WorldWideScience

Sample records for bioprosthetic regenerate template

  1. Mechanical versus bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Head, Stuart J; Çelik, Mevlüt; Kappetein, A Pieter

    2017-07-21

    Mechanical valves used for aortic valve replacement (AVR) continue to be associated with bleeding risks because of anticoagulation therapy, while bioprosthetic valves are at risk of structural valve deterioration requiring reoperation. This risk/benefit ratio of mechanical and bioprosthetic valves has led American and European guidelines on valvular heart disease to be consistent in recommending the use of mechanical prostheses in patients younger than 60 years of age. Despite these recommendations, the use of bioprosthetic valves has significantly increased over the last decades in all age groups. A systematic review of manuscripts applying propensity-matching or multivariable analysis to compare the usage of mechanical vs. bioprosthetic valves found either similar outcomes between the two types of valves or favourable outcomes with mechanical prostheses, particularly in younger patients. The risk/benefit ratio and choice of valves will be impacted by developments in valve designs, anticoagulation therapy, reducing the required international normalized ratio, and transcatheter and minimally invasive procedures. However, there is currently no evidence to support lowering the age threshold for implanting a bioprosthesis. Physicians in the Heart Team and patients should be cautious in pursuing more bioprosthetic valve use until its benefit is clearly proven in middle-aged patients. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. BDNF gene delivery within and beyond templated agarose multi-channel guidance scaffolds enhances peripheral nerve regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Mingyong; Lu, Paul; Lynam, Dan; Bednark, Bridget; Campana, W. Marie; Sakamoto, Jeff; Tuszynski, Mark

    2016-12-01

    Objective. We combined implantation of multi-channel templated agarose scaffolds with growth factor gene delivery to examine whether this combinatorial treatment can enhance peripheral axonal regeneration through long sciatic nerve gaps. Approach. 15 mm long scaffolds were templated into highly organized, strictly linear channels, mimicking the linear organization of natural nerves into fascicles of related function. Scaffolds were filled with syngeneic bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) secreting the growth factor brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and lentiviral vectors expressing BDNF were injected into the sciatic nerve segment distal to the scaffold implantation site. Main results. Twelve weeks after injury, scaffolds supported highly linear regeneration of host axons across the 15 mm lesion gap. The incorporation of BDNF-secreting cells into scaffolds significantly increased axonal regeneration, and additional injection of viral vectors expressing BDNF into the distal segment of the transected nerve significantly enhanced axonal regeneration beyond the lesion. Significance. Combinatorial treatment with multichannel bioengineered scaffolds and distal growth factor delivery significantly improves peripheral nerve repair, rivaling the gold standard of autografts.

  3. A Genomics-Based Model for Prediction of Severe Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve Calcification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponasenko, Anastasia V; Khutornaya, Maria V; Kutikhin, Anton G; Rutkovskaya, Natalia V; Tsepokina, Anna V; Kondyukova, Natalia V; Yuzhalin, Arseniy E; Barbarash, Leonid S

    2016-08-31

    Severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification is a significant problem in cardiovascular surgery. Unfortunately, clinical markers did not demonstrate efficacy in prediction of severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification. Here, we examined whether a genomics-based approach is efficient in predicting the risk of severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification. A total of 124 consecutive Russian patients who underwent mitral valve replacement surgery were recruited. We investigated the associations of the inherited variation in innate immunity, lipid metabolism and calcium metabolism genes with severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification. Genotyping was conducted utilizing the TaqMan assay. Eight gene polymorphisms were significantly associated with severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification and were therefore included into stepwise logistic regression which identified male gender, the T/T genotype of the rs3775073 polymorphism within the TLR6 gene, the C/T genotype of the rs2229238 polymorphism within the IL6R gene, and the A/A genotype of the rs10455872 polymorphism within the LPA gene as independent predictors of severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification. The developed genomics-based model had fair predictive value with area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.73. In conclusion, our genomics-based approach is efficient for the prediction of severe bioprosthetic mitral valve calcification.

  4. Late thrombosis of a mitral bioprosthetic valve with associated massive left atrial thrombus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Preetham R Muskula

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available An 84-year-old man presented 5 years after bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement with three months of worsening dyspnea on exertion. A new mitral stenosis murmur was noted on physical examination, and an electrocardiogram revealed newly recognized atrial fibrillation. Severe mitral stenosis (mean gradient = 13 mmHg was confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed markedly thickened mitral bioprosthetic leaflets with limited mobility, and a massive left atrial thrombus (>4 cm in diameter (Fig. 1A, B, C, D and Videos 1, 2, 3 and 4. Intravenous heparin was initiated, and 5 days later, he was taken to the operating room for planned redo mitral valve replacement and left atrial thrombus extraction. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed near-complete resolution of the bioprosthetic leaflet thickening, and a mean mitral gradient of only 3 mmHg (Fig. 2A, B, C and Videos 5, 6 and 7. The patient underwent resection of the massive left atrial thrombus (Fig. 2D but did not require redo mitral valve replacement. He was initiated on heparin (and transitioned to warfarin early in the post-operative period, with complete resolution of dyspnea on exertion at 3-month follow-up. Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis is increasingly recognized as a cause of early prosthetic valve dysfunction (1, 2. This case illustrates that bioprosthetic valve thrombosis may occur years after valve replacement; therefore, any deterioration in a patient’s clinical status (new-onset dyspnea, heart failure or atrial fibrillation warrants a thorough evaluation of the bioprosthetic valve with transesophageal echocardiography. In this case, initiation of anticoagulation obviated the need for redo mitral valve replacement.

  5. Design of an elastin-layered dermal regeneration template.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mithieux, Suzanne M; Weiss, Anthony S

    2017-04-01

    We demonstrate a novel approach for the production of tunable quantities of elastic fibers. We also show that exogenous tropoelastin is rate-limiting for elastin synthesis regardless of the age of the dermal fibroblast donor. Additionally, we provide a strategy to further enhance synthesis by older cells through the application of conditioned media. We show that this approach delivers an elastin layer on one side of the leading dermal repair template for contact with the deep dermis in order to deliver prefabricated elastic fibers to a physiologically appropriate site during subsequent surgery. This system is attractive because it provides for the first time a viable path for sufficient, histologically detectable levels of patient elastin into full-thickness wound sites that have until now lacked this elastic underlayer. The scars of full thickness wounds typically lack elasticity. Elastin is essential for skin elasticity and is enriched in the deep dermis. This paper is significant because it shows that: (1) we can generate elastic fibers in tunable quantities, (2) tropoelastin is the rate-limiting component in elastin synthesis in vitro, (3) we can generate elastin fibers regardless of donor age, (4) we describe a novel approach to further increase the numbers and thickness of elastic fibers for older donors, (5) we improve on Integra Dermal Regeneration Template and generate a new hybrid biomaterial intended to subsequently surgically deliver these elastic fibers, (6) the elastic fiber layer is presented on the side of Integra that is intended for delivery into its physiologically appropriate site i.e. the deep dermis. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Degenerative processes in bioprosthetic mitral valves in juvenile pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedersen Torben B

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glutaraldehyde-treated bioprosthetic heart valves are commonly used for replacement of diseased heart valves. However, calcification and wear limit their durability, and the development of new and improved bioprosthetic valve designs is needed and must be evaluated in a reliable animal model. We studied glutaraldehyde-treated valves 6 months after implantation to evaluate bioprosthetic valve complications in the mitral position in juvenile pigs. Materials The study material comprised eight, 5-month old, 60-kg pigs. All pigs received a size 27, glutaraldehyde-treated, stented, Carpentier-Edwards S.A.V. mitral valve prosthesis. After six months, echocardiography was performed, and the valves explanted for gross examination, high resolution X-ray, and histological evaluation. Results Five pigs survived the follow-up period. Preexplant echocardiography revealed a median peak and mean velocity of 1.61 m/s (range: 1.17-2.00 and 1.20 (SD = ±0.25, respectively, and a median peak and mean pressure difference of 10.42 mmHg (range: 5.83-16.55 and 6.51 mmHg (SD = ±2.57, respectively. Gross examination showed minor thrombotic depositions at two commissures in two valves and at all three commissures in three valves. High resolution X-ray imaging revealed different degrees of calcification in all explanted valves, primarily in the commissural and belly areas. In all valves, histological evaluation demonstrated various degrees of fibrous sheath formation, limited immunological infiltration, and no overgrowth of host endothelium. Conclusions Bioprosthetic glutaraldehyde-treated mitral valves can be implanted into the mitral position in pigs and function after 6 months. Echocardiographic data, calcification, and histological examinations were comparable to results obtained in sheep models and human demonstrating the suitability of the porcine model.

  7. Reduced graphene oxide aerogel networks with soft interfacial template for applications in bone tissue regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asha, S.; Ananth, A. Nimrodh; Jose, Sujin P.; Rajan, M. A. Jothi

    2018-05-01

    Reduced Graphene Oxide aerogels (A-RGO), functionalized with chitosan, were found to induce and/or accelerate the mineralization of hydroxyapatite. The functionalized chitosan acts as a soft interfacial template on the surface of A-RGO assisting the growth of hydroxyapatite particles. The mineralization on these soft aerogel networks was performed by soaking the aerogels in simulated body fluid, relative to time. Polymer-induced mineralization exhibited an ordered arrangement of hydroxyapatite particles on reduced graphene oxide aerogel networks with a higher crystalline index (IC) of 1.7, which mimics the natural bone formation indicating the importance of the polymeric interfacial template. These mineralized aerogels which mimic the structure and composition of natural bone exhibit relatively higher rate of cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and osteoid matrix formation proving it to be a potential scaffold for bone tissue regeneration.

  8. Assessing Anticalcification Treatments in Bioprosthetic Tissue by Using the New Zealand Rabbit Intramuscular Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Gregory A; Faught, Joelle M; Olin, Jane M

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this work was to demonstrate that the New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit intramuscular model can be used for detecting calcification in bioprosthetic tissue and to compare the calcification in the rabbit to that of native human valves. The rabbit model was compared with the commonly used Sprague–Dawley rat subcutaneous model. Eighteen rabbits and 18 rats were used to assess calcification in bioprosthetic tissue over time (7, 14, 30, and 90 d). The explanted rabbit and rat tissue discs were measured for calcium by using atomic absorption and Raman spectroscopy. Calcium deposits on the human valve explants were assessed by using Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the NZW rabbit model is robust for detecting calcification in a shorter duration (14 d), with less infection complications, more space to implant tissue groups (thereby reducing animal use numbers), and a more metabolically and mechanically dynamic environment than the rat subcutaneous model . The human explanted valves and rabbit explanted tissue both showed Raman peaks at 960 cm−1 which is representative of hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is the final calcium and phosphate species in the calcification of bioprosthetic heart valves and rabbit intramuscular implants. The NZW rabbit intramuscular model is an effective model for assessing calcification in bioprosthetic tissue. PMID:19619417

  9. Factors influencing mortality after bioprosthetic valve replacement; a midterm outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javadzadegan, Hassan; Javadzadegan, Amir; Mehdizadeh Baghbani, Jafar

    2013-01-01

    Although valve repair is applied routinely nowadays, particularly for mitral regurgitation (MR) or tricuspid regurgitation (TR), valve replacement using prosthetic valves is also common especially in adults. Unfortunately the valve with ideal hemodynamic performance and long-term durability without increasing the risk of bleeding due to long-term anticoagulant therapy has not been introduced. Therefore, patients and physicians must choose either bioprosthetic or mechanical valves. Currently, there is an increasing clinical trend of using bioprosthetic valves instead of mechanical valves even in young patients apparently because of their advantages. Seventy patients undergone valvular replacement using bioprosthetic valves were evaluated by ECG and Echocardiography to assess the rhythm and ejection fracture. Mean follow-up time was 33 months (min 9, max 92). Mortality rate was 25.9% (n=18) within 8 years of follow-up. Statistical analysis showed a significant relation between atrial fibrillation rhythm and mortality (P=0.02). Morbidities occurred in 30 patients (42.8%). Significant statistical relation was found between the morbidities and age over 65 years old (P=0.005). In follow-up period, 4 cases (5.7%) underwent re-operation due to global valve dysfunction. Our study shows that using biprosthetic valve could reduce the risk of morbidity occurrence in patient who needs valve replacement. However, if medical treatments fail, patients should be referred for surgery. This would reduce the risk of mortality because of lower incident of complications such as atrial fibrillation and morbidities due to younger patients' population.

  10. Assessment of structural valve deterioration of transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic balloon-expandable valves using the new European consensus definition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eltchaninoff, Hélène; Durand, Eric; Avinée, Guillaume; Tron, Christophe; Litzler, Pierre-Yves; Bauer, Fabrice; Dacher, Jean-Nicolas; Werhlin, Camille; Bouhzam, Najime; Bettinger, Nicolas; Candolfi, Pascal; Cribier, Alain

    2018-03-30

    Durability of transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic valves remains a major issue. Standardised definitions of deterioration and failure of bioprosthetic valves have recently been proposed. The aim of this study was to assess structural transcatheter valve deterioration (SVD) and bioprosthetic valve failure (BVF) using these new definitions. All TAVI patients implanted up to September 2012 with a minimal theoretical five-year follow-up were included. Systematic clinical and echocardiographic follow-up was performed annually. New standardised definitions were used to assess durability of transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic valves. From 2002 to 2012, 378 patients were included. Mean age and logistic EuroSCORE were 83.3±6.8 years and 22.8±13.1%. Thirty-day mortality was 13.2%. Nine patients had SVD including two severe forms and two patients had definite late BVF. The incidence of SVD and BVF at eight years was 3.2% (95% CI: 1.45-6.11) and 0.58% (95% CI: 0.15-2.75), respectively. Even though limited by the poor survival of the very high-risk/compassionate early population, our data do not demonstrate any alarm concerning transcatheter aortic valve durability. Careful prospective assessment in younger and lower-risk patients and comparison with surgical bioprosthetic valves are required for further assessment of the long-term durability of transcatheter valves.

  11. Left atrial appendage obliteration in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, X P; Zhu, T Y; Han, J; Li, Y; Meng, X

    2016-02-01

    Left atrial appendage (LAA) obliteration is a proven stroke-preventive measure for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the efficacy of LAA obliteration for patients with AF after bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement (MVR) remains unclear. This study aimed to estimate the efficacy of LAA obliteration in preventing embolism and to investigate the predictors of thromboembolism after bioprosthetic MVR. We retrospectively studied 173 AF subjects with bioprosthetic MVR; among them, 81 subjects underwent LAA obliteration using an endocardial running suture method. The main outcome measure was the occurrence of thrombosis events (TEs). The mean follow-up time was 40 ± 17 months. AF rhythm was observed in 136 patients postoperatively. The incidence rate of TEs was 13.97 % for postoperative AF subjects; a dilated left atrium (LA; > 49.5 mm) was identified as an independent risk factor of TEs (OR = 10.619, 95 % CI = 2.754-40.94, p = 0.001). For postoperative AF patients with or without LAA, the incidence rate of TEs was 15.8 % (9/57) and 12.7 % (10/79; p = 0.603), respectively. The incidence rate of TEs was 2.7 % (1/36) and 4.2 % (2/48) for the subgroup patients with a left atrial diameter of  49.5 mm (p = 0.346). Surgical LAA obliteration in patients with valvular AF undergoing bioprosthetic MVR did not reduce TEs, even when the CHA2DS2-VASc score (a score for estimating the risk of stroke in AF) was ≥ 2 points.

  12. Multidetector computed tomography sizing of bioprosthetic valves: guidelines for measurement and implications for valve-in-valve therapies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rajani, R.; Attia, R.; Condemi, F.; Webb, J.; Woodburn, P.; Hodson, D.; Nair, A.; Preston, R.; Razavi, R.; Bapat, V.N.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To describe a technique for bioprosthetic multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) sizing and to compare MDCT-derived values against manufacturer-provided sizing. Materials and methods: Fourteen bioprosthetic stented valves commonly used in the aortic valve position were evaluated using a Philips 256 MDCT system. All valves were scanned using a dedicated cardiac CT protocol with a four-channel electrocardiography (ECG) simulator. Measurements were made of major and minor axes and the area and perimeter of the internal stent using varying reconstruction kernels and window settings. Measurements derived from MDCT (MDCT ID) were compared against the stent internal diameter (Stent ID) as provided by the valve manufacturer and the True ID (Stent ID + insertion of leaflets). All data were collected and analysed using SPSS for Mac (version 21). Results: The mean difference between the MDCT ID and Stent ID was 0.6±1.9 mm (r=0.649, p=0.012) and between MDCT ID and True ID 2.1±2 mm (r=0.71, p=0.005). There was no difference in the major (p=0.90), minor (p=0.87), area (p=0.92), or perimeter (p=0.92) measurements when sharp, standard, and detailed stent kernels were used. Similarly, the measurements remained consistent across differing windowing levels. Conclusion: Bioprosthetic stented valves may be reliably sized using MDCT in patients requiring valve-in-valve (VIV) interventions where the valve type and size are unknown. In these cases, clinicians should be aware that MDCT has a tendency to overestimate the True ID size. - Highlights: • Cardiac CT is likely to be ideally suited for bioprosthetic aortic valve sizing for valve in valve procedures. • We compared MDCT sizing for 14 varying bioprosthetic aortic valves across varying window settings and reconstruction kernels. • We provide “normal” MDCT sizing for varying valves and show their relationship to surgical sizing. • Bioprosthetic valves may be reliably sized by MDCT but require adjustment owing to

  13. Animal studies with the Carmat bioprosthetic total artificial heart.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latrémouille, Christian; Duveau, Daniel; Cholley, Bernard; Zilberstein, Luca; Belbis, Guillaume; Boughenou, Marie-Fazia; Meleard, Denis; Bruneval, Patrick; Adam, Clovis; Neuschwander, Arthur; Perles, Jean-Christophe; Jansen, Piet; Carpentier, Alain

    2015-05-01

    The Carmat bioprosthetic total artificial heart (TAH) contains bioprosthetic blood-contacting surfaces, and is designed for orthotopic cardiac replacement. In preparation for clinical studies, we evaluated the TAH performance and its effects on end-organ function in an animal model. Twelve female Charolais calves, 2-3 months of age and weighing 102-122 kg, were implanted with the TAH through a mid-sternotomy to ensure an adequate anatomic fit. The intended support duration was 4-10 days. Haematological values, creatinine, bilirubin and lactate levels were measured and mean arterial and central venous pressure, central venous oxygen saturation and TAH parameters were monitored. The calves were placed in a cage immediately postoperatively, and extubated on postoperative day 1 in most cases. Average support duration was 3 days, with 4 of 12 calves supported for 4, 4, 8 and 10 days. The initial procedures were used to refine surgical techniques and postoperative care. Pump output ranged from 7.3 to 10 l/min. Haemodynamic parameters and blood analysis were within acceptable ranges. No device failures occurred. No anticoagulation was used in the postoperative phase. The calves were euthanized in case of discomfort compromising the animal well-being, such as respiratory dysfunction, severe blood loss and cerebral dysfunction. Device explant analysis showed no thrombus formation inside the blood cavities. Histological examination of kidneys showed isolated micro-infarction in 2/12 animals; brain histology revealed no thromboembolic depositions. The Carmat bioprosthetic TAH implanted in calves up to 10 days provided adequate blood flow to organs and tissues. Low levels of haemolysis and no visible evidence of thromboembolic depositions in major organs and device cavities, without the use of anticoagulation, may indicate early-phase haemocompatibility of the TAH. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio

  14. Outcomes using a bioprosthetic mesh at the time of permanent stoma creation in preventing a parastomal hernia: a value analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figel, Nicole A; Rostas, Jack W; Ellis, C Neal

    2012-03-01

    A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients who had a prosthetic placed at the time of stoma creation for the prevention of a parastomal hernia was performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of bioprosthetics. A bioprosthetic was used in 16 patients to prevent the occurrence of a parastomal hernia. The median follow-up was 38 months. There were no mesh-related complications, and no parastomal hernias occurred. On value analysis, to be cost-effective, the percentage of patients who would have subsequently needed surgical repair of a parastomal hernia would have to be in excess of 39% or the bioprosthetic would have to cost less than $2,267 to $4,312. These data show the safety and efficacy of using a bioprosthetic at the time of permanent stoma creation in preventing a parastomal hernia and defines the parameters for this approach to be cost-effective. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Bio-fabrication and physiological self-release of tissue equivalents using smart peptide amphiphile templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouveia, Ricardo M; Hamley, Ian W; Connon, Che J

    2015-10-01

    In this study we applied a smart biomaterial formed from a self-assembling, multi-functional synthetic peptide amphiphile (PA) to coat substrates with various surface chemistries. The combination of PA coating and alignment-inducing functionalised substrates provided a template to instruct human corneal stromal fibroblasts to adhere, become aligned and then bio-fabricate a highly-ordered, multi-layered, three-dimensional tissue by depositing an aligned, native-like extracellular matrix. The newly-formed corneal tissue equivalent was subsequently able to eliminate the adhesive properties of the template and govern its own complete release via the action of endogenous proteases. Tissues recovered through this method were structurally stable, easily handled, and carrier-free. Furthermore, topographical and mechanical analysis by atomic force microscopy showed that tissue equivalents formed on the alignment-inducing PA template had highly-ordered, compact collagen deposition, with a two-fold higher elastic modulus compared to the less compact tissues produced on the non-alignment template, the PA-coated glass. We suggest that this technology represents a new paradigm in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, whereby all processes for the bio-fabrication and subsequent self-release of natural, bio-prosthetic human tissues depend solely on simple template-tissue feedback interactions.

  16. Bioprosthetic Valve Fracture to Facilitate Transcatheter Valve-in-Valve Implantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Keith B; Chhatriwalla, Adnan K; Cohen, David J; Saxon, John T; Aggarwal, Sanjeev; Hart, Anthony; Baron, Suzanne; Davis, J Russell; Pak, Alex F; Dvir, Danny; Borkon, A Michael

    2017-11-01

    Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement is less effective in small surgical bioprostheses. We evaluated the feasibility of bioprosthetic valve fracture with a high-pressure balloon to facilitate valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement. In vitro bench testing on aortic tissue valves was performed on 19-mm and 21-mm Mitroflow (Sorin, Milan, Italy), Magna and Magna Ease (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA), Trifecta and Biocor Epic (St. Jude Medical, Minneapolis, MN), and Hancock II and Mosaic (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN). High-pressure balloons Tru Dilation, Atlas Gold, and Dorado (C.R. Bard, Murray Hill, NJ) were used to determine which valves could be fractured and at what pressure fracture occurred. Mitroflow, Magna, Magna Ease, Mosaic, and Biocor Epic surgical valves were successfully fractured using high-pressures balloon 1 mm larger than the labeled valve size whereas Trifecta and Hancock II surgical valves could not be fractured. Only the internal valve frame was fractured, and the sewing cuff was never disrupted. Manufacturer's rated burst pressures for balloons were exceeded, with fracture pressures ranging from 8 to 24 atmospheres depending on the surgical valve. Testing further demonstrated that fracture facilitated the expansion of previously constrained, underexpanded transcatheter valves (both balloon and self-expanding) to the manufacturer's recommended size. Bench testing demonstrates that the frame of most, but not all, bioprosthetic surgical aortic valves can be fractured using high-pressure balloons. The safety of bioprosthetic valve fracture to optimize valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement in small surgical valves requires further clinical investigation. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Comparison of the Long-Term Outcomes of Mechanical and Bioprosthetic Aortic Valves - A Propensity Score Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minakata, Kenji; Tanaka, Shiro; Tamura, Nobushige; Yanagi, Shigeki; Ohkawa, Yohei; Okonogi, Shuichi; Kaneko, Tatsuo; Usui, Akihiko; Abe, Tomonobu; Shimamoto, Mitsuomi; Takahara, Yoshiharu; Yamanaka, Kazuo; Yaku, Hitoshi; Sakata, Ryuzo

    2017-07-25

    The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcomes of aortic valve replacement (AVR) with either mechanical or bioprosthetic valves according to age at operation.Methods and Results:A total of 1,002 patients (527 mechanical valves and 475 bioprosthetic valves) undergoing first-time AVR were categorized according to age at operation: group Y, age mechanical and bioprosthetic valves for all age groups. Valve-related mortality was significantly higher for mechanical valves in group O (HR, 2.53; P=0.02). Reoperation rate was significantly lower for mechanical valves in group Y (HR, 0.16; Pmechanical valves). Although the rate of thromboembolic events was higher in mechanical valves in group Y (no events for tissue valves) and group M (HR, 9.05; P=0.03), there were no significant differences in bleeding events between all age groups. The type of prosthetic valve used in AVR does not significantly influence overall mortality.

  18. Possible Subclinical Leaflet Thrombosis in Bioprosthetic Aortic Valves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Makkar, Raj R; Fontana, Gregory; Jilaihawi, Hasan

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: A finding of reduced aortic-valve leaflet motion was noted on computed tomography (CT) in a patient who had a stroke after transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) during an ongoing clinical trial. This finding raised a concern about possible subclinical leaflet thrombosis...... patients and 1 of 115 patients, respectively; P=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced aortic-valve leaflet motion was shown in patients with bioprosthetic aortic valves. The condition resolved with therapeutic anticoagulation. The effect of this finding on clinical outcomes including stroke needs further...

  19. Factors Influencing Mortality after Bioprosthetic Valve Replacement; A Midterm Outcome

    OpenAIRE

    Hassan Javadzadegan; Amir Javadzadegan; Jafar Mehdizadeh Baghbani

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Although valve repair is applied routinely nowadays, particularly for mitral regurgitation (MR) or tricuspid regurgitation (TR), valve replacement using prosthetic valves is also common especially in adults. Unfortunately the valve with ideal hemodynamic performance and long-term durability without increasing the risk of bleeding due to long-term anticoagulant therapy has not been introduced. Therefore, patients and physicians must choose either bioprosthetic or mechanical valve...

  20. Bioprosthetic Valve Fracture During Valve-in-valve TAVR: Bench to Bedside.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saxon, John T; Allen, Keith B; Cohen, David J; Chhatriwalla, Adnan K

    2018-01-01

    Valve-in-valve (VIV) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been established as a safe and effective means of treating failed surgical bioprosthetic valves (BPVs) in patients at high risk for complications related to reoperation. Patients who undergo VIV TAVR are at risk of patient-prosthesis mismatch, as the transcatheter heart valve (THV) is implanted within the ring of the existing BPV, limiting full expansion and reducing the maximum achievable effective orifice area of the THV. Importantly, patient-prosthesis mismatch and high residual transvalvular gradients are associated with reduced survival following VIV TAVR. Bioprosthetic valve fracture (BVF) is as a novel technique to address this problem. During BPV, a non-compliant valvuloplasty balloon is positioned within the BPV frame, and a highpressure balloon inflation is performed to fracture the surgical sewing ring of the BPV. This allows for further expansion of the BPV as well as the implanted THV, thus increasing the maximum effective orifice area that can be achieved after VIV TAVR. This review focuses on the current evidence base for BVF to facilitate VIV TAVR, including initial bench testing, procedural technique, clinical experience and future directions.

  1. Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis in Association with Enterococcus durans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallavollita, Luca; Di Gioacchino, Lorena; Balestrini, Fabrizio

    2016-04-01

    Enterococci are common organisms associated with endocarditis, but infection by Enterococcus durans is very rare. To our knowledge, only 3 cases have been reported in the medical literature, and all 3 have involved native valves. Here we publish the first reported case (to our knowledge) of E. durans endocarditis in association with a bioprosthetic aortic valve. After the organism and its antibiotic susceptibility were identified, the 74-year-old male patient was treated successfully with teicoplanin and gentamicin, over a course of 6 weeks.

  2. Optimal thromboprophylaxis following bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement: still a matter of debate?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mydin, Muhammad I; Dimitrakakis, Georgios; Younis, Jenan; Nowell, Justin; Athanasiou, Thanos; Kourliouros, Antonios

    2012-07-01

    Optimal thromboprophylaxis following bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR) remains controversial. The main objective, which is the effective prevention of central nervous or peripheral embolic events, especially in the early postoperative period, will have to be weighed against the haemorrhagic risk that is associated with the utilization of different antithrombotic regimes. Most governing bodies in cardiovascular medicine have issued recommendations on thromboprophylaxis after the surgical implantation of aortic bioprostheses. However, the level of evidence to support these recommendations remains low, largely due to the inherent limitations of conducting appropriately randomized and adequately powered clinical research in this area. It is apparent from the recent surveys and large registries that there is a great variability in antithrombotic practice at an institutional or individual-clinician level reflecting this controversy and the lack of robust evidence. While organizational, financial or conceptual limitations could hinder the conduct and availability of conclusive research on optimal thromboprophylaxis after aortic bioprosthesis, it is imperative that all evidence is presented in a systematic way in order to assist the decision-making for the modern clinician. In this review, we provide an outline of the current recommendations for thromboprophylaxis, followed by a comprehensive and analytical presentation of all comparative studies examining anticoagulation vs. antiplatelet therapy after bioprosthetic AVR.

  3. Subclinical leaflet thrombosis in surgical and transcatheter bioprosthetic aortic valves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chakravarty, Tarun; Søndergaard, Lars; Friedman, John

    2017-01-01

    rates of transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs; 4·18 TIAs per 100 person-years vs 0·60 TIAs per 100 person-years; p=0·0005) and all strokes or TIAs (7·85 vs 2·36 per 100 person-years; p=0·001). INTERPRETATION: Subclinical leaflet thrombosis occurred frequently in bioprosthetic aortic valves, more commonly...... outcomes after TAVR with the new-generation valves, prevention and treatment of subclinical leaflet thrombosis might offer a potential opportunity for further improvement in valve haemodynamics and clinical outcomes. FUNDING: RESOLVE (Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute) and SAVORY (Rigshospitalet)....

  4. Transcatheter heart valve in valve implantation with Edwards SAPIEN bioprosthetic valve for different degenerated bioprosthetic valve positions (First Iranian ViV report with mid-term follow up

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Mohammad Haji Zeinali

    2017-09-01

    Conclusion: As the first Iranian all-comers case series with midterm follow up for ViV implantation, we had no mortality. Interestingly none of our patients had neurologic sequelae after the procedure. Midterm follow up for our patients was acceptable with good functional class and appropriate echocardiographic findings. Due to high surgical risk of the redo procedure after failing of a bioprosthetic valve especially in elderly patients with comorbidities, ViV implantation would be a good alternative to surgery for this high risk group.

