, and property relations. Article 11 calls on the Regional Government to protect the ancestral domain and lands of the indigenous population. The Regional Assembly is directed to enact legislation covering child health and development, the condition of women and status of the indigenous population, and the registration of vital statistics. The Regional Government is also to create a housing program that will provide adequate, low-cost housing and other basic services. The family is recognized as the foundation of the nation, and the role of women in nation-building and regional development is acknowledged. Women will be adequately represented in appropriate decision- and policy-making bodies, and the government will take appropriate action against all forms of exploitation of and discrimination against women.

Plasmid origin of replication of herpesvirus papio: DNA sequence and enhancer function.

PubMed Central

Loeb, D D; Sung, N S; Pesano, R L; Sexton, C J; Hutchison, C; Pagano, J S

1990-01-01

Herpesvirus papio (HVP) is a lymphotropic virus of baboons which is related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and produces latent infection. The nucleotide sequence of the 5,775-base-pair (bp) EcoRI K fragment of HVP, which has previously been shown to confer the ability to replicate autonomously, has been determined. Within this DNA fragment is a region which bears structural and sequence similarity to the ori-P region of EBV. The HVP ori-P region has a 10- by 26-bp tandem array which is related to the 20- by 30-bp tandem array from the EBV ori-P region. In HVP there is an intervening region of 764 bp followed by five partial copies of the 26-bp monomer. Both the EBV and HVP 3' regions have the potential to form dyad structures which, however, differ in arrangement. We also demonstrate that a transcriptional enhancer which requires transactivation by a virus-encoded factor is present in the HVP ori-P. Images PMID:2159548

Health region development from the perspective of system theory - an empirical cross-regional case study.

PubMed

Volgger, Michael; Mainil, Tomas; Pechlaner, Harald; Mitas, Ondrej

2015-01-01

Governments are increasingly establishing health regions to deal with current challenges of public health service. These regions are seen as instruments to balance public and private stakeholders, and offer health care to regional citizens as well as to medical/health tourists. However, it is still unclear how the development of such health regions as well as their governance may be conceptualized. We apply Luhmann's system theory approach in the context of a cross-regional case study that compares health region developments in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol (Italy) with particular regard to the Eastern Dolomites and in the province of Zeeland (the Netherlands). We suggest that Luhmann's system theory provides a useful set of criteria to evaluate and judge health region development. Fully developed health regions can be understood as auto-poietic systems. By emphasizing programs, personnel, and communication channels, these case studies illustrate the suitability of the system theory toolset to analyze the governance and spatial embeddedness of health regions. Additionally, the study contributes to literature by indicating that health regions are closely related to identity issues and to decision making in regions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The autonomic higher order processing nuclei of the lower brain stem are among the early targets of the Alzheimer's disease-related cytoskeletal pathology.

PubMed

Rüb, U; Del Tredici, K; Schultz, C; Thal, D R; Braak, E; Braak, H

2001-06-01

The nuclei of the pontine parabrachial region (medial parabrachial nucleus, MPB; lateral parabrachial nucleus, LPB; subpeduncular nucleus, SPP) together with the intermediate zone of the medullary reticular formation (IRZ) are pivotal relay stations within central autonomic regulatory feedback systems. This study was undertaken to investigate the evolution of the Alzheimer's disease-related cytoskeletal pathology in these four sites of the lower brain stem. We examined the MPB, LPB, SPP and IRZ in 27 autopsy cases and classified the cortical Alzheimer-related cytoskeletal anomalies according to an established staging system (neurofibrillary tangle/neuropil threads [NFT/NT] stages I-VI). The lesions were visualized either with the antibody AT8, which is immunospecific for the abnormally phosphorylated form of the cytoskeletal protein tau, or with a modified Gallyas silver iodide stain. The MPB, SPB, and IRZ display cytoskeletal pathology in stage I and the LPB in stage II, whereby bothstages correspond to the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In stages III-IV (incipient AD), the MPB and SPP are severely affected. In all of the stage III-IV cases, the lesions in the LPB and IRZ are well developed. In stages V and VI (clinical phase of AD), the MPB and SPP are filled with the abnormal intraneuronal material. At stages V-VI, the LPB is moderately involved and the IRZ shows severe damage. The pathogenesis of the AD-related cytoskeletal lesions in the nuclei of the pontine parabrachial region and in the IRZ conforms with the cortical NFT/NT staging sequence I-VI. In the event that the cytoskeletal pathology observed in this study impairs the function of the nerve cells involved, it is conceivable that autonomic mechanisms progressively deteriorate with advancing cortical NFT/NT stages. This relationship remains to be established, but it could provide insights into the illusive correlation between the AD-related cytoskeletal pathology and the function of affected neurons.

Preparing to predict: The Second Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network (AOSN-II) experiment in the Monterey Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramp, S. R.; Davis, R. E.; Leonard, N. E.; Shulman, I.; Chao, Y.; Robinson, A. R.; Marsden, J.; Lermusiaux, P. F. J.; Fratantoni, D. M.; Paduan, J. D.; Chavez, F. P.; Bahr, F. L.; Liang, S.; Leslie, W.; Li, Z.

2009-02-01

The Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network Phase Two (AOSN-II) experiment was conducted in and offshore from the Monterey Bay on the central California coast during July 23-September 6, 2003. The objective of the experiment was to learn how to apply new tools, technologies, and analysis techniques to adaptively sample the coastal ocean in a manner demonstrably superior to traditional methodologies, and to use the information gathered to improve predictive skill for quantities of interest to end-users. The scientific goal was to study the upwelling/relaxation cycle near an open coastal bay in an eastern boundary current region, particularly as it developed and spread from a coastal headland. The suite of observational tools used included a low-flying aircraft, a fleet of underwater gliders, including several under adaptive autonomous control, and propeller-driven AUVs in addition to moorings, ships, and other more traditional hardware. The data were delivered in real time and assimilated into the Harvard Ocean Prediction System (HOPS), the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM), and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory implementation of the Regional Ocean Modeling System (JPL/ROMS). Two upwelling events and one relaxation event were sampled during the experiment. The upwelling in both cases began when a pool of cold water less than 13 °C appeared near Cape Año Nuevo and subsequently spread offshore and southward across the bay as the equatorward wind stress continued. The primary difference between the events was that the first event spread offshore and southward, while the second event spread only southward and not offshore. The difference is attributed to the position and strength of meanders and eddies of the California Current System offshore, which blocked or steered the cold upwelled water. The space and time scales of the mesoscale variability were much shorter than have been previously observed in deep-water eddies offshore. Additional process studies are needed to elucidate the dynamics of the flow.

Autonomic regulation of hepatic glucose production.

PubMed

Bisschop, Peter H; Fliers, Eric; Kalsbeek, Andries

2015-01-01

Glucose produced by the liver is a major energy source for the brain. Considering its critical dependence on glucose, it seems only natural that the brain is capable of monitoring and controlling glucose homeostasis. In addition to neuroendocrine pathways, the brain uses the autonomic nervous system to communicate with peripheral organs. Within the brain, the hypothalamus is the key region to integrate signals on energy status, including signals from lipid, glucose, and hormone sensing cells, with afferent neural signals from the internal and external milieu. In turn, the hypothalamus regulates metabolism in peripheral organs, including the liver, not only via the anterior pituitary gland but also via multiple neuropeptidergic pathways in the hypothalamus that have been identified as regulators of hepatic glucose metabolism. These pathways comprise preautonomic neurons projecting to nuclei in the brain stem and spinal cord, which relay signals from the hypothalamus to the liver via the autonomic nervous system. The neuroendocrine and neuronal outputs of the hypothalamus are not separate entities. They appear to act as a single integrated regulatory system, far more subtle, and complex than when each is viewed in isolation. Consequently, hypothalamic regulation should be viewed as a summation of both neuroendocrine and neural influences. As a result, our endocrine-based understanding of diseases such as diabetes and obesity should be expanded by integration of neural inputs into our concept of the pathophysiological process. © 2014 American Physiological Society.

Effects of prefrontal rTMS on autonomic reactions to affective pictures.

PubMed

Berger, Christoph; Domes, Gregor; Balschat, Johannes; Thome, Johannes; Höppner, Jacqueline

2017-02-01

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can modulate the excitability of stimulated cortical areas, such as prefrontal areas involved in emotion regulation. Low frequency (LF) rTMS is expected to have inhibitory effects on prefrontal regions, and thereby should disinhibit limbic activity, resulting in enhanced emotional and autonomic reactions. For high frequency (HF) rTMS, the opposite pattern might be assumed. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different rTMS frequencies applied to the right dlPFC on autonomic functions and on emotional perception. In a crossover design, two groups of 20 healthy young women were either stimulated with one session of LF rTMS (1 Hz) or one session of HF rTMS (10 Hz), compared to sham stimulation. We assessed phasic cardiac responses (PCR), skin conductance reactions (SCR), and emotional appraisal of emotional pictures as well as recognition memory after each rTMS application. After LF rTMS, PCR (heart rate deceleration) during presentation of pictures with negative and neutral valence was significantly increased compared to the presentation of positive pictures. In contrast, the modulatory effect of picture valence and arousal on the cardiac orienting response was absent after HF rTMS. Our results suggest that frontal LF rTMS indirectly activates the ANS via inhibition of the right dlPFC activity, likely by enhancing the sensory processing or attention to aversive and neutral stimuli.