  5. Characterization of a bioprosthetic bicuspid venous valve hemodynamics: implications for mechanism of valve dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tien, W-H; Chen, H Y; Berwick, Z C; Krieger, J; Chambers, S; Dabiri, D; Kassab, G S

    2014-10-01

    Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) of the lower extremities is a common clinical problem. Although bioprosthetic valves have been proposed to treat severe reflux, clinical success has been limited due to thrombosis and neointima overgrowth of the leaflets that is, in part, related to the hemodynamics of the valve. A bioprosthetic valve that mimics native valve hemodynamics is essential. A computational model of the prosthetic valve based on realistic geometry and mechanical properties was developed to simulate the interaction of valve structure (fluid-structure interaction, FSI) with the surrounding flow. The simulation results were validated by experiments of a bioprosthetic bicuspid venous valve using particle image velocimetry (PIV) with high spatial and temporal resolution in a pulse duplicator (PD). Flow velocity fields surrounding the valve leaflets were calculated from PIV measurements and comparisons to the FSI simulation results were made. Both the spatial and temporal results of the simulations and experiments were in agreement. The FSI prediction of the transition point from equilibrium phase to valve-closing phase had a 7% delay compared to the PD measurements, while the PIV measurements matched the PD exactly. FSI predictions of reversed flow were within 10% compared to PD measurements. Stagnation or stasis regions were observed in both simulations and experiments. The pressure differential across the valve and associated forces on the leaflets from simulations showed the valve mechanism to be pressure driven. The flow velocity simulations were highly consistent with the experimental results. The FSI simulation and force analysis showed that the valve closure mechanism is pressure driven under the test conditions. FSI simulation and PIV measurements demonstrated that the flow behind the leaflet was mostly stagnant and a potential source for thrombosis. The validated FSI simulations should enable future valve design optimizations that are needed for

  6. Percutaneous bioprosthetic venous valve: a long-term study in sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavcnik, Dusan; Uchida, Barry T; Timmermans, Hans A; Corless, Christopher L; O'Hara, Michael; Toyota, Naoyuki; Moneta, Gregory L; Keller, Frederick S; Rösch, Josef

    2002-03-01

    A long-term evaluation of a new percutaneously placed bioprosthetic, bicuspid venous valve (BVV) consisting of a square stent and small intestinal submucosa (SIS) covering was performed in 12 sheep. Of 26 BVVs placed into the jugular veins, 25 exhibited good valve function on immediate venography and 22 on venograms obtained before the sheep were killed. Gross and histologic examination results demonstrated incorporation of remodeled and endothelialized SIS BVVs into the vein wall. Slight to moderate leaflet thickening was found mostly at their bases. Percutaneously placed SIS BVV is a promising one-way, competent valve that resists venous back-pressure while allowing forward flow.

  7. An immersogeometric variational framework for fluid–structure interaction: application to bioprosthetic heart valves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamensky, David; Hsu, Ming-Chen; Schillinger, Dominik; Evans, John A.; Aggarwal, Ankush; Bazilevs, Yuri; Sacks, Michael S.; Hughes, Thomas J. R.

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we develop a geometrically flexible technique for computational fluid–structure interaction (FSI). The motivating application is the simulation of tri-leaflet bioprosthetic heart valve function over the complete cardiac cycle. Due to the complex motion of the heart valve leaflets, the fluid domain undergoes large deformations, including changes of topology. The proposed method directly analyzes a spline-based surface representation of the structure by immersing it into a non-boundary-fitted discretization of the surrounding fluid domain. This places our method within an emerging class of computational techniques that aim to capture geometry on non-boundary-fitted analysis meshes. We introduce the term “immersogeometric analysis” to identify this paradigm. The framework starts with an augmented Lagrangian formulation for FSI that enforces kinematic constraints with a combination of Lagrange multipliers and penalty forces. For immersed volumetric objects, we formally eliminate the multiplier field by substituting a fluid–structure interface traction, arriving at Nitsche’s method for enforcing Dirichlet boundary conditions on object surfaces. For immersed thin shell structures modeled geometrically as surfaces, the tractions from opposite sides cancel due to the continuity of the background fluid solution space, leaving a penalty method. Application to a bioprosthetic heart valve, where there is a large pressure jump across the leaflets, reveals shortcomings of the penalty approach. To counteract steep pressure gradients through the structure without the conditioning problems that accompany strong penalty forces, we resurrect the Lagrange multiplier field. Further, since the fluid discretization is not tailored to the structure geometry, there is a significant error in the approximation of pressure discontinuities across the shell. This error becomes especially troublesome in residual-based stabilized methods for incompressible flow, leading

  8. In Vitro Evaluation of a Biomedical-Grade Bilayer Chitosan Porous Skin Regenerating Template as a Potential Dermal Scaffold in Skin Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin Keong Lim

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan is a copolymer of N-acetylglucosamine and glucosamine. A bilayer chitosan porous skin regenerating template (CPSRT has been developed for skin tissue engineering. The pore size of the CPSRT was assessed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The in vitro cytocompatibility of the CPSRT was tested on primary human epidermal keratinocyte (pHEK cultures by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH levels and skin irritation by western blot analysis of the interleukin-8 (IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α secretions. The ability of the CPSRT to support cell ingrowth was evaluated by seeding primary human dermal fibroblasts (pHDFs on the scaffold, staining the cells with live/dead stain, and imaging the construct by confocal microscopy (CLSM. The CPSRT with pore sizes ranging from 50 to 150 μm was cytocompatible because it did not provoke the additional production of IL-8 and TNF-α by pHEK cultures. Cultured pHDFs were able to penetrate the CPSRT and had increased in number on day 14. In conclusion, the CPSRT serves as an ideal template for skin tissue engineering.

  9. Shelf-life of bioprosthetic heart valves: a structural and mechanical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julien, M; Létouneau, D R; Marois, Y; Cardou, A; King, M W; Guidoin, R; Chachra, D; Lee, J M

    1997-04-01

    This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of storage conditions on the shelf-life of porcine bioprosthetic valves. Fifty-five unimplanted porcine bioprostheses have been evaluated. The valves were stored in 0.5% buffered glutaraldehyde solution for different periods of time (7, 23 and 32 months). Twenty-eight valves were refrigerated while the remaining valves were stored at room temperature. The pH of the glutaraldehyde solution at room temperature decreased with time of storage, while that kept in the refrigerator remained stable over the course of the study. Macroscopic observations showed that the valve tissues kept at room temperature, especially for the periods of 23 and 32 months, became darker and more yellow in colour, whereas the refrigerated specimens exhibited no such changes in appearance. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed no noticeable differences on the surfaces of the leaflets stored under different conditions. Mechanical tests, including stress-strain response, stress relaxation and fracture behaviour, were carried out. Analysis of variance showed that the storage temperature, but not the length of storage, had a significant effect on some mechanical properties. The stress relaxation at 1000 s (P = 0.05), the ultimate tensile strength (P = 0.01) and the strain at fracture (P = 0.04) were all higher after storage at room temperature compared to the results after refrigeration. No statistically significant changes in the denaturation temperature of the collagen were observed between the different storage conditions. In conclusion, the storage temperature appears to have some influence on the bioprosthetic tissue. The bioprostheses stored under ambient conditions experience changes which may influence their longterm in vivo performance.

  10. Mitral valve repair and bioprosthetic replacement without postoperative anticoagulation does not increase the risk of stroke or mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwann, Thomas A; Engoren, Milo; Bonnell, Mark; Clancy, Christopher; Khouri, Samer; Kabour, Ameer; Jamil, Tahir; Habib, Robert H

    2013-07-01

    The study aimed to determine if mitral valve repair (MVRR) or bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement (BMVR) without postoperative anticoagulation is associated with a similar risk of thromboembolism and death as anticoagulation. We retrospectively reviewed our 2004-09 experience in 249 MVRR and bioprosthetic replacement patients (53% female; 63 year mean age). Concurrent procedures principally included antiarrhythmic surgery, aortic valve replacement, tricuspid valve repair and coronary bypass grafting. Warfarin therapy was instituted at the discretion of the surgeon. Thirty-day, a period known to have the highest risk of valve-related thromboembolism, outcomes were compared relying on the incidence of stroke and death as surrogates of thromboembolic complications. Intermediate-term survival was compared between the groups using Cox proportional hazard models. The mean follow-up was 2.9 years. Given the non-randomized warfarin use, a propensity score using patient comorbidities and concurrent procedures was created and added to the Cox models. One hundred and ninety-two (77%) patients were discharged on warfarin and 57 (23%) were discharged without warfarin. Thirty-day mortality in patients discharged from the index hospitalization was 1.2% and was similar for the two groups (P = 0.99). Four ischaemic perioperative strokes were detected; 3 in the warfarin group and 1 in the no warfarin group (P = 0.99). Overall survival was 84%, with 84% survival in the warfarin group and 86% in the no warfarin group (P = 0.79). Bleeding complications were comparable between the two groups (P = 0.72). In a multivariate analysis, warfarin was not related to mortality. Despite current guidelines recommending postoperative anticoagulation following MVRR or bioprosthetic replacement, the avoidance of warfarin does not increase perioperative complications and has no impact on intermediate survival. Accordingly, a prospective randomized study to adjudicate the role of extended warfarin

  11. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in failed bioprosthetic surgical valves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dvir, Danny; Webb, John G; Bleiziffer, Sabine

    2014-01-01

    for patients with structural valve deterioration; however, a comprehensive evaluation of survival after the procedure has not yet been performed. OBJECTIVE: To determine the survival of patients after transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation inside failed surgical bioprosthetic valves. DESIGN, SETTING......, stroke, and New York Heart Association functional class. RESULTS: Modes of bioprosthesis failure were stenosis (n = 181 [39.4%]), regurgitation (n = 139 [30.3%]), and combined (n = 139 [30.3%]). The stenosis group had a higher percentage of small valves (37% vs 20.9% and 26.6% in the regurgitation...... and combined groups, respectively; P = .005). Within 1 month following valve-in-valve implantation, 35 (7.6%) patients died, 8 (1.7%) had major stroke, and 313 (92.6%) of surviving patients had good functional status (New York Heart Association class I/II). The overall 1-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 83...

  12. Mechanical versus bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement in patients <65 years old.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaneko, Tsuyoshi; Aranki, Sary; Javed, Quratulain; McGurk, Siobhan; Shekar, Prem; Davidson, Michael; Cohn, Lawrence

    2014-01-01

    Because of its durability, the mechanical valve is typically chosen for young patients undergoing mitral valve replacement (MVR). However, a bioprosthetic valve might have the benefit of valve-in-valve transcatheter valve replacement when valve failure occurs. We examined the outcomes in patients who had undergone mechanical valve MVR (MVRm) versus bioprosthetic valve MVR (MVRb) in patients aged Security Death Index. The postoperative and long-term outcomes of interest included combined stroke and embolic events, reoperations, and mortality. Of 768 consecutive patients, 627 were in the MVRm and 141 in the MVRb group. Propensity score matching yielded a cohort of 125 MVRb (89%) and 125 control MVRm patients with similar etiology mixes. The groups were similar in age (MVRm, 53.2 ± 9.0 years; MVRb, 53.8 ± 10.6 years; P = .617) and other preoperative characteristics. The postoperative outcomes were also similar between the 2 groups, including reoperation for bleeding, stroke, deep sternal infection, sepsis, and length of hospital stay. The operative mortality was also similar (MVRm, 5.6%; MVRb, 8.0%; P = .617). However, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the MVRb group had a greater reoperation rate (P = .001) and shorter estimated survival (11.3 vs 13.5 years, P = .004). The incidence of bleeding and stroke or embolic events between the 2 groups was similar. In the present report, MVRb for patients safety of mechanical valves in this group. Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. [Pannus Formation Two Years after Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Implantation;Report of a Case].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Kimiyo; Kuroda, Hiroaki

    2015-08-01

    We report a case of early deterioration of the bioprosthetic aortic valve 23 months postoperatively. A 77-year-old man who had undergone aortic valve replacement with a 23-mm Epic valve( St. Jude Medical [SJM])presented to us after a syncopal episode. Echocardiography revealed severe aortic stenosis, and redo aortic valve replacement with a 21-mm SJM mechanical valve was performed. All 3 cusps of the tissue valve were thickened by fibrous pannus overgrowth. Neither calcification nor invasion of inflammatory cells was observed. The cause of pannus formation at such an early stage after implantation remains unknown.

  14. Patient-prosthesis mismatch and risk of structural valve deterioration in patients undergoing bioprosthetic aortic valve implantation

    OpenAIRE

    Urso, Stefano

    2015-01-01

    Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina. Fecha de lectura: 15-06-2015 Patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) has been identified as a risk factor for mortality after aortic valve replacement. Recently PPM has been also reported to increase the risk of structural valve degeneration (SVD) in patients receiving a bioprosthetic aortic valve. The aim of the present study was to compare the incidence of reoperation because of S...

  15. Coverage of Deep Cutaneous Wounds Using Dermal Template in Combination with Negative-pressure Therapy and Subsequent Skin Graft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Alexandre A.; Lobato, Rodolfo C.; Nakamoto, Hugo A.; Tuma, Paulo; Ferreira, Marcus C.

    2014-01-01

    Background: We consider the use of dermal matrix associated with a skin graft to cover deep wounds in the extremities when tendon and bone are exposed. The objective of this article was to evaluate the efficacy of covering acute deep wounds through the use of a dermal regeneration template (Integra) associated with vacuum therapy and subsequent skin grafting. Methods: Twenty patients were evaluated prospectively. All of them had acute (up to 3 weeks) deep wounds in the limbs. We consider a deep wound to be that with exposure of bone, tendon, or joint. Results: The average area of integration of the dermal regeneration template was 86.5%. There was complete integration of the skin graft over the dermal matrix in 14 patients (70%), partial integration in 5 patients (25%), and total loss in 1 case (5%). The wound has completely closed in 95% of patients. Conclusions: The use of Integra dermal template associated with negative-pressure therapy and skin grafting showed an adequate rate of resolution of deep wounds with low morbidity. PMID:25289363

  16. Experimental validation of the fluid–structure interaction simulation of a bioprosthetic aortic heart valve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kemp, I.; Dellimore, K.; Rodriguez, R.; Scheffer, C.; Blaine, D.; Weich, H.; Doubell, A.

    2013-01-01

    Experiments performed on a 19 mm diameter bioprosthetic valve were used to successfully validate the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulation of an aortic valve at 72 bpm. The FSI simulation was initialized via a novel approach utilizing a Doppler sonogram of the experimentally tested valve. Using this approach very close quantitative agreement (≤12.5 %) between the numerical predictions and experimental values for several key valve performance parameters, including the peak systolic transvalvular pressure gradient, rapid valve opening time and rapid valve closing time, was obtained. The predicted valve leaflet kinematics during opening and closing were also in good agreement with the experimental measurements.

  17. Bone Marrow?Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Bacterial Clearance and Preserve Bioprosthetic Integrity in a Model of Mesh Infection

    OpenAIRE

    Criman, Erik T.; Kurata, Wendy E.; Matsumoto, Karen W.; Aubin, Harry T.; Campbell, Carmen E.; Pierce, Lisa M.

    2016-01-01

    Background: The reported incidence of mesh infection in contaminated operative fields is as high as 30% regardless of the material used. Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to possess favorable immunomodulatory properties and improve tissue incorporation when seeded onto bioprosthetics. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether seeding noncrosslinked bovine pericardium (Veritas Collagen Matrix) with allogeneic bone marrow?derived MSCs improves infection resistance in v...

  18. Three-dimensional flow structures past a bio-prosthetic valve in an in-vitro model of the aortic root

    OpenAIRE

    Hasler, David; Obrist, Dominik

    2018-01-01

    The flow field past a prosthetic aortic valve comprises many details that indicate whether the prosthesis is functioning well or not. It is, however, not yet fully understood how an optimal flow scenario would look, i.e. which subtleties of the fluid dynamics in place are essential regarding the durability and compatibility of a prosthetic valve. In this study, we measured and analyzed the 3D flow field in the vicinity of a bio-prosthetic heart valve in function of the aortic root size. The m...

  19. Three-dimensional flow structures past a bio-prosthetic valve in an in-vitro model of the aortic root.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasler, David; Obrist, Dominik

    2018-01-01

    The flow field past a prosthetic aortic valve comprises many details that indicate whether the prosthesis is functioning well or not. It is, however, not yet fully understood how an optimal flow scenario would look, i.e. which subtleties of the fluid dynamics in place are essential regarding the durability and compatibility of a prosthetic valve. In this study, we measured and analyzed the 3D flow field in the vicinity of a bio-prosthetic heart valve in function of the aortic root size. The measurements were conducted within aortic root phantoms of different size, mounted in a custom-built hydraulic setup, which mimicked physiological flow conditions in the aorta. Tomographic particle image velocimetry was used to measure the 3D instantaneous velocity field at various instances. Several 3D fields (e.g. instantaneous and mean velocity, 3D shear rate) were analyzed and compared focusing on the impact of the aortic root size, but also in order to gain general insight in the 3D flow structure past the bio-prosthetic valve. We found that the diameter of the aortic jet relative to the diameter of the ascending aorta is the most important parameter in determining the characteristics of the flow. A large aortic cross-section, relative to the cross-section of the aortic jet, was associated with higher levels of turbulence intensity and higher retrograde flow in the ascending aorta.

  20. Neural tissue engineering options for peripheral nerve regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Xiaosong; Ding, Fei; Williams, David F

    2014-08-01

    Tissue engineered nerve grafts (TENGs) have emerged as a potential alternative to autologous nerve grafts, the gold standard for peripheral nerve repair. Typically, TENGs are composed of a biomaterial-based template that incorporates biochemical cues. A number of TENGs have been used experimentally to bridge long peripheral nerve gaps in various animal models, where the desired outcome is nerve tissue regeneration and functional recovery. So far, the translation of TENGs to the clinic for use in humans has met with a certain degree of success. In order to optimize the TENG design and further approach the matching of TENGs with autologous nerve grafts, many new cues, beyond the traditional ones, will have to be integrated into TENGs. Furthermore, there is a strong requirement for monitoring the real-time dynamic information related to the construction of TENGs. The aim of this opinion paper is to specifically and critically describe the latest advances in the field of neural tissue engineering for peripheral nerve regeneration. Here we delineate new attempts in the design of template (or scaffold) materials, especially in the context of biocompatibility, the choice and handling of support cells, and growth factor release systems. We further discuss the significance of RNAi for peripheral nerve regeneration, anticipate the potential application of RNAi reagents for TENGs, and speculate on the possible contributions of additional elements, including angiogenesis, electrical stimulation, molecular inflammatory mediators, bioactive peptides, antioxidant reagents, and cultured biological constructs, to TENGs. Finally, we consider that a diverse array of physicochemical and biological cues must be orchestrated within a TENG to create a self-consistent coordinated system with a close proximity to the regenerative microenvironment of the peripheral nervous system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. High incidence of non-random template strand segregation and asymmetric fate determination in dividing stem cells and their progeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conboy, Michael J; Karasov, Ariela O; Rando, Thomas A

    2007-05-01

    Decades ago, the "immortal strand hypothesis" was proposed as a means by which stem cells might limit acquiring mutations that could give rise to cancer, while continuing to proliferate for the life of an organism. Originally based on observations in embryonic cells, and later studied in terms of stem cell self-renewal, this hypothesis has remained largely unaccepted because of few additional reports, the rarity of the cells displaying template strand segregation, and alternative interpretations of experiments involving single labels or different types of labels to follow template strands. Using sequential pulses of halogenated thymidine analogs (bromodeoxyuridine [BrdU], chlorodeoxyuridine [CldU], and iododeoxyuridine [IdU]), and analyzing stem cell progeny during induced regeneration in vivo, we observed extraordinarily high frequencies of segregation of older and younger template strands during a period of proliferative expansion of muscle stem cells. Furthermore, template strand co-segregation was strongly associated with asymmetric cell divisions yielding daughters with divergent fates. Daughter cells inheriting the older templates retained the more immature phenotype, whereas daughters inheriting the newer templates acquired a more differentiated phenotype. These data provide compelling evidence of template strand co-segregation based on template age and associated with cell fate determination, suggest that template strand age is monitored during stem cell lineage progression, and raise important caveats for the interpretation of label-retaining cells.

  2. High incidence of non-random template strand segregation and asymmetric fate determination in dividing stem cells and their progeny.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael J Conboy

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Decades ago, the "immortal strand hypothesis" was proposed as a means by which stem cells might limit acquiring mutations that could give rise to cancer, while continuing to proliferate for the life of an organism. Originally based on observations in embryonic cells, and later studied in terms of stem cell self-renewal, this hypothesis has remained largely unaccepted because of few additional reports, the rarity of the cells displaying template strand segregation, and alternative interpretations of experiments involving single labels or different types of labels to follow template strands. Using sequential pulses of halogenated thymidine analogs (bromodeoxyuridine [BrdU], chlorodeoxyuridine [CldU], and iododeoxyuridine [IdU], and analyzing stem cell progeny during induced regeneration in vivo, we observed extraordinarily high frequencies of segregation of older and younger template strands during a period of proliferative expansion of muscle stem cells. Furthermore, template strand co-segregation was strongly associated with asymmetric cell divisions yielding daughters with divergent fates. Daughter cells inheriting the older templates retained the more immature phenotype, whereas daughters inheriting the newer templates acquired a more differentiated phenotype. These data provide compelling evidence of template strand co-segregation based on template age and associated with cell fate determination, suggest that template strand age is monitored during stem cell lineage progression, and raise important caveats for the interpretation of label-retaining cells.

  3. Perl Template Toolkit

    CERN Document Server

    Chamberlain, Darren; Cross, David; Torkington, Nathan; Diaz, tatiana Apandi

    2004-01-01

    Among the many different approaches to "templating" with Perl--such as Embperl, Mason, HTML::Template, and hundreds of other lesser known systems--the Template Toolkit is widely recognized as one of the most versatile. Like other templating systems, the Template Toolkit allows programmers to embed Perl code and custom macros into HTML documents in order to create customized documents on the fly. But unlike the others, the Template Toolkit is as facile at producing HTML as it is at producing XML, PDF, or any other output format. And because it has its own simple templating language, templates

  4. From scores to face templates: a model-based approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohanty, Pranab; Sarkar, Sudeep; Kasturi, Rangachar

    2007-12-01

    Regeneration of templates from match scores has security and privacy implications related to any biometric authentication system. We propose a novel paradigm to reconstruct face templates from match scores using a linear approach. It proceeds by first modeling the behavior of the given face recognition algorithm by an affine transformation. The goal of the modeling is to approximate the distances computed by a face recognition algorithm between two faces by distances between points, representing these faces, in an affine space. Given this space, templates from an independent image set (break-in) are matched only once with the enrolled template of the targeted subject and match scores are recorded. These scores are then used to embed the targeted subject in the approximating affine (non-orthogonal) space. Given the coordinates of the targeted subject in the affine space, the original template of the targeted subject is reconstructed using the inverse of the affine transformation. We demonstrate our ideas using three, fundamentally different, face recognition algorithms: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Mahalanobis cosine distance measure, Bayesian intra-extrapersonal classifier (BIC), and a feature-based commercial algorithm. To demonstrate the independence of the break-in set with the gallery set, we select face templates from two different databases: Face Recognition Grand Challenge (FRGC) and Facial Recognition Technology (FERET) Database (FERET). With an operational point set at 1 percent False Acceptance Rate (FAR) and 99 percent True Acceptance Rate (TAR) for 1,196 enrollments (FERET gallery), we show that at most 600 attempts (score computations) are required to achieve a 73 percent chance of breaking in as a randomly chosen target subject for the commercial face recognition system. With similar operational set up, we achieve a 72 percent and 100 percent chance of breaking in for the Bayesian and PCA based face recognition systems, respectively. With

  5. A proposal for a drug information database and text templates for generating package inserts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Okuya R

    2013-07-01

    regenerate the descriptions in the original package insert. In future research, the table schemata and text templates will be extended to regenerate other information in the package inserts. Keywords: medical safety, drug information, package insert, drug database, cluster analysis

  6. First clinical use of a bioprosthetic total artificial heart: report of two cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpentier, Alain; Latrémouille, Christian; Cholley, Bernard; Smadja, David M; Roussel, Jean-Christian; Boissier, Elodie; Trochu, Jean-Noël; Gueffet, Jean-Pierre; Treillot, Michèle; Bizouarn, Philippe; Méléard, Denis; Boughenou, Marie-Fazia; Ponzio, Olivier; Grimmé, Marc; Capel, Antoine; Jansen, Piet; Hagège, Albert; Desnos, Michel; Fabiani, Jean-Noël; Duveau, Daniel

    2015-10-17

    The development of artificial hearts in patients with end-stage heart disease have been confronted with the major issues of thromboembolism or haemorrhage. Since valvular bioprostheses are associated with a low incidence of these complications, we decided to use bioprosthetic materials in the construction of a novel artificial heart (C-TAH). We report here the device characteristics and its first clinical applications in two patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy. The aim of the study was to evaluate safety and feasibility of the CARMAT TAH for patients at imminent risk of death from biventricular heart failure and not eligible for transplant. The C-TAH is an implantable electro-hydraulically actuated pulsatile biventricular pump. All components, batteries excepted, are embodied in a single device positioned in the pericardial sac after excision of the native ventricles. We selected patients admitted to hospital who were at imminent risk of death, having irreversible biventricular failure, and not eligible for heart transplantation, from three cardiac surgery centres in France. The C-TAH was implanted in two male patients. Patient 1, aged 76 years, had the C-TAH implantation on Dec 18, 2013; patient 2, aged 68 years, had the implantation on Aug 5, 2014. The cardiopulmonary bypass times for C-TAH implantation were 170 min for patient 1 and 157 min for patient 2. Both patients were extubated within the first 12 postoperative hours and had a rapid recovery of their respiratory and circulatory functions as well as a normal mental status. Patient 1 presented with a tamponade on day 23 requiring re-intervention. Postoperative bleeding disorders prompted anticoagulant discontinuation. The C-TAH functioned well with a cardiac output of 4·8-5·8 L/min. On day 74, the patient died due to a device failure. Autopsy did not detect any relevant thrombus formation within the bioprosthesis nor the different organs, despite a 50-day anticoagulant-free period. Patient 2

  7. Code Generation with Templates

    CERN Document Server

    Arnoldus, Jeroen; Serebrenik, A

    2012-01-01

    Templates are used to generate all kinds of text, including computer code. The last decade, the use of templates gained a lot of popularity due to the increase of dynamic web applications. Templates are a tool for programmers, and implementations of template engines are most times based on practical experience rather than based on a theoretical background. This book reveals the mathematical background of templates and shows interesting findings for improving the practical use of templates. First, a framework to determine the necessary computational power for the template metalanguage is presen

  8. Facile preparation of hierarchically porous carbon using diatomite as both template and catalyst and methylene blue adsorption of carbon products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Dong; Yuan, Peng; Tan, Daoyong; Liu, Hongmei; Wang, Tong; Fan, Mingde; Zhu, Jianxi; He, Hongping

    2012-12-15

    Hierarchically porous carbons were prepared using a facile preparation method in which diatomite was utilized as both template and catalyst. The porous structures of the carbon products and their formation mechanisms were investigated. The macroporosity and microporosity of the diatomite-templated carbons were derived from replication of diatom shell and structure-reconfiguration of the carbon film, respectively. The macroporosity of carbons was strongly dependent on the original morphology of the diatomite template. The macroporous structure composed of carbon plates connected by the pillar- and tube-like macropores resulted from the replication of the central and edge pores of the diatom shells with disk-shaped morphology, respectively. And another macroporous carbon tubes were also replicated from canoe-shaped diatom shells. The acidity of diatomite dramatically affected the porosity of the carbons, more acid sites of diatomite template resulted in higher surface area and pore volume of the carbon products. The diatomite-templated carbons exhibited higher adsorption capacity for methylene blue than the commercial activated carbon (CAC), although the specific surface area was much smaller than that of CAC, due to the hierarchical porosity of diatomite-templated carbons. And the carbons were readily reclaimed and regenerated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Polymeric hydrogels for burn wound care: Advanced skin wound dressings and regenerative templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madaghiele, Marta; Demitri, Christian; Sannino, Alessandro; Ambrosio, Luigi

    2014-01-01

    Wound closure represents a primary goal in the treatment of very deep and/or large wounds, for which the mortality rate is particularly high. However, the spontaneous healing of adult skin eventually results in the formation of epithelialized scar and scar contracture (repair), which might distort the tissues and cause lifelong deformities and disabilities. This clinical evidence suggests that wound closure attained by means of skin regeneration, instead of repair, should be the true goal of burn wound management. The traditional concept of temporary wound dressings, able to stimulate skin healing by repair, is thus being increasingly replaced by the idea of temporary scaffolds, or regenerative templates, able to promote healing by regeneration. As wound dressings, polymeric hydrogels provide an ideal moisture environment for healing while protecting the wound, with the additional advantage of being comfortable to the patient, due to their cooling effect and non-adhesiveness to the wound tissue. More importantly, recent advances in regenerative medicine demonstrate that bioactive hydrogels can be properly designed to induce at least partial skin regeneration in vivo. The aim of this review is to provide a concise insight on the key properties of hydrogels for skin healing and regeneration, particularly highlighting the emerging role of hydrogels as next generation skin substitutes for the treatment of full-thickness burns.

  10. Polymeric hydrogels for burn wound care: Advanced skin wound dressings and regenerative templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Madaghiele

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Wound closure represents a primary goal in the treatment of very deep and/or large wounds, for which the mortality rate is particularly high. However, the spontaneous healing of adult skin eventually results in the formation of epithelialized scar and scar contracture (repair, which might distort the tissues and cause lifelong deformities and disabilities. This clinical evidence suggests that wound closure attained by means of skin regeneration, instead of repair, should be the true goal of burn wound management. The traditional concept of temporary wound dressings, able to stimulate skin healing by repair, is thus being increasingly replaced by the idea of temporary scaffolds, or regenerative templates, able to promote healing by regeneration. As wound dressings, polymeric hydrogels provide an ideal moisture environment for healing while protecting the wound, with the additional advantage of being comfortable to the patient, due to their cooling effect and non-adhesiveness to the wound tissue. More importantly, recent advances in regenerative medicine demonstrate that bioactive hydrogels can be properly designed to induce at least partial skin regeneration in vivo. The aim of this review is to provide a concise insight on the key properties of hydrogels for skin healing and regeneration, particularly highlighting the emerging role of hydrogels as next generation skin substitutes for the treatment of full-thickness burns.

  11. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation for failing surgical aortic bioprosthetic valve: from concept to clinical application and evaluation (part 2).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piazza, Nicolo; Bleiziffer, Sabine; Brockmann, Gernot; Hendrick, Ruge; Deutsch, Marcus-André; Opitz, Anke; Mazzitelli, Domenico; Tassani-Prell, Peter; Schreiber, Christian; Lange, Rüdiger

    2011-07-01

    This study sought to review the acute procedural outcomes of patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve (TAV)-in-surgical aortic valve (SAV) implantation at the German Heart Center, Munich, and to summarize the existing literature on TAV-in-SAV implantation (n = 47). There are several case reports and small case series describing transcatheter aortic valve implantation for a failing surgical aortic valve bioprosthesis (TAV-in-SAV implantation). From January 2007 to March 2011, 20 out of 556 patients underwent a TAV-in-SAV implantation at the German Heart Center Munich. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcome data were prospectively entered into a dedicated database. The mean patient age was 75 ± 13 years, and the mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation and Society of Thoracic Surgeons' Risk Model scores were 27 ± 13% and 7 ± 4%, respectively. Of the 20 patients, 14 had stented and 6 had stentless surgical bioprostheses. Most cases (12 of 20) were performed via the transapical route using a 23-mm Edwards Sapien prosthesis (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California). Successful implantation of a TAV in a SAV with the patient leaving the catheterization laboratory alive was achieved in 18 of 20 patients. The mean transaortic valve gradient was 20.0 ± 7.5 mm Hg. None-to-trivial, mild, and mild-to-moderate paravalvular aortic regurgitation was observed in 10, 6, and 2 patients, respectively. We experienced 1 intraprocedural death following pre-implant balloon aortic valvuloplasty ("stone heart") and 2 further in-hospital deaths due to myocardial infarction. TAV-in-SAV implantation is a safe and feasible treatment for high-risk patients with failing aortic bioprosthetic valves and should be considered as part of the armamentarium in the treatment of aortic bioprosthetic valve failure. Copyright © 2011 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Templating mesoporous zeolites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Egeblad, Kresten; Christensen, Christina Hviid; Kustova, Marina

    2008-01-01

    The application of templating methods to produce zeolite materials with hierarchical bi- or trimodal pore size distributions is reviewed with emphasis on mesoporous materials. Hierarchical zeolite materials are categorized into three distinctly different types of materials: hierarchical zeolite...... crystals, nanosized zeolite crystals, and supported zeolite crystals. For the pure zeolite materials in the first two categories, the additional meso- or macroporosity can be classified as being either intracrystalline or intercrystalline, whereas for supported zeolite materials, the additional porosity...... originates almost exclusively from the support material. The methods for introducing mesopores into zeolite materials are discussed and categorized. In general, mesopores can be templated in zeolite materials by use of solid templating, supramolecular templating, or indirect templating...

  13. Textile-templated electrospun anisotropic scaffolds for regenerative cardiac tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Şenel Ayaz, H Gözde; Perets, Anat; Ayaz, Hasan; Gilroy, Kyle D; Govindaraj, Muthu; Brookstein, David; Lelkes, Peter I

    2014-10-01

    For patients with end-stage heart disease, the access to heart transplantation is limited due to the shortage of donor organs and to the potential for rejection of the donated organ. Therefore, current studies focus on bioengineering approaches for creating biomimetic cardiac patches that will assist in restoring cardiac function, by repairing and/or regenerating the intrinsically anisotropic myocardium. In this paper we present a simplified, straightforward approach for creating bioactive anisotropic cardiac patches, based on a combination of bioengineering and textile-manufacturing techniques in concert with nano-biotechnology based tissue-engineering stratagems. Using knitted conventional textiles, made of cotton or polyester yarns as template targets, we successfully electrospun anisotropic three-dimensional scaffolds from poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA), and thermoplastic polycarbonate-urethane (PCU, Bionate(®)). The surface topography and mechanical properties of textile-templated anisotropic scaffolds significantly differed from those of scaffolds electrospun from the same materials onto conventional 2-D flat-target electrospun scaffolds. Anisotropic textile-templated scaffolds electrospun from both PLGA and PCU, supported the adhesion and proliferation of H9C2 cardiac myoblasts cell line, and guided the cardiac tissue-like anisotropic organization of these cells in vitro. All cell-seeded PCU scaffolds exhibited mechanical properties comparable to those of a human heart, but only the cells on the polyester-templated scaffolds exhibited prolonged spontaneous synchronous contractility on the entire engineered construct for 10 days in vitro at a near physiologic frequency of ∼120 bpm. Taken together, the methods described here take advantage of straightforward established textile manufacturing strategies as an efficient and cost-effective approach to engineering 3D anisotropic, elastomeric PCU scaffolds that can serve as a cardiac patch. Copyright

  14. Adsorption of Remazol Black 5 from aqueous solution by the templated crosslinked-chitosans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Arh-Hwang; Huang, Yao-Yi

    2010-01-01

    The templated crosslinked-chitosan microparticles prepared using the imprinting method with the Remazol Black5 (RB5) dye as a template, epichlorohydrin (ECH) as a crosslinker, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution used for the microparticle formation showed the highest adsorption capacity for the RB5 dye compared with those that used other methods with or without a template, three crosslinkers, and two microparticle formations. The results showed that the adsorption of the RB5 dye on the microparticles was affected by the microparticle size, the initial dye concentration, the initial pH value, as well as the temperature. Both kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process were estimated. These data indicated an exothermic spontaneous adsorption process that kinetically followed the second-order adsorption process. Equilibrium experiments fitted well the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity for the RB5 dye was 2941 mg/g. The competition study showed that the adsorption of the RB5 dye on the microparticles in the mixture solution was much less affected by the existence of the 3R dye than the other way around. Furthermore, the microparticles could be regenerated through the desorption of the dye in pH 10.0 of NaOH solution and could be reused to adsorb the dye again.

  15. Report Template

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjørn, Anders; Laurent, Alexis; Owsianiak, Mikołaj

    2018-01-01

    To ensure consistent reporting of life cycle assessment (LCA), we provide a report template. The report includes elements of an LCA study as recommended but the ILCD Handbook. Illustrative case study reported according to this template is presented in Chap. 39 ....

  16. Fracturing mechanics before valve-in-valve therapy of small aortic bioprosthetic heart valves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johansen, Peter; Engholt, Henrik; Tang, Mariann; Nybo, Rasmus F; Rasmussen, Per D; Nielsen-Kudsk, Jens Erik

    2017-10-13

    Patients with degraded bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV) who are not candidates for valve replacement may benefit from transcatheter valve-in-valve (VIV) therapy. However, in smaller-sized surgical BHV the resultant orifice may become too narrow. To overcome this, the valve frame can be fractured by a high-pressure balloon prior to VIV. However, knowledge on fracture pressures and mechanics are prerequisites. The aim of this study was to identify the fracture pressures needed in BHV, and to describe the fracture mechanics. Commonly used BHV of small sizes were mounted on a high-pressure balloon situated in a biplane fluoroscopic system with a high-speed camera. The instant of fracture was captured along with the balloon pressure. The valves were inspected for material protrusion and later dissected for fracture zone investigation and description. The valves with a polymer frame fractured at a lower pressure (8-10 atm) than those with a metal stent (19-26 atm). None of the fractured valves had elements protruding. VIV procedures in small-sized BHV may be performed after prior fracture of the valve frame by high-pressure balloon dilatation. This study provides tentative guidelines for expected balloon sizes and pressures for valve fracturing.

  17. Welding template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ben Venue, R.J. of.

    1976-01-01

    A welding template is described which is used to weld strip material into a cellular grid structure for the accommodation of fuel elements in a nuclear reactor. On a base plate the template carries a multitude of cylindrical pins whose upper half is narrower than the bottom half and only one of which is attached to the base plate. The others are arrested in a hexagonal array by oblong webs clamped together by chuck jaws which can be secured by means of screws. The parts are ground very accurately. The template according to the invention is very easy to make. (UWI) [de

  18. Programmable imprint lithography template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardinale, Gregory F [Oakland, CA; Talin, Albert A [Livermore, CA

    2006-10-31

    A template for imprint lithography (IL) that reduces significantly template production costs by allowing the same template to be re-used for several technology generations. The template is composed of an array of spaced-apart moveable and individually addressable rods or plungers. Thus, the template can be configured to provide a desired pattern by programming the array of plungers such that certain of the plungers are in an "up" or actuated configuration. This arrangement of "up" and "down" plungers forms a pattern composed of protruding and recessed features which can then be impressed onto a polymer film coated substrate by applying a pressure to the template impressing the programmed configuration into the polymer film. The pattern impressed into the polymer film will be reproduced on the substrate by subsequent processing.

  19. Percutaneous placed bioprosthetic venous valve in the treatment of deep vein reflux: animal experiments and clinical trials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Wei; Li Yanhao; Dusan Pavcnik

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of percutaneously placed bioprosthetic bicuspid venous valve (BVV) in the treatment of deep vein insufficiency in animal experiments and clinical trials. Methods: BVV was made of two pieces of lyophilized porcine small intestinal submucosa(SIS) which were attached to a stent frame. Three kinds of BVVs (BVV1, BVV2, BVV3) was developed using different kinds of stent frames and different methods of attachment. BVV1, BVV2 and BVV3 were percutaneously placed into ovine's jugular veins acrossed the nature valves. Ascending and descending angiography were performed before and after' BVVs placement. The patency of veins and the function of valves was evaluated during 5 weeks to 6 months follow-up. In clinical trial, BVV1 and BVV3 were percutaneously placed into 3 and 15 patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) respectively. The patency of veins and the function of valves was also evaluated during 1 to 3 years' follow-up. Results: In animal experiment, BVV1, BVV2, and BVV3 were placed to 24, 26 and 12 ovine's jugular veins respectively. During 5 weeks to 6 months follow- up period, 22 (88.0%), 24(92.3%) and 12 of the BVVs exhibited good function. Endothelium of both surfaces of SIS leaflets was complete in approximately 3 months. SIS was gradually reabsorbed and replaced by the host's own cells. Three BVV1 were placed into 3 patients with CVI. At the third years follow-up, symptoms relieved in 2 cases and no change of clinical symptoms was found in 1 patient. BVV3 were percutaneously placed into 15 patients with advanced symptomatic CVI. At one month and 3 months' follow- up after BVV3 placement, all BVV3 functioned well. However, BVV3 were flexible and functioned well in only 4 cases at 1 year' s follow-up. Intravascular ultrasound revealed thickened rigid cusps with valve leakage of different levels and no symptom resolved in 11 cases. Conclusions: Percutaneous implantation of bioprosthetic BVV is a promising method in the

  20. Distinctive Capillary Action by Micro-channels in Bone-like Templates can Enhance Recruitment of Cells for Restoration of Large Bony Defect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Daniel S; Koch, Alia; Eisig, Sidney; Kim, Sahng Gyoon; Kim, Yoon Hyuk; Kim, Do-Gyoon; Shim, Jae Hyuck

    2015-09-11

    Without an active, thriving cell population that is well-distributed and stably anchored to the inserted template, exceptional bone regeneration does not occur. With conventional templates, the absence of internal micro-channels results in the lack of cell infiltration, distribution, and inhabitance deep inside the templates. Hence, a highly porous and uniformly interconnected trabecular-bone-like template with micro-channels (biogenic microenvironment template; BMT) has been developed to address these obstacles. The novel BMT was created by innovative concepts (capillary action) and fabricated with a sponge-template coating technique. The BMT consists of several structural components: inter-connected primary-pores (300-400 µm) that mimic pores in trabecular bone, micro-channels (25-70 µm) within each trabecula, and nanopores (100-400 nm) on the surface to allow cells to anchor. Moreover, the BMT has been documented by mechanical test study to have similar mechanical strength properties to those of human trabecular bone (~3.8 MPa)12. The BMT exhibited high absorption, retention, and habitation of cells throughout the bridge-shaped (Π) templates (3 cm height and 4 cm length). The cells that were initially seeded into one end of the templates immediately mobilized to the other end (10 cm distance) by capillary action of the BMT on the cell media. After 4 hr, the cells homogenously occupied the entire BMT and exhibited normal cellular behavior. The capillary action accounted for the infiltration of the cells suspended in the media and the distribution (active migration) throughout the BMT. Having observed these capabilities of the BMT, we project that BMTs will absorb bone marrow cells, growth factors, and nutrients from the periphery under physiological conditions. The BMT may resolve current limitations via rapid infiltration, homogenous distribution and inhabitance of cells in large, volumetric templates to repair massive skeletal defects.

  1. Cloning nanocrystal morphology with soft templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thapa, Dev Kumar; Pandey, Anshu

    2016-08-01

    In most template directed preparative methods, while the template decides the nanostructure morphology, the structure of the template itself is a non-general outcome of its peculiar chemistry. Here we demonstrate a template mediated synthesis that overcomes this deficiency. This synthesis involves overgrowth of silica template onto a sacrificial nanocrystal. Such templates are used to copy the morphologies of gold nanorods. After template overgrowth, gold is removed and silver is regrown in the template cavity to produce a single crystal silver nanorod. This technique allows for duplicating existing nanocrystals, while also providing a quantifiable breakdown of the structure - shape interdependence.

  2. Computing layouts with deformable templates

    KAUST Repository

    Peng, Chi-Han

    2014-07-22

    In this paper, we tackle the problem of tiling a domain with a set of deformable templates. A valid solution to this problem completely covers the domain with templates such that the templates do not overlap. We generalize existing specialized solutions and formulate a general layout problem by modeling important constraints and admissible template deformations. Our main idea is to break the layout algorithm into two steps: a discrete step to lay out the approximate template positions and a continuous step to refine the template shapes. Our approach is suitable for a large class of applications, including floorplans, urban layouts, and arts and design. Copyright © ACM.

  3. Computing layouts with deformable templates

    KAUST Repository

    Peng, Chi-Han; Yang, Yongliang; Wonka, Peter

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we tackle the problem of tiling a domain with a set of deformable templates. A valid solution to this problem completely covers the domain with templates such that the templates do not overlap. We generalize existing specialized solutions and formulate a general layout problem by modeling important constraints and admissible template deformations. Our main idea is to break the layout algorithm into two steps: a discrete step to lay out the approximate template positions and a continuous step to refine the template shapes. Our approach is suitable for a large class of applications, including floorplans, urban layouts, and arts and design. Copyright © ACM.

  4. Harnessing osteopontin and other natural inhibitors to mitigate ectopic calcification of bioprosthetic heart valve material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohri, Rachit

    Dystrophic calcification has been the long-standing major cause of bioprosthetic heart valve failure, and has been well studied in terms of the underlying causative mechanisms. Such understanding has yielded several anti-calcification strategies involving biomaterial modification at the preparation stage: chemical alteration, extraction of calcifiable components, or material modification with small-molecule anti-calcific agents. However, newer therapeutic opportunities are offered by the growing illustration of the pathology as a dynamic, actively regulated process involving several gene products, such as osteopontin (OPN), matrix-gla protein (MGP) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Osteopontin, a multi-functional matricellular glycosylated phosphoprotein has emerged as a prime candidate for the role of an in vivo inhibitor of ectopic calcification with two putative mechanisms: crystal poisoning and mineral-dissolution. The full therapeutic realization of its potential necessitates a better understanding of the mechanisms of anti-calcification by osteopontin, as well as appropriate in vivo models in which to evaluate its efficacy, potency and molecular mechanisms. In this work, we pursued the development and characterization of a reliable in vivo model with the OPN-null mouse to simulate the calcification of bioprosthetic valve material, namely glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine pericardium (GFBP) tissue. Subsequently, we used the calcification model to evaluate hypotheses based on the anti-calcific potential of osteopontin. Several modes of administering exogenous OPN to the implant site in OPN-null mice were explored, including soluble injected OPN, OPN covalently immobilized on the biomaterial, and OPN adsorbed onto the biomaterial. An investigation of the structure-function aspects of the anti-calcific ability of OPN was also pursued in the in vivo model. The OPN-null mouse was also used as an in vivo test-bed to evaluate the anti-calcific potential of other biomolecules

  5. A Deformable Template Model, with Special Reference to Elliptical Templates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hobolth, Asger; Pedersen, Jan; Jensen, Eva Bjørn Vedel

    2002-01-01

    This paper suggests a high-level continuous image model for planar star-shaped objects. Under this model, a planar object is a stochastic deformation of a star-shaped template. The residual process, describing the difference between the radius-vector function of the template and the object...

  6. Uso del regenerador dérmico Integra® como material de relleno para el tratamiento de defectos del contorno corporal Use of Integra® dermal regeneration template in deep tissue planes for contour defects treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. A. Gómez Morell

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available En el tratamiento de los defectos de contorno corporal se usan múltiples productos biológicos y/o sintéticos. Cuando el volumen no es grande, los autores plantean el uso del regenerador dérmico Integra® eliminando previamente su capa superficial de silicona frente a los inconvenientes que presenta el uso de otros materiales de relleno en Cirugía Plástica (reabsorción variable, intolerancia, infección, granulomas, calcificación, etc. Dicho producto acaba transformándose en neodermis del propio paciente, bien tolerada. Presentamos dos casos con defectos a nivel frontal (postraumático y en tórax anterior (secuelas de reconstrucción tras mastectomía respectivamente, en los que se colocó Integra® en bolsillos profundos y doblado sobre sí mismo para aumentar su volumen. Los resultados son previsibles, con mínima reabsorción y además son duraderos, con seguimiento a los 6 y 12 meses. Los autores recomiendan el uso del regenerador dérmico en volúmenes moderados y/o pequeños, considerando que en grandes volúmenes es preferible el uso del colgajos autólogos y/o colgajos más prótesis.In the treatment of body contour defects we can use many biological and synthetic products. They have many inconvenient effects as variable reabsortion, intolerance, infection, granulomas, calcification, etc. In moderate defects, the authors propose the use of modificated Integra® dermal regeneration template without the superficial silicone layer. Two patients are reported, one with a traumatic frontal defect and another with a depression in the anterior thorax after postmastectomy breast reconstruction post mastectomy. In both we put Integra® into a subcutaneous pocket and we bent it to increase lamina volume. Results are predictable, permanent, with minimal reabsortion after 6 and 12 months follow up. Integra® will be autologous neodermis. The authors recommend the dermal regeneration template for small or medium defects; in large defects they

  7. Biometric Template Security

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhishek Nagar

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Biometric recognition offers a reliable solution to the problem of user authentication in identity management systems. With the widespread deployment of biometric systems in various applications, there are increasing concerns about the security and privacy of biometric technology. Public acceptance of biometrics technology will depend on the ability of system designers to demonstrate that these systems are robust, have low error rates, and are tamper proof. We present a high-level categorization of the various vulnerabilities of a biometric system and discuss countermeasures that have been proposed to address these vulnerabilities. In particular, we focus on biometric template security which is an important issue because, unlike passwords and tokens, compromised biometric templates cannot be revoked and reissued. Protecting the template is a challenging task due to intrauser variability in the acquired biometric traits. We present an overview of various biometric template protection schemes and discuss their advantages and limitations in terms of security, revocability, and impact on matching accuracy. A template protection scheme with provable security and acceptable recognition performance has thus far remained elusive. Development of such a scheme is crucial as biometric systems are beginning to proliferate into the core physical and information infrastructure of our society.

  8. Functional Programming with C++ Template Metaprograms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porkoláb, Zoltán

    Template metaprogramming is an emerging new direction of generative programming. With the clever definitions of templates we can force the C++ compiler to execute algorithms at compilation time. Among the application areas of template metaprograms are the expression templates, static interface checking, code optimization with adaption, language embedding and active libraries. However, as template metaprogramming was not an original design goal, the C++ language is not capable of elegant expression of metaprograms. The complicated syntax leads to the creation of code that is hard to write, understand and maintain. Although template metaprogramming has a strong relationship with functional programming, this is not reflected in the language syntax and existing libraries. In this paper we give a short and incomplete introduction to C++ templates and the basics of template metaprogramming. We will enlight the role of template metaprograms, and some important and widely used idioms. We give an overview of the possible application areas as well as debugging and profiling techniques. We suggest a pure functional style programming interface for C++ template metaprograms in the form of embedded Haskell code which is transformed to standard compliant C++ source.

  9. Templates, Numbers & Watercolors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemesha, David J.

    1990-01-01

    Describes how a second-grade class used large templates to draw and paint five-digit numbers. The lesson integrated artistic knowledge and vocabulary with their mathematics lesson in place value. Students learned how draftspeople use templates, and they studied number paintings by Charles Demuth and Jasper Johns. (KM)

  10. Multi-template polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalle, Elena; Kubista, Mikael; Rensing, Christopher

    2014-12-01

    PCR is a formidable and potent technology that serves as an indispensable tool in a wide range of biological disciplines. However, due to the ease of use and often lack of rigorous standards many PCR applications can lead to highly variable, inaccurate, and ultimately meaningless results. Thus, rigorous method validation must precede its broad adoption to any new application. Multi-template samples possess particular features, which make their PCR analysis prone to artifacts and biases: multiple homologous templates present in copy numbers that vary within several orders of magnitude. Such conditions are a breeding ground for chimeras and heteroduplexes. Differences in template amplification efficiencies and template competition for reaction compounds undermine correct preservation of the original template ratio. In addition, the presence of inhibitors aggravates all of the above-mentioned problems. Inhibitors might also have ambivalent effects on the different templates within the same sample. Yet, no standard approaches exist for monitoring inhibitory effects in multitemplate PCR, which is crucial for establishing compatibility between samples.

  11. Emergency department documentation templates: variability in template selection and association with physical examination and test ordering in dizziness presentations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meurer William J

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinical documentation systems, such as templates, have been associated with process utilization. The T-System emergency department (ED templates are widely used but lacking are analyses of the templates association with processes. This system is also unique because of the many different template options available, and thus the selection of the template may also be important. We aimed to describe the selection of templates in ED dizziness presentations and to investigate the association between items on templates and process utilization. Methods Dizziness visits were captured from a population-based study of EDs that use documentation templates. Two relevant process outcomes were assessed: head computerized tomography (CT scan and nystagmus examination. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the probability of each outcome for patients who did or did not receive a relevant-item template. Propensity scores were also used to adjust for selection effects. Results The final cohort was 1,485 visits. Thirty-one different templates were used. Use of a template with a head CT item was associated with an increase in the adjusted probability of head CT utilization from 12.2% (95% CI, 8.9%-16.6% to 29.3% (95% CI, 26.0%-32.9%. The adjusted probability of documentation of a nystagmus assessment increased from 12.0% (95%CI, 8.8%-16.2% when a nystagmus-item template was not used to 95.0% (95% CI, 92.8%-96.6% when a nystagmus-item template was used. The associations remained significant after propensity score adjustments. Conclusions Providers use many different templates in dizziness presentations. Important differences exist in the various templates and the template that is used likely impacts process utilization, even though selection may be arbitrary. The optimal design and selection of templates may offer a feasible and effective opportunity to improve care delivery.

  12. Cryogenic regenerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kush, P.; Joshi, S.C.; Thirumaleshwar, M.

    1986-01-01

    Importance of regenerators in cryogenic refrigerators is highlighted. Design aspects of regenerator are reviewed and the factors involved in the selection of regenerator material are enumerated. Various methods used to calculate the heat transfer coefficient and regenerator effectiveness are mentioned. Variation of effectiveness with various parameters is calculated by a computer programme using the ideal, Ackermann and Tipler formulae. Results are presented in graphical form. Listing of the computer programme is given in the Appendix. (author)

  13. Multi-template polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Kalle

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available PCR is a formidable and potent technology that serves as an indispensable tool in a wide range of biological disciplines. However, due to the ease of use and often lack of rigorous standards many PCR applications can lead to highly variable, inaccurate, and ultimately meaningless results. Thus, rigorous method validation must precede its broad adoption to any new application. Multi-template samples possess particular features, which make their PCR analysis prone to artifacts and biases: multiple homologous templates present in copy numbers that vary within several orders of magnitude. Such conditions are a breeding ground for chimeras and heteroduplexes. Differences in template amplification efficiencies and template competition for reaction compounds undermine correct preservation of the original template ratio. In addition, the presence of inhibitors aggravates all of the above-mentioned problems. Inhibitors might also have ambivalent effects on the different templates within the same sample. Yet, no standard approaches exist for monitoring inhibitory effects in multitemplate PCR, which is crucial for establishing compatibility between samples.

  14. Hard template synthesis of metal nanowires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamura, Go; Muto, Hiroyuki; Matsuda, Atsunori

    2014-11-01

    Metal nanowires (NWs) have attracted much attention because of their high electron conductivity, optical transmittance and tunable magnetic properties. Metal NWs have been synthesized using soft templates such as surface stabilizing molecules and polymers, and hard templates such as anodic aluminum oxide, mesoporous oxide, carbon nanotubes. NWs prepared from hard templates are composites of metals and the oxide/carbon matrix. Thus, selecting appropriate elements can simplify the production of composite devices. The resulting NWs are immobilized and spatially arranged, as dictated by the ordered porous structure of the template. This avoids the NWs from aggregating, which is common for NWs prepared with soft templates in solution. Herein, the hard template synthesis of metal NWs is reviewed, and the resulting structures, properties and potential applications are discussed.

  15. iTemplate: A template-based eye movement data analysis approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Naiqi G; Lee, Kang

    2018-02-08

    Current eye movement data analysis methods rely on defining areas of interest (AOIs). Due to the fact that AOIs are created and modified manually, variances in their size, shape, and location are unavoidable. These variances affect not only the consistency of the AOI definitions, but also the validity of the eye movement analyses based on the AOIs. To reduce the variances in AOI creation and modification and achieve a procedure to process eye movement data with high precision and efficiency, we propose a template-based eye movement data analysis method. Using a linear transformation algorithm, this method registers the eye movement data from each individual stimulus to a template. Thus, users only need to create one set of AOIs for the template in order to analyze eye movement data, rather than creating a unique set of AOIs for all individual stimuli. This change greatly reduces the error caused by the variance from manually created AOIs and boosts the efficiency of the data analysis. Furthermore, this method can help researchers prepare eye movement data for some advanced analysis approaches, such as iMap. We have developed software (iTemplate) with a graphic user interface to make this analysis method available to researchers.

  16. Hard template synthesis of metal nanowires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Go eKawamura

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Metal nanowires (NWs have attracted much attention because of their high electron conductivity, optical transmittance and tunable magnetic properties. Metal NWs have been synthesized using soft templates such as surface stabilizing molecules and polymers, and hard templates such as anodic aluminum oxide, mesoporous oxide, carbon nanotubes. NWs prepared from hard templates are composites of metals and the oxide/carbon matrix. Thus, selecting appropriate elements can simplify the production of composite devices. The resulting NWs are immobilized and spatially arranged, as dictated by the ordered porous structure of the template. This avoids the NWs from aggregating, which is common for NWs prepared with soft templates in solution. Herein, the hard template synthesis of metal NWs is reviewed, and the resulting structures, properties and potential applications are discussed.

  17. The cancer paradigms of mammalian regeneration: can mammals regenerate as amphibians?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarig, Rachel; Tzahor, Eldad

    2017-04-01

    Regeneration in mammals is restricted to distinct tissues and occurs mainly by expansion and maturation of resident stem cells. During regeneration, even subtle mutations in the proliferating cells may cause a detrimental effect by eliciting abnormal differentiation or malignant transformation. Indeed, cancer in mammals has been shown to arise through deregulation of stem cells maturation, which often leads to a differentiation block and cell transformation. In contrast, lower organisms such as amphibians retain a remarkable regenerative capacity in various organs, which occurs via de- and re-differentiation of mature cells. Interestingly, regenerating amphibian cells are highly resistant to oncogenic transformation. Therapeutic approaches to improve mammalian regeneration mainly include stem-cell transplantations; but, these have proved unsuccessful in non-regenerating organs such as the heart. A recently developed approach is to induce de-differentiation of mature cardiomyocytes using factors that trigger their re-entry into the cell cycle. This novel approach raises numerous questions regarding the balance between transformation and regeneration induced by de-differentiation of mature mammalian somatic cells. Can this balance be controlled artificially? Do de-differentiated cells acquire the protection mechanisms seen in regenerating cells of lower organisms? Is this model unique to the cardiac tissue, which rarely develops tumors? This review describes regeneration processes in both mammals and lower organisms and, particularly, the ability of regenerating cells to avoid transformation. By comparing the characteristics of mammalian embryonic and somatic cells, we discuss therapeutic strategies of using various cell populations for regeneration. Finally, we describe a novel cardiac regeneration approach and its implications for regenerative medicine. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email

  18. Templated Dry Printing of Conductive Metal Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolfe, David Alexander

    Printed electronics can lower the cost and increase the ubiquity of electrical components such as batteries, sensors, and telemetry systems. Unfortunately, the advance of printed electronics has been held back by the limited minimum resolution, aspect ratio, and feature fidelity of present printing techniques such as gravure, screen printing and inkjet printing. Templated dry printing offers a solution to these problems by patterning nanoparticle inks into templates before drying. This dissertation shows advancements in two varieties of templated dry nanoprinting. The first, advective micromolding in vapor-permeable templates (AMPT) is a microfluidic approach that uses evaporation-driven mold filling to create submicron features with a 1:1 aspect ratio. We will discuss submicron surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators made through this process, and the refinement process in the template manufacturing process necessary to make these devices. We also present modeling techniques that can be applied to future AMPT templates. We conclude with a modified templated dry printing that improves throughput and isolated feature patterning by transferring dry-templated features with laser ablation. This method utilizes surface energy-defined templates to pattern features via doctor blade coating. Patterned and dried features can be transferred to a polymer substrate with an Nd:YAG MOPA fiber laser, and printed features can be smaller than the laser beam width.