Autonomy in Materials Research: A Case Study in Carbon Nanotube Growth (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-21

built an Autonomous Research System (ARES)—an autonomous research robot capable of first-of-its-kind closed-loop iterative materials experimentation...ARES exploits advances in autonomous robotics , artificial intelligence, data sciences, and high-throughput and in situ techniques, and is able to...roles of humans and autonomous research robots , and for human-machine partnering. We believe autonomous research robots like ARES constitute a

Apoptosis and Self-Destruct: A Contribution to Autonomic Agents?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

Autonomic Computing (AC), a self-managing systems initiative based on the biological metaphor of the autonomic nervous system, is increasingly gaining momentum as the way forward in designing reliable systems. Agent technologies have been identified as a key enabler for engineering autonomicity in systems, both in terms of retrofitting autonomicity into legacy systems and designing new systems. The AC initiative provides an opportunity to consider other biological systems and principles in seeking new design strategies. This paper reports on one such investigation; utilizing the apoptosis metaphor of biological systems to provide a dynamic health indicator signal between autonomic agents.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus in arthropod vectors in the Far East of Russia.

PubMed

Pukhovskaya, Natalia M; Morozova, Olga V; Vysochina, Nelya P; Belozerova, Nadejda B; Bakhmetyeva, Svetlana V; Zdanovskaya, Nina I; Seligman, Stephen J; Ivanov, Leonid I

2018-05-01

Isolates of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) from arthropod vectors (ticks and mosquitoes) in the Amur, the Jewish Autonomous and the Sakhalin regions as well as on the Khabarovsk territory of the Far East of Russia were studied. Different proportions of four main tick species of the family Ixodidae: Ixodes persulcatus P. Schulze, 1930; Haemaphysalis concinna Koch, 1844; Haemaphysalis japonica douglasi Nuttall et Warburton, 1915 and Dermacentor silvarum Olenev, 1932 were found in forests and near settlements. RT-PCR of TBEV RNA in adult ticks collected from vegetation in 1999-2014 revealed average infection rates of 7.9 ± 0.7% in I. persulcatus, of 5.6 ± 1.0% in H. concinna, of 2.0 ± 2.0% in H. japonica, and of 1.3 ± 1.3% in D. silvarum. Viral loads varied in a range from 10 2 to 10 9 TBEV genome-equivalents per a tick with the maximal values in I. persulcatus and H. japonica. Molecular typing using reverse transcription with subsequent real time PCR with subtype-specific fluorescent probes demonstrated that the Far Eastern (FE) subtype of TBEV predominated both in mono-infections and in mixed infection with the Siberian (Sib) subtype in I. persulcatus pools. TBEV strains of the FE subtype were isolated from I. persulcatus, H. concinna and from a pool of Aedes vexans mosquitoes. Ten TBEV strains isolated from I. persulcatus from the Khabarovsk territory and the Jewish Autonomous region between 1985 and 2013 cluster with the TBEV vaccine strain Sofjin of the FE subtype isolated from human brain in 1937. A TBEV strain from H. concinna collected in the Amur region (GenBank accession number KF880803) is similar to the vaccine strain 205 isolated in 1973 from I. persulcatus collected in the Jewish Autonomous region. The TBEV strain Lazo MP36 of the FE subtype isolated from a pool of A. vexans in the Khabarovsk territory in 2014 (KT001073) differs from strains isolated from 1) I. persulcatus (including the vaccine strain 205) and H. concinna; 2) mosquitoes [strain Malishevo (KJ744034) isolated in 1978 from Aedes vexans nipponii in the Khabarovsk territory]; and 3) human brain (including the vaccine strain Sofjin). Accordingly, in the far eastern natural foci, TBEV of the prevailing FE subtype has remained stable since 1937. Both Russian vaccines against TBE based on the FE strains (Sofjin and 205) are similar to the new viral isolates and might protect against infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Use of Satellite Imagery to Monitor the Oasis Agriculture in the Turpan Depression, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China--A Case Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

drops at its lowest point to 154 meters below sea level and presents a varied natural panorama of desert, oasis, gorges and sand dunes. The chief...Febr’iarv each :ear AraiKawa. Ab’ . -. 25 Thermal conditions in the depression are similar to those in North China, but the amount of precipitation is

Symmetries and solutions of the non-autonomous von Bertalanffy equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Maureen P.; Anderssen, Robert S.

2015-05-01

For growth in a closed environment, which is indicative of the situation in laboratory experiments, autonomous ODE models do not necessarily capture the dynamics under investigation. The importance and impact of a closed environment arise when the question under examination relates, for example, to the number of the surviving microbes, such as in a study of the spoilage and contamination of food, the gene silencing activity of fungi or the production of a chemical compound by bacteria or fungi. Autonomous ODE models are inappropriate as they assume that only the current size of the population controls the growth-decay dynamics. This is reflected in the fact that, asymptotically, their solutions can only grow or decay monotonically or asymptote. Non-autonomous ODE models are not so constrained. A natural strategy for the choice of non-autonomous ODEs is to take appropriate autonomous ones and change them to be non-autonomous through the introduction of relevant non-autonomous terms. This is the approach in this paper with the focus being the von Bertalanffy equation. Since this equation has independent importance in relation to practical applications in growth modelling, it is natural to explore the deeper relationships between the introduced non-autonomous terms through a symmetry analysis, which is the purpose and goal of the current paper. Infinitesimals are derived which allow particular forms of the non-autonomous von Bertalanffy equation to be transformed into autonomous forms for which some new analytic solutions have been found.

ALI (Autonomous Lunar Investigator): Revolutionary Approach to Exploring the Moon with Addressable Reconfigurable Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, P. E.; Curtis, S. A.; Rilee, M. L.; Floyd, S. R.

2005-03-01

Addressable Reconfigurable Technology (ART), conceived for future ANTS (Autonomous Nanotechnology Swarm) Architectures, is now implemented as Autonomous Lunar Investigator (ALI) rovers, a mission concept allowing autonomous exploration of the lunar farside and poles within 10 years.

Hemispheric asymmetry in stress processing in rat prefrontal cortex and the role of mesocortical dopamine.

PubMed

Sullivan, R M

2004-06-01

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to play an important role not only in the regulation of emotion, but in the integration of affective states with appropriate modulation of autonomic and neuroendocrine stress regulatory systems. The present review highlights findings in the rat which helps to elucidate the complex nature of prefrontal involvement in emotion and stress regulation. The medial PFC is particularly important in this regard and while dorsomedial regions appear to play a suppressive role in such regulation, the ventromedial (particularly infralimbic) region appears to activate behavioral, neuroendocrine and sympathetic autonomic systems in response to stressful situations. This may be especially true of spontaneous stress-related behavior or physiological responses to relatively acute stressors. The role of the medial PFC is somewhat more complex in conditions involving learned adjustments to stressful situations, such as the extinction of conditioned fear responses, but it is clear that the medial PFC is important in incorporating stressful experience for future adaptive behavior. It is also suggested that mesocortical dopamine plays an important adaptive role in this region by preventing excessive behavioral and physiological stress reactivity. The rat brain shows substantial hemispheric specialization in many respects, and while the right PFC is normally dominant in the activation of stress-related systems, the left may play a role in countering this activation through processes of interhemispheric inhibition. This proposed basic template for the lateralization of stress regulatory systems is suggested to be associated with efficient stress and emotional self-regulation, and also to be shaped by both early postnatal experience and gender differences.

Experiential, Autonomic, and Neural Responses During Threat Anticipation Vary as a Function of Threat Intensity and Neuroticism

PubMed Central

Drabant, Emily M; Kuo, Janice R; Ramel, Wiveka; Blechert, Jens; Edge, Michael D; Cooper, Jeff R; Goldin, Philippe R; Hariri, Ahmad R; Gross, James J

2011-01-01

Anticipatory emotional responses play a crucial role in preparing individuals for impending challenges. They do this by triggering a coordinated set of changes in behavioral, autonomic, and neural response systems. In the present study, we examined the biobehavioral impact of varying levels of anticipatory anxiety, using a shock anticipation task in which unpredictable electric shocks were threatened and delivered to the wrist at variable intervals and intensities (safe, medium, strong). This permitted investigation of a dynamic range of anticipatory anxiety responses. In two studies, 95 and 51 healthy female participants, respectively, underwent this shock anticipation task while providing continuous ratings of anxiety experience and electrodermal responding (Study 1) and during fMRI BOLD neuroimaging (Study 2). Results indicated a step-wise pattern of responding in anxiety experience and electrodermal responses. Several brain regions showed robust responses to shock anticipation relative to safe trials, including the hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray, caudate, precentral gyrus, thalamus, insula, ventrolateral PFC, dorsomedial PFC, and ACC. A subset of these regions demonstrated a linear pattern of increased responding from safe to medium to strong trials, including the bilateral insula, ACC, and inferior frontal gyrus. These responses were modulated by individual differences in neuroticism, such that those high in neuroticism showed exaggerated anxiety experience across the entire task, and reduced brain activation from medium to strong trials in a subset of brain regions. These findings suggest that individual differences in neuroticism may influence sensitivity to anticipatory threat and provide new insights into the mechanism through which neuroticism may confer risk for developing anxiety disorders via dysregulated anticipatory responses. PMID:21093595

Methods of determining complete sensor requirements for autonomous mobility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, Steven A. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A method of determining complete sensor requirements for autonomous mobility of an autonomous system includes computing a time variation of each behavior of a set of behaviors of the autonomous system, determining mobility sensitivity to each behavior of the autonomous system, and computing a change in mobility based upon the mobility sensitivity to each behavior and the time variation of each behavior. The method further includes determining the complete sensor requirements of the autonomous system through analysis of the relative magnitude of the change in mobility, the mobility sensitivity to each behavior, and the time variation of each behavior, wherein the relative magnitude of the change in mobility, the mobility sensitivity to each behavior, and the time variation of each behavior are characteristic of the stability of the autonomous system.

Frequency analysis of heart rate variability: a useful assessment tool of linearly polarized near-infrared irradiation to stellate ganglion area for burning mouth syndrome.