  19. Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    George A. Schier; Wayne D. Shepperd; John R. Jones

    1985-01-01

    There are basically two approaches to regenerating aspen stands-sexual reproduction using seed, or vegetative regeneration by root suckering. In the West, root suckering is the most practical method. The advantage of having an existing, well established root system capable of producing numerous root suckers easily outweighs natural or artificial reforestation in the...

  20. Changes at transcriptional level during liver regeneration in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subba Rao, M.N.; Netrawali, M.S.; Pradhan, D.S.; Sreenivasan, A.

    1976-01-01

    A great upheaval in RNA synthetic pattern is known to occur during the early periods after partial hepatectomy. Such changes are being studied in regenerating rat liver with a view to understanding regulatory mechanisms of eukaryotic transcription. Follwoing partial hepatectomy, RNA synthesis is rat liver showed graded increase during 4 to 18 hours. At these time intervals, a significant enhancement could be discerned both in template efficiency of chromatin and in RNA polymerase activity in this tissue. Further examination revealed that the activity of RNA polymerase II (extra-nucleolar enzyme) stimulated to a much greater extent as compared to that of RNA polymerase I (nucleolar enzyme). Partial hepatectomy also resulted in significant alterations in turnovers of chromosomal acidic proteins in liver. 32 P-orthophosphate injected intraperitoneally was used in these studies. (author)

  1. Multiclassifier system with hybrid learning applied to the control of bioprosthetic hand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurzynski, Marek; Krysmann, Maciej; Trajdos, Pawel; Wolczowski, Andrzej

    2016-02-01

    In this paper the problem of recognition of the intended hand movements for the control of bio-prosthetic hand is addressed. The proposed method is based on recognition of electromiographic (EMG) and mechanomiographic (MMG) biosignals using a multiclassifier system (MCS) working in a two-level structure with a dynamic ensemble selection (DES) scheme and original concepts of competence function. Additionally, feedback information coming from bioprosthesis sensors on the correct/incorrect classification is applied to the adjustment of the combining mechanism during MCS operation through adaptive tuning competences of base classifiers depending on their decisions. Three MCS systems operating in decision tree structure and with different tuning algorithms are developed. In the MCS1 system, competence is uniformly allocated to each class belonging to the group indicated by the feedback signal. In the MCS2 system, the modification of competence depends on the node of decision tree at which a correct/incorrect classification is made. In the MCS3 system, the randomized model of classifier and the concept of cross-competence are used in the tuning procedure. Experimental investigations on the real data and computer-simulated procedure of generating feedback signals are performed. In these investigations classification accuracy of the MCS systems developed is compared and furthermore, the MCS systems are evaluated with respect to the effectiveness of the procedure of tuning competence. The results obtained indicate that modification of competence of base classifiers during the working phase essentially improves performance of the MCS system and that this improvement depends on the MCS system and tuning method used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Bioactive polymeric–ceramic hybrid 3D scaffold for application in bone tissue regeneration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Torres, A.L.; Gaspar, V.M.; Serra, I.R.; Diogo, G.S.; Fradique, R. [CICS-UBI — Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã (Portugal); Silva, A.P. [CAST-UBI — Centre for Aerospace Science and Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Calçada Fonte do Lameiro, 6201-001 Covilhã (Portugal); Correia, I.J., E-mail: icorreia@ubi.pt [CICS-UBI — Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã (Portugal)

    2013-10-01

    The regeneration of large bone defects remains a challenging scenario from a therapeutic point of view. In fact, the currently available bone substitutes are often limited by poor tissue integration and severe host inflammatory responses, which eventually lead to surgical removal. In an attempt to address these issues, herein we evaluated the importance of alginate incorporation in the production of improved and tunable β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds to be used as temporary templates for bone regeneration. Different bioceramic combinations were tested in order to investigate optimal scaffold architectures. Additionally, 3D β-TCP/HA vacuum-coated with alginate, presented improved compressive strength, fracture toughness and Young's modulus, to values similar to those of native bone. The hybrid 3D polymeric–bioceramic scaffolds also supported osteoblast adhesion, maturation and proliferation, as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that a 3D scaffold produced with this combination of biomaterials is described. Altogether, our results emphasize that this hybrid scaffold presents promising characteristics for its future application in bone regeneration. - Graphical abstract: B-TCP:HA–alginate hybrid 3D porous scaffolds for application in bone regeneration. - Highlights: • The produced hybrid 3D scaffolds are prone to be applied in bone tissue engineering. • Alginate coated 3D scaffolds present high mechanical and biological properties. • In vitro assays for evaluation of human osteoblast cell attachment in the presence of the scaffolds • The hybrid 3D scaffolds present suitable mechanical and biological properties for use in bone regenerative medicine.

  3. Bioactive polymeric–ceramic hybrid 3D scaffold for application in bone tissue regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torres, A.L.; Gaspar, V.M.; Serra, I.R.; Diogo, G.S.; Fradique, R.; Silva, A.P.; Correia, I.J.

    2013-01-01

    The regeneration of large bone defects remains a challenging scenario from a therapeutic point of view. In fact, the currently available bone substitutes are often limited by poor tissue integration and severe host inflammatory responses, which eventually lead to surgical removal. In an attempt to address these issues, herein we evaluated the importance of alginate incorporation in the production of improved and tunable β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds to be used as temporary templates for bone regeneration. Different bioceramic combinations were tested in order to investigate optimal scaffold architectures. Additionally, 3D β-TCP/HA vacuum-coated with alginate, presented improved compressive strength, fracture toughness and Young's modulus, to values similar to those of native bone. The hybrid 3D polymeric–bioceramic scaffolds also supported osteoblast adhesion, maturation and proliferation, as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that a 3D scaffold produced with this combination of biomaterials is described. Altogether, our results emphasize that this hybrid scaffold presents promising characteristics for its future application in bone regeneration. - Graphical abstract: B-TCP:HA–alginate hybrid 3D porous scaffolds for application in bone regeneration. - Highlights: • The produced hybrid 3D scaffolds are prone to be applied in bone tissue engineering. • Alginate coated 3D scaffolds present high mechanical and biological properties. • In vitro assays for evaluation of human osteoblast cell attachment in the presence of the scaffolds • The hybrid 3D scaffolds present suitable mechanical and biological properties for use in bone regenerative medicine

  4. Biometric template revocation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arndt, Craig M.

    2004-08-01

    Biometric are a powerful technology for identifying humans both locally and at a distance. In order to perform identification or verification biometric systems capture an image of some biometric of a user or subject. The image is then converted mathematical to representation of the person call a template. Since we know that every human in the world is different each human will have different biometric images (different fingerprints, or faces, etc.). This is what makes biometrics useful for identification. However unlike a credit card number or a password to can be given to a person and later revoked if it is compromised and biometric is with the person for life. The problem then is to develop biometric templates witch can be easily revoked and reissued which are also unique to the user and can be easily used for identification and verification. In this paper we develop and present a method to generate a set of templates which are fully unique to the individual and also revocable. By using bases set compression algorithms in an n-dimensional orthogonal space we can represent a give biometric image in an infinite number of equally valued and unique ways. The verification and biometric matching system would be presented with a given template and revocation code. The code will then representing where in the sequence of n-dimensional vectors to start the recognition.

  5. Development of Total Knee Replacement Digital Templating Software

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusof, Siti Fairuz; Sulaiman, Riza; Thian Seng, Lee; Mohd. Kassim, Abdul Yazid; Abdullah, Suhail; Yusof, Shahril; Omar, Masbah; Abdul Hamid, Hamzaini

    In this study, by taking full advantage of digital X-ray and computer technology, we have developed a semi-automated procedure to template knee implants, by making use of digital templating method. Using this approach, a software system called OrthoKneeTMhas been designed and developed. The system is to be utilities as a study in the Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology in medical faculty, UKM (FPUKM). OrthoKneeTMtemplating process employs uses a technique similar to those used by many surgeons, using acetate templates over X-ray films. Using template technique makes it easy to template various implant from every Implant manufacturers who have with a comprehensive database of templates. The templating functionality includes, template (knee) and manufactures templates (Smith & Nephew; and Zimmer). From an image of patient x-ray OrthoKneeTMtemplates help in quickly and easily reads to the approximate template size needed. The visual templating features then allow us quickly review multiple template sizes against the X-ray and thus obtain the nearly precise view of the implant size required. The system can assist by templating on one patient image and will generate reports that can accompany patient notes. The software system was implemented in Visual basic 6.0 Pro using the object-oriented techniques to manage the graphics and objects. The approaches for image scaling will be discussed. Several of measurement in orthopedic diagnosis process have been studied and added in this software as measurement tools features using mathematic theorem and equations. The study compared the results of the semi-automated (using digital templating) method to the conventional method to demonstrate the accuracy of the system.

  6. Template Assembly for Detailed Urban Reconstruction

    KAUST Repository

    Nan, Liangliang

    2015-05-04

    We propose a new framework to reconstruct building details by automatically assembling 3D templates on coarse textured building models. In a preprocessing step, we generate an initial coarse model to approximate a point cloud computed using Structure from Motion and Multi View Stereo, and we model a set of 3D templates of facade details. Next, we optimize the initial coarse model to enforce consistency between geometry and appearance (texture images). Then, building details are reconstructed by assembling templates on the textured faces of the coarse model. The 3D templates are automatically chosen and located by our optimization-based template assembly algorithm that balances image matching and structural regularity. In the results, we demonstrate how our framework can enrich the details of coarse models using various data sets.

  7. An ice-templated, linearly aligned chitosan-alginate scaffold for neural tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francis, Nicola L; Hunger, Philipp M; Donius, Amalie E; Riblett, Benjamin W; Zavaliangos, Antonios; Wegst, Ulrike G K; Wheatley, Margaret A

    2013-12-01

    Several strategies have been investigated to enhance axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury, however, the resulting growth can be random and disorganized. Bioengineered scaffolds provide a physical substrate for guidance of regenerating axons towards their targets, and can be produced by freeze casting. This technique involves the controlled directional solidification of an aqueous solution or suspension, resulting in a linearly aligned porous structure caused by ice templating. In this study, freeze casting was used to fabricate porous chitosan-alginate (C/A) scaffolds with longitudinally oriented channels. Chick dorsal root ganglia explants adhered to and extended neurites through the scaffold in parallel alignment with the channel direction. Surface adsorption of a polycation and laminin promoted significantly longer neurite growth than the uncoated scaffold (poly-L-ornithine + Laminin = 793.2 ± 187.2 μm; poly-L-lysine + Laminin = 768.7 ± 241.2 μm; uncoated scaffold = 22.52 ± 50.14 μm) (P < 0.001). The elastic modulus of the hydrated scaffold was determined to be 5.08 ± 0.61 kPa, comparable to reported spinal cord values. The present data suggested that this C/A scaffold is a promising candidate for use as a nerve guidance scaffold, because of its ability to support neuronal attachment and the linearly aligned growth of DRG neurites. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company.

  8. 2D vector-cyclic deformable templates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, Nette; Conradsen, Knut

    1998-01-01

    In this paper the theory of deformable templates is a vector cycle in 2D is described. The deformable template model originated in (Grenander, 1983) and was further investigated in (Grenander et al., 1991). A template vector distribution is induced by parameter distribution from transformation...... matrices applied to the vector cycle. An approximation in the parameter distribution is introduced. The main advantage by using the deformable template model is the ability to simulate a wide range of objects trained by e.g. their biological variations, and thereby improve restoration, segmentation...... and probabillity measurement. The case study concerns estimation of meat percent in pork carcasses. Given two cross-sectional images - one at the front and one near the ham of the carcass - the areas of lean and fat and a muscle in the lean area are measured automatically by the deformable templates....

  9. Desulfurization sorbent regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalan, V.M.; Frost, D.G.

    1982-07-07

    A spent solid sorbent resulting from the removal of hydrogen sulfide from a fuel gas flow is regenerated with a steam-air mixture. The mixture of steam and air may also include additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The gas mixture contacts the spent sorbent containing metal sulfide at a temperature above 500/sup 0/C to regenerate the sulfide to metal oxide or carbonate. Various metal species including the period four transition metals and the lanthanides are suitable sorbents that may be regenerated by this method. In addition, the introduction of carbon dioxide gas permits carbonates such as those of strontium, barium and calcium to be regenerated. The steam permits regeneration of spent sorbent without formation of metal sulfate. Moreover, the regeneration will proceed with low oxygen concentrations and will occur without the increase in temperature to minimize the risk of sintering and densification of the sorbent. This method may be used for high-temperature fuel cells.

  10. Accuracy of templating the acetabular cup size in Total Hip Replacement using conventional acetate templates on digital radiographs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnamoorthy, Vignesh P; Perumal, Rajamani; Daniel, Alfred J; Poonnoose, Pradeep M

    2015-12-01

    Templating of the acetabular cup size in Total Hip Replacement (THR) is normally done using conventional radiographs. As these are being replaced by digital radiographs, it has become essential to create a technique of templating using digital films. We describe a technique that involves templating the digital films using the universally available acetate templates for THR without the use of special software. Preoperative digital radiographs of the pelvis were taken with a 30 mm diameter spherical metal ball strapped over the greater trochanter. Using standard acetate templates provided by the implant company on magnified digital radiographs, the size of the metal ball (X mm) and acetabular cup (Y mm) were determined. The size of the acetabular cup to be implanted was estimated using the formula 30*Y/X. The estimated size was compared with the actual size of the cup used at surgery. Using this technique, it was possible to accurately predict the acetabular cup size in 28/40 (70%) of the hips. When the accuracy to within one size was considered, templating was correct in 90% (36/40). When assessed by two independent observers, there was good intra-observer and inter-observer reliability with intra-class correlation coefficient values greater than 0.8. It was possible to accurately and reliably predict the size of the acetabular cup, using acetate templates on digital films, without any digital templates.

  11. Regeneration performance of CO2-rich solvents by using membrane vacuum regeneration technology: Relationships between absorbent structure and regeneration efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Shuiping; Fang, Mengxiang; Wang, Zhen; Luo, Zhongyang

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► MVR may be viable to successfully use less valuable heat to replace high grade steam. ► Increasing OH and amine groups will increase the regeneration efficiency. ► Absorbents with a four carbon chain length will be more attractive to MVR. ► Amino acid salts will be more appropriate for MVR. ► HRM conducted at ambient pressure and low temperature is inferior to MVR. -- Abstract: In order to give a better understanding for the selection of suitable absorbents for the novel membrane vacuum regeneration technology (MVR) which has the potential to reduce CO 2 energy requirement by utilizing the waste heat or low-grade energy, an experimental study to determine the relationships between chemical structure and vacuum regeneration behavior of CO 2 absorbents at 70 °C and 10 kPa was performed. Eleven typical absorbents with different functional groups in their chemical structures were investigated in terms of vacuum regeneration efficiencies. Results showed that the regeneration efficiency decreased with an increase of number of activated hydrogen atom in amine group and decreased with the number of hydroxyl group. Especially, more attention should be paid to these alkanolamines with one hydrogen atom in amine group and two or more hydroxyl groups in the structures due to their better comprehensive performance in regeneration, absorbent loss and CO 2 absorption aspects. Increasing the carbon chain length and amine groups in the absorbent structure contributed to the improvement of regeneration performance and reduction of absorbent volatile loss. These absorbents with a four carbon chain length bonded at amine group might be more attractive to MVR. Furthermore, polyamines were superior to monoamines in terms of higher regeneration efficiencies and lower absorbent losses. Additionally, the individual effects of the potassium carboxylate group and hydroxymethylene group were also compared in this study. Results showed that amino acid salts were more

  12. Preparation of micro/nanostructure TiO2 spheres by controlling pollen as hard template and soft template.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaohui; Xu, Bin; Zhang, Xuehong; Song, Xiuqin; Chen, Rufen

    2014-09-01

    In this paper, micro/nanostructure TiO2 spheres were synthesized by a sunflower pollen induced and self-assembly mineralization process, in which a titania precursor and pollen reacted in one-pot at normal pressure. In this paper, the bio-template advantage, as hard and soft template is fully demonstrated. The superiority of our synthesis is that we not only can control pollen as hard template, but also can control it as soft template only by changing reactions temperature. Under 80 degrees C of water bath, TiO2 microspheres which replicated the morphology of pollen were prepared by controlling pollen as hard template. Under 100 degrees C, hierarchical TiO2 spheres with complicated morphology, different from pollen template, were synthesized by using pollen as soft template. At the same time, judicious choice of the amount of pollen affords the synthesis of hierarchical structures spheres with adjustable morphology and crystal structure. The morphology can be tuned from microspheres constructed from TiO2 nanorods to nanospheres constructed from TiO2 nanoparticles, and the crystal structure can be tuned from rutile to anatase. More over this anatase phase can be keep better even at high temperature of 1000 degrees C. The as-prepared micro/nano structure photocatalysts not only have high photocatalytic activities, but also have good separability and reuse performance.

  13. Biometric templates selection and update using quality measures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abboud, Ali J.; Jassim, Sabah A.

    2012-06-01

    To deal with severe variation in recording conditions, most biometric systems acquire multiple biometric samples, at the enrolment stage, for the same person and then extract their individual biometric feature vectors and store them in the gallery in the form of biometric template(s), labelled with the person's identity. The number of samples/templates and the choice of the most appropriate templates influence the performance of the system. The desired biometric template(s) selection technique must aim to control the run time and storage requirements while improving the recognition accuracy of the biometric system. This paper is devoted to elaborating on and discussing a new two stages approach for biometric templates selection and update. This approach uses a quality-based clustering, followed by a special criterion for the selection of an ultimate set of biometric templates from the various clusters. This approach is developed to select adaptively a specific number of templates for each individual. The number of biometric templates depends mainly on the performance of each individual (i.e. gallery size should be optimised to meet the needs of each target individual). These experiments have been conducted on two face image databases and their results will demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed quality-guided approach.

  14. Optimizing preventive maintenance with maintenance templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dozier, I.J.

    1996-01-01

    Rising operating costs has caused maintenance professionals to rethink their strategy for preventive maintenance (PM) programs. Maintenance Templates are pre-engineered PM task recommendations for a component type based on application of the component. Development of the maintenance template considers the dominant failure cause of the component and the type of preventive maintenance that can predict or prevent the failure from occurring. Maintenance template development also attempts to replace fixed frequency tasks with condition monitoring tasks such as vibration analysis or thermography. For those components that have fixed frequency PM intervals, consideration is given to the maintenance drivers such as criticality, environment and usage. This helps to maximize the PM frequency intervals and maximize the component availability. Maintenance Templates have been used at PECO Energy's Limerick Generating Station during the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Process to optimize their PM program. This paper describes the development and uses of the maintenance templates

  15. Production and characterization of chitosan/gelatin/β-TCP scaffolds for improved bone tissue regeneration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Serra, I.R.; Fradique, R.; Vallejo, M.C.S.; Correia, T.R.; Miguel, S.P.; Correia, I.J., E-mail: icorreia@ubi.pt

    2015-10-01

    Recently, bone tissue engineering emerged as a viable therapeutic alternative, comprising bone implants and new personalized scaffolds to be used in bone replacement and regeneration. In this study, biocompatible scaffolds were produced by freeze-drying, using different formulations (chitosan, chitosan/gelatin, chitosan/β-TCP and chitosan/gelatin/β-TCP) to be used as temporary templates during bone tissue regeneration. Sample characterization was performed through attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Mechanical characterization and porosity analysis were performed through uniaxial compression test and liquid displacement method, respectively. In vitro studies were also done to evaluate the biomineralization activity and the cytotoxic profile of the scaffolds. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy analysis were used to study cell adhesion and proliferation at the scaffold surface and within their structure. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the scaffolds was also evaluated through the agar diffusion method. Overall, the results obtained revealed that the produced scaffolds are bioactive and biocompatible, allow cell internalization and show antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Such, make these 3D structures as potential candidates for being used on the bone tissue regeneration, since they promote cell adhesion and proliferation and also prevent biofilm development at their surfaces, which is usually the main cause of implant failure. - Highlights: • Production of 3D scaffolds composed by chitosan/gelatin/β-TCP by freeze-drying for bone regeneration • Physicochemical characterization of the bone substitutes by SEM, FTIR, XRD and EDS • Evaluation of the cytotoxic profile and antibacterial activity of the 3D structures through in vitro assays.

  16. Production and characterization of chitosan/gelatin/β-TCP scaffolds for improved bone tissue regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serra, I.R.; Fradique, R.; Vallejo, M.C.S.; Correia, T.R.; Miguel, S.P.; Correia, I.J.

    2015-01-01

    Recently, bone tissue engineering emerged as a viable therapeutic alternative, comprising bone implants and new personalized scaffolds to be used in bone replacement and regeneration. In this study, biocompatible scaffolds were produced by freeze-drying, using different formulations (chitosan, chitosan/gelatin, chitosan/β-TCP and chitosan/gelatin/β-TCP) to be used as temporary templates during bone tissue regeneration. Sample characterization was performed through attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Mechanical characterization and porosity analysis were performed through uniaxial compression test and liquid displacement method, respectively. In vitro studies were also done to evaluate the biomineralization activity and the cytotoxic profile of the scaffolds. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy analysis were used to study cell adhesion and proliferation at the scaffold surface and within their structure. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the scaffolds was also evaluated through the agar diffusion method. Overall, the results obtained revealed that the produced scaffolds are bioactive and biocompatible, allow cell internalization and show antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Such, make these 3D structures as potential candidates for being used on the bone tissue regeneration, since they promote cell adhesion and proliferation and also prevent biofilm development at their surfaces, which is usually the main cause of implant failure. - Highlights: • Production of 3D scaffolds composed by chitosan/gelatin/β-TCP by freeze-drying for bone regeneration • Physicochemical characterization of the bone substitutes by SEM, FTIR, XRD and EDS • Evaluation of the cytotoxic profile and antibacterial activity of the 3D structures through in vitro assays

  17. Complement components of nerve regeneration conditioned fluid influence the microenvironment of nerve regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guang-shuai Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Nerve regeneration conditioned fluid is secreted by nerve stumps inside a nerve regeneration chamber. A better understanding of the proteinogram of nerve regeneration conditioned fluid can provide evidence for studying the role of the microenvironment in peripheral nerve regeneration. In this study, we used cylindrical silicone tubes as the nerve regeneration chamber model for the repair of injured rat sciatic nerve. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation proteomics technology and western blot analysis confirmed that there were more than 10 complement components (complement factor I, C1q-A, C1q-B, C2, C3, C4, C5, C7, C8ß and complement factor D in the nerve regeneration conditioned fluid and each varied at different time points. These findings suggest that all these complement components have a functional role in nerve regeneration.

  18. Surface biology of collagen scaffold explains blocking of wound contraction and regeneration of skin and peripheral nerves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yannas, I V; Tzeranis, D; So, P T

    2015-12-23

    We review the details of preparation and of the recently elucidated mechanism of biological (regenerative) activity of a collagen scaffold (dermis regeneration template, DRT) that has induced regeneration of skin and peripheral nerves (PN) in a variety of animal models and in the clinic. DRT is a 3D protein network with optimized pore size in the range 20-125 µm, degradation half-life 14 ± 7 d and ligand densities that exceed 200 µM α1β1 or α2β1 ligands. The pore has been optimized to allow migration of contractile cells (myofibroblasts, MFB) into the scaffold and to provide sufficient specific surface for cell-scaffold interaction; the degradation half-life provides the required time window for satisfactory binding interaction of MFB with the scaffold surface; and the ligand density supplies the appropriate ligands for specific binding of MFB on the scaffold surface. A dramatic change in MFB phenotype takes place following MFB-scaffold binding which has been shown to result in blocking of wound contraction. In both skin wounds and PN wounds the evidence has shown clearly that contraction blocking by DRT is followed by induction of regeneration of nearly perfect organs. The biologically active structure of DRT is required for contraction blocking; well-matched collagen scaffold controls of DRT, with structures that varied from that of DRT, have failed to induce regeneration. Careful processing of collagen scaffolds is required for adequate biological activity of the scaffold surface. The newly understood mechanism provides a relatively complete paradigm of regenerative medicine that can be used to prepare scaffolds that may induce regeneration of other organs in future studies.

  19. [The template principle: paradigm of modern genetics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inge-Vechtomov, S G

    2013-01-01

    The idea of continuity in living systems, which was initially developed in mid-19th century, reached its peak in 1928 thanks to N.K. Koltsov, who proposed the template principle in chromosome reproduction. The determination of genetic functions of nucleic acids and the advent of molecular genetics led to F. Crick's statement of the central dogma of molecular biology in 1958. This dogma became a contemporary version of the template principle (templates of the first order). The discovery of "protein inheritance" underlay the notion of steric or conformational templates (second order) for reproducing conformation in a number of proteins. The template principle supplemented by this notion claims to be the main paradigm of modern genetics.

  20. Hard template synthesis of metal nanowires

    OpenAIRE

    Kawamura, Go; Muto, Hiroyuki; Matsuda, Atsunori

    2014-01-01

    Metal nanowires (NWs) have attracted much attention because of their high electron conductivity, optical transmittance, and tunable magnetic properties. Metal NWs have been synthesized using soft templates such as surface stabilizing molecules and polymers, and hard templates such as anodic aluminum oxide, mesoporous oxide, carbon nanotubes. NWs prepared from hard templates are composites of metals and the oxide/carbon matrix. Thus, selecting appropriate elements can simplify the production o...

  1. Long-Term Durability of Bioprosthetic Aortic Valves: Implications From 12,569 Implants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Douglas R.; Soltesz, Edward G.; Vakil, Nakul; Rajeswaran, Jeevanantham; Roselli, Eric E.; Sabik, Joseph F.; Smedira, Nicholas G.; Svensson, Lars G.; Lytle, Bruce W.; Blackstone, Eugene H.

    2016-01-01

    Background Increased life expectancy and younger patients’ desire to avoid lifelong anticoagulation requires a better understanding of bioprosthetic valve failure. This study evaluates risk factors associated with explantation for structural valve deterioration (SVD) in a long-term series of Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT aortic valves (AV). Methods From June 1982 to January 2011, 12,569 patients underwent AV replacement with Edwards Lifesciences Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT stented bovine pericardial prostheses, models 2700PM (n = 310) or 2700 (n = 12,259). Mean age was 71 ± 11 years (range, 18 to 98 years). 93% had native AV disease, 48% underwent concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting, and 26% had additional valve surgery. There were 81,706 patient-years of systematic follow-up data available for analysis. Demographics, intraoperative variables, and 27,386 echocardiographic records were used to identify risks for explant for SVD and assess longitudinal changes in transprosthesis gradients using time-varying covariable analyses. Results Three hundred fifty-four explants were performed, with 41% related to endocarditis and 44% to SVD. Actuarial estimates of explant for SVD at 10 and 20 years were 1.9% and 15% overall, respectively, and in patients younger than 60 years, 5.6% and 46%, respectively. Younger age (p < 0.0001), lipid-lowering drugs (p = 0.002), prosthesis–patient mismatch (p = 0.001), and higher postoperative peak and mean AV gradients were associated with explant for SVD (p < 0.0001). The effect of gradient on SVD was greatest in patients younger than 60 years. Conclusions Durability of the Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT aortic valve is excellent even in younger patients. Explant for SVD is related to gradient at implantation, especially in younger patients. Strategies to reduce early postoperative AV gradients, such as root enlargement or more efficient prostheses, should be considered. PMID:25662439

  2. Learning templates for artistic portrait lighting analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaowu; Jin, Xin; Wu, Hongyu; Zhao, Qinping

    2015-02-01

    Lighting is a key factor in creating impressive artistic portraits. In this paper, we propose to analyze portrait lighting by learning templates of lighting styles. Inspired by the experience of artists, we first define several novel features that describe the local contrasts in various face regions. The most informative features are then selected with a stepwise feature pursuit algorithm to derive the templates of various lighting styles. After that, the matching scores that measure the similarity between a testing portrait and those templates are calculated for lighting style classification. Furthermore, we train a regression model by the subjective scores and the feature responses of a template to predict the score of a portrait lighting quality. Based on the templates, a novel face illumination descriptor is defined to measure the difference between two portrait lightings. Experimental results show that the learned templates can well describe the lighting styles, whereas the proposed approach can assess the lighting quality of artistic portraits as human being does.

  3. Comparison of Engineered Peptide-Glycosaminoglycan Microfibrous Hybrid Scaffolds for Potential Applications in Cartilage Tissue Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven M. Romanelli

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Advances in tissue engineering have enabled the ability to design and fabricate biomaterials at the nanoscale that can actively mimic the natural cellular environment of host tissue. Of all tissues, cartilage remains difficult to regenerate due to its avascular nature. Herein we have developed two new hybrid polypeptide-glycosaminoglycan microfibrous scaffold constructs and compared their abilities to stimulate cell adhesion, proliferation, sulfated proteoglycan synthesis and soluble collagen synthesis when seeded with chondrocytes. Both constructs were designed utilizing self-assembled Fmoc-protected valyl cetylamide nanofibrous templates. The peptide components of the constructs were varied. For Construct I a short segment of dentin sialophosphoprotein followed by Type I collagen were attached to the templates using the layer-by-layer approach. For Construct II, a short peptide segment derived from the integrin subunit of Type II collagen binding protein expressed by chondrocytes was attached to the templates followed by Type II collagen. To both constructs, we then attached the natural polymer N-acetyl glucosamine, chitosan. Subsequently, the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulfate was then attached as the final layer. The scaffolds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In vitro culture studies were carried out in the presence of chondrocyte cells for both scaffolds and growth morphology was determined through optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy taken at different magnifications at various days of culture. Cell proliferation studies indicated that while both constructs were biocompatible and supported the growth and adhesion of chondrocytes, Construct II stimulated cell adhesion at higher rates and resulted in the formation of three dimensional cell-scaffold matrices within 24 h. Proteoglycan

  4. Template Generation and Selection Algorithms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guo, Y.; Smit, Gerardus Johannes Maria; Broersma, Haitze J.; Heysters, P.M.; Badaway, W.; Ismail, Y.