PubMed

Momota, Yukihiro; Takano, Hideyuki; Kani, Koichi; Matsumoto, Fumihiro; Motegi, Katsumi; Aota, Keiko; Yamamura, Yoshiko; Omori, Mayuko; Tomioka, Shigemasa; Azuma, Masayuki

2013-03-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by the following subjective complaints without distinct organic changes: burning sensation in mouth or chronic pain of tongue. BMS is also known as glossodynia; both terms are used equivalently in Japan. Although the real cause of BMS is still unknown, it has been pointed out that BMS is related to some autonomic abnormality, and that stellate ganglion near-infrared irradiation (SGR) corrects the autonomic abnormality. Frequency analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is expected to be useful for assessing autonomic abnormality. This study investigated whether frequency analysis of HRV could reveal autonomic abnormality associated with BMS, and whether autonomic changes were corrected after SGR. Eight subjects received SGR; the response to SGR was assessed by frequency analysis of HRV. No significant difference of autonomic activity concerning low-frequency (LF) norm, high-frequency (HF) norm, and low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) was found between SGR effective and ineffective groups. Therefore, we proposed new parameters: differential normalized low frequency (D LF norm), differential normalized high frequency (D HF norm), and differential low-frequency/high-frequency (D LF/HF), which were defined as differentials between original parameters just before and after SGR. These parameters as indexes of responsiveness of autonomic nervous system (ANS) revealed autonomic changes in BMS, and BMS seems to be related to autonomic instability rather than autonomic imbalance. Frequency analysis of HRV revealed the autonomic instability associated with BMS and enabled tracing of autonomic changes corrected with SGR. It is suggested that frequency analysis of HRV is very useful in follow up of BMS and for determination of the therapeutic efficacy of SGR. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Terrain Navigation Concepts for Autonomous Vehicles,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

AD-fi144 994 TERRAIN NAVIGATION CONCEPTS FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES (U) i/i I ARMY ENGINEER OPOGRAPHIC LABS FORT BELVOIR VA R D LEIGHTY JUN 84 ETL-R@65...FUNCTIONS The pacing problem for developing autonomous vehicles that can efficiently move to designated locations in the real world in the perfor- mance...autonomous functions can serve as general terrain navigation requirements for our discussion of autonomous vehicles . LEIGHTY Can we build a vehicular system

Teleoperated master-slave needle insertion.

PubMed

Abolhassani, Niki; Patel, Rajni V

2009-12-01

Accuracy of needle tip placement and needle tracking in soft tissue are of particular importance in many medical procedures. In recent years, developing autonomous and teleoperated systems for needle insertion has become an active area of research. In this study, needle insertion was performed using a master-slave set-up with multi-degrees of freedom. The effect of force feedback on the accuracy of needle insertion was investigated. In addition, this study compared autonomous, teleoperated and semi-autonomous needle insertion. The results of this study show that incorporation of force feedback can improve teleoperated needle insertion. However, autonomous and semi-autonomous needle insertions, which use feedback from a deflection model, provide significantly better performance. Development of a haptic master-slave needle insertion system, which is capable of performing some autonomous tasks based on feedback from tissue deformation and needle deflection models, can improve the performance of autonomous robotics-based insertions as well as non-autonomous teleoperated manual insertions. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

News from Tartary: an ethnopharmacological approach to drug and therapeutic discovery

PubMed Central

Hamza, Nawel; Berke, Benedicte; Umar, Anwar

2016-01-01

Ethnopharmacology aims to identify new therapeutic agents based on their traditional use. It begins by the identification of disease states, and of the traditional therapies for these, most commonly herbals. Herbals of interest are selected from ethnopharmacological surveys, and tested on experimental models of the diseases of interest. Once the activity of the traditional remedy is demonstrated, including dose‐dependence, if possible comparatively to reference medications, the active ingredients can be explored, if possible using bioguided extraction. Identified molecules can then be further developed as medicinal products or pharmaceutical medicines (e.g., artemisine), or the herbal product can be developed as such (e.g. St John's wort). We provide examples of various study programmes, concerning the antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of Armagnac extracts from Southwest France; antithrombotic and antihypertensive effects of extracts of Ocimum basilicum L; antithrombotic, antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic effects of Cydonia oblonga; Antiproliferative and antithrombotic effects of Abnorma Savda Munziq of traditional Uyghur medicine; and the antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects of Centaurium erythraea Rafn, Artemisia herba‐alba Asso and Trigonella foenum‐graecum L., all in collaboration between University of Bordeaux, France, Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi, China and University Mentouri in Constantine, Algeria. PMID:27297624

Genetic autonomic disorders.

PubMed

Axelrod, Felicia B

2013-03-01

Genetic disorders affecting the autonomic nervous system can result in abnormal development of the nervous system or they can be caused by neurotransmitter imbalance, an ion-channel disturbance or by storage of deleterious material. The symptoms indicating autonomic dysfunction, however, will depend upon whether the genetic lesion has disrupted peripheral or central autonomic centers or both. Because the autonomic nervous system is pervasive and affects every organ system in the body, autonomic dysfunction will result in impaired homeostasis and symptoms will vary. The possibility of genetic confirmation by molecular testing for specific diagnosis is increasing but treatments tend to remain only supportive and directed toward particular symptoms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autonomic Correlates of Speech Versus Nonspeech Tasks in Children and Adults

PubMed Central

Arnold, Hayley S.; MacPherson, Megan K.; Smith, Anne

2015-01-01

Purpose To assess autonomic arousal associated with speech and nonspeech tasks in school-age children and young adults. Method Measures of autonomic arousal (electrodermal level, electrodermal response amplitude, blood pulse volume, and heart rate) were recorded prior to, during, and after the performance of speech and nonspeech tasks by twenty 7- to 9-year-old children and twenty 18- to 22-year-old adults. Results Across age groups, autonomic arousal was higher for speech tasks compared with nonspeech tasks, based on peak electrodermal response amplitude and blood pulse volume. Children demonstrated greater relative arousal, based on heart rate and blood pulse volume, for nonspeech oral motor tasks than adults but showed similar mean arousal levels for speech tasks as adults. Children demonstrated sex differences in autonomic arousal; specifically, autonomic arousal remained high for school-age boys but not girls in a more complex open-ended narrative task that followed a simple sentence production task. Conclusions Speech tasks elicit greater autonomic arousal than nonspeech tasks, and children demonstrate greater autonomic arousal for nonspeech oral motor tasks than adults. Sex differences in autonomic arousal associated with speech tasks in school-age children are discussed relative to speech-language differences between boys and girls. PMID:24686989

Tactical Decision Aids High Bandwidth Links Using Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

1 Tactical Decision Aids (High Bandwidth Links Using Autonomous Vehicles ) A. J. Healey, D. P. Horner, Center for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle...SUBTITLE Tactical Decision Aids (High Bandwidth Links Using Autonomous Vehicles ) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials & Microsystems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-09

Mechanics of Materials; Life Prediction (Materials & Micro-devices); Sensing, Precognition & Diagnosis; Multifunctional Design of Autonomic...Life Prediction (Materials & Micro-devices); Sensing, Precognition & Diagnosis; Multifunctional Design of Autonomic Systems; Multifunctional...release; distribution is unlimited. 7 VISION: EXPANDED • site specific • autonomic AUTONOMIC AEROSPACE STRUCTURES • Sensing & Precognition • Self

Systems, methods and apparatus for quiesence of autonomic systems with self action

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Sterritt, Roy (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided in which an autonomic unit or element is quiesced. A quiesce component of an autonomic unit can cause the autonomic unit to self-destruct if a stay-alive reprieve signal is not received after a predetermined time.

Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-02

AD-A282 780 Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles Alonzo Kelly CMU-RI-TR-94-1 8 D IC SELECTF - pUG01 �j ~G U The Robotics Inttt ’I 94-2i...way of doing range image perception. Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles page 1. LZ Commentary The throughput problem of autonomous navigaticn...idea will be applied to the problem of terrain mapping in outdoor rough terrain. Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles page 2. 2. Analytical

Autonomic neuropathies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, P. A.

1998-01-01

A limited autonomic neuropathy may underlie some unusual clinical syndromes, including the postural tachycardia syndrome, pseudo-obstruction syndrome, heat intolerance, and perhaps chronic fatigue syndrome. Antibodies to autonomic structures are common in diabetes, but their specificity is unknown. The presence of autonomic failure worsens prognosis in the diabetic state. Some autonomic neuropathies are treatable. Familial amyloid polyneuropathy may respond to liver transplantation. There are anecdotal reports of acute panautonomic neuropathy responding to intravenous gamma globulin. Orthostatic hypotension may respond to erythropoietin or midodrine.

Feedback for reinforcement learning based brain-machine interfaces using confidence metrics.

PubMed

Prins, Noeline W; Sanchez, Justin C; Prasad, Abhishek

2017-06-01

For brain-machine interfaces (BMI) to be used in activities of daily living by paralyzed individuals, the BMI should be as autonomous as possible. One of the challenges is how the feedback is extracted and utilized in the BMI. Our long-term goal is to create autonomous BMIs that can utilize an evaluative feedback from the brain to update the decoding algorithm and use it intelligently in order to adapt the decoder. In this study, we show how to extract the necessary evaluative feedback from a biologically realistic (synthetic) source, use both the quantity and the quality of the feedback, and how that feedback information can be incorporated into a reinforcement learning (RL) controller architecture to maximize its performance. Motivated by the perception-action-reward cycle (PARC) in the brain which links reward for cognitive decision making and goal-directed behavior, we used a reward-based RL architecture named Actor-Critic RL as the model. Instead of using an error signal towards building an autonomous BMI, we envision to use a reward signal from the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) which plays a key role in the linking of reward to motor behaviors. To deal with the complexity and non-stationarity of biological reward signals, we used a confidence metric which was used to indicate the degree of feedback accuracy. This confidence was added to the Actor's weight update equation in the RL controller architecture. If the confidence was high (>0.2), the BMI decoder used this feedback to update its parameters. However, when the confidence was low, the BMI decoder ignored the feedback and did not update its parameters. The range between high confidence and low confidence was termed as the 'ambiguous' region. When the feedback was within this region, the BMI decoder updated its weight at a lower rate than when fully confident, which was decided by the confidence. We used two biologically realistic models to generate synthetic data for MI (Izhikevich model) and NAcc (Humphries model) to validate proposed controller architecture. In this work, we show how the overall performance of the BMI was improved by using a threshold close to the decision boundary to reject erroneous feedback. Additionally, we show the stability of the system improved when the feedback was used with a threshold. The result of this study is a step towards making BMIs autonomous. While our method is not fully autonomous, the results demonstrate that extensive training times necessary at the beginning of each BMI session can be significantly decreased. In our approach, decoder training time was only limited to 10 trials in the first BMI session. Subsequent sessions used previous session weights to initialize the decoder. We also present a method where the use of a threshold can be applied to any decoder with a feedback signal that is less than perfect so that erroneous feedback can be avoided and the stability of the system can be increased.

Feedback for reinforcement learning based brain-machine interfaces using confidence metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prins, Noeline W.; Sanchez, Justin C.; Prasad, Abhishek

2017-06-01

Objective. For brain-machine interfaces (BMI) to be used in activities of daily living by paralyzed individuals, the BMI should be as autonomous as possible. One of the challenges is how the feedback is extracted and utilized in the BMI. Our long-term goal is to create autonomous BMIs that can utilize an evaluative feedback from the brain to update the decoding algorithm and use it intelligently in order to adapt the decoder. In this study, we show how to extract the necessary evaluative feedback from a biologically realistic (synthetic) source, use both the quantity and the quality of the feedback, and how that feedback information can be incorporated into a reinforcement learning (RL) controller architecture to maximize its performance. Approach. Motivated by the perception-action-reward cycle (PARC) in the brain which links reward for cognitive decision making and goal-directed behavior, we used a reward-based RL architecture named Actor-Critic RL as the model. Instead of using an error signal towards building an autonomous BMI, we envision to use a reward signal from the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) which plays a key role in the linking of reward to motor behaviors. To deal with the complexity and non-stationarity of biological reward signals, we used a confidence metric which was used to indicate the degree of feedback accuracy. This confidence was added to the Actor’s weight update equation in the RL controller architecture. If the confidence was high (>0.2), the BMI decoder used this feedback to update its parameters. However, when the confidence was low, the BMI decoder ignored the feedback and did not update its parameters. The range between high confidence and low confidence was termed as the ‘ambiguous’ region. When the feedback was within this region, the BMI decoder updated its weight at a lower rate than when fully confident, which was decided by the confidence. We used two biologically realistic models to generate synthetic data for MI (Izhikevich model) and NAcc (Humphries model) to validate proposed controller architecture. Main results. In this work, we show how the overall performance of the BMI was improved by using a threshold close to the decision boundary to reject erroneous feedback. Additionally, we show the stability of the system improved when the feedback was used with a threshold. Significance: The result of this study is a step towards making BMIs autonomous. While our method is not fully autonomous, the results demonstrate that extensive training times necessary at the beginning of each BMI session can be significantly decreased. In our approach, decoder training time was only limited to 10 trials in the first BMI session. Subsequent sessions used previous session weights to initialize the decoder. We also present a method where the use of a threshold can be applied to any decoder with a feedback signal that is less than perfect so that erroneous feedback can be avoided and the stability of the system can be increased.

May a unitary autonomic index help assess autonomic cardiac regulation in elite athletes? Preliminary observations on the national Italian Olympic committee team.

PubMed

Sala, Roberto; Malacarne, Mara; Tosi, Fabio; Benzi, Manuela; Solaro, Nadia; Tamorri, Stefano; Spataro, Antonio; Pagani, Massimo; Lucini, Daniela

2017-12-01

Long term endurance training, as occurring in elite athletes, is associated to cardiac neural remodeling in favor of cardioprotective vagal mechanisms, resulting in resting bradycardia and augmented contribution of cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity. Autonomic assessment can be performed by way of heart rate variability. This technique however provides multiple indices, and there is not yet complete agreement on their specific significance. Purpose of the study was to assess whether a rank transformation and radar plot could provide a unitary autonomic index, capable to show a correlation between intensity of individual work and quality of autonomic regulation. We studied 711 (23.6±6.2 years) elite athletes that took part in the selection procedure for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games for the National Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). Indices from Heart Rate Variability HRV obtained at rest, during standing up and during recovery from an exercise test were used to compute a percent ranked unitary autonomic index for sport (ANSIs), taken as proxy of quality of autonomic regulation. Within the observed wide range of energy expenditure, the unitary autonomic index ANSIs appears significantly correlated to individual and discipline specific training workloads (r=0.25, P<0.001 and r=0.78, P<0.001, respectively), correcting for possible age and gender bias. ANSIs also positively correlates to lipid profile. Estimated intensity of physical activity correlates with quality of cardiac autonomic regulation, as expressed by a novel unitary index of cardiac autonomic regulation. ANSIs could provide a novel and convenient approach to individual autonomic evaluation in athletes.

A translational in vivo model of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias: therapeutic characterization.

PubMed

Akerman, Simon; Holland, Philip R; Summ, Oliver; Lasalandra, Michele P; Goadsby, Peter J

2012-12-01

Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias are highly disabling primary headache disorders, characterized by severe unilateral head pain and associated ipsilateral cranial autonomic features. There is limited understanding of their pathophysiology and how and where treatments act to reduce symptoms; this is significantly hindered by a lack of animal models. We have developed the first animal model to explore trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, using stimulation within the brainstem, at the level of the superior salivatory nucleus, to activate the trigeminal autonomic reflex arc. Using electrophysiological recording of neurons of the trigeminocervical complex and laser Doppler blood flow changes around the ipsilateral lacrimal duct, superior salivatory nucleus stimulation exhibited both neuronal trigeminovascular and cranial autonomic manifestations. These responses were specifically inhibited by the autonomic ganglion blocker hexamethonium bromide. These data demonstrate that brainstem activation may be the driver of both sensory and autonomic symptoms in these disorders, and part of this activation may be via the parasympathetic outflow to the cranial vasculature. Additionally, both sensory and autonomic manifestations were significantly inhibited by highly effective treatments for trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, such as oxygen, indomethacin and triptans, and some part of their therapeutic action appears to be specifically on the parasympathetic outflow to the cranial vasculature. Treatments more used to migraine, such as naproxen and a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor inhibitor, olcegepant, were less effective in this model. This is the first model to represent the phenotype of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias and their response to therapies, and indicates the parasympathetic pathway may be uniquely involved in their pathophysiology and targeted to relieve symptoms.

LandingNav: a precision autonomous landing sensor for robotic platforms on planetary bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katake, Anup; Bruccoleri, Chrisitian; Singla, Puneet; Junkins, John L.

2010-01-01

Increased interest in the exploration of extra terrestrial planetary bodies calls for an increase in the number of spacecraft landing on remote planetary surfaces. Currently, imaging and radar based surveys are used to determine regions of interest and a safe landing zone. The purpose of this paper is to introduce LandingNav, a sensor system solution for autonomous landing on planetary bodies that enables landing on unknown terrain. LandingNav is based on a novel multiple field of view imaging system that leverages the integration of different state of the art technologies for feature detection, tracking, and 3D dense stereo map creation. In this paper we present the test flight results of the LandingNav system prototype. Sources of errors due to hardware limitations and processing algorithms were identified and will be discussed. This paper also shows that addressing the issues identified during the post-flight test data analysis will reduce the error down to 1-2%, thus providing for a high precision 3D range map sensor system.

Autonomic nervous system involvement in sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Coates, Thomas D; Chalacheva, Patjanaporn; Zeltzer, Lonnie; Khoo, Michael C K

2018-01-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder of hemoglobin producing hemoglobin-S (HbS) and resulting in recurrent severe episodes of pain, organ damage and premature death due to vaso- occlusion. Deoxy HbS polymerizes, causing red cells to become rigid and lodge in the microvasculature if they do not escape into larger vessels before this transformation occurs. The mechanism that triggers this transition from steady state to vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is not known. Patients state that cold, emotional stress, and pain itself can trigger these events. In spite of the connection between these symptoms and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and the fact that the ANS regulates regional microvascular blood flow, the role of the ANS in sickle pathophysiology has not been significantly investigated. We will briefly review the mechanism of SCD vaso-occlusion, the dysautonomia associated with SCD and sickle trait, and the role that the ANS may play in the genesis of sickle vaso-occlusive crisis.

Data Format Classification for Autonomous Software Defined Radios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Marvin; Divsalar, Dariush

2005-01-01

We present maximum-likelihood (ML) coherent and noncoherent classifiers for discriminating between NRZ and Manchester coded (biphase-L) data formats for binary phase-shift-keying (BPSK) modulation. Such classification of the data format is an essential element of so-called autonomous software defined radio (SDR) receivers (similar to so-called cognitive SDR receivers in the military application) where it is desired that the receiver perform each of its functions by extracting the appropriate knowledge from the received signal and, if possible, with as little information of the other signal parameters as possible. Small and large SNR approximations to the ML classifiers are also proposed that lead to simpler implementation with comparable performance in their respective SNR regions. Numerical performance results obtained by a combination of computer simulation and, wherever possible, theoretical analyses, are presented and comparisons are made among the various configurations based on the probability of misclassification as a performance criterion. Extensions to other modulations such as QPSK are readily accomplished using the same methods described in the paper.

An examination of the default mode network in individuals with autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR).