    The availability of high-level design entry tooling is crucial for the viability of any reconfigurable SoC architecture. This paper presents a template generation method to extract functional equivalent structures, i.e. templates, from a control data flow graph. By inspecting the graph the algorithm

  5. Liver regeneration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chamuleau, R. A.; Bosman, D. K.

    1988-01-01

    Despite great advances in analysing hemodynamic, morphological and biochemical changes during the process of liver regeneration, the exact (patho)physiological mechanism is still unknown. A short survey of literature is given of the kinetics of liver regeneration and the significance of different

  6. images_template

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Images for the website template go here. It will not change their names or locations, but will hopefully help to organize them. Oh, but for a directory structure...

  7. The Amount of Regenerated Heat Inside the Regenerator of a Stirling Engine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Škorpík

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with analytical computing of the regenerated heat inside the regenerator of a Stirling engine. The total sum of the regenerated heat is constructed as a function of the crank angle in the case of Schmidt’s idealization. 

  8. "We Was Regenerated Out": Regeneration, Recycling and Devaluing Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luna Glucksberg

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article looks at well documented processes of urban regeneration and community displacement in the inner-city through an innovative anthropological perspective focused on concepts of waste and value. Using the notion of symbolic devaluation of the working classes developed by Skeggs (1997; 2004, it traces their exclusion from recycling practices while at the same time the estates they live on are being regenerated. Raising questions about the parallels and contradictions between regeneration and recycling, it shows how symbolic devaluation of specifi c areas and their inhabitants are necessary precursors of the physical demolition and removal that characterize regeneration processes. Through an ethnographic approach, the deep connections between people and their waste, and people as waste, are exposed and questioned, showing how valuable middle class selves are produced through appropriate waste management procedures, i.e. individualized recycling, while inner-city, estate dwellers are remade into uncaring, unworthy citizens who cannot take part in this value-producing circuit.

  9. A facile template method to synthesize significantly improved LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 using corn stalk as a bio-template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Guiyang; Kong, Xin; Sun, Hongyan; Wang, Baosen; Yi, Zhongzhou; Wang, Quanbiao

    2014-01-01

    In order to simplify the template method for the synthesis of cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, a facile template method using plant stalks as bio-templates has been introduced. Based on this method, LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 spinel with a significantly improved electrochemical performance has been synthesized using corn stalk as a template. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared pectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) have been used to investigate the phase composition and micro-morphologies of the products. Charge-discharge measurements in lithium cells, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) have been used to study the electrochemical performance of the products. The results indicate that the templated product exhibits higher crystallinity than that of non-templated product. Both of the templated product and the non-templated product are combination of the ordered space group P4 3 32 and the disordered Fd-3 m. The specific BET surface area of the templated product is about twice larger than that of the non-templated product. Moreover, the electrochemical performances of the templated product including specific capacity, cycling stability and rate capability are significantly improved as compared with the non-templated product, due to its higher crystallinity, larger Li + diffusion coefficient and lower charge transfer resistance

  10. Bioprosthetic Valve Fracture Improves the Hemodynamic Results of Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhatriwalla, Adnan K; Allen, Keith B; Saxon, John T; Cohen, David J; Aggarwal, Sanjeev; Hart, Anthony J; Baron, Suzanne J; Dvir, Danny; Borkon, A Michael

    2017-07-01

    Valve-in-valve (VIV) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may be less effective in small surgical valves because of patient/prosthesis mismatch. Bioprosthetic valve fracture (BVF) using a high-pressure balloon can be performed to facilitate VIV TAVR. We report data from 20 consecutive clinical cases in which BVF was successfully performed before or after VIV TAVR by inflation of a high-pressure balloon positioned across the valve ring during rapid ventricular pacing. Hemodynamic measurements and calculation of the valve effective orifice area were performed at baseline, immediately after VIV TAVR, and after BVF. BVF was successfully performed in 20 patients undergoing VIV TAVR with balloon-expandable (n=8) or self-expanding (n=12) transcatheter valves in Mitroflow, Carpentier-Edwards Perimount, Magna and Magna Ease, Biocor Epic and Biocor Epic Supra, and Mosaic surgical valves. Successful fracture was noted fluoroscopically when the waist of the balloon released and by a sudden drop in inflation pressure, often accompanied by an audible snap. BVF resulted in a reduction in the mean transvalvular gradient (from 20.5±7.4 to 6.7±3.7 mm Hg, P valve effective orifice area (from 1.0±0.4 to 1.8±0.6 cm 2 , P valves to facilitate VIV TAVR with either balloon-expandable or self-expanding transcatheter valves and results in reduced residual transvalvular gradients and increased valve effective orifice area. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  11. Microporous silica prepared by organic templating: relationship between the molecular template and pore structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Cao, Guozhong; Kale, Rahul P.; Lopez, Gabriel P.; Lu, Yunfeng; Prabakar, S.

    1999-01-01

    Microporous silica materials with a controlled pore size and a narrow pore size distribution have been prepared by sol-gel processing using an organic-templating approach. Microporous networks were formed by pyrolytic removal of organic ligands (methacryloxypropyl groups) from organic/inorganic hybrid materials synthesized by copolymerization of 3-methacryloxypropylsilane (MPS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Molecular simulations and experimental measurements were conducted to examine the relationship between the microstructural characteristics of the porous silica (e.g., pore size, total pore volume, and pore connectivity) and the size and amount of organic template ligands added. Adsorption measurements suggest that the final porosity of the microporous silica is due to both primary pores (those present in the hybrid materials prior to pyrolysis) and secondary pores (those created by pyrolytic removal of organic templates). Primary pores were inaccessible to N(sub 2) at 77 K but accessible to CO(sub 2) at 195 K; secondary pores were accessible to both N(sub 2) (at 77 K) and CO(sub 2) (at 195 K) in adsorption measurements. Primary porosity decreases with the amount of organic ligands added because of the enhanced densification of MPS/TEOS hybrid materials as the mole fraction of trifunctional MPS moieties increases. pore volumes measured by nitrogen adsorption experiments at 77 K suggest that the secondary (template-derived) porosity exhibits a percolation behavior as the template concentration is increased. Gas permeation experiments indicate that the secondary pores are approximately 5(angstrom) in diameter, consistent with predictions based on molecular simulations

  12. A light meson translatable template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allgower, C.E.; Peaslee, D.C.

    2002-01-01

    Recently surveyed (mass)2 values for I = 0, JPC = 2++ light mesons can be assembled into repeating patterns of 4 states, dubbed 'templates'. Within error, both internal and external template spacings approximate simple multiples of Δm2 ≅ 0.35 GeV2. Hopefully, this feature will be useful in predicting the positions of higher isoscalar 2++ states

  13. Optimization for zeolite regeneration and nitrogen removal performance of a hypochlorite-chloride regenerant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Zhen; An, Ying; Du, Silu; Ruan, Danian; Zhao, Chengyue; Ren, Ning; Tian, Xiaoce

    2017-07-01

    Simultaneous zeolites regeneration and nitrogen removal were investigated by using a mixed solution of NaClO and NaCl (NaClO-NaCl solution), and effects of the regenerant on ammonium removal performance and textural properties of zeolites were analyzed by long-term adsorption and regeneration operations. Mixed NaClO-NaCl solution removed more NH 4 + exchanged on zeolites and converted more of them to nitrogen than using NaClO or NaCl solution alone. Response surface methodological analysis indicated that molar ratio of hypochlorite and nitrogen (ClO - /N), NaCl concentration and pH value all had significant effects on zeolites regeneration and NH 4 + conversion to nitrogen, and the optimum condition was obtained at ClO - /N of 1.75, NaCl concentration of 20 g/L and pH of 10.0. Zeolites regenerated by mixed NaClO-NaCl solution showed higher ammonium adsorption rate and lower capacity than unused zeolites. Zeolites and the regeneration solution were both effective even after 20 cycles of use. Composition and morphological analysis revealed that the main mineral species and surface morphology of zeolites before and after NaClO-NaCl regeneration were unchanged. Textural analysis indicated that NaClO-NaCl regeneration leads to an increased surface area of zeolites, especially the microporosity. The results indicated that NaClO-NaCl regeneration is an attractive method to achieve sustainable removal of nitrogen from wastewater through zeolite. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Regeneration-associated macrophages: a novel approach to boost intrinsic regenerative capacity for axon regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Jung Kwon

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Axons in central nervous system (CNS do not regenerate spontaneously after injuries such as stroke and traumatic spinal cord injury. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors are responsible for the regeneration failure. Although intensive research efforts have been invested on extrinsic regeneration inhibitors, the extent to which glial inhibitors contribute to the regeneration failure in vivo still remains elusive. Recent experimental evidence has rekindled interests in intrinsic factors for the regulation of regeneration capacity in adult mammals. In this review, we propose that activating macrophages with pro-regenerative molecular signatures could be a novel approach for boosting intrinsic regenerative capacity of CNS neurons. Using a conditioning injury model in which regeneration of central branches of dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons is enhanced by a preceding injury to the peripheral branches, we have demonstrated that perineuronal macrophages surrounding dorsal root ganglia neurons are critically involved in the maintenance of enhanced regeneration capacity. Neuron-derived chemokine (C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2 seems to mediate neuron-macrophage interactions conveying injury signals to perineuronal macrophages taking on a soley pro-regenerative phenotype, which we designate as regeneration-associated macrophages (RAMs. Manipulation of the CCL2 signaling could boost regeneration potential mimicking the conditioning injury, suggesting that the chemokine-mediated RAM activation could be utilized as a regenerative therapeutic strategy for CNS injuries.

  15. Review of Research on Template Methods in Preparation of Nanomaterials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yadian Xie

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The nanomaterials have been widely used in various fields, such as photonics, catalysis, and adsorption, because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Therefore, their production methods are of utmost importance. Compared with traditional synthetic methods, the template method can effectively control the morphology, particle size, and structure during the preparation of nanomaterials, which is an effective method for their synthesis. The key for the template method is to choose different templates, which are divided into hard template and soft template according to their different structures. In this paper, the effects of different types of templates on the morphology of nanomaterials during their preparation are investigated from two aspects: hard template and soft template, combined with the mechanism of action.

  16. Template for safety reports with descriptive example

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-12-01

    This report provides a template for future safety reports on long-term safety in support of important decisions and permit applications in connection with the construction of a deep repository system. The template aims at providing a uniform structure for describing long-term safety, after the repository has been closed and sealed. The availability of such a structure will simplify both preparation and review of the safety reports, and make it possible to follow how safety assessments are influenced by the progressively more detailed body of data that emerges. A separate section containing 'descriptive examples' has been appended to the template. This section illustrates what the different chapters of the template should contain. 279 refs

  17. Template for safety reports with descriptive example

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-12-01

    This report provides a template for future safety reports on long-term safety in support of important decisions and permit applications in connection with the construction of a deep repository system. The template aims at providing a uniform structure for describing long-term safety, after the repository has been closed and sealed. The availability of such a structure will simplify both preparation and review of the safety reports, and make it possible to follow how safety assessments are influenced by the progressively more detailed body of data that emerges. A separate section containing `descriptive examples` has been appended to the template. This section illustrates what the different chapters of the template should contain. 279 refs.

  18. Vegetative regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    George A. Schier; John R. Jones; Robert P. Winokur

    1985-01-01

    Aspen is noted for its ability to regenerate vegetatively by adventitious shoots or suckers that arise on its long lateral roots. It also produces sprouts from stumps and root collars; but they are not common. In a survey of regeneration after clearcutting mature aspen in Utah. Baker (1918b) found that 92% of the shoots originated from roots, 7% from root collars, and...

  19. Screening for templates that promote crystallization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Urbanus, J.; Roelands, C.P.M.; Horst, J.H. ter; Verdoes, D.; Jansens, P.J.

    2008-01-01

    In Situ Product Recovery (ISPR) applied in fermentation processes leads to improved yield and productivity of these processes. In principle, ISPR can be achieved using Template Induced Crystallization (TIC), which is one possible ISPR technique. With TIC, templates are added to the solution as a

  20. Rate in template-directed polymer synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saito, Takuya

    2014-06-01

    We discuss the temporal efficiency of template-directed polymer synthesis, such as DNA replication and transcription, under a given template string. To weigh the synthesis speed and accuracy on the same scale, we propose a template-directed synthesis (TDS) rate, which contains an expression analogous to that for the Shannon entropy. Increasing the synthesis speed accelerates the TDS rate, but the TDS rate is lowered if the produced sequences are diversified. We apply the TDS rate to some production system models and investigate how the balance between the speed and the accuracy is affected by changes in the system conditions.

  1. Improving your target-template alignment with MODalign

    OpenAIRE

    Barbato, Alessandro; Benkert, Pascal; Schwede, Torsten; Tramontano, Anna; Kosinski, Jan

    2012-01-01

    Summary: MODalign is an interactive web-based tool aimed at helping protein structure modelers to inspect and manually modify the alignment between the sequences of a target protein and of its template(s). It interactively computes, displays and, upon modification of the target-template alignment, updates the multiple sequence alignments of the two protein families, their conservation score, secondary structure and solvent accessibility values, and local quality scores of the implied three-di...

  2. Template analysis for the MAGIC telescopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menzel, Uta [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Muenchen (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

    2016-07-01

    The MAGIC telescopes are two 17-m-diameter Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes located on the Canary island of La Palma. They record the Cherenkov light from air showers induced by very high energy photons. The current data analysis uses a parametrization of the two shower images (including Hillas parameters) to determine the characteristics of the primary particle. I am implementing an advanced analysis method that compares shower images on a pixel basis with template images based on Monte Carlo simulations. To reduce the simulation effort the templates contain only pure shower images that are convolved with the telescope response later in the analysis. The primary particle parameters are reconstructed by maximizing the likelihood of the template. By using all the information available in the shower images, the performance of MAGIC is expected to improve. In this presentation I will explain the general idea of a template-based analysis and show the first results of the implementation.

  3. Supercritical fluid regeneration of adsorbents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defilippi, R. P.; Robey, R. J.

    1983-05-01

    The results of a program to perform studies supercritical (fluid) carbon dioxide (SCF CO2) regeneration of adsorbents, using samples of industrial wastewaters from manufacturing pesticides and synthetic solution, and to estimate the economics of the specific wastewater treatment regenerations, based on test data are given. Processing costs for regenerating granular activated carbon GAC) for treating industrial wastewaters depend on stream properties and regeneration throughput.

  4. Multimodal biometric approach for cancelable face template generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Padma Polash; Gavrilova, Marina

    2012-06-01

    Due to the rapid growth of biometric technology, template protection becomes crucial to secure integrity of the biometric security system and prevent unauthorized access. Cancelable biometrics is emerging as one of the best solutions to secure the biometric identification and verification system. We present a novel technique for robust cancelable template generation algorithm that takes advantage of the multimodal biometric using feature level fusion. Feature level fusion of different facial features is applied to generate the cancelable template. A proposed algorithm based on the multi-fold random projection and fuzzy communication scheme is used for this purpose. In cancelable template generation, one of the main difficulties is keeping interclass variance of the feature. We have found that interclass variations of the features that are lost during multi fold random projection can be recovered using fusion of different feature subsets and projecting in a new feature domain. Applying the multimodal technique in feature level, we enhance the interclass variability hence improving the performance of the system. We have tested the system for classifier fusion for different feature subset and different cancelable template fusion. Experiments have shown that cancelable template improves the performance of the biometric system compared with the original template.

  5. Graphene Emerges as a Versatile Template for Materials Preparation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhengjie; Wu, Sida; Lv, Wei; Shao, Jiao-Jing; Kang, Feiyu; Yang, Quan-Hong

    2016-05-01

    Graphene and its derivatives are emerging as a class of novel but versatile templates for the controlled preparation and functionalization of materials. In this paper a conceptual review on graphene-based templates is given, highlighting their versatile roles in materials preparation. Graphene is capable of acting as a low-dimensional hard template, where its two-dimensional morphology directs the formation of novel nanostructures. Graphene oxide and other functionalized graphenes are amphiphilic and may be seen as soft templates for formatting the growth or inducing the controlled assembly of nanostructures. In addition, nanospaces in restacked graphene can be used for confining the growth of sheet-like nanostructures, and assemblies of interlinked graphenes can behave either as skeletons for the formation of composite materials or as sacrificial templates for novel materials with a controlled network structure. In summary, flexible graphene and its derivatives together with an increasing number of assembled structures show great potentials as templates for materials production. Many challenges remain, for example precise structural control of such novel templates and the removal of the non-functional remaining templates. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Speed-up Template Matching through Integral Image based Weak Classifiers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wu, t.; Toet, A.

    2014-01-01

    Template matching is a widely used pattern recognition method, especially in industrial inspection. However, the computational costs of traditional template matching increase dramatically with both template-and scene imagesize. This makes traditional template matching less useful for many (e.g.

  7. Weak Evidence of Regeneration Habitat but Strong Evidence of Regeneration Niche for a Leguminous Shrub

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delerue, Florian; Gonzalez, Maya; Michalet, Richard; Pellerin, Sylvain; Augusto, Laurent

    2015-01-01

    The identification of an ecological niche specific to the regeneration phase has mobilised significant attention. However, the importance of the regeneration niche concept remains unclear. Our main objective was to study the existence of such a regeneration niche for a leguminous shrub, Ulex europaeus. This study was carried out in southwest France in the context of water and nutrient stresses (mainly phosphorus limitation) due to the presence of nutrient-poor sandy soils. We analysed the regeneration of the species from the germination of seeds and emergence of new seedlings until the seedlings reached young shrub size. Our design included a P fertilisation treatment. We also investigated microsite characteristics (micro-topography and vegetation development) as they can interact with meteorological conditions and determine water availability for seeds and seedlings. We found that P availability controlled seedling growth and the time necessary to reach young shrub size. Water availability appeared to impact the species germination and seedlings survival. We also found that P and water availability depended on the interactions between microsite characteristics and climatic variations. Finally we found evidence that P and water availability are important ecological factors shaping the regeneration niche of the species, but we found weak evidence that any microsite would be appropriate for the regeneration of the species in the long term. Future studies regarding regeneration niches need to distinguish more clearly the ecological factors important for regeneration (the regeneration niche per se) and the physical world where the seedlings appear and develop (the regeneration habitat). PMID:26098877

  8. Weak Evidence of Regeneration Habitat but Strong Evidence of Regeneration Niche for a Leguminous Shrub.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Delerue

    Full Text Available The identification of an ecological niche specific to the regeneration phase has mobilised significant attention. However, the importance of the regeneration niche concept remains unclear. Our main objective was to study the existence of such a regeneration niche for a leguminous shrub, Ulex europaeus. This study was carried out in southwest France in the context of water and nutrient stresses (mainly phosphorus limitation due to the presence of nutrient-poor sandy soils. We analysed the regeneration of the species from the germination of seeds and emergence of new seedlings until the seedlings reached young shrub size. Our design included a P fertilisation treatment. We also investigated microsite characteristics (micro-topography and vegetation development as they can interact with meteorological conditions and determine water availability for seeds and seedlings. We found that P availability controlled seedling growth and the time necessary to reach young shrub size. Water availability appeared to impact the species germination and seedlings survival. We also found that P and water availability depended on the interactions between microsite characteristics and climatic variations. Finally we found evidence that P and water availability are important ecological factors shaping the regeneration niche of the species, but we found weak evidence that any microsite would be appropriate for the regeneration of the species in the long term. Future studies regarding regeneration niches need to distinguish more clearly the ecological factors important for regeneration (the regeneration niche per se and the physical world where the seedlings appear and develop (the regeneration habitat.

  9. Fabrication of Trabecular Bone-Templated Tissue-Engineered Constructs by 3D Inkjet Printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderburgh, Joseph P; Fernando, Shanik J; Merkel, Alyssa R; Sterling, Julie A; Guelcher, Scott A

    2017-11-01

    3D printing enables the creation of scaffolds with precisely controlled morphometric properties for multiple tissue types, including musculoskeletal tissues such as cartilage and bone. Computed tomography (CT) imaging has been combined with 3D printing to fabricate anatomically scaled patient-specific scaffolds for bone regeneration. However, anatomically scaled scaffolds typically lack sufficient resolution to recapitulate the 3D constructs are fabricated via a new micro-CT/3D inkjet printing process. It is shown that this process reproducibly fabricates bone-templated constructs that recapitulate the anatomic site-specific morphometric properties of trabecular bone. A significant correlation is observed between the structure model index (a morphometric parameter related to surface curvature) and the degree of mineralization of human mesenchymal stem cells, with more concave surfaces promoting more extensive osteoblast differentiation and mineralization compared to predominately convex surfaces. These findings highlight the significant effects of trabecular architecture on osteoblast function. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Synthesis of Hybrid Conducting Nanowire Using AAO Template

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-09-28

    oxide and alujminum oxide in anodized aluminum oxide ( AAO ) template with various aspect ratio and...than 3 nm. 2. Experimentals Anodized aluminum oxide ( AAO ) template was prepared from 99.999% purity aluminum foil by performing the following...to prepare uniform dimension of nanomaterials is to use anodized alumina membrane as template. The work emphasized self-organized arrangement of

  11. Making Deformable Template Models Operational

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fisker, Rune

    2000-01-01

    for estimation of the model parameters, which applies a combination of a maximum likelihood and minimum distance criterion. Another contribution is a very fast search based initialization algorithm using a filter interpretation of the likelihood model. These two methods can be applied to most deformable template......Deformable template models are a very popular and powerful tool within the field of image processing and computer vision. This thesis treats this type of models extensively with special focus on handling their common difficulties, i.e. model parameter selection, initialization and optimization....... A proper handling of the common difficulties is essential for making the models operational by a non-expert user, which is a requirement for intensifying and commercializing the use of deformable template models. The thesis is organized as a collection of the most important articles, which has been...

  12. Understanding Urban Regeneration in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candas, E.; Flacke, J.; Yomralioglu, T.

    2016-06-01

    In Turkey, rapid population growth, informal settlements, and buildings and infrastructures vulnerable to natural hazards are seen as the most important problems of cities. Particularly disaster risk cannot be disregarded, as large parts of various cities are facing risks from earthquakes, floods and landslides and have experienced loss of lives in the recent past. Urban regeneration is an important planning tool implemented by local and central governments in order to reduce to disaster risk and to design livable environments for the citizens. The Law on the Regeneration of Areas under Disaster Risk, commonly known as the Urban Regeneration Law, was enacted in 2012 (Law No.6306, May 2012). The regulation on Implementation of Law No. 6306 explains the fundamental steps of the urban regeneration process. The relevant institutions furnished with various authorities such as expropriation, confiscation and changing the type and place of your property which makes urban regeneration projects very important in terms of property rights. Therefore, urban regeneration projects have to be transparent, comprehensible and acceptable for all actors in the projects. In order to understand the urban regeneration process, the legislation and projects of different municipalities in Istanbul have been analyzed. While some steps of it are spatial data demanding, others relate to land values. In this paper an overview of the urban regeneration history and activities in Turkey is given. Fundamental steps of the urban regeneration process are defined, and particularly spatial-data demanding steps are identified.

  13. Structural study of Bombyx mori silk fibroin during processing for regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Sung-Won

    Bombyx mori silk fibroin has excellent mechanical properties combined with flexibility, tissue compatibility, and high oxygen permeability in the wet condition. This important material should be dissolved and regenerated to be utilized as useful forms such as gel, film, fiber, powder, or non-woven. However, it has long been a problem that the regenerated fibroin materials show poor mechanical properties and brittleness. These problems were technically solved by improving a fiber processing method reported here. The regenerated fibroin fibers showed much better mechanical properties compared to the original silk fibers. This improved technique for the fiber processing of Bombyx mori silk fibroin may be used as a model system for other semi-crystalline fiber forming proteins, becoming available through biotechnology. The physical and chemical properties of the regenerated fibers were characterized by SinTechRTM tensile testing, X-ray diffraction, solid state 13C NMR spectroscopy, and SEM. Unlike synthetic polymers, the molecular weight distribution of Bombyx mori silk fibroin is mono-disperse because silk fibroin is synthesized from DNA template. Genetic studies have revealed the entire amino acid sequence of Bombyx mori silk fibroin. It is known that the crystalline silk II structure is composed of hexa-amino acid sequences, GAGAGS. However, in the amino acid sequence of Bombyx mori silk fibroin heavy chain, there are present 11 chemically irregular but evolutionarily conserved sequences with about 31 amino acid residues (irregular GT˜GT sequences). The structure and role of these irregular sequences have remained unknown. One of the most frequently appearing irregular sequences was synthesized by a peptide synthesizer. The three-dimensional structure of this irregular silk peptide was studied by the high resolution two-dimensional NMR technique. The three-dimensional structure of this peptide shows that it makes a turn or loop structure (distorted O shape), which

  14. Nucleic Acid Templated Reactions for Chemical Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Pisa, Margherita; Seitz, Oliver

    2017-06-21

    Nucleic acid directed bioorthogonal reactions offer the fascinating opportunity to unveil and redirect a plethora of intracellular mechanisms. Nano- to picomolar amounts of specific RNA molecules serve as templates and catalyze the selective formation of molecules that 1) exert biological effects, or 2) provide measurable signals for RNA detection. Turnover of reactants on the template is a valuable asset when concentrations of RNA templates are low. The idea is to use RNA-templated reactions to fully control the biodistribution of drugs and to push the detection limits of DNA or RNA analytes to extraordinary sensitivities. Herein we review recent and instructive examples of conditional synthesis or release of compounds for in cellulo protein interference and intracellular nucleic acid imaging. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

  15. Templated electrodeposition of functional nanostructures: nanowires, nanotubes and nanocubes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maijenburg, A.W.

    2014-01-01

    This thesis is entitled “Templated electrodeposition of functional nanostructures: nanowires, nanotubes and nanocubes”. Templated electrodeposition is the synthesis technique that was used throughout this thesis, and it comprises the use of a template with specific shape and dimensions for the

  16. An active magnetic regenerator device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2015-01-01

    A rotating active magnetic regenerator (AMR) device comprising two or more regenerator beds, a magnet arrangement and a valve arrangement. The valve arrangement comprises a plurality of valve elements arranged substantially immovably with respect to the regenerator beds along a rotational direction...

  17. Nanowires and nanostructures fabrication using template methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan; Mátéfi-Tempfli, M.; Vlad, A.

    2009-01-01

    One of the great challenges of today is to find reliable techniques for the fabrication of nanomaterials and nanostructures. Methods based on template synthesis and on self organization are the most promising due to their easiness and low cost. This paper focuses on the electrochemical synthesis ...... of nanowires and nanostructures using nanoporous host materials such as supported anodic aluminum considering it as a key template for nanowires based devices. New ways are opened for applications by combining such template synthesis methods with nanolithographic techniques....

  18. On marginal regeneration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stein, H.N.

    1991-01-01

    On applying the marginal regeneration concept to the drainage of free liquid films, problems are encountered: the films do not show a "neck" of minimum thickness at the film/border transition; and the causes of the direction dependence of the marginal regeneration are unclear. Both problems can be

  19. Three-dimensional metallic opals fabricated by double templating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Qingfeng; Nukala, Pavan; Chiang, Yet-Ming; Wong, C.C.

    2009-01-01

    We report a simple and cost-effective double templating method for fabricating large-area three-dimensional metallic photonic crystals of controlled thickness. A self-assembled polystyrene opal was used as the first template to fabricate a silica inverse opal on a gold-coated glass substrate via sol-gel processing. Gold was subsequently infiltrated to the pores of the silica inverse opal using electrochemical deposition. A high-quality three-dimensional gold photonic crystal was obtained after removal of the secondary template (silica inverse opal). The effects of template sphere size and deposition current density on the gold growth rate, and the resulting morphology and growth mechanism of the gold opal, were investigated.

  20. Light Weight Biomorphous Cellular Ceramics from Cellulose Templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Mrityunjay; Yee, Bo-Moon; Gray, Hugh R. (Technical Monitor)

    2003-01-01

    Bimorphous ceramics are a new class of materials that can be fabricated from the cellulose templates derived from natural biopolymers. These biopolymers are abundantly available in nature and are produced by the photosynthesis process. The wood cellulose derived carbon templates have three- dimensional interconnectivity. A wide variety of non-oxide and oxide based ceramics have been fabricated by template conversion using infiltration and reaction-based processes. The cellular anatomy of the cellulose templates plays a key role in determining the processing parameters (pyrolysis, infiltration conditions, etc.) and resulting ceramic materials. The processing approach, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the biomorphous cellular ceramics (silicon carbide and oxide based) have been discussed.

  1. Improving your target-template alignment with MODalign.

    KAUST Repository

    Barbato, Alessandro

    2012-02-04

    SUMMARY: MODalign is an interactive web-based tool aimed at helping protein structure modelers to inspect and manually modify the alignment between the sequences of a target protein and of its template(s). It interactively computes, displays and, upon modification of the target-template alignment, updates the multiple sequence alignments of the two protein families, their conservation score, secondary structure and solvent accessibility values, and local quality scores of the implied three-dimensional model(s). Although it has been designed to simplify the target-template alignment step in modeling, it is suitable for all cases where a sequence alignment needs to be inspected in the context of other biological information. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Freely available on the web at http://modorama.biocomputing.it/modalign. Website implemented in HTML and JavaScript with all major browsers supported. CONTACT: jan.kosinski@uniroma1.it.

  2. Durable diamond-like carbon templates for UV nanoimprint lithography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tao, L; Ramachandran, S; Nelson, C T; Overzet, L J; Goeckner, M; Lee, G; Hu, W; Lin, M; Willson, C G; Wu, W

    2008-01-01

    The interaction between resist and template during the separation process after nanoimprint lithography (NIL) can cause the formation of defects and damage to the templates and resist patterns. To alleviate these problems, fluorinated self-assembled monolayers (F-SAMs, i.e. tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2,tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane or FDTS) have been employed as template release coatings. However, we find that the FDTS coating undergoes irreversible degradation after only 10 cycles of UV nanoimprint processes with SU-8 resist. The degradation includes a 28% reduction in surface F atoms and significant increases in the surface roughness. In this paper, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were investigated as an alternative material not only for coating but also for direct fabrication of nanoimprint templates. DLC films deposited on quartz templates in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system are shown to have better chemical and physical stability than FDTS. After the same 10 cycles of UV nanoimprints, the surface composition as well as the roughness of DLC films were found to be unchanged. The adhesion energy between the DLC surface and SU-8 is found to be smaller than that of FDTS despite the slightly higher total surface energy of DLC. DLC templates with 40 nm features were fabricated using e-beam lithography followed by Cr lift-off and reactive ion etching. UV nanoimprinting using the directly patterned DLC templates in SU-8 resist demonstrates good pattern transfer fidelity and easy template-resist separation. These results indicate that DLC is a promising material for fabricating durable templates for UV nanoimprint lithography

  3. Business Process Variability : A Tool for Declarative Template Design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bulanov, P.; Groefsema, H.; Aiello, M.