PubMed

Smith, Stephen D; Katherine Fredborg, Beverley; Kornelsen, Jennifer

2017-08-01

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a perceptual condition in which specific visual and auditory stimuli consistently trigger tingling sensations on the scalp and neck, sometimes spreading to the back and limbs. These triggering stimuli are often social, almost intimate, in nature (e.g., hearing whispering, or watching someone brush her hair), and often elicit a calm and positive emotional state. Surprisingly, despite its prevalence in the general population, no published study has examined the neural underpinnings of ASMR. In the current study, the default mode network (DMN) of 11 individuals with ASMR was contrasted to that of 11 matched controls. The results indicated that the DMN of individuals with ASMR showed significantly less functional connectivity than that of controls. The DMN of individuals with ASMR also demonstrated increased connectivity between regions in the occipital, frontal, and temporal cortices, suggesting that ASMR was associated with a blending of multiple resting-state networks. This atypical functional connectivity likely influences the unique sensory-emotional experiences associated with ASMR.

Zolpidem efficacy and safety in disorders of consciousness.

PubMed

Machado, Calixto; Estévez, Mario; Rodriguez-Rojas, Rafael

2018-01-01

Sutton and Clauss presented a detailed review about the effectiveness of zolpidem, discussing recoveries from brain damage due to strokes, trauma and hypoxia. A significant finding has been the unexpected and paradoxical increment of brain activity in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS). On the contrary, zolpidem is considered one of the best sleep inducers in normal subjects. We have studied series of VS/UWS cases after zolpidem intake. We have demonstrated EEG activation, increment of BOLD signal in different brain regions, and an autonomic influence, mainly characterized by a vagolytic chronotropic effect without a significant increment of the vasomotor sympathetic tone. As this autonomic imbalance might induce cardio- circulatory complications, which we didn't find in any of our patients, we suggest developing future trials under control of physiological indices by bedside monitoring. However, considering that the paradoxical arousing zolpidem effect might be certainly related to brain function improvement, we agree with Sutton and Clauss that future multicentre and multinational clinical trials should be developed, but under control of physiological indices.

Override of spontaneous respiratory pattern generator reduces cardiovascular parasympathetic influence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patwardhan, A. R.; Vallurupalli, S.; Evans, J. M.; Bruce, E. N.; Knapp, C. F.

1995-01-01

We investigated the effects of voluntary control of breathing on autonomic function in cardiovascular regulation. Variability in heart rate was compared between 5 min of spontaneous and controlled breathing. During controlled breathing, for 5 min, subjects voluntarily reproduced their own spontaneous breathing pattern (both rate and volume on a breath-by-breath basis). With the use of this experimental design, we could unmask the effects of voluntary override of the spontaneous respiratory pattern generator on autonomic function in cardiovascular regulation without the confounding effects of altered respiratory pattern. Results from 10 subjects showed that during voluntary control of breathing, mean values of heart rate and blood pressure increased, whereas fractal and spectral powers in heart rate in the respiratory frequency region decreased. End-tidal PCO2 was similar during spontaneous and controlled breathing. These results indicate that the act of voluntary control of breathing decreases the influence of the vagal component, which is the principal parasympathetic influence in cardiovascular regulation.

An Efficient Model-Based Image Understanding Method for an Autonomous Vehicle.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-09-01

The problem discussed in this dissertation is the development of an efficient method for visual navigation of autonomous vehicles . The approach is to... autonomous vehicles . Thus the new method is implemented as a component of the image-understanding system in the autonomous mobile robot Yamabico-11 at

Autonomic Computing: Freedom or a Threat?

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

Fink, Glenn A.; Frincke, Deb

2007-12-01

No longer is the question whether autonomic computing will gain general acceptance but when. Experts expect autonomic computing to be widely used within 10 years. When it does become mainstream, how will autonomics change system administration and corporations, and will the change be for better or worse? The answer depends on how well we anticipate the limitations of what autonomic systems are suited to do, whether we can collectively address the vulnerabilities of autonomic approaches as we draw upon the advantages, and whether administrators, companies, partners, and users are prepared for the transition. This article presents some design considerations tomore » address the first two issues and some suggested survival techniques for the third.« less

Challenges in verification and validation of autonomous systems for space exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brat, Guillaume; Jonsson, Ari

2005-01-01

Space exploration applications offer a unique opportunity for the development and deployment of autonomous systems, due to limited communications, large distances, and great expense of direct operation. At the same time, the risk and cost of space missions leads to reluctance to taking on new, complex and difficult-to-understand technology. A key issue in addressing these concerns is the validation of autonomous systems. In recent years, higher-level autonomous systems have been applied in space applications. In this presentation, we will highlight those autonomous systems, and discuss issues in validating these systems. We will then look to future demands on validating autonomous systems for space, identify promising technologies and open issues.

Cardiac Autonomic Balance vs. Cardiac Regulatory Capacity

PubMed Central

Berntson, Gary G.; Norman, Greg J.; Hawkley, Louise C.; Cacioppo, John T.

2013-01-01

The concept of autonomic balance views autonomic states along a bipolar continuum from sympathetic (S) to parasympathetic (P) dominance, whereas regulatory capacity models emphasize overall autonomic flexibility as a marker of the capacity for regulation. These two concepts were evaluated for their utility in characterizing patterns of autonomic control. Measures of P (high frequency heart rate variability, HF) and S (pre-ejection period, PEP) cardiac control were obtained. A measure of cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) was derived as the difference in the normalized P index minus the S index, and a measure of cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR) was derived as the normalized P index plus the S index. Results reveal that CAR, but not CAB, was a significant predictor of the prior occurrence of a myocardial infarction, net of demographic and other variables, whereas CAB, but not CAR, was a significant predictor of concurrent diabetes. PMID:18282204

The nature of the autonomic dysfunction in multiple system atrophy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parikh, Samir M.; Diedrich, Andre; Biaggioni, Italo; Robertson, David

2002-01-01

The concept that multiple system atrophy (MSA, Shy-Drager syndrome) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system is several decades old. While there has been renewed interest in the movement disorder associated with MSA, two recent consensus statements confirm the centrality of the autonomic disorder to the diagnosis. Here, we reexamine the autonomic pathophysiology in MSA. Whereas MSA is often thought of as "autonomic failure", new evidence indicates substantial persistence of functioning sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves even in clinically advanced disease. These findings help explain some of the previously poorly understood features of MSA. Recognition that MSA entails persistent, constitutive autonomic tone requires a significant revision of our concepts of its diagnosis and therapy. We will review recent evidence bearing on autonomic tone in MSA and discuss their therapeutic implications, particularly in terms of the possible development of a bionic baroreflex for better control of blood pressure.

Multi-organ autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson disease

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Both pathologic and clinical studies of autonomic pathways have expanded the concept of Parkinson disease (PD) from a movement disorder to a multi-level widespread neurodegenerative process with non-motor features spanning several organ systems. This review integrates neuropathologic findings and autonomic physiology in PD as it relates to end organ autonomic function. Symptoms, pathology and physiology of the cardiovascular, skin/sweat gland, urinary, gastrointestinal, pupillary and neuroendocrine systems can be probed by autopsy, biopsy and non-invasive electrophysiological techniques in vivo which assess autonomic anatomy and function. There is mounting evidence that PD affects a chain of neurons in autonomic pathways. Consequently, autonomic physiology may serve as a window into non-motor PD progression and allow the development of mechanistically based treatment strategies for several non-motor features of PD. End-organ physiologic markers may be used to inform a model of PD pathophysiology and non-motor progression. PMID:20851033

Autonomic headache with autonomic seizures: a case report.

PubMed

Ozge, Aynur; Kaleagasi, Hakan; Yalçin Tasmertek, Fazilet

2006-10-01

The aim of the report is to present a case of an autonomic headache associated with autonomic seizures. A 19-year-old male who had had complex partial seizures for 15 years was admitted with autonomic complaints and left hemicranial headache, independent from seizures, that he had had for 2 years and were provoked by watching television. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed right hippocampal sclerosis and electroencephalography revealed epileptic activity in right hemispheric areas. Treatment with valproic acid decreased the complaints. The headache did not fulfil the criteria for the diagnosis of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, and was different from epileptic headache, which was defined as a pressing type pain felt over the forehead for several minutes to a few hours. Although epileptic headache responds to anti-epileptics and the complaints of the present case decreased with antiepileptics, it has been suggested that the headache could be a non-trigeminal autonomic headache instead of an epileptic headache.

Extending the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front a Catalyst for Peace

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-21

conducted as well as officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines who served in Mindanao to solicit their experience and educated opinions. Many...284. 5 rulers.‖5 He claims that American colonization built the Moro national identity especially through the education process that was established...during this period. In addition, the Government of the Philippines (GRP) extended the olive branch by educating Moros in universities in Manila and

Urbanization Process Monitoring in Northwest China based on DMSP/OLS Nighttime Light Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, K.; Bai, L. Y.; Feng, J. Z.

2017-02-01

In recent years, the DMSP/OLS nighttime light data have been widely applied to various fields such as monitoring and evaluation of urbanization, estimation of social economy, economical environment and health effects, hazards analysis, and fisheries research. The general urbanized level in China has rapidly developed since the 1990s, and the cities in northwest China, which were important population centres of the ancient silk road, have also been developed in a high speed thanks to China’s national strategy of Western Development. Given the Xinjiang autonomous region as a core area of One Belt and One Road, it is very necessary to study the urbanization processes and changes of its urban system and the whole northwest region of China. In this paper, we extracted built-up areas of the cities in northwest China in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012, evaluated urban expansion and spatial pattern through appropriate indexes, and also quantitatively analyzed the urbanized level of each city. The results showed that the cities in northwest China generally presented high strong and rapid expansion, but there were some large differences among cities. Urban expansion forms alternate with exterior expansion and interior filling, in general, the cities externally expandedafter 2002 and internally filledbefore 2002, meanwhile, there were a high positive correlation between urban built-up areas and population growth in Xinjiang autonomous.

[Gender and accessibility barriers to treatment in alcohol abuse patients in the Autonomous Region of Valencia].

PubMed

Tomás-Dols, Sofía; Valderrama-Zurián, Juan Carlos; Vidal-Infer, Antonio; Samper-Gras, Teresa; Hernández-Martínez, Ma Carmen; Torrijo-Rodrigo, Ma José

2007-01-01

This study aimed at identifying the factors that contribute to delaying the access of alcohol abuse patients to specific treatment centres in the Autonomous Region of Valencia (Spain). 563 patients from Addictive Behaviours Units (UCA) and Alcohology Units (UA) were interviewed. A survey was conducted which included items on previous requested treatment in other centres and on barriers of accessibility to treatment in specific ambulatory centres. A descriptive analysis and t-student and ANOVA with Scheffé post-hoc tests were carried out. 59.7% of respondents said they had requested previous treatment in non-specific resources due to physical or psychical trouble that they now relate to their alcohol use although they did not do so at the time, in addition to being motivated by their own alcohol abuse (42.8%). The most attended resources were Primary Care and Specialist Unit Care. Women showed a higher demand for treatment in Mental Health Services (p < 0,05). The most important treatment barriers were included in the axis "unawareness of illness and related problems" (2.2; dt = 0,6). Women obtained higher scores in the axes "stigmatisation and environment response" and "treatment intrinsic factors". gender differences in barriers that delay access to treatment do exist. It is necessary to build gender-adapted intervention guidelines to be used in Primary Care and Mental Health services to reduce the accessibility barriers to treatment.

Educational status: improvement and problems. Population programme.

PubMed

Zhang, T

1997-08-01

This report describes the levels of literacy and educational status in Tibet Autonomous Region. Data were obtained from the 1990 and earlier China Censuses. Traditional education among Tibetans was accessible only to lamas and a privileged few. The reasons were religious influence and an underdeveloped socioeconomic status. In 1990, illiteracy was 90.6% for the urban population (80.0% for males and 81.6% for females). Illiteracy was 91.4% in rural areas (81.6% for males and 98.1% for females). There were 2556 modern schools in 1990, with a total enrollment of 175,600 students. The percentage of well-educated Tibetan population was lower than that for any other ethnic groups living in Tibet. Illiteracy among persons aged 15 years and older declined from 74% in 1982, to 69% in 1990. Tibet Autonomous Region has the highest illiteracy rate in China. The absolute number of illiterates increased by 12.4% during 1982-90. Urban illiteracy also rose by 12%. In rural areas, the absolute number of illiterates increased by only 1.3%. Illiteracy in rural areas declined by 0.52%, to 88%, during 1982-90. In 1990, illiteracy among adolescents aged 10-14 years was 74.25% in rural areas, 36.26% in towns, and 28.60% in Lhasa city. More women are illiterate than men. Enrollment of school age children is low due to religious reasons and a need among herdsmen for help tending livestock.

[End-of-life decisions: results of the expert-validated questionnaire].

PubMed

Ortiz-Gonçalves, Belén; Albarrán Juan, Elena; Labajo González, Elena; Santiago-Sáez, Andrés; Perea-Pérez, Bernardo

2018-02-02

To assess the attitudes and knowledge in the life's end about palliative care, advance directives, psychological-physical care, medically assisted suicide and spiritual accompaniment. A cross-sectional study performed in the population at primary health care center of the Autonomous Region of Madrid (Spain). It participated 425 selected people that a simple random was applied in the consultation sheets of health professionals. They analyzed 42 variables of self-administered questionnaire. The surveyed population of Madrid displayed the following characteristics: university studies 58%, 51-70 years 47%, married 60%, and women 61%. 91% would like to decide about their care at life's end. 58% of respondents are aware of palliative care and 53% would request spiritual accompaniment. They know advance directives (50%) but have not made the document. 54% are in favor of legalizing the euthanasia and 42% the assisted suicide. Madrid's people state they would like to decide what care they will receive at life's end and request spiritual accompaniment. Outstanding advocates of euthanasia against assisted suicide. They would like to receive palliative care and complete advance directives documents. To draw comparisons within the population, thereby increasing awareness about social health care resources in Autonomous Region of Madrid, surveys should be conducted in different primary health care centers areas of Madrid. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[A cross-sectional study of infertility prevalence and influencing factors in Uygur and Kazak women, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region].

PubMed

Jiao, Yonghui; Song, Xiaoping; Cai, Xia

2015-09-01

To investigate the prevalence of infertility and related factors in Uygur and Kazak women in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region (Xinjiang). Questionnaire survey and pelvic examination were conducted among 535 Uygur women and 322 Kazak women at reproductive age who were selected through stratified cluster random sampling in Sansan and Fuhai counties in Xinjiang. The data were analyzed with software SPSS 17.0. The prevalence of infertility among the Uygur and Kazak women were 26.5% and 21.7% respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The prevalence of primary infertility among the Uygur and Kazak women were 14.7%, and 8.7%, respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The prevalence of secondary infertility among the Uygur and Kazak women were 11.8% and 13.0%, respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The prevalence of infertility in the Uygur women was correlated with household income, pelvic inflammation, endometriosis and BMI, while the prevalence of infertility in the Kazak women was correlated with age of marriage, endometriosis and the history of ectopic pregnancy. The prevalence of infertility was high among the Uygur and Kazak women at reproductive age in Xinjiang. The influencing factors varied with ethnic group. It is necessary to conduct targeted health education and provide early diagnosis and effective treatment.

The Joint Tactical Aerial Resupply Vehicle Impact on Sustainment Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

Artificial Intelligence , Sustainment Operations, Rifle Company, Autonomous Aerial Resupply, Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System 16...Integrations and Development System AI Artificial Intelligence ARCIC Army Capabilities Integration Center ARDEC Armament Research, Development and...semi- autonomous systems, and fully autonomous systems. Autonomy of machines depends on sophisticated software, including Artificial Intelligence

Engineering Review of ANCAUS/AVATAR: An Enabling Technology for the Autonomous Land Systems Program?

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-01

technology for future Autonomous Land System (ALS) autonomous vehicles . Since 1989, forward thinking engineering has characterized the history of ANC/EUS and...technology for future autonomous vehicles and that; (2) ALS should adopt commercial/open source technology to support a new ALS architecture and (3) ALS

Echinococcus granulosus infection in Spain.

PubMed

Carmena, D; Sánchez-Serrano, L P; Barbero-Martínez, I

2008-04-01

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus is an endemic disease in Spain. Although specific control programmes initiated in the 1980s have led to marked reductions in CE infection rates in Spain, the disease still remains an important human and animal health problem in many regions of the country. Human incidence and livestock (including sheep, cattle, pigs and horses) prevalence data were gathered from national epidemiological surveillance information systems and regional institutions for the period 2000-2005. Additionally, data on the prevalence of E. granulosus infection in dogs were obtained from published literature. The most affected regions were those of the North Eastern, Central and Western parts of the country, (Autonomous Regions of Aragon, Castile-La Mancha, Castile-Leon, Extremadura, Navarre and La Rioja), where human CE incidence rates in the range of 1.1-3.4 cases per 10(5) inhabitants coexist with ovine/bovine CE prevalence rates up to 23%. Control programmes of hydatidosis/echinococcosis should be reinforced in these regions to reduce the prevalence of the disease.

Autonomic and subjective responsivity to emotional images in people with dissociative seizures.

PubMed

Pick, Susannah; Mellers, John D C; Goldstein, Laura H

2018-06-01

People with dissociative seizures (DS) report a range of difficulties in emotional functioning and exhibit altered responding to emotional facial expressions in experimental tasks. We extended this research by investigating subjective and autonomic reactivity (ratings of emotional valence, arousal and skin conductance responses [SCRs]) to general emotional images in 39 people with DS relative to 42 healthy control participants, whilst controlling for anxiety, depression, cognitive functioning and, where relevant, medication use. It was predicted that greater subjective negativity and arousal and increased SCRs in response to the affective pictures would be observed in the DS group. The DS group as a whole did not differ from controls in their subjective responses of valence and arousal. However, SCR amplitudes were greater in 'autonomic responders' with DS relative to 'autonomic responders' in the control group. A positive correlation was also observed between SCRs for highly arousing negative pictures and self-reported ictal autonomic arousal, in DS 'autonomic responders'. In the DS subgroup of autonomic 'non-responders', differences in subjective responses were observed for some conditions, compared to control 'non-responders'. The findings indicate unaffected subjective responses to emotional images in people with DS overall. However, within the group of people with DS, there may be subgroups characterized by differences in emotional responding. One subgroup (i.e., 'autonomic responders') exhibit heightened autonomic responses but intact subjective emotional experience, whilst another subgroup (i.e., 'autonomic non-responders') seem to experience greater subjective negativity and arousal for some emotional stimuli, despite less frequent autonomic reactions. The current results suggest that therapeutic interventions targeting awareness and regulation of physiological arousal and subjective emotional experience could be of value in some people with this disorder. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Neuropsychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Autonomic Dysfunction Predicts Clinical Outcomes After Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Prospective Observational Study.