    2012-01-01

    To lower both implementation time and cost, many Business Process Management tools use process templates to implement highly recurring processes. However, in order for such templates to be used, a process has to adhere substantially to the template. Therefore, current practice for processes which

  4. Economic analysis of replacement regeneration and coppice regeneration in eucalyptus stands under risk conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel Carolina de Lima Guedes

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Projects are by their very nature subject to conditions of uncertainty that obstruct the decision-making process. Uncertainties involving forestry projects are even greater, as they are combined with time of return on capital invested, being medium to long term. For successful forest planning, it is necessary to quantify uncertainties by converting them into risks. The decision on whether to adopt replacement regeneration or coppice regeneration in a forest stand is influenced by several factors, which include land availability for new forest crops, changes in project end use, oscillations in demand and technological advancement. This study analyzed the economic feasibility of replacement regeneration and coppice regeneration of eucalyptus stands, under deterministic and under risk conditions. Information was gathered about costs and revenues for charcoal production in order to structure the cash flow used in the economic analysis, adopting the Net Present Value method (VPL. Risk assessment was based on simulations running the Monte Carlo method. Results led to the following conclusions: replacement regeneration is economically viable, even if the future stand has the same productivity as the original stand; coppice regeneration is an economically viable option even if productivity is a mere 70% of the original stand (high-tree planted stand, the best risk-return ratio option is restocking the stand (replacement regeneration by one that is 20% more productive; the probabilistic analysis running the Monte Carlo method revealed that invariably there is economic viability for the various replacement and coppice regeneration options being studied, minimizing uncertainties and consequently increasing confidence in decision-making.

  5. MOCVD epitaxy of InAlN on different templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun Lijun; Wei Tongbo; Yan Jianchang; Liu Zhe; Wang Junxi; Li Jinmin

    2011-01-01

    InAlN epilayers were grown on high quality GaN and AlN templates with the same growth parameters. Measurement results showed that two samples had the same In content of ∼ 16%, while the crystal quality and surface topography of the InAlN epilayer grown on the AlN template, with 282.3 (002) full width at half maximum (FWHM) of rocking curve, 313.5 (102) FWHM, surface roughness of 0.39 nm and V-pit density of 2.8 x 10 8 cm -2 , were better than that of the InAlN epilayer grown on the GaN template, 309.3, 339.1, 0.593 nm and 4.2 x 10 8 cm -2 . A primary conclusion was proposed that both the crystal quality and the surface topography of the InAlN epilayer grown on the AlN template were better than that of the InAlN epilayer grown on the GaN template. Therefore, the AlN template was a better choice than the GaN template for getting high quality InAlN epilayers. (semiconductor materials)

  6. Joomla! 3 template essentials

    CERN Document Server

    Frankowski, Pawel

    2013-01-01

    Using this hands-on, step-by step tutorial filled with practical examples, the readers will be able to create beautiful templates and themes for your websites that will make them stand out from others.This book is written for all of you who wish to create your own unique templates for Joomla! 3.x. This book can be used by Joomla! administrators or visual designers (with no programming experience) or those of you who are used to working with common web developer tools like HTML/CSS editors for coding purposes. You would need basic knowledge of Joomla! and some knowledge of CSS and HTML.

  7. Silver nanowires-templated metal oxide for broadband Schottky photodetector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patel, Malkeshkumar; Kim, Hong-Sik; Kim, Joondong, E-mail: joonkim@inu.ac.kr [Photoelectric and Energy Device Application Lab (PEDAL) and Department of Electrical Engineering, Incheon National University, 119 Academy Rd. Yeonsu, Incheon 406772 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hyeong-Ho [Applied Device and Material Lab., Device Technology Division, Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center (KANC), Suwon 443270 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-04-04

    Silver nanowires (AgNWs)-templated transparent metal oxide layer was applied for Si Schottky junction device, which remarked the record fastest photoresponse of 3.4 μs. Self-operating AgNWs-templated Schottky photodetector showed broad wavelength photodetection with high responsivity (42.4 A W{sup −1}) and detectivity (2.75 × 10{sup 15} Jones). AgNWs-templated indium-tin-oxide (ITO) showed band-to-band excitation due to the internal photoemission, resulting in significant carrier collection performances. Functional metal oxide layer was formed by AgNWs-templated from ITO structure. The grown ITO above AgNWs has a cylindrical shape and acts as a thermal protector of AgNWs for high temperature environment without any deformation. We developed thermal stable AgNWs-templated transparent oxide devices and demonstrated the working mechanism of AgNWs-templated Schottky devices. We may propose the high potential of hybrid transparent layer design for various photoelectric applications, including solar cells.

  8. Perfluorodecalin and bone regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F Tamimi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Perfluorodecalin (PFD is a chemically and biologically inert biomaterial and, as many perfluorocarbons, is also hydrophobic, radiopaque and has a high solute capacity for gases such as oxygen. In this article we have demonstrated, both in vitro and in vivo, that PFD may significantly enhance bone regeneration. Firstly, the potential benefit of PFD was demonstrated by prolonging the survival of bone marrow cells cultured in anaerobic conditions. These findings translated in vivo, where PFD incorporated into bone-marrow-loaded 3D-printed scaffolds substantially improved their capacity to regenerate bone. Secondly, in addition to biological applications, we have also shown that PFD improves the radiopacity of bone regeneration biomaterials, a key feature required for the visualisation of biomaterials during and after surgical implantation. Finally, we have shown how the extreme hydrophobicity of PFD enables the fabrication of highly cohesive self-setting injectable biomaterials for bone regeneration. In conclusion, perfluorocarbons would appear to be highly beneficial additives to a number of regenerative biomaterials, especially those for bone regeneration.

  9. A low-cost bioprosthetic semilunar valve for research, disease modelling and surgical training applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa, Benoit; Machaidze, Zurab; Shin, Borami; Manjila, Sunil; Brown, David W; Baird, Christopher W; Mayer, John E; Dupont, Pierre E

    2017-11-01

    This paper provides detailed instructions for constructing low-cost bioprosthetic semilunar valves for animal research and clinical training. This work fills an important gap between existing simulator training valves and clinical valves by providing fully functioning designs that can be employed in ex vivo and in vivo experiments and can also be modified to model valvular disease. Valves are constructed in 4 steps consisting of creating a metal frame, covering it with fabric and attaching a suture ring and leaflets. Computer-aided design files are provided for making the frame from wire or by metal 3D printing. The covering fabric and suturing ring are made from materials readily available in a surgical lab, while the leaflets are made from pericardium. The entire fabrication process is described in figures and in a video. To demonstrate disease modelling, design modifications are described for producing paravalvular leaks, and these valves were evaluated in porcine ex vivo (n = 3) and in vivo (n = 6) experiments. Porcine ex vivo and acute in vivo experiments demonstrate that the valves can replicate the performance of clinical valves for research and training purposes. Surgical implantation is similar, and echocardiograms are comparable to clinical valves. Furthermore, valve leaflet function was satisfactory during acute in vivo tests with little central regurgitation, while the paravalvular leak modifications consistently produced leaks in the desired locations. The detailed design procedure presented here, which includes a tutorial video and computer-aided design files, should be of substantial benefit to researchers developing valve disease models and to clinicians developing realistic valve training systems. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  10. Early regulation of axolotl limb regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makanae, Aki; Satoh, Akira

    2012-10-01

    Amphibian limb regeneration has been studied for a long time. In amphibian limb regeneration, an undifferentiated blastema is formed around the region damaged by amputation. The induction process of blastema formation has remained largely unknown because it is difficult to study the induction of limb regeneration. The recently developed accessory limb model (ALM) allows the investigation of limb induction and reveals early events of amphibian limb regeneration. The interaction between nerves and wound epidermis/epithelium is an important aspect of limb regeneration. During early limb regeneration, neurotrophic factors act on wound epithelium, leading to development of a functional epidermis/epithelium called the apical epithelial cap (AEC). AEC and nerves create a specific environment that inhibits wound healing and induces regeneration through blastema formation. It is suggested that FGF-signaling and MMP activities participate in creating a regenerative environment. To understand why urodele amphibians can create such a regenerative environment and humans cannot, it is necessary to identify the similarities and differences between regenerative and nonregenerative animals. Here we focus on ALM to consider limb regeneration from a new perspective and we also reported that focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-Src signaling controlled fibroblasts migration in axolotl limb regeneration. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. View-Invariant Gait Recognition Through Genetic Template Segmentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaac, Ebenezer R. H. P.; Elias, Susan; Rajagopalan, Srinivasan; Easwarakumar, K. S.

    2017-08-01

    Template-based model-free approach provides by far the most successful solution to the gait recognition problem in literature. Recent work discusses how isolating the head and leg portion of the template increase the performance of a gait recognition system making it robust against covariates like clothing and carrying conditions. However, most involve a manual definition of the boundaries. The method we propose, the genetic template segmentation (GTS), employs the genetic algorithm to automate the boundary selection process. This method was tested on the GEI, GEnI and AEI templates. GEI seems to exhibit the best result when segmented with our approach. Experimental results depict that our approach significantly outperforms the existing implementations of view-invariant gait recognition.

  12. Animated pose templates for modeling and detecting human actions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Benjamin Z; Nie, Bruce X; Liu, Zicheng; Zhu, Song-Chun

    2014-03-01

    This paper presents animated pose templates (APTs) for detecting short-term, long-term, and contextual actions from cluttered scenes in videos. Each pose template consists of two components: 1) a shape template with deformable parts represented in an And-node whose appearances are represented by the Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) features, and 2) a motion template specifying the motion of the parts by the Histogram of Optical-Flows (HOF) features. A shape template may have more than one motion template represented by an Or-node. Therefore, each action is defined as a mixture (Or-node) of pose templates in an And-Or tree structure. While this pose template is suitable for detecting short-term action snippets in two to five frames, we extend it in two ways: 1) For long-term actions, we animate the pose templates by adding temporal constraints in a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), and 2) for contextual actions, we treat contextual objects as additional parts of the pose templates and add constraints that encode spatial correlations between parts. To train the model, we manually annotate part locations on several keyframes of each video and cluster them into pose templates using EM. This leaves the unknown parameters for our learning algorithm in two groups: 1) latent variables for the unannotated frames including pose-IDs and part locations, 2) model parameters shared by all training samples such as weights for HOG and HOF features, canonical part locations of each pose, coefficients penalizing pose-transition and part-deformation. To learn these parameters, we introduce a semi-supervised structural SVM algorithm that iterates between two steps: 1) learning (updating) model parameters using labeled data by solving a structural SVM optimization, and 2) imputing missing variables (i.e., detecting actions on unlabeled frames) with parameters learned from the previous step and progressively accepting high-score frames as newly labeled examples. This algorithm belongs to a

  13. Carbon as amorphous shell and interstitial dopant in mesoporous rutile TiO2: Bio-template assisted sol-gel synthesis and photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamed Azuwa Mohamad; Wan Norharyati Wan Salleh; Juhana Jaafar; Mohamad Saufi Rosmi; Zul Adlan Mohd Hir; Muhazri Abd Mutalib; Ahmad Fauzi Ismail; Tanemura, Masaki

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • RCM as bio-template and in-situ carbon shell and interstitial carbon doping. • Photo-sensitizers by carbonaceous layer grafted onto the surface of TiO 2 . • Visible light response could be tailored depending on the annealing temperature. • Photocatalytic properties and charge carrier transfer mechanism was proposed. - Abstract: Regenerated cellulose membrane was used as bio-template nanoreactor for the formation of rutile TiO 2 mesoporous, as well as in-situ carbon dopant in acidified sol-gel system. The effects of calcination temperature on the physicochemical characteristic of core-shell nanostructured of bio-templated C-doped mesoporous TiO 2 are highlighted in this study. By varying the calcination temperature, the thickness of the carbon shell coating on TiO 2 , crystallinity, surface area, and optical properties could be tuned as confirmed by HRTEM, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurement, XRD and UV–vis-NIR spectroscopy. The results suggested that increment in the calcination temperature would lead to the band gap narrowing from 2.95 to 2.80 eV and the thickness of carbon shell increased from 0.40 to 1.20 nm. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the visible light absorption capability was mainly due to the incorporation of carbon dopant at interstitial position in the TiO 2 to form O−Ti−C or Ti−O−C bond. In addition, the formation of the carbon core-shell nanostructured was due to carbonaceous layer grafted onto the surface of TiO 2 via Ti−O−C and Ti−OCO bonds. The result indicated that bio-templated C-doped core-shell mesoporous TiO 2 prepared at 300 °C exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. It is worthy to note that, the calcination temperature provided a huge impact towards improving the physicochemical and photocatalytic properties of the prepared bio-templated C-doped core-shell mesoporous TiO 2 .

  14. I - Template Metaprogramming for Massively Parallel Scientific Computing - Expression Templates

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2016-01-01

    Large scale scientific computing raises questions on different levels ranging from the fomulation of the problems to the choice of the best algorithms and their implementation for a specific platform. There are similarities in these different topics that can be exploited by modern-style C++ template metaprogramming techniques to produce readable, maintainable and generic code. Traditional low-level code tend to be fast but platform-dependent, and it obfuscates the meaning of the algorithm. On the other hand, object-oriented approach is nice to read, but may come with an inherent performance penalty. These lectures aim to present he basics of the Expression Template (ET) idiom which allows us to keep the object-oriented approach without sacrificing performance. We will in particular show to to enhance ET to include SIMD vectorization. We will then introduce techniques for abstracting iteration, and introduce thread-level parallelism for use in heavy data-centric loads. We will show to to apply these methods i...

  15. Regenerating an Arsenic Removal Iron-Based Adsorptive ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    The replacement of exhausted, adsorptive media used to remove arsenic from drinking water accounts for approximately 80% of the total operational and maintenance (O/M) costs of this commonly used small system technology. The results of three, full scale system studies of an on-site media regeneration process (Part 1) showed it to be effective in stripping arsenic and other contaminants from the exhausted media. Part 2, of this two part paper, presents information on the performance of the regenerated media to remove arsenic through multiple regeneration cycles (3) and the approximate cost savings of regeneration over media replacement. The results of the studies indicate that regenerated media is very effective in removing arsenic and the regeneration cost is substantially less than the media replacement cost. On site regeneration, therefore, provides small systems with alternative to media replacement when removing arsenic from drinking water using adsorptive media technology. Part 2 of a two part paper on the performance of the regenerated media to remove arsenic through multiple regeneration cycles (3) and the approximate cost savings of regeneration over media replacement.

  16. Photon signature analysis using template matching

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradley, D.A., E-mail: d.a.bradley@surrey.ac.uk [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Hashim, S., E-mail: suhairul@utm.my [Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor (Malaysia); Saripan, M.I. [Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Wells, K. [Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Dunn, W.L. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Kansas State University, 3002 Rathbone Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 (United States)

    2011-10-01

    We describe an approach to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by using a template matching procedure. This approach relies on the signature due to backstreaming {gamma} photons from various targets. In this work we have simulated cylindrical targets of aluminum, iron, copper, water and ammonium nitrate (nitrogen-rich fertilizer). We simulate 3.5 MeV source photons distributed on a plane inside a shielded area using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP{sup TM}) code version 5 (V5). The 3.5 MeV source gamma rays yield 511 keV peaks due to pair production and scattered gamma rays. In this work, we simulate capture of those photons that backstream, after impinging on the target element, toward a NaI detector. The captured backstreamed photons are expected to produce a unique spectrum that will become part of a simple signal processing recognition system based on the template matching method. Different elements were simulated using different sets of random numbers in the Monte Carlo simulation. To date, the sum of absolute differences (SAD) method has been used to match the template. In the examples investigated, template matching was found to detect all elements correctly.

  17. A bioprosthetic total artificial heart for end-stage heart failure: Results from a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latrémouille, Christian; Carpentier, Alain; Leprince, Pascal; Roussel, Jean-Christian; Cholley, Bernard; Boissier, Elodie; Epailly, Eric; Capel, Antoine; Jansen, Piet; Smadja, David M

    2018-01-01

    The electro-hydraulically actuated Carmat total artificial heart (C-TAH) is designed to replace the heart in patients with end-stage heart failure, either as bridge to transplant or destination therapy. It provides pulsatile flow and contains bio-prosthetic blood contacting materials. A clinical feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the C-TAH safety and performance. Hospitalized patients, at imminent risk of death from irreversible biventricular failure despite optimal medical management, and not eligible for transplant or eligible but on extracorporeal life support, were enrolled. The primary endpoint was 30-days survival. Four patients were implanted with the C-TAH, three as destination therapy (ages 76, 68, 74) and one as bridge to transplant (age 58). They had implant times of 74, 270, 254 and 20 days respectively. All patients were free from hemolysis, clinical neurologic events, clinical evidence of thrombus and device-related infections. Hemodynamic and physical recovery allowed two patients to be discharged home for a cumulative duration of 7 months. The anticoagulation management strategy comprised initial unfractionated heparin, from postoperative day 2, followed by low molecular weight heparin and aspirin. An increased D-dimer level was observed in all patients during months 1 to 4. Temporary suspension of heparin anticoagulation resulted in thrombocytopenia and increased fibrin monomer, reversed by resuming anticoagulation with heparin. Causes of death were device-related (2 cases), respiratory failure and multi-organ failure. Preliminary clinical results with the C-TAH demonstrated good safety and performance profiles in patients suffering from biventricular failure, which need to be confirmed in a pivotal study. Copyright © 2018 International Society for the Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Skeletal muscle regeneration is modulated by inflammation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenjun Yang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal muscle regeneration is a complex process orchestrated by multiple steps. Recent findings indicate that inflammatory responses could play central roles in bridging initial muscle injury responses and timely muscle injury reparation. The various types of immune cells and cytokines have crucial roles in muscle regeneration process. In this review, we briefly summarise the functions of acute inflammation in muscle regeneration. The translational potential of this article: Immune system is closely relevant to the muscle regeneration. Understanding the mechanisms of inflammation in muscle regeneration is therefore critical for the development of effective regenerative, and therapeutic strategies in muscular disorders. This review provides information for muscle regeneration research regarding the effects of inflammation on muscle regeneration. Keywords: Chronic muscle disorders, Cytokines, Immune cells, Inflammation, Muscle regeneration, Muscle stem cells

  19. Controlling macro- and mesostructures with hierarchical porosity through combined hard and soft templating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petkovich, Nicholas D; Stein, Andreas

    2013-05-07

    Rigid, porous objects and surfactants serve as powerful templates for the formation of mesoporous and macroporous materials. When both types of template are combined in a single synthesis, materials with intricate architectures and hierarchical porosity can be obtained. In this tutorial review, we explain how to conduct syntheses with both soft and hard templates; moreover, we describe methods to control the final structure present in the templated material. Much of the foundation for multiple templating lies in the study of materials made with only one type of template. To establish a foundation in this area, a description of hard and soft templating is given, delving into the templates available and the steps required for effective templating. This leads into an extended discussion about materials templated with both hard and soft templates. Through the use of recent examples in the literature, we aim to show the diversity of structures possible through multiple templating and the advantages these structures can provide for a wide range of applications. An emphasis is placed on how various factors-such as the type of template, type of precursor, heat-treatment temperature, confinement within a small space, and template-template interactions-impact morphology.

  20. Synthesis of Porous Carbon Monoliths Using Hard Templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klepel, Olaf; Danneberg, Nina; Dräger, Matti; Erlitz, Marcel; Taubert, Michael

    2016-03-21

    The preparation of porous carbon monoliths with a defined shape via template-assisted routes is reported. Monoliths made from porous concrete and zeolite were each used as the template. The porous concrete-derived carbon monoliths exhibited high gravimetric specific surface areas up to 2000 m²·g -1 . The pore system comprised macro-, meso-, and micropores. These pores were hierarchically arranged. The pore system was created by the complex interplay of the actions of both the template and the activating agent as well. On the other hand, zeolite-made template shapes allowed for the preparation of microporous carbon monoliths with a high volumetric specific surface area. This feature could be beneficial if carbon monoliths must be integrated into technical systems under space-limited conditions.

  1. Functional hepatocellular regeneration measured by hepatobiliary scintigraphy, functional regeneration or functional hepatocytes?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Olthof, Pim B.; Cieslak, Kasia P.; Bennink, Roelof J.; van Gulik, Thomas M.

    2016-01-01

    In a recent issue of this journal, Fernandes et al(1) reported on functional hepatocellular regeneration in elderly patients undergoing hepatectomy. They used (99m) Tc-mebrofinin HBS to quantify liver function before and after surgery and concluded that functional regeneration is already present at

  2. QPSK regeneration without active phase-locking

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjøller, Niels-Kristian; Da Ros, Francesco; Røge, Kasper Meldgaard

    2016-01-01

    QPSK regeneration without active phase stabilization is investigated in numerical simulations. We propose an improved scheme for phase-locking free QPSK regeneration showing significant improvements in the error vector magnitude of the signal.......QPSK regeneration without active phase stabilization is investigated in numerical simulations. We propose an improved scheme for phase-locking free QPSK regeneration showing significant improvements in the error vector magnitude of the signal....

  3. Biological regeneration of para-nitrophenol loaded activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durrani, M.A.Q.; Martin, R.J.

    1997-01-01

    Biological regeneration is one of several methods that may be used to restore the adsorptive capacity of exhausted granular activated carbon (GAC). This study deals with in-situ biological regeneration on a pilot scale. The principal objective of this research was to ascertain whether biological regeneration of GAC could occur under conditions typical of water treatment. The important parameters which may have the greatest impact on bio regeneration of a given adsorbate were studied. The research investigated the extent of bio regeneration for para-nitrophenol (PNP) of concentration 50 mg/L. Bio regeneration in the total exhaustion system was evaluated in terms of regeneration efficiency and the substrate removal. A three mode procedure was followed for each bio regeneration run. The prepared carbon was initially exhausted with an adsorbate; it was then bio regenerated for para-nitrophenol (PNP) of concentration 50 mg/L. Bio regeneration in he total exhaustion system was evaluated in terms of regeneration efficiency and the substrate removal. A three mode procedure was followed for each bio regeneration run. The prepared carbon was initially exhausted with an adsorbate; it was then bio regenerated with a mixed culture of bacteria, and lastly the carbon was re-saturated. In the totally exhausted GAC system, the bio regeneration was enhanced by increasing the during of regeneration for a fixed initial biomass content of the bioreactor. The bio regeneration efficiency of the totally exhausted (with PNP) GAC the empty bed contact time (EBCT) and the initial concentration of the substrate had a profound effect on the bio regeneration efficiency. Bacterial counts in the effluents of regenerated GAC columns were significantly more than those of fresh carbon effluents. (author)

  4. The blastema and epimorphic regeneration in mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seifert, Ashley W; Muneoka, Ken

    2018-01-15

    Studying regeneration in animals where and when it occurs is inherently interesting and a challenging research topic within developmental biology. Historically, vertebrate regeneration has been investigated in animals that display enhanced regenerative abilities and we have learned much from studying organ regeneration in amphibians and fish. From an applied perspective, while regeneration biologists will undoubtedly continue to study poikilothermic animals (i.e., amphibians and fish), studies focused on homeotherms (i.e., mammals and birds) are also necessary to advance regeneration biology. Emerging mammalian models of epimorphic regeneration are poised to help link regenerative biology and regenerative medicine. The regenerating rodent digit tip, which parallels human fingertip regeneration, and the regeneration of large circular defects through the ear pinna in spiny mice and rabbits, provide tractable, experimental systems where complex tissue structures are regrown through blastema formation and morphogenesis. Using these models as examples, we detail similarities and differences between the mammalian blastema and its classical counterpart to arrive at a broad working definition of a vertebrate regeneration blastema. This comparison leads us to conclude that regenerative failure is not related to the availability of regeneration-competent progenitor cells, but is most likely a function of the cellular response to the microenvironment that forms following traumatic injury. Recent studies demonstrating that targeted modification of this microenvironment can restrict or enhance regenerative capabilities in mammals helps provide a roadmap for eventually pushing the limits of human regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Results from neutral kaon regeneration at high energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hladky, J.

    1976-01-01

    Experimental neutral kaon regeneration results at Serpukhov energies up to 50 GeV are presented, including the coherent regeneration on hydrogen, deuterium and carbon regenerators and elastic regeneration on deuterium and carbon regenerators. (author)

  6. Regeneration of desiccants with solar energy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghate, S.R.; Butts, C.L.; Lown, J.B.

    1985-01-01

    Saturated silica gel was regenerated with solar energy. This paper describes the experimental set-up for silica gel regeneration and data collection. The regenerated silica gel can be used to dry high moisture in-shell pecans.

  7. A numerical analysis of a reciprocating Active Magnetic Regenerator with a parallel-plate regenerator geometry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Thomas Frank; Pryds, Nini; Smith, Anders

    2007-01-01

    We have developed a two-dimensional model of a reciprocating Active Magnetic Regenerator(AMR) with a regenerator made of parallel plates arranged in a stack configuration. The time dependent,two-dimensional model solves the Navier-Stokes equations for the heat transfer fluid and the coupled heat...... transfer equations for the regenerator and the fluid. The model is implemented using the Finite Element Method. The model can be used to study both transient and steady-state phenomena in the AMR for any ratio of regenerator to fluid heat capacity. Results on the AMR performance for different design...

  8. gel template method

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    TiO2 nanotubes have been synthesized by sol–gel template method using alumina membrane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, UV absorption spectrum and X-ray diffraction techniques have been used to investigate the structure, morphology and optical ...

  9. Carbon as amorphous shell and interstitial dopant in mesoporous rutile TiO{sub 2}: Bio-template assisted sol-gel synthesis and photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohamed Azuwa Mohamad [Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Wan Norharyati Wan Salleh, E-mail: hayati@petroleum.utm.my [Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Juhana Jaafar, E-mail: juhana@petroleum.utm.my [Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Mohamad Saufi Rosmi [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjung Malim, Perak (Malaysia); Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan); Zul Adlan Mohd Hir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Muhazri Abd Mutalib; Ahmad Fauzi Ismail [Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Tanemura, Masaki [Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan)

    2017-01-30

    Highlights: • RCM as bio-template and in-situ carbon shell and interstitial carbon doping. • Photo-sensitizers by carbonaceous layer grafted onto the surface of TiO{sub 2}. • Visible light response could be tailored depending on the annealing temperature. • Photocatalytic properties and charge carrier transfer mechanism was proposed. - Abstract: Regenerated cellulose membrane was used as bio-template nanoreactor for the formation of rutile TiO{sub 2} mesoporous, as well as in-situ carbon dopant in acidified sol-gel system. The effects of calcination temperature on the physicochemical characteristic of core-shell nanostructured of bio-templated C-doped mesoporous TiO{sub 2} are highlighted in this study. By varying the calcination temperature, the thickness of the carbon shell coating on TiO{sub 2}, crystallinity, surface area, and optical properties could be tuned as confirmed by HRTEM, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurement, XRD and UV–vis-NIR spectroscopy. The results suggested that increment in the calcination temperature would lead to the band gap narrowing from 2.95 to 2.80 eV and the thickness of carbon shell increased from 0.40 to 1.20 nm. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the visible light absorption capability was mainly due to the incorporation of carbon dopant at interstitial position in the TiO{sub 2} to form O−Ti−C or Ti−O−C bond. In addition, the formation of the carbon core-shell nanostructured was due to carbonaceous layer grafted onto the surface of TiO{sub 2} via Ti−O−C and Ti−OCO bonds. The result indicated that bio-templated C-doped core-shell mesoporous TiO{sub 2} prepared at 300 °C exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. It is worthy to note that, the calcination temperature provided a huge impact towards improving the physicochemical and photocatalytic properties of the prepared bio-templated C-doped core-shell mesoporous TiO{sub 2}.

  10. Regeneration mechanisms in Syllidae (Annelida)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Rannyele P.

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Syllidae is one of the most species‐rich groups within Annelida, with a wide variety of reproductive modes and different regenerative processes. Syllids have striking ability to regenerate their body anteriorly and posteriorly, which in many species is redeployed during sexual (schizogamy) and asexual (fission) reproduction. This review summarizes the available data on regeneration in syllids, covering descriptions of regenerative mechanisms in different species as well as regeneration in relation to reproductive modes. Our survey shows that posterior regeneration is widely distributed in syllids, whereas anterior regeneration is limited in most of the species, excepting those reproducing by fission. The latter reproductive mode is well known for a few species belonging to Autolytinae, Eusyllinae, and Syllinae. Patterns of fission areas have been studied in these animals. Deviations of the regular regeneration pattern or aberrant forms such as bifurcated animals or individuals with multiple heads have been reported for several species. Some of these aberrations show a deviation of the bilateral symmetry and antero‐posterior axis, which, interestingly, can also be observed in the regular branching body pattern of some species of syllids. PMID:29721325

  11. Finger multibiometric cryptosystems: fusion strategy and template security

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Jialiang; Li, Qiong; Abd El-Latif, Ahmed A.; Niu, Xiamu

    2014-03-01

    We address two critical issues in the design of a finger multibiometric system, i.e., fusion strategy and template security. First, three fusion strategies (feature-level, score-level, and decision-level fusions) with the corresponding template protection technique are proposed as the finger multibiometric cryptosystems to protect multiple finger biometric templates of fingerprint, finger vein, finger knuckle print, and finger shape modalities. Second, we theoretically analyze different fusion strategies for finger multibiometric cryptosystems with respect to their impact on security and recognition accuracy. Finally, the performance of finger multibiometric cryptosystems at different fusion levels is investigated on a merged finger multimodal biometric database. The comparative results suggest that the proposed finger multibiometric cryptosystem at feature-level fusion outperforms other approaches in terms of verification performance and template security.

  12. Generating XML schemas for DICOM structured reporting templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Luyin; Lee, Kwok Pun; Hu, Jingkun

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, the authors describe a methodology to transform programmatically structured reporting (SR) templates defined by the Digital Imaging and Communications for Medicine (DICOM) standard into an XML schema representation. Such schemas can be used in the creation and validation of XML-encoded SR documents that use templates. Templates are a means to put additional constraints on an SR document to promote common formats for specific reporting applications or domains. As the use of templates becomes more widespread in the production of SR documents, it is important to ensure validity of such documents. The work described in this paper is an extension of the authors' previous work on XML schema representation for DICOM SR. Therefore, this paper inherits and partially modifies the structure defined in the earlier work.

  13. Dendrite Injury Triggers DLK-Independent Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michelle C. Stone

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Axon injury triggers regeneration through activation of a conserved kinase cascade, which includes the dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK. Although dendrites are damaged during stroke, traumatic brain injury, and seizure, it is not known whether mature neurons monitor dendrite injury and initiate regeneration. We probed the response to dendrite damage using model Drosophila neurons. Two larval neuron types regrew dendrites in distinct ways after all dendrites were removed. Dendrite regeneration was also triggered by injury in adults. Next, we tested whether dendrite injury was initiated with the same machinery as axon injury. Surprisingly, DLK, JNK, and fos were dispensable for dendrite regeneration. Moreover, this MAP kinase pathway was not activated by injury to dendrites. Thus, neurons respond to dendrite damage and initiate regeneration without using the conserved DLK cascade that triggers axon regeneration.

  14. Acoustic field modulation in regenerators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, J. Y.; Wang, W.; Luo, E. C.; Chen, Y. Y.

    2016-12-01

    The regenerator is a key component that transfers energy between heat and work. The conversion efficiency is significantly influenced by the acoustic field in the regenerator. Much effort has been spent to quantitatively determine this influence, but few comprehensive experimental verifications have been performed because of difficulties in modulating and measuring the acoustic field. In this paper, a method requiring two compressors is introduced and theoretically investigated that achieves acoustic field modulation in the regenerator. One compressor outputs the acoustic power for the regenerator; the other acts as a phase shifter. A RC load dissipates the acoustic power out of both the regenerator and the latter compressor. The acoustic field can be modulated by adjusting the current in the two compressors and opening the RC load. The acoustic field is measured with pressure sensors instead of flow-field imaging equipment, thereby greatly simplifying the experiment.

  15. Synthetic Phage for Tissue Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    So Young Yoo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Controlling structural organization and signaling motif display is of great importance to design the functional tissue regenerating materials. Synthetic phage, genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage has been recently introduced as novel tissue regeneration materials to display a high density of cell-signaling peptides on their major coat proteins for tissue regeneration purposes. Structural advantages of their long-rod shape and monodispersity can be taken together to construct nanofibrous scaffolds which support cell proliferation and differentiation as well as direct orientation of their growth in two or three dimensions. This review demonstrated how functional synthetic phage is designed and subsequently utilized for tissue regeneration that offers potential cell therapy.

  16. The need of appropriate brain SPECT templates for SPM comparisons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morbelli, S.; Altrinetti, V.; Piccardo, A.; Rodriguez, G.; Brugnolo, A.; Nobili, F.; Mignone, A.; Pupi, A.; Koulibaly, P.M.

    2008-01-01

    Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) is used worldwide to compare brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) data. The default template within the SPM package used for SPECT image normalization includes images of a group of healthy subjects studied with 99m TcHMPAO. Since [ 99m Tc] HMPAO and [ 99m Tc] ECD have shown to distribute differently in SPECT studies, we formulated the hypothesis that comparing set of [ 99m Tc]ECD data normalized by means of a [ 99m Tc]HMPAO template may lead to incorrect results. A customized [ 99m Tc]ECD template was built with SPECT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of 22 neurologically healthy women. Then, two sets of subjects, i.e. a group of patients with very early Alzheimer's disease (eAD) and a matched control group, studied by means of [ 99m Tc]ECD SPECT, were chosen for comparisons. The same statistical approach (t-test between eAD patients and controls and correlation analysis between brain SPECT and a cognitive score) was applied twice, i.e. after normalization with either the default [ 99m Tc]HMPAO template or the customized [ 99m Tc]ECD template. In the comparison between eAD and controls, a cluster of difference in the posterior-cingulate gyrus of both hemispheres was only highlighted when using the customized [ 99m Tc]ECD template, but was missed when using the default [ 99m Tc]HMPAO template. In the correlation between brain perfusion and a cognitive score, the significant cluster was more significant and far more extended, also including the right superior temporal gyrus, using the customized [ 99m Tc]ECD template than using the default [ 99m Tc]HMPAO template. These data suggest the need of customized, radiopharmaceutical-matched SPECT templates to be used within the SPM package. The present customized [ 99m Tc]ECD template is now freely available on the web. (authors)

  17. Effect of the Characters of Chitosans Used and Regeneration Conditions on the Yield and Physicochemical Characteristics of Regenerated Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chu Hsi Hsu

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to explore the effect of the character of chitosans used, and the regeneration conditions employed on, the yield and physicochemical characteristics of regenerated products. Different concentrations of acetic acid were used to dissolve chitosans of 61.7% and 94.9% degree of deacetylation (DD, and weight-average molecular weight (Mw of 176 and 97 kDa, respectively; they were then precipitated with an 8 N NaOH solution, followed by washing and neutral and freeze drying to get the regenerated products. Yields of regenerated products and their physicochemical properties, such as ash content, bulk density, Mw, polydispersity index (PDI, DD, and crystallinity were measured. A higher concentration of acetic acid used resulted in a higher yield. The purity of the regenerated product increased significantly, whereas the bulk density and crystallinity decreased significantly after regeneration. The regeneration process showed its merits of narrowing down the PDI of regenerated products. The DD and structure of chitosan was changed insignificantly after the regeneration process.

  18. New insight into regenerated air heat pump cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Chun-Lu; Yuan, Han; Cao, Xiang

    2015-01-01

    Regenerated air (reverse Brayton) cycle has unique potentials in heat pump applications compared to conventional vapor-compression cycles. To better understand the regenerated air heat pump cycle characteristics, a thermodynamic model with new equivalent parameters was developed in this paper. Equivalent temperature ratio and equivalent isentropic efficiency of expander were introduced to represent the effect of regenerator, which made the regenerated air cycle in the same mathematical expressions as the basic air cycle and created an easy way to prove some important features that regenerated air cycle inherits from the basic one. Moreover, we proved in theory that the regenerator does not always improve the air cycle efficiency. Larger temperature ratio and lower effectiveness of regenerator could make the regenerated air cycle even worse than the basic air cycle. Lastly, we found that only under certain conditions the cycle could get remarkable benefits from a well-sized regenerator. These results would enable further study of the regenerated air cycle from a different perspective. - Highlights: • A thermodynamic model for regenerated air heat pump cycle was developed. • Equivalent temperature ratio and equivalent expander efficiency were introduced. • We proved regenerated air cycle can make heating capacity in line with heating load. • We proved the regenerator does not always improve the air cycle efficiency.

  19. POROUS MEMBRANE TEMPLATED SYNTHESIS OF POLYMER PILLARED LAYER

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhong-wei Niu; Dan Li; Zhen-zhong Yang

    2003-01-01

    The anodic porous alumina membranes with a definite pore diameter and aspect ratio were used as templates to synthesize polymer pillared layer structures. The pillared polymer was produced in the template membrane pores, and the layer on the template surfaces. Rigid cured epoxy resin, polystyrene and soft hydrogel were chosen to confirm the methodology. The pillars were in the form of either tubes or fibers, which were controlled by the alumina membrane pore surface wettability. The structural features were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy results.

  20. The Affordance Template ROS Package for Robot Task Programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Stephen; Dinh, Paul; Hambuchen, Kimberly

    2015-01-01

    This paper introduces the Affordance Template ROS package for quickly programming, adjusting, and executing robot applications in the ROS RViz environment. This package extends the capabilities of RViz interactive markers by allowing an operator to specify multiple end-effector waypoint locations and grasp poses in object-centric coordinate frames and to adjust these waypoints in order to meet the run-time demands of the task (specifically, object scale and location). The Affordance Template package stores task specifications in a robot-agnostic XML description format such that it is trivial to apply a template to a new robot. As such, the Affordance Template package provides a robot-generic ROS tool appropriate for building semi-autonomous, manipulation-based applications. Affordance Templates were developed by the NASA-JSC DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) team and have since successfully been deployed on multiple platforms including the NASA Valkyrie and Robonaut 2 humanoids, the University of Texas Dreamer robot and the Willow Garage PR2. In this paper, the specification and implementation of the affordance template package is introduced and demonstrated through examples for wheel (valve) turning, pick-and-place, and drill grasping, evincing its utility and flexibility for a wide variety of robot applications.

  1. Semiconductor devices for all-optical regeneration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Öhman, Filip; Bischoff, Svend; Tromborg, Bjarne

    2003-01-01

    We review different implementations of semiconductor devices for all-optical regeneration. A general model will be presented for all-optical regeneration in fiber links, taking into consideration the trade-off between non-linearity and noise. Furthermore we discuss a novel regenerator type, based...

  2. Pengenalan Angka Pada Sistem Operasi Android Dengan Menggunakan Metode Template Matching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdi Pandu Kusuma

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakUsia dini merupakan usia yang efektif untuk mengembangkan berbagai potensi yang dimiliki oleh anak. Upaya pengembangan potensi dapat dilakukan melalui berbagai cara termasuk dengan cara bermain. Bermain bagi anak merupakan cara yang tepat untuk belajar. Berdasarkan fenomena tersebut, maka perlu dibuat sebuah aplikasi pengenalan angka yang interaktif dengan unsur edukasi. Aplikasi tersebut diharapkan dapat mengambil keputusan secara otomatis apa yang ditulis anak itu bernilai benar atau salah dan juga dapat membangkitkan semangat belajar anak dalam mengenal pola angka. Solusi yang sesuai agar aplikasi tersebut dapat memberikan jawaban salah atau benar digunakan satu metode yaitu template matching. Pengenalan angka dengan menggunakan metode template matching dilakukan dengan cara membandingkan citra masukan dengan citra template. Hasil template matching dihitung dari banyaknya titik pada citra masukan yang sesuai dengan citra template. Template disediakan pada database untuk memberikan contoh cara penulisan pola angka. Uji coba dilakukan pada aplikasi sebanyak 40 kali dengan pola yang berbeda. Dari hasil uji coba didapat prosentase keberhasilan aplikasi ini mencapai 75,75%.Kata kunci: Belajar, bermain, Template Matching, dan pola. AbstractEarly childhood is an effective age to develop the potential of the child. Potential development efforts can be done through various ways, including by playing. Playing for children is a great way to learn. Based on this phenomenon, it should be made an introduction to the numbers interactive application with elements of education. The application is expected to take decisions automatically what the child is written is true or false, and also can encourage a child's learning in recognizing number patterns. Appropriate solutions so that the app can give an answer right or wrong to use the methods that template matching. The introduction of the numbers by using template matching is done by comparing the

  3. A lightweight approach for biometric template protection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Assam, Hisham; Sellahewa, Harin; Jassim, Sabah

    2009-05-01

    Privacy and security are vital concerns for practical biometric systems. The concept of cancelable or revocable biometrics has been proposed as a solution for biometric template security. Revocable biometric means that biometric templates are no longer fixed over time and could be revoked in the same way as lost or stolen credit cards are. In this paper, we describe a novel and an efficient approach to biometric template protection that meets the revocability property. This scheme can be incorporated into any biometric verification scheme while maintaining, if not improving, the accuracy of the original biometric system. However, we shall demonstrate the result of applying such transforms on face biometric templates and compare the efficiency of our approach with that of the well-known random projection techniques. We shall also present the results of experimental work on recognition accuracy before and after applying the proposed transform on feature vectors that are generated by wavelet transforms. These results are based on experiments conducted on a number of well-known face image databases, e.g. Yale and ORL databases.

  4. Organic or organometallic template mediated clay synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregar, Kathleen C.; Winans, Randall E.; Botto, Robert E.

    1994-01-01

    A method for incorporating diverse Varieties of intercalants or templates directly during hydrothermal synthesis of clays such as hectorite or montmorillonite-type layer-silicate clays. For a hectorite layer-silicate clay, refluxing a gel of silica sol, magnesium hydroxide sol and lithium fluoride for two days in the presence of an organic or organometallic intercalant or template results in crystalline products containing either (a) organic dye molecules such as ethyl violet and methyl green, (b) dye molecules such as alcian blue that are based on a Cu(II)-phthalocyannine complex, or (c) transition metal complexes such as Ru(II)phenanthroline and Co(III)sepulchrate or (d) water-soluble porphyrins and metalloporphyrins. Montmorillonite-type clays are made by the method taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,454 issued to Hickson, Jun. 13, 1975; however, a variety of intercalants or templates may be introduced. The intercalants or templates should have (i) water-solubility, (ii) positive charge, and (iii) thermal stability under moderately basic (pH 9-10) aqueous reflux conditions or hydrothermal pressurized conditions for the montmorillonite-type clays.

  5. Regeneration in natural and logged tropical rain forest : modelling seed dispersal and regeneration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ulft, Lambertus Henricus van

    2004-01-01

    Regeneration and disturbance are thought to play key roles in the maintenance of the high tree species diversity in tropical rain forests. Nevertheless, the earliest stages in the regeneration of tropical rain forest trees, from seed production to established seedlings, have received little

  6. Guide to Regeneration of Bottomland Hardwoods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martha R. McKevlin

    1992-01-01

    This guide will help landowners, consulting foresters, and public service foresters regenerate bottomland hardwoods. It discusses (1) interpretation of site characteristics, (2) selection of species, and (3) selection of regeneration methods. A dichotomous key for selection of appropriate regeneration methods under various conditions is presented.

  7. Axonal regeneration in zebrafish spinal cord

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hui, Subhra Prakash

    2018-01-01

    Abstract In the present review we discuss two interrelated events—axonal damage and repair—known to occur after spinal cord injury (SCI) in the zebrafish. Adult zebrafish are capable of regenerating axonal tracts and can restore full functionality after SCI. Unlike fish, axon regeneration in the adult mammalian central nervous system is extremely limited. As a consequence of an injury there is very little repair of disengaged axons and therefore functional deficit persists after SCI in adult mammals. In contrast, peripheral nervous system axons readily regenerate following injury and hence allow functional recovery both in mammals and fish. A better mechanistic understanding of these three scenarios could provide a more comprehensive insight into the success or failure of axonal regeneration after SCI. This review summarizes the present understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of axonal regeneration, in both the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system, and large scale gene expression analysis is used to focus on different events during regeneration. The discovery and identification of genes involved in zebrafish spinal cord regeneration and subsequent functional experimentation will provide more insight into the endogenous mechanism of myelination and remyelination. Furthermore, precise knowledge of the mechanism underlying the extraordinary axonal regeneration process in zebrafish will also allow us to unravel the potential therapeutic strategies to be implemented for enhancing regrowth and remyelination of axons in mammals. PMID:29721326

  8. Hyperinnervation improves Xenopus laevis limb regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitogawa, Kazumasa; Makanae, Aki; Satoh, Akira

    2018-01-15

    Xenopus laevis (an anuran amphibian) shows limb regeneration ability between that of urodele amphibians and that of amniotes. Xenopus frogs can initiate limb regeneration but fail to form patterned limbs. Regenerated limbs mainly consist of cone-shaped cartilage without any joints or branches. These pattern defects are thought to be caused by loss of proper expressions of patterning-related genes. This study shows that hyperinnervation surgery resulted in the induction of a branching regenerate. The hyperinnervated blastema allows the identification and functional analysis of the molecules controlling this patterning of limb regeneration. This paper focuses on the nerve affects to improve Xenopus limb patterning ability during regeneration. The nerve molecules, which regulate limb patterning, were also investigated. Blastemas grown in a hyperinnervated forelimb upregulate limb patterning-related genes (shh, lmx1b, and hoxa13). Nerves projecting their axons to limbs express some growth factors (bmp7, fgf2, fgf8, and shh). Inputs of these factors to a blastema upregulated some limb patterning-related genes and resulted in changes in the cartilage patterns in the regenerates. These results indicate that additional nerve factors enhance Xenopus limb patterning-related gene expressions and limb regeneration ability, and that bmp, fgf, and shh are candidate nerve substitute factors. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Synthetic opal as a template for nanostructured materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Paul A.; Heales, Lindsey; Barber, Richard L.; Turney, Terence W.

    2001-04-01

    Synthetic opal has been used as a template for making 3D inverse opals of silica, titania and silicone rubber. The materials are mesoporous with connected pores and channels and have better opalescence than the opal templates they replace. Thin films of synthetic opal have been grown onto glass substrates by spin coating and these have also been used as templates for making thin films of inverse opal and as masks for depositing metal nanodots. This method produced hexagonally patterned 50 nm gold dots on a flat graphite substrate.

  10. Cell migration during heart regeneration in zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tahara, Naoyuki; Brush, Michael; Kawakami, Yasuhiko

    2016-07-01

    Zebrafish possess the remarkable ability to regenerate injured hearts as adults, which contrasts the very limited ability in mammals. Although very limited, mammalian hearts do in fact have measurable levels of cardiomyocyte regeneration. Therefore, elucidating mechanisms of zebrafish heart regeneration would provide information of naturally occurring regeneration to potentially apply to mammalian studies, in addition to addressing this biologically interesting phenomenon in itself. Studies over the past 13 years have identified processes and mechanisms of heart regeneration in zebrafish. After heart injury, pre-existing cardiomyocytes dedifferentiate, enter the cell cycle, and repair the injured myocardium. This process requires interaction with epicardial cells, endocardial cells, and vascular endothelial cells. Epicardial cells envelope the heart, while endocardial cells make up the inner lining of the heart. They provide paracrine signals to cardiomyocytes to regenerate the injured myocardium, which is vascularized during heart regeneration. In addition, accumulating results suggest that local migration of these major cardiac cell types have roles in heart regeneration. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of various heart injury methods used in the research community and regeneration of the major cardiac cell types. Then, we discuss local migration of these cardiac cell types and immune cells during heart regeneration. Developmental Dynamics 245:774-787, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Proline-catalysed asymmetric ketol cyclizations: The template ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    Abstract. A modified template mechanism based on modelling studies of energy minimised complexes is presented for the asymmetric proline-catalysed cyclization of triketones 1, 2 and 3 to the 2S,3S-ketols. 1a, 2a and 3a respectively. The template model involves a three-point contact as favoured in enzyme– substrate ...

  12. Assessing usefulness and researcher satisfaction with consent form templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Elaine L; Teller, Alan; Aguirre, Alejandra N; Jackson, Jhia; Meyer, Dodi

    2017-08-01

    We aimed to improve the research consenting process by developing and evaluating simplified consent forms. Four templates written at the eighth-tenth grade reading level were developed and trialed by a group of experts in clinical research, health literacy, national regulatory requirements, and end users. Researchers from protocols which had received expedited review were surveyed at 2 time points regarding their use and assessment of the templates. At baseline 18/86 (20.9%) responding researchers had heard of the templates and 5 (5.8%) reported that they had used them; 2 years later, 54.2% (32/59) had heard of the templates and 87.5% (28/32) had used them ( p Consent form templates may be one mechanism to improve patient comprehension of research protocols as well as efficiency of the review process, but require considerable time for development and implementation, and one key to their success is involvement and support from the IRB and technical staff.

  13. Perkembangan Terkini Membran Guided Tissue Regeneration/Guided Bone Regeneration sebagai Terapi Regenerasi Jaringan Periodontal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cindy Cahaya

    2015-06-01

    kombinasi prosedur-prosedur di atas, termasuk prosedur bedah restoratif yang berhubungan dengan rehabilitasi oral dengan penempatan dental implan. Pada tingkat selular, regenerasi periodontal adalah proses kompleks yang membutuhkan proliferasi yang terorganisasi, differensiasi dan pengembangan berbagai tipe sel untuk membentuk perlekatan periodontal. Rasionalisasi penggunaan guided tissue regeneration sebagai membran pembatas adalah menahan epitel dan gingiva jaringan pendukung, sebagai barrier membrane mempertahankan ruang dan gigi serta menstabilkan bekuan darah. Pada makalah ini akan dibahas sekilas mengenai 1. Proses penyembuhan terapi periodontal meliputi regenerasi, repair ataupun pembentukan perlekatan baru. 2. Periodontal spesific tissue engineering. 3. Berbagai jenis membran/guided tissue regeneration yang beredar di pasaran dengan keuntungan dan kerugian sekaligus karakteristik masing-masing membran. 4. Perkembangan membran terbaru sebagai terapi regenerasi penyakit periodontal. Tujuan penulisan untuk memberi gambaran masa depan mengenai terapi regenerasi yang menjanjikan sebagai perkembangan terapi penyakit periodontal.   Latest Development of Guided Tissue Regeneration and Guided Bone Regeneration Membrane as Regenerative Therapy on Periodontal Tissue. Periodontitis is a patological state which influences the integrity of periodontal system that could lead to the destruction of the periodontal tissue and end up with tooth loss. Currently, there are so many researches and efforts to regenerate periodontal tissue, not only to stop the process of the disease but also to reconstruct the periodontal tissue. Periodontal regenerative therapy aims at directing the growth of new bone, cementum and periodontal ligament on the affected teeth. Regenerative procedures consist of soft tissue graft, bone graft, roots biomodification, guided tissue regeneration and combination of the procedures, including restorative surgical procedure that is

  14. Templated electrodeposition of functional nanostructures: nanowires, nanotubes and nanocubes

    OpenAIRE

    Maijenburg, A.W.

    2014-01-01

    This thesis is entitled “Templated electrodeposition of functional nanostructures: nanowires, nanotubes and nanocubes”. Templated electrodeposition is the synthesis technique that was used throughout this thesis, and it comprises the use of a template with specific shape and dimensions for the formation of different types of nanostructures. Throughout this thesis, three different nanostructures were made: nanowires (Chapters 2 to 6), nanotubes (Chapters 2 and 5) and nanocubes (Chapters 7 and ...

  15. Efficiency of template banks for binary black-hole detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cokelaer, Thomas; Babak, Stas; Sathyaprakash, B S

    2004-01-01

    In the framework of matched filtering theory, which is the most promising method for the detection of gravitational waves emitted by coalescing binaries, we report on the ability of a template bank to catch a simulated binary black-hole gravitational wave signal. If we suppose that the incoming signal waveform is known a priori, then both the (simulated) signal and the templates can be based on the same physical model and therefore the template bank can be optimal in the sense of Wiener filtering. This turns out to be true for the case of neutron star binaries but not necessarily for the black-hole case. When the templates and the signal are based on different physical models the detection bank may still remain efficient. Nonetheless, it might be a judicious choice to use a phenomenological template family such as the so-called BCV templates to catch all the different physical models. In the first part of that report, we illustrate in a non-exhaustive study, by using Monte Carlo simulations, the efficiency of a template bank based on the stationary phase approximation and show how it catches simulated signals based on the same physical model but fails to catch signals built using other models (Pade, EOB, ...) especially in the case of high mass binaries. In the second part, we construct a BCV-template bank and test its validity by injecting simulated signals based on different physical models such as the PN-approximants, Pade-approximant and the effective one-body method. We show that it is suitable for a search pipeline since it gives a match higher than 95% for all the different physical models. The range of individual mass which has been used is [3-20]M o-dot

  16. Multi-template tensor-based morphometry: application to analysis of Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koikkalainen, Juha; Lötjönen, Jyrki; Thurfjell, Lennart; Rueckert, Daniel; Waldemar, Gunhild; Soininen, Hilkka

    2011-06-01

    In this paper methods for using multiple templates in tensor-based morphometry (TBM) are presented and compared to the conventional single-template approach. TBM analysis requires non-rigid registrations which are often subject to registration errors. When using multiple templates and, therefore, multiple registrations, it can be assumed that the registration errors are averaged and eventually compensated. Four different methods are proposed for multi-template TBM. The methods were evaluated using magnetic resonance (MR) images of healthy controls, patients with stable or progressive mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from the ADNI database (N=772). The performance of TBM features in classifying images was evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. Classification results show that the multi-template methods are statistically significantly better than the single-template method. The overall classification accuracy was 86.0% for the classification of control and AD subjects, and 72.1% for the classification of stable and progressive MCI subjects. The statistical group-level difference maps produced using multi-template TBM were smoother, formed larger continuous regions, and had larger t-values than the maps obtained with single-template TBM. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Ordered Nanomaterials Thin Films via Supported Anodized Alumina Templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed eES-SOUNI

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Supported anodized alumina template films with highly ordered porosity are best suited for fabricating large area ordered nanostructures with tunable dimensions and aspect ratios. In this paper we first discuss important issues for the generation of such templates, including required properties of the Al/Ti/Au/Ti thin film heterostructure on a substrate for high quality templates. We then show examples of anisotropic nanostructure films consisting of noble metals using these templates, discuss briefly their optical properties and their applications to molecular detection using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Finally we briefly address the possibility to make nanocomposite films, exemplary shown on a plasmonic-thermochromic nanocomposite of VO2-capped Au-nanorods.

  18. Optical Regeneration and Noise in Semiconductor Devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Öhman, Filip

    2005-01-01

    In this report all-optical 2R-regeneration in optical communication systems is investigated. A simple regenerator device based on concatenated semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) and electro absorbers (EAs) is introduced and examined. Experiments show that the monolithic SOA-EA 2R-regenerator......In this report all-optical 2R-regeneration in optical communication systems is investigated. A simple regenerator device based on concatenated semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) and electro absorbers (EAs) is introduced and examined. Experiments show that the monolithic SOA-EA 2R...

  19. Angiogenesis is inhibitory for mammalian digit regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Ling; Yan, Mingquan; Simkin, Jennifer; Ketcham, Paulina D.; Leininger, Eric; Han, Manjong

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The regenerating mouse digit tip is a unique model for investigating blastema formation and epimorphic regeneration in mammals. The blastema is characteristically avascular and we previously reported that blastema expression of a known anti‐angiogenic factor gene, Pedf, correlated with a successful regenerative response (Yu, L., Han, M., Yan, M., Lee, E. C., Lee, J. & Muneoka, K. (2010). BMP signaling induces digit regeneration in neonatal mice. Development, 137, 551–559). Here we show that during regeneration Vegfa transcripts are not detected in the blastema but are expressed at the onset of differentiation. Treating the amputation wound with vascular endothelial growth factor enhances angiogenesis but inhibits regeneration. We next tested bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9), another known mediator of angiogenesis, and found that BMP9 is also a potent inhibitor of digit tip regeneration. BMP9 induces Vegfa expression in the digit stump suggesting that regenerative failure is mediated by enhanced angiogenesis. Finally, we show that BMP9 inhibition of regeneration is completely rescued by treatment with pigment epithelium‐derived factor. These studies show that precocious angiogenesis is inhibitory for regeneration, and provide compelling evidence that the regulation of angiogenesis is a critical factor in designing therapies aimed at stimulating mammalian regeneration. PMID:27499862

  20. Template-mediated, Hierarchical Engineering of Ordered Mesoporous Films and Powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Zheng

    Hierarchical control over pore size, pore topology, and meso/mictrostructure as well as material morphology (e.g., powders, monoliths, thin films) is crucial for meeting diverse materials needs among applications spanning next generation catalysts, sensors, batteries, sorbents, etc. The overarching goal of this thesis is to establish fundamental mechanistic insight enabling new strategies for realizing such hierarchical textural control for carbon materials that is not currently achievable with sacrificial pore formation by 'one-pot' surfactant-based 'soft'-templating or multi-step inorganic 'hard-templating. While 'hard'-templating is often tacitly discounted based upon its perceived complexity, it offers potential for overcoming key 'soft'-templating challenges, including bolstering pore stability, accommodating a more versatile palette of replica precursors, realizing ordered/spanning porosity in the case of porous thin films, simplifying formation of bi-continuous pore topologies, and inducing microstructure control within porous replica materials. In this thesis, we establish strategies for hard-templating of hierarchically porous and structured carbon powders and tunable thin films by both multi-step hard-templating and a new 'one-pot' template-replica precursor co-assembly process. We first develop a nominal hard-templating technique to successfully prepare three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous (3DOm) and 3DOm-supported microporous carbon thin films by exploiting our ability to synthesize and assemble size-tunable silica nanoparticles into scalable, colloidal crystalline thin film templates of tunable mono- to multi-layer thickness. This robust thin film template accommodates liquid and/or vapor-phase infiltration, polymerization, and pyrolysis of various carbon sources without pore contraction and/or collapse upon template sacrifice. The result is robust, flexible 3DOm or 3DOm-supported ultra-thin microporous films that can be transferred by stamp

  1. Computational resources to filter gravitational wave data with P-approximant templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Porter, Edward K

    2002-01-01

    The prior knowledge of the gravitational waveform from compact binary systems makes matched filtering an attractive detection strategy. This detection method involves the filtering of the detector output with a set of theoretical waveforms or templates. One of the most important factors in this strategy is knowing how many templates are needed in order to reduce the loss of possible signals. In this study, we calculate the number of templates and computational power needed for a one-step search for gravitational waves from inspiralling binary systems. We build on previous works by first expanding the post-Newtonian waveforms to 2.5-PN order and second, for the first time, calculating the number of templates needed when using P-approximant waveforms. The analysis is carried out for the four main first-generation interferometers, LIGO, GEO600, VIRGO and TAMA. As well as template number, we also calculate the computational cost of generating banks of templates for filtering GW data. We carry out the calculations for two initial conditions. In the first case we assume a minimum individual mass of 1 M o-dot and in the second, we assume a minimum individual mass of 5 M o-dot . We find that, in general, we need more P-approximant templates to carry out a search than if we use standard PN templates. This increase varies according to the order of PN-approximation, but can be as high as a factor of 3 and is explained by the smaller span of the P-approximant templates as we go to higher masses. The promising outcome is that for 2-PN templates, the increase is small and is outweighed by the known robustness of the 2-PN P-approximant templates

  2. Expression and localization of regenerating gene I in a rat liver regeneration model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jingshu; Koyota, Souichi; Zhou, Xiaoping; Ueno, Yasuharu; Ma Li; Kawagoe, Masami; Koizumi, Yukio; Okamoto, Hiroshi; Sugiyama, Toshihiro

    2009-01-01

    Regenerating gene (Reg) I has been identified as a regenerative/proliferative factor for pancreatic islet cells. We examined Reg I expression in the regenerating liver of a rat model that had been administered 2-acetylaminofluorene and treated with 70% partial hepatectomy (2-AAF/PH model), where hepatocyte and cholangiocyte proliferation was suppressed and the hepatic stem cells and/or hepatic progenitor cells were activated. In a detailed time course study of activation of hepatic stem cells in the 2-AAF/PH model, utilizing immunofluorescence staining with antibodies of Reg I and other cell-type-specific markers, we found that Reg I-expressing cells are present in the bile ductules and increased during regeneration. Reg I-expressing cells were colocalized with CK19, OV6, and AFP. These results demonstrate that Reg I is significantly upregulated in the liver of the 2-AAF/PH rat model, accompanied by the formation of bile ductules during liver regeneration.