PubMed

Xiong, Li; Tian, Ge; Leung, Howan; Soo, Yannie O Y; Chen, Xiangyan; Ip, Vincent H L; Mok, Vincent C T; Chu, Winnie C W; Wong, Ka Sing; Leung, Thomas W H

2018-01-01

Central autonomic dysfunction increases stroke morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate whether poststroke autonomic dysfunction graded by Ewing battery can predict clinical outcome. In this prospective observational study, we assessed autonomic function of ischemic stroke patients within 7 days from symptom onset by Ewing battery. On the basis of the magnitude of autonomic dysfunction, we stratified patients into significant (definite, severe, or atypical) or minor (normal or early) autonomic function impairment groups and correlated the impairment with the 3-month modified Rankin Scale score (good outcome: modified Rankin Scale score 0≈2; poor outcome: modified Rankin Scale score 3≈6). Among the 150 patients enrolled (mean age, 66.4±9.9 years; 70.7% males), minor autonomic dysfunction was identified in 36 patients (24.0%), and significant autonomic dysfunction was identified in 114 patients (76.0%) based on Ewing battery. In 3 months, a poor functional outcome was found in 32.5% of significant group patients compared with 13.9% in the minor group ( P =0.031). Crude odds ratios of the magnitude of autonomic dysfunction and 3-month unfavorable functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke were 2.979 (95% confidence interval, 1.071-8.284; P =0.036). After adjusting for confounding variables with statistical significance between the 2 functional outcome subgroups identified in univariate analysis (including sex and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission), the magnitude of autonomic dysfunction still independently predicted an unfavorable outcome, with an odds ratio of 3.263 (95% confidence interval, 1.141-9.335; P =0.027). Autonomic dysfunction gauged by Ewing battery predicts poor functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Bullous Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A description of the clinical and histopathologic features.

PubMed

Ho, J D; Al-Haseni; Smith, S; Bhawan, J; Sahni, D

2018-04-27

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS, formerly reflex sympathetic dystrophy) is a poorly understood syndrome occurring most commonly after peripheral trauma.(1) Diagnostic features include pain, autonomic dysregulation, sensory/motor abnormalities and trophic changes involving the affected limb.(1,2) Dermatologic findings include erythema, atrophy, xerosis, erosive disease, and reticulated erythematous patches.(3,4) Exceptionally, blistering has been reported.(5-7) Given its rarity, the clinical and histopathologic findings of bullous CRPS are not well described. We report a case of bullous CRPS in a patient with mycosis fungoides (MF), describing the clinical and histopathologic features of this uncommon entity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Analysis on current status of drinking water quality in rural areas of China].

PubMed

Zhang, L; Chen, Y; Chen, C; Wang, H; Yan, H Z; Zhao, Y C

1997-01-01

An investigation on drinking water quality in rural areas of 180 counties in 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of China was carried out. The population surveyed was 89.39 million. 69.6% of which was supplied with ground water. Central water supply systems served 47.1% of population. Quality of drinking water was graded according to the "Guidelines for Implementation of the 'Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water' in Rural Areas". The rate of population supplied with unqualified drinking water was 42.7%. The bacteriological indices of drinking water exceeded the standard seriously. Organic pollution occurred extensively. Some regions supplied with water of high concentration of fluoride.

Updated distribution of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Spain: new findings in the mainland Spanish Levante, 2013.

PubMed

Alarcón-Elbal, Pedro María; Estrella, Sarah Delacour; Arrondo, Ignacio Ruiz; Collantes, Francisco; Iniesta, Juan Antonio Delgado; Morales-Bueno, José; Sánchez-López, Pedro Francisco; Amela, Carmen; Sierra-Moros, María José; Molina, Ricardo; Lucientes, Javier

2014-09-09

In 2004, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) was observed for the first time in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. A decade later, it has spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean region of the country and the Balearic Islands. Framed within a national surveillance project, we present the results of monitoring in 2013 in the autonomous communities of the mainland Levante. The current study reveals a remarkable increase in the spread of the invasive mosquito in relation to results from 2012; the species was present and well-established in 48 municipalities, most of which were along the Mediterranean coastline from the Valencian Community to the Region of Murcia.

Updated distribution of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Spain: new findings in the mainland Spanish Levante, 2013.

PubMed

Alarcón-Elbal, Pedro María; Estrella, Sarah Delacour; Arrondo, Ignacio Ruiz; Collantes, Francisco; Iniesta, Juan Antonio Delgado; Morales-Bueno, José; Sánchez-López, Pedro Francisco; Amela, Carmen; Sierra-Moros, María José; Molina, Ricardo; Lucientes, Javier

2014-09-01

In 2004, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) was observed for the first time in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. A decade later, it has spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean region of the country and the Balearic Islands. Framed within a national surveillance project, we present the results of monitoring in 2013 in the autonomous communities of the mainland Levante. The current study reveals a remarkable increase in the spread of the invasive mosquito in relation to results from 2012; the species was present and well-established in 48 municipalities, most of which were along the Mediterranean coastline from the Valencian Community to the Region of Murcia.

Updated distribution of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Spain: new findings in the mainland Spanish Levante, 2013

PubMed Central

Alarcón-Elbal, Pedro María; Estrella, Sarah Delacour; Arrondo, Ignacio Ruiz; Collantes, Francisco; Iniesta, Juan Antonio Delgado; Morales-Bueno, José; Sánchez-López, Pedro Francisco; Amela, Carmen; Sierra-Moros, María José; Molina, Ricardo; Lucientes, Javier

2014-01-01

In 2004, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) was observed for the first time in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. A decade later, it has spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean region of the country and the Balearic Islands. Framed within a national surveillance project, we present the results of monitoring in 2013 in the autonomous communities of the mainland Levante. The current study reveals a remarkable increase in the spread of the invasive mosquito in relation to results from 2012; the species was present and well-established in 48 municipalities, most of which were along the Mediterranean coastline from the Valencian Community to the Region of Murcia. PMID:25317706

Patients With Fibromyalgia Have Significant Autonomic Symptoms But Modest Autonomic Dysfunction.

PubMed

Vincent, Ann; Whipple, Mary O; Low, Phillip A; Joyner, Michael; Hoskin, Tanya L

2016-05-01

Research suggests that disordered autonomic function may be one contributor to deconditioning reported in fibromyalgia; however, no study to date has assessed these variables simultaneously with comprehensive measures. To characterize physical fitness and autonomic function with the use of clinically validated measures and subjective questionnaires between patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. Cross-sectional, observational, controlled study. Community sample of patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. Thirty patients with fibromyalgia and 30 pain and fatigue-free controls. Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and physiological measures, including clinically validated measures of physical fitness and autonomic function. Six-Minute Walk Test total distance, maximal oxygen consumption as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, total steps using activity monitor, Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale as assessed by Autonomic Reflex Screen, total metabolic equivalents per week using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and self-reported autonomic symptoms via the 31-item Composite Autonomic Symptom Score questionnaire. Autonomic function, as assessed by self-report, was significantly different between patients and controls (P < .0001); in contrast, the only difference between patients and controls on the Autonomic Reflex Screen was in the adrenergic domain (P = .022), and these abnormalities were mild. Self-reported physical activity was not significantly different between patients and controls (P = .99), but levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity as measured by actigraphy were significantly lower in patients (P = .012 and P = .047, respectively). Exercise capacity (6-Minute Walk) was poorer in patients (P = .0006), but there was no significant difference in maximal volume of oxygen consumption (P = .07). Patients with fibromyalgia report more severe symptoms across all domains, including physical activity and autonomic symptoms, compared with controls, but the objective assessments only showed modest differences. Our results suggest that patients with widespread subjective impairment of function have only modest objective measures of autonomic dysfunction. We recommend that the primary treatment goal should be focused on restoration of function, which may also ameliorate symptoms. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Navigation Using Celestial Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David; Gramling, Cheryl; Leung, Dominic; Belur, Sheela; Long, Anne

1999-01-01

In the twenty-first century, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Enterprises envision frequent low-cost missions to explore the solar system, observe the universe, and study our planet. Satellite autonomy is a key technology required to reduce satellite operating costs. The Guidance, Navigation, and Control Center (GNCC) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) currently sponsors several initiatives associated with the development of advanced spacecraft systems to provide autonomous navigation and control. Autonomous navigation has the potential both to increase spacecraft navigation system performance and to reduce total mission cost. By eliminating the need for routine ground-based orbit determination and special tracking services, autonomous navigation can streamline spacecraft ground systems. Autonomous navigation products can be included in the science telemetry and forwarded directly to the scientific investigators. In addition, autonomous navigation products are available onboard to enable other autonomous capabilities, such as attitude control, maneuver planning and orbit control, and communications signal acquisition. Autonomous navigation is required to support advanced mission concepts such as satellite formation flying. GNCC has successfully developed high-accuracy autonomous navigation systems for near-Earth spacecraft using NASA's space and ground communications systems and the Global Positioning System (GPS). Recently, GNCC has expanded its autonomous navigation initiative to include satellite orbits that are beyond the regime in which use of GPS is possible. Currently, GNCC is assessing the feasibility of using standard spacecraft attitude sensors and communication components to provide autonomous navigation for missions including: libration point, gravity assist, high-Earth, and interplanetary orbits. The concept being evaluated uses a combination of star, Sun, and Earth sensor measurements along with forward-link Doppler measurements from the command link carrier to autonomously estimate the spacecraft's orbit and reference oscillator's frequency. To support autonomous attitude determination and control and maneuver planning and control, the orbit determination accuracy should be on the order of kilometers in position and centimeters per second in velocity. A less accurate solution (one hundred kilometers in position) could be used for acquisition purposes for command and science downloads. This paper provides performance results for both libration point orbiting and high Earth orbiting satellites as a function of sensor measurement accuracy, measurement types, measurement frequency, initial state errors, and dynamic modeling errors.

Patients with Fibromyalgia Have Significant Autonomic Symptoms but Modest Autonomic Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Vincent, Ann; Whipple, Mary O.; Low, Phillip A.; Joyner, Michael; Hoskin, Tanya L.