  3. Fast Template-based Shape Analysis using Diffeomorphic Iterative Centroid

    OpenAIRE

    Cury , Claire; Glaunès , Joan Alexis; Chupin , Marie; Colliot , Olivier

    2014-01-01

    International audience; A common approach for the analysis of anatomical variability relies on the estimation of a representative template of the population, followed by the study of this population based on the parameters of the deformations going from the template to the population. The Large Deformation Diffeomorphic Metric Mapping framework is widely used for shape analysis of anatomical structures, but computing a template with such framework is computationally expensive. In this paper w...

  4. Titanium template for scaphoid reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haefeli, M; Schaefer, D J; Schumacher, R; Müller-Gerbl, M; Honigmann, P

    2015-06-01

    Reconstruction of a non-united scaphoid with a humpback deformity involves resection of the non-union followed by bone grafting and fixation of the fragments. Intraoperative control of the reconstruction is difficult owing to the complex three-dimensional shape of the scaphoid and the other carpal bones overlying the scaphoid on lateral radiographs. We developed a titanium template that fits exactly to the surfaces of the proximal and distal scaphoid poles to define their position relative to each other after resection of the non-union. The templates were designed on three-dimensional computed tomography reconstructions and manufactured using selective laser melting technology. Ten conserved human wrists were used to simulate the reconstruction. The achieved precision measured as the deviation of the surface of the reconstructed scaphoid from its virtual counterpart was good in five cases (maximal difference 1.5 mm), moderate in one case (maximal difference 3 mm) and inadequate in four cases (difference more than 3 mm). The main problems were attributed to the template design and can be avoided by improved pre-operative planning, as shown in a clinical case. © The Author(s) 2014.

  5. Creating Shape Templates for Patient Specific Biventricular Modeling in Congenital Heart Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Kathleen; Farrar, Genevieve; Cowan, Brett R.; Suinesiaputra, Avan; Occleshaw, Christopher; Pontré, Beau; Perry, James; Hegde, Sanjeet; Marsden, Alison; Omens, Jeff; McCulloch, Andrew; Young, Alistair A.

    2018-01-01

    Survival rates for infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) are improving, resulting in a growing population of adults with CHD. However, the analysis of left and right ventricular function is very time-consuming owing to the variety of congenital morphologies. Efficient customization of patient geometry and function depends on high quality shape templates specifically designed for the application. In this paper, we combine a method for creating finite element shape templates with an interactive template customization to patient MRI examinations. This enables different templates to be chosen depending on patient morphology. To demonstrate this pipeline, a new biventricular template with 162 elements was created and tested in place of an existing 82-element template. The method was able to provide fast interactive biventricular analysis with 0.31 sec per edit response time. The new template was customized to 13 CHD patients with similar biventricular topology, showing improved performance over the previous template and good agreement with clinical indices. PMID:26736353

  6. A non-parametric 2D deformable template classifier

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, Nette; Nielsen, Allan Aasbjerg; Conradsen, Knut

    2005-01-01

    feature space the ship-master will be able to interactively define a segmentation map, which is refined and optimized by the deformable template algorithms. The deformable templates are defined as two-dimensional vector-cycles. Local random transformations are applied to the vector-cycles, and stochastic...

  7. Nerves Regulate Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Heart Regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoud, Ahmed I; O'Meara, Caitlin C; Gemberling, Matthew; Zhao, Long; Bryant, Donald M; Zheng, Ruimao; Gannon, Joseph B; Cai, Lei; Choi, Wen-Yee; Egnaczyk, Gregory F; Burns, Caroline E; Burns, C Geoffrey; MacRae, Calum A; Poss, Kenneth D; Lee, Richard T

    2015-08-24

    Some organisms, such as adult zebrafish and newborn mice, have the capacity to regenerate heart tissue following injury. Unraveling the mechanisms of heart regeneration is fundamental to understanding why regeneration fails in adult humans. Numerous studies have revealed that nerves are crucial for organ regeneration, thus we aimed to determine whether nerves guide heart regeneration. Here, we show using transgenic zebrafish that inhibition of cardiac innervation leads to reduction of myocyte proliferation following injury. Specifically, pharmacological inhibition of cholinergic nerve function reduces cardiomyocyte proliferation in the injured hearts of both zebrafish and neonatal mice. Direct mechanical denervation impairs heart regeneration in neonatal mice, which was rescued by the administration of neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and nerve growth factor (NGF) recombinant proteins. Transcriptional analysis of mechanically denervated hearts revealed a blunted inflammatory and immune response following injury. These findings demonstrate that nerve function is required for both zebrafish and mouse heart regeneration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A new template matching method based on contour information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Huiying; Zhu, Feng; Wu, Qingxiao; Li, Sicong

    2014-11-01

    Template matching is a significant approach in machine vision due to its effectiveness and robustness. However, most of the template matching methods are so time consuming that they can't be used to many real time applications. The closed contour matching method is a popular kind of template matching methods. This paper presents a new closed contour template matching method which is suitable for two dimensional objects. Coarse-to-fine searching strategy is used to improve the matching efficiency and a partial computation elimination scheme is proposed to further speed up the searching process. The method consists of offline model construction and online matching. In the process of model construction, triples and distance image are obtained from the template image. A certain number of triples which are composed by three points are created from the contour information that is extracted from the template image. The rule to select the three points is that the template contour is divided equally into three parts by these points. The distance image is obtained here by distance transform. Each point on the distance image represents the nearest distance between current point and the points on the template contour. During the process of matching, triples of the searching image are created with the same rule as the triples of the model. Through the similarity that is invariant to rotation, translation and scaling between triangles, the triples corresponding to the triples of the model are found. Then we can obtain the initial RST (rotation, translation and scaling) parameters mapping the searching contour to the template contour. In order to speed up the searching process, the points on the searching contour are sampled to reduce the number of the triples. To verify the RST parameters, the searching contour is projected into the distance image, and the mean distance can be computed rapidly by simple operations of addition and multiplication. In the fine searching process

  9. Animal regeneration: ancestral character or evolutionary novelty?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slack, Jonathan Mw

    2017-09-01

    An old question about regeneration is whether it is an ancestral character which is a general property of living matter, or whether it represents a set of specific adaptations to the different circumstances faced by different types of animal. In this review, some recent results on regeneration are assessed to see if they can throw any new light on this question. Evidence in favour of an ancestral character comes from the role of Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein signalling in controlling the pattern of whole-body regeneration in acoels, which are a basal group of bilaterian animals. On the other hand, there is some evidence for adaptive acquisition or maintenance of the regeneration of appendages based on the occurrence of severe non-lethal predation, the existence of some novel genes in regenerating organisms, and differences at the molecular level between apparently similar forms of regeneration. It is tentatively concluded that whole-body regeneration is an ancestral character although has been lost from most animal lineages. Appendage regeneration is more likely to represent a derived character resulting from many specific adaptations. © 2017 The Author.

  10. All optical regeneration using semiconductor devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørk, Jesper; Öhman, Filip; Tromborg, Bjarne

    All-optical regeneration is a key functionality for implementing all-optical networks. We present a simple theory for the bit-error-rate in links employing all-optical regenerators, which elucidates the interplay between the noise and and nonlinearity of the regenerator. A novel device structure ...... is analyzed, emphasizing general aspects of active semiconductor waveguides....

  11. Muscle regeneration in mitochondrial myopathies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krag, T O; Hauerslev, S; Jeppesen, T D

    2013-01-01

    Mitochondrial myopathies cover a diverse group of disorders in which ragged red and COX-negative fibers are common findings on muscle morphology. In contrast, muscle degeneration and regeneration, typically found in muscular dystrophies, are not considered characteristic features of mitochondrial...... myopathies. We investigated regeneration in muscle biopsies from 61 genetically well-defined patients affected by mitochondrial myopathy. Our results show that the perturbed energy metabolism in mitochondrial myopathies causes ongoing muscle regeneration in a majority of patients, and some were even affected...

  12. The Utility of Template Analysis in Qualitative Psychology Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Joanna; McCluskey, Serena; Turley, Emma; King, Nigel

    2015-04-03

    Thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative psychology research, and in this article, we present a particular style of thematic analysis known as Template Analysis. We outline the technique and consider its epistemological position, then describe three case studies of research projects which employed Template Analysis to illustrate the diverse ways it can be used. Our first case study illustrates how the technique was employed in data analysis undertaken by a team of researchers in a large-scale qualitative research project. Our second example demonstrates how a qualitative study that set out to build on mainstream theory made use of the a priori themes (themes determined in advance of coding) permitted in Template Analysis. Our final case study shows how Template Analysis can be used from an interpretative phenomenological stance. We highlight the distinctive features of this style of thematic analysis, discuss the kind of research where it may be particularly appropriate, and consider possible limitations of the technique. We conclude that Template Analysis is a flexible form of thematic analysis with real utility in qualitative psychology research.

  13. Fabrication of high quality ordered porous anodic aluminum oxide templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Kai; Du Kai; Chen Jing; Zhou Lan; Zhang Lin; Fang Yu

    2010-01-01

    The preparation of porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates has been studied with oxalic acid as electrolyte. The morphology of the as-prepared templates has been characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The pores distributed orderly and uniformly with the diameter ranging from 40 nm to 70 nm. The experimental results indicate that electrolyte concentration, oxidation voltage, oxidation temperature and oxidation time affect the structure of AAO templates. Ordered porous AAO templates can be derived without annealing and finishing. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that the aluminum oxide film is mainly composed of amorphous Al 2 O 3 . (authors)

  14. Polymeric Bicontinuous Microemulsions as Templates for Nanostructured Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Brad Howard

    Ternary blends of two homopolymers and a diblock copolymer can self-assemble into interpenetrating, three dimensionally-continuous networks with a characteristic length scale of ˜ 100 nm. In this thesis, it is shown that these liquid phases, known as polymeric bicontinuous microemulsions (BμE), can be designed as versatile precursors to nanoporous materials having pores with uniform sizes of ˜ 100 nm. The model blends from which the porous materials are derived are composed of polyethylene (PE) and a sacrificial polyolefin. The liquid BμE structure is captured by crystallization of the PE, and a three-dimensionally continuous pore network with a narrow pore size distribution is generated by selective extraction of the sacrificial component. The original BμE structure is retained in the resultant nanoporous PE. This monolithic material is then used as a template in the synthesis of other nanoporous materials for which structural control at the nm scale has traditionally been difficult to achieve. These materials, which include a high-temperature ceramic, polymeric thermosets, and a conducting polymer, are produced by a simple nanocasting process, providing an inverse replica of the PE template. On account of the BμE structure of the template, the product materials also possess three-dimensionally continuous pore networks with narrow size distributions centered at ˜ 100 nm. The PE template is further used as a template for the production of hierarchically structured inorganic and polymeric materials by infiltration of mesostructured compounds into its pore network. In the former case, a hierarchically porous SiO2 material is demonstrated, simultaneously possessing two discrete, bicontinuous pore networks with sizes differing by over an order of magnitude. Finally, the templating procedures are extended to thin films supported on substrates and novel conductive polymer films are synthesized. The work described herein represents an unprecedented suite of

  15. Optimization of chemical regeneration procedures of spent activated carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naser Ghasemzadeh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The chemical regeneration of granular activated carbon exhausted in a petrochemical wastewater unit was investigated. Gas chromatography and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrated that spent activated carbon carries large types of organic and inorganic materials. Diverse chemical solvents were adopted in comparison with traditional chemical solvents and regeneration efficiency was investigated for each approach. The optimum procedure and optimum condition including temperature, concentration of solvent, and time were determined. The regenerated activated carbon was used in the adsorption of methylene blue (MB in order to find its regeneration efficiency. The regeneration efficiency can be identified by comparing of amount of MB absorbed by the fresh and regenerated activated carbon. The best acidic regenerator was hydrofluoric acid. The higher the temperature causes the faster desorption rate and consequently, the higher regeneration efficiency. The regeneration efficiency increased by means of an increase in the time of regeneration and solvent concentration, but there was an optimum time and solvent concentration for regeneration. The optimum temperature, solvent concentration and regeneration time obtained was 80 ⁰C, 3 molar and 3 hours, respectively.

  16. Template polymerization of N-vinylimidazole along poly(methacrylic acid) in water

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grampel, Hendrik Theodorus van de

    1990-01-01

    Template polymerisaties zijn polymerisaties waarbij radicalen gedurende het grootste gedeelte van hun bestaan langs het template polymeer groeien. In het algemeen kan de template invloed hebben op de polymerisatiesnelheid, als ook op het molecuulgewicht en de tacticiteit van het bijgevormde

  17. Infection and Pulp Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahng G. Kim

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The regeneration of the pulp-dentin complex has been a great challenge to both scientists and clinicians. Previous work has shown that the presence of prior infection may influence the characteristics of tissues formed in the root canal space after regenerative endodontic treatment. The formation of ectopic tissues such as periodontal ligament, bone, and cementum has been observed in the root canal space of immature necrotic teeth with apical periodontitis, while the regeneration of dentin and pulp has been identified in previously non-infected teeth. The current regenerative endodontic therapy utilizes disinfection protocols, which heavily rely on chemical irrigation using conventional disinfectants. From a microbiological point of view, the current protocols may not allow a sufficiently clean root canal microenvironment, which is critical for dentin and pulp regeneration. In this article, the significance of root canal disinfection in regenerating the pulp-dentin complex, the limitations of the current regenerative endodontic disinfection protocols, and advanced disinfection techniques designed to reduce the microorganisms and biofilms in chronic infection are discussed.

  18. Modeling water and hydrogen networks with partitioning regeneration units

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W.M. Shehata

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Strict environment regulations in chemical and refinery industries lead to minimize resource consumption by designing utility networks within industrial process plants. The present study proposed a superstructure based optimization model for the synthesis of water and hydrogen networks with partitioning regenerators without mixing the regenerated sources. This method determines the number of partitioning regenerators needed for the regeneration of the sources. The number of the regenerators is based on the number of sources required to be treated for recovery. Each source is regenerated in an individual partitioning regenerator. Multiple regeneration systems can be employed to achieve minimum flowrate and costs. The formulation is linear in the regenerator balance equations. The optimized model is applied for two systems, partitioning regeneration systems of the fixed outlet impurity concentration and partitioning regeneration systems of the fixed impurity load removal ratio (RR for water and hydrogen networks. Several case studies from the literature are solved to illustrate the ease and applicability of the proposed method.

  19. A Hybrid Approach to Protect Palmprint Templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hailun Liu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Biometric template protection is indispensable to protect personal privacy in large-scale deployment of biometric systems. Accuracy, changeability, and security are three critical requirements for template protection algorithms. However, existing template protection algorithms cannot satisfy all these requirements well. In this paper, we propose a hybrid approach that combines random projection and fuzzy vault to improve the performances at these three points. Heterogeneous space is designed for combining random projection and fuzzy vault properly in the hybrid scheme. New chaff point generation method is also proposed to enhance the security of the heterogeneous vault. Theoretical analyses of proposed hybrid approach in terms of accuracy, changeability, and security are given in this paper. Palmprint database based experimental results well support the theoretical analyses and demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed hybrid approach.

  20. Uranyl Sulfate Nanotubules Templated by N-phenylglycine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oleg I. Siidra

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The synthesis, structure, and infrared spectroscopy properties of the new organically templated uranyl sulfate Na(phgH+7[(UO26(SO410](H2O3.5 (1, obtained at room temperature by evaporation from aqueous solution, are reported. Its structure contains unique uranyl sulfate [(UO26(SO410]8− nanotubules templated by protonated N-phenylglycine (C6H5NH2CH2COOH+. Their internal diameter is 1.4 nm. Each of the nanotubules is built from uranyl sulfate rings sharing common SO4 tetrahedra. The template plays an important role in the formation of the complex structure of 1. The aromatic rings are stacked parallel to each other due to the effect of π–π interaction with their side chains extending into the gaps between the nanotubules.

  1. Lens regeneration in axolotl: new evidence of developmental plasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suetsugu-Maki Rinako

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Among vertebrates lens regeneration is most pronounced in newts, which have the ability to regenerate the entire lens throughout their lives. Regeneration occurs from the dorsal iris by transdifferentiation of the pigment epithelial cells. Interestingly, the ventral iris never contributes to regeneration. Frogs have limited lens regeneration capacity elicited from the cornea during pre-metamorphic stages. The axolotl is another salamander which, like the newt, regenerates its limbs or its tail with the spinal cord, but up until now all reports have shown that it does not regenerate the lens. Results Here we present a detailed analysis during different stages of axolotl development, and we show that despite previous beliefs the axolotl does regenerate the lens, however, only during a limited time after hatching. We have found that starting at stage 44 (forelimb bud stage lens regeneration is possible for nearly two weeks. Regeneration occurs from the iris but, in contrast to the newt, regeneration can be elicited from either the dorsal or the ventral iris and, occasionally, even from both in the same eye. Similar studies in the zebra fish concluded that lens regeneration is not possible. Conclusions Regeneration of the lens is possible in the axolotl, but differs from both frogs and newts. Thus the axolotl iris provides a novel and more plastic strategy for lens regeneration.

  2. Template protection and its implementation in 3D face recognition systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xuebing

    2007-04-01

    As biometric recognition systems are widely applied in various application areas, security and privacy risks have recently attracted the attention of the biometric community. Template protection techniques prevent stored reference data from revealing private biometric information and enhance the security of biometrics systems against attacks such as identity theft and cross matching. This paper concentrates on a template protection algorithm that merges methods from cryptography, error correction coding and biometrics. The key component of the algorithm is to convert biometric templates into binary vectors. It is shown that the binary vectors should be robust, uniformly distributed, statistically independent and collision-free so that authentication performance can be optimized and information leakage can be avoided. Depending on statistical character of the biometric template, different approaches for transforming biometric templates into compact binary vectors are presented. The proposed methods are integrated into a 3D face recognition system and tested on the 3D facial images of the FRGC database. It is shown that the resulting binary vectors provide an authentication performance that is similar to the original 3D face templates. A high security level is achieved with reasonable false acceptance and false rejection rates of the system, based on an efficient statistical analysis. The algorithm estimates the statistical character of biometric templates from a number of biometric samples in the enrollment database. For the FRGC 3D face database, the small distinction of robustness and discriminative power between the classification results under the assumption of uniquely distributed templates and the ones under the assumption of Gaussian distributed templates is shown in our tests.

  3. Neurotransmitter-Regulated Regeneration in the Zebrafish Retina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahesh B. Rao

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Current efforts to repair damaged or diseased mammalian retinas are inefficient and largely incapable of fully restoring vision. Conversely, the zebrafish retina is capable of spontaneous regeneration upon damage using Müller glia (MG-derived progenitors. Understanding how zebrafish MG initiate regeneration may help develop new treatments that prompt mammalian retinas to regenerate. We show that inhibition of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA signaling facilitates initiation of MG proliferation. GABA levels decrease following damage, and MG are positioned to detect decreased ambient levels and undergo dedifferentiation. Using pharmacological and genetic approaches, we demonstrate that GABAA receptor inhibition stimulates regeneration in undamaged retinas while activation inhibits regeneration in damaged retinas. : Unlike mammals, zebrafish regenerate following retina damage from a resident adult stem cell (Müller glia. Dissecting the mechanisms that zebrafish use could lead to new therapeutic targets to treat retinal diseases. Patton and colleagues have discovered a mechanism by which decreased GABA levels are sensed by Müller glia to initiate a regenerative response. Keywords: zebrafish, retina, regeneration, Müller glia, GABA

  4. II - Template Metaprogramming for Massively Parallel Scientific Computing - Vectorization with Expression Templates

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2016-01-01

    Large scale scientific computing raises questions on different levels ranging from the fomulation of the problems to the choice of the best algorithms and their implementation for a specific platform. There are similarities in these different topics that can be exploited by modern-style C++ template metaprogramming techniques to produce readable, maintainable and generic code. Traditional low-level code tend to be fast but platform-dependent, and it obfuscates the meaning of the algorithm. On the other hand, object-oriented approach is nice to read, but may come with an inherent performance penalty. These lectures aim to present he basics of the Expression Template (ET) idiom which allows us to keep the object-oriented approach without sacrificing performance. We will in particular show to to enhance ET to include SIMD vectorization. We will then introduce techniques for abstracting iteration, and introduce thread-level parallelism for use in heavy data-centric loads. We will show to to apply these methods i...

  5. [Guided bone regeneration: general survey].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosyn, Jan; De Bruyn, Hugo

    2009-01-01

    The principle of 'guided bone regeneration' was first described in 1988 on the basis of animal-experimental data. Six weeks after transmandibular defects had been created and protected by non-resorbable teflonmembranes, complete bone regeneration was found. The technique was based on the selective repopulation of the wound: every infiltration of cells outside the neighbouring bone tissue was prevented by the application of the membrane. Additional animal experiments showed that guided bone regeneration was a viable treatment option for local bone defects surrounding dental implants. Clinical practice, however, showed that premature membrane exposure was a common complication, which was responsible for a tremendous reduction in regenerated bone volume. In addition, a second surgical intervention was always necessary to remove the membrane. As a result, resorbable alternatives were developed. Since these are less rigid, bone fillers are usually used simultaneously. These comprise autogenous bone chips and bone substitutes from allogenic or xenogenic origine. Also alloplastic materials could be used for this purpose. Based on their characteristics this article provides an overview of the biomaterials that could be considered for guided bone regeneration. Specific attention goes to their application in clinical practice.

  6. Peptide-Based Materials for Cartilage Tissue Regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastar, Nurcan; Arslan, Elif; Guler, Mustafa O; Tekinay, Ayse B

    2017-01-01

    Cartilaginous tissue requires structural and metabolic support after traumatic or chronic injuries because of its limited capacity for regeneration. However, current techniques for cartilage regeneration are either invasive or ineffective for long-term repair. Developing alternative approaches to regenerate cartilage tissue is needed. Therefore, versatile scaffolds formed by biomaterials are promising tools for cartilage regeneration. Bioactive scaffolds further enhance the utility in a broad range of applications including the treatment of major cartilage defects. This chapter provides an overview of cartilage tissue, tissue defects, and the methods used for regeneration, with emphasis on peptide scaffold materials that can be used to supplement or replace current medical treatment options.

  7. Brownfield regeneration: Towards strengthening social cohesion?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minić Marta

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In broader terms, the paper refers to the topic of brownfield regeneration, as one of the most complex mechanisms for sustainable spatial development. In addition to the fact that brownfield regeneration demands a variety of instruments, such as: tax subsidies, the change of land use ownership, soil remediation, planning regulative amendments, etc., the complexity of brownfield regeneration is primarily seen in a number of stakeholders participating in such a process. Thus, the paper focuses on the social aspect of brownfield regeneration - precisely, on researching the community role and reviewing the possibilities for achieving the 'local' interests in complex developmental processes. The main research hypothesis is that brownfield regeneration positively affects the creation of and strengthening the social cohesion in the areas close to the brownfield site. More precisley, the paper presents the ways towards strenghtening social cohesion in the initial phase of the brownfield regeneration process, as well as the effects of such a process in its operationalisation phase on social cohesion. The thesis is examined by two main parameters: 1 participation of local community, and 2 social costs and benefits of brownfield regeneration versus greenfield investment. The research results are presented in the form of argumentative essay. In fact, the critical overview of arguments for and against the main research hypothesis is provided based on the review of interdisciplinary literature in the domain of brownfield regeneration. Such research organisation ensures the identification and description of the measures needed for strengthening social cohesion, as an utmost goal of this research. The final research contribution is about offering the guidelines for similar methodological approach in urban research.

  8. Templates for Cross-Cultural and Culturally Specific Usability Testing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clemmensen, Torkil

    2011-01-01

    The cultural diversity of users of technology challenges our methods for usability testing. This article suggests templates for cross-culturally and culturally specific usability testing, based on studies of usability testing in companies in Mumbai, Beijing, and Copenhagen. Study 1 was a cross...... tests. The result was the construction of templates for usability testing. The culturally specific templates were in Mumbai “user-centered evaluation,” Copenhagen “client-centered evaluation,” and Beijing “evaluator-centered evaluation.” The findings are compared with related research...

  9. Hydroprocessing catalysts utilization and regeneration schemes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Furimsky, E.

    The catalyst reactor inventory represents an important part of the cost of hydroprocessing operation. The selection of a suitable catalyst and reactor is influenced by feedstock properties. Processes ensuring an uninterrupted operation during catalyst addition and withdrawal are preferred for processing high asphaltene and metal content feedstocks. The spent catalyst can be regenerated and returned to the operation if the extent of its deactivation is not high. The regeneration may be performed either in-situ or off-site. The former is suitable for fixed bed reactors whereas the catalyst from ebullated bed reactors must be regenerated off-site. The regeneration of spent catalysts heavily loaded with metals such as V, Ni and Fe may not be economic. Such catalysts may be suitable for metal reclamation. An environmentally safe method for catalyst disposal must be found if neither regeneration nor metal reclamation from spent catalysts can be performed.

  10. Regeneration limit of classical Shannon capacity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorokina, M. A.; Turitsyn, S. K.

    2014-05-01

    Since Shannon derived the seminal formula for the capacity of the additive linear white Gaussian noise channel, it has commonly been interpreted as the ultimate limit of error-free information transmission rate. However, the capacity above the corresponding linear channel limit can be achieved when noise is suppressed using nonlinear elements; that is, the regenerative function not available in linear systems. Regeneration is a fundamental concept that extends from biology to optical communications. All-optical regeneration of coherent signal has attracted particular attention. Surprisingly, the quantitative impact of regeneration on the Shannon capacity has remained unstudied. Here we propose a new method of designing regenerative transmission systems with capacity that is higher than the corresponding linear channel, and illustrate it by proposing application of the Fourier transform for efficient regeneration of multilevel multidimensional signals. The regenerative Shannon limit—the upper bound of regeneration efficiency—is derived.

  11. Incidência de trombo intracardíaco e de tromboembolismo nos três primeiros meses após o implante de bioprótese valvar Incidence of intracardiac thrombus and thromboembolism in the first three months after bioprosthetic valve implantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Auristela Isabel de Oliveira Ramos

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a incidência de trombo intracardíaco e de tromboembolismo nos três primeiros meses após a troca valvar por bioprótese e identificar fatores de risco para a formação de trombo. MÉTODO:Incluídos 184 pacientes, entre 15 e 75 anos de idade, submetidos a implante de bioprótese e realizados ecocardiogramas transtorácico e transesofágico (ETE na fase hospitalar, média 8,4±3 dias, e três meses após, média 97,4±21,7 dias. RESULTADOS: Incidência de trombo foi significativamente mais elevada nos pacientes com prótese em posição mitral ou mitroaórtica (21,0% do que em posição aórtica (2,8%, pOBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of intracardiac thrombus and thromboembolism in the first 3 months after bioprosthetic valve replacement and to identify the risk factors for thrombus formation. METHODS: The study comprised 184 patients, aged between 15 and 75 years, who underwent bioprosthetic valve implantation. Transthoracic and transesophageal (TEE echocardiographies were performed in the in-hospital phase (mean, 8.4±3 days and after 3 months (mean, 97.4±21.7 days. RESULTS: The incidence of thrombus was significantly greater in patients with a prosthesis in the mitral or mitroaortic position (21.0% than in those with a prosthesis in the aortic position (2.8%, P<0.001. The multiple logistic regression identified the prosthesis in the mitral or mitroaortic position as the only independent variable for thrombus formation. On the 3-month follow-up, TEE showed a thrombus in 35 (20.7% of the 169 patients on echocardiographic assessment, 31.7% in mitral patients and 3.1% in aortic patients, P<0.001. In the third month, the multiple logistic regression also identified the prosthesis in the mitral or mitroaortic position as the only independent variable for thrombus formation. During the 3-month follow-up, 3 (1.6% patients died and 8 (4.3% experienced embolic phenomena, all in the cerebral territory. CONCLUSION: The incidence

  12. In vitro 2D PIV measurements and related aperture areas of tricuspid bioprosthetic mitral valves at the beginning of diastole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazan, Ovandir; Ortiz, Jayme Pinto; Fukumasu, Newton Kiyoshi; Pacifico, Antonio Luiz; Yanagihara, Jurandir Itizo

    2016-07-04

    Besides ventricular parameters, the design and angular orientation of a prosthetic heart valve induce a specific flow field. The aim of this study was to know the inflow characteristics of a left ventricular model (LVM), investigating the behavior of tricuspid bioprosthetic mitral valves in terms of velocity profiles and related valve aperture areas at the beginning of diastole, under different conditions. 3 heart rates (HRs) were established in the LVM and each mitral bioprosthesis (27 and 31 mm diameter) was installed in 2 orientations, rotated by 180° . For each experimental setup, 2-dimensional particle image velocimetry (2D PIV) measurements and simultaneous mitral valve (MV) area detection were obtained from 50 samples. The results from the velocity profiles immediately downstream of mitral bioprostheses showed the influence of valve orientation for moderate HRs, although for a similar magnitude of mean velocity vectors. The geometries of MV open areas for each HR were similar regardless of valve orientation, except for the 27-mm valve at 90 beats