2015-01-01

Background Research suggests that disordered autonomic function may be one contributor to deconditioning reported in fibromyalgia, however no study to date has simultaneously assessed these variables utilizing comprehensive measures. Objective To characterize physical fitness and autonomic function using clinically validated measures and subjective questionnaires between patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. Design Cross-sectional, observational, controlled study Setting Community sample of patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls Participants 30 patients with fibromyalgia and 30 pain and fatigue-free controls Methods: Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and physiological measures including clinically validated measures of physical fitness and autonomic function. Main Outcome Measurements 6 Minute Walk Test total distance, VO2 max as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, total steps using activity monitor, Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale as assessed by Autonomic Reflex Screen, total metabolic equivalents per week using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and self-reported autonomic symptoms using the 31-item Composite Autonomic Symptom Score questionnaire. Results Autonomic function, as assessed by self-report, was significantly different between patients and controls (p<.0001); in contrast, the only difference between patients and controls on the Autonomic Reflex Screen was in the adrenergic domain (p=.022), and these abnormalities were mild. Self-reported physical activity was not significantly different between patients and controls (p=.99), but levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity as measured by actigraphy, were significantly lower in patients (p=.012 and p=.047, respectively). Exercise capacity (6 Minute Walk) was poorer in patients (p=.0006), but there was no significant difference in maximal volume of oxygen consumption (p=.07). Conclusions Patients with fibromyalgia report more severe symptoms across all domains including physical activity and autonomic symptoms when compared to controls, but the objective assessments only showed modest differences. Our results suggest that patients with widespread subjective impairment of function have only modest objective measures of autonomic dysfunction. We recommend that the primary treatment goal should be focused on restoration of function which may also ameliorate symptoms. PMID:26314231

Autonomic, locomotor and cardiac abnormalities in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy: targeting the renin-angiotensin system.

PubMed

Sabharwal, Rasna; Chapleau, Mark W

2014-04-01

New Findings What is the topic of this review? This symposium report summarizes autonomic, cardiac and skeletal muscle abnormalities in sarcoglycan-δ-deficient mice (Sgcd-/-), a mouse model of limb girdle muscular dystrophy, with emphasis on the roles of autonomic dysregulation and activation of the renin-angiotensin system at a young age. What advances does it highlight? The contributions of the autonomic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system to the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy are highlighted. Results demonstrate that autonomic dysregulation precedes and predicts later development of cardiac dysfunction in Sgcd-/- mice and that treatment of young Sgcd-/- mice with the angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonist losartan or with angiotensin-(1-7) abrogates the autonomic dysregulation, attenuates skeletal muscle pathology and increases spontaneous locomotor activity. Muscular dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of genetic muscle diseases characterized by muscle weakness and atrophy. Mutations in sarcoglycans and other subunits of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex cause muscular dystrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy in animals and humans. Aberrant autonomic signalling is recognized in a variety of neuromuscular disorders. We hypothesized that activation of the renin-angiotensin system contributes to skeletal muscle and autonomic dysfunction in mice deficient in the sarcoglycan-δ (Sgcd) gene at a young age and that this early autonomic dysfunction contributes to the later development of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and increased mortality. We demonstrated that young Sgcd-/- mice exhibit histopathological features of skeletal muscle dystrophy, decreased locomotor activity and severe autonomic dysregulation, but normal LV function. Autonomic regulation continued to deteriorate in Sgcd-/- mice with age and was accompanied by LV dysfunction and dilated cardiomyopathy at older ages. Autonomic dysregulation at a young age predicted later development of LV dysfunction and higher mortality in Sgcd-/- mice. Treatment of Sgcd-/- mice with the angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker losartan for 8-9 weeks, beginning at 3 weeks of age, decreased fibrosis and oxidative stress in skeletal muscle, increased locomotor activity and prevented autonomic dysfunction. Chronic infusion of the counter-regulatory peptide angiotensin-(1-7) resulted in similar protection. We conclude that activation of the renin-angiotensin system, at a young age, contributes to skeletal muscle and autonomic dysfunction in muscular dystrophy. We speculate that the latter is mediated via abnormal sensory nerve and/or cytokine signalling from dystrophic skeletal muscle to the brain and contributes to age-related LV dysfunction, dilated cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias and premature death. Therefore, correcting the early autonomic dysregulation and renin-angiotensin system activation may provide a novel therapeutic approach in muscular dystrophy.

"Skimming the Cream"? Admissions to Charter Schools in the United States and to Autonomous Schools in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Anne; Ingram, Dabney; Hind, Audrey

2006-01-01

This article focuses on student admissions to charter schools in the United States and to autonomous (foundation and voluntary-aided) secondary schools in England. Analyses of the admissions criteria used by autonomous and nonautonomous secondary schools in England revealed that more autonomous than nonautonomous schools reported using potentially…

The Visual Representation and Acquisition of Driving Knowledge for Autonomous Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhaoxia; Jiang, Qing; Li, Ping; Song, LiangTu; Wang, Rujing; Yu, Biao; Mei, Tao

2017-09-01

In this paper, the driving knowledge base of autonomous vehicle is designed. Based on the driving knowledge modeling system, the driving knowledge of autonomous vehicle is visually acquired, managed, stored, and maintenanced, which has vital significance for creating the development platform of intelligent decision-making systems of automatic driving expert systems for autonomous vehicle.

Autonomic Computing for Spacecraft Ground Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Zhenping; Savkli, Cetin; Jones, Lori

2007-01-01

Autonomic computing for spacecraft ground systems increases the system reliability and reduces the cost of spacecraft operations and software maintenance. In this paper, we present an autonomic computing solution for spacecraft ground systems at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), which consists of an open standard for a message oriented architecture referred to as the GMSEC architecture (Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center), and an autonomic computing tool, the Criteria Action Table (CAT). This solution has been used in many upgraded ground systems for NASA 's missions, and provides a framework for developing solutions with higher autonomic maturity.

Public Health, Ethics, and Autonomous Vehicles

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

With the potential to save nearly 30 000 lives per year in the United States, autonomous vehicles portend the most significant advance in auto safety history by shifting the focus from minimization of postcrash injury to collision prevention. I have delineated the important public health implications of autonomous vehicles and provided a brief analysis of a critically important ethical issue inherent in autonomous vehicle design. The broad expertise, ethical principles, and values of public health should be brought to bear on a wide range of issues pertaining to autonomous vehicles. PMID:28207327

Public Health, Ethics, and Autonomous Vehicles.

PubMed

Fleetwood, Janet

2017-04-01

With the potential to save nearly 30 000 lives per year in the United States, autonomous vehicles portend the most significant advance in auto safety history by shifting the focus from minimization of postcrash injury to collision prevention. I have delineated the important public health implications of autonomous vehicles and provided a brief analysis of a critically important ethical issue inherent in autonomous vehicle design. The broad expertise, ethical principles, and values of public health should be brought to bear on a wide range of issues pertaining to autonomous vehicles.

From Here to Autonomicity: Self-Managing Agents and the Biological Metaphors that Inspire Them

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2005-01-01

We seek inspiration for self-managing systems from (obviously, pre-existing) biological mechanisms. Autonomic Computing (AC), a self-managing systems initiative based on the biological metaphor of the autonomic nervous system, is increasingly gaining momentum as the way forward for integrating and designing reliable systems, while agent technologies have been identified as a key enabler for engineering autonomicity in systems. This paper looks at other biological metaphors such as reflex and healing, heart- beat monitors, pulse monitors and apoptosis for assisting in the realization of autonomicity.

Sensing, Control, and System Integration for Autonomous Vehicles: A Series of Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özgüner, Ümit; Redmill, Keith

One of the important examples of mechatronic systems can be found in autonomous ground vehicles. Autonomous ground vehicles provide a series of challenges in sensing, control and system integration. In this paper we consider off-road autonomous vehicles, automated highway systems and urban autonomous driving and indicate the unifying aspects. We specifically consider our own experience during the last twelve years in various demonstrations and challenges in attempting to identify unifying themes. Such unifying themes can be observed in basic hierarchies, hybrid system control approaches and sensor fusion techniques.

Conditions for Fully Autonomous Anticipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, John

2006-06-01

Anticipation allows a system to adapt to conditions that have not yet come to be, either externally to the system or internally. Autonomous systems actively control the conditions of their own existence so as to increase their overall viability. This paper will first give minimal necessary and sufficient conditions for autonomous anticipation, followed by a taxonomy of autonomous anticipation. In more complex systems, there can be semi-autonomous subsystems that can anticipate and adapt on their own. Such subsystems can be integrated into a system's overall autonomy, typically with greater efficiency due to modularity and specialization of function. However, it is also possible that semi-autonomous subsystems can act against the viability of the overall system, and have their own functions that conflict with overall system functions.

[The relationship between autonomous motivation and academic adjustment in junior high school students].

PubMed

Nishimura, Takuma; Sakurai, Shigeo

2013-10-01

This study investigated the relationship between autonomous motivation and academic adjustment based on the perspective of self-determination theory. It also examined motivational profiles to reveal individual differences and the characteristic of these profiles for groups with varying levels of autonomous and controlled regulation (autonomous, controlled, high motivation, and low motivation). Data were collected from 442 junior high school students for academic motivation, academic performance, academic competence, meta-cognitive strategy, academic anxiety, apathy, and stress experience. Correlation analyses generally supported the basic hypothesis of self-determination theory that a more autonomous regulation style was strongly related to academic adjustment. The results also showed that persons with a high autonomous regulation and a low controlled regulation style were the most adaptive.

Results of NASA's First Autonomous Formation Flying Experiment: Earth Observing-1 (EO-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David C.; Hawkins, Albin; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA's first autonomous formation flying mission completed its primary goal of demonstrating an advanced technology called enhanced formation flying. To enable this technology, the Guidance, Navigation, and Control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) implemented a universal 3-axis formation flying algorithm in an autonomous executive flight code onboard the New Millennium Program's (NMP) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft. This paper describes the mathematical background of the autonomous formation flying algorithm and the onboard flight design and presents the validation results of this unique system. Results from functionality assessment through fully autonomous maneuver control are presented as comparisons between the onboard EO-1 operational autonomous control system called AutoCon(tm), its ground-based predecessor, and a standalone algorithm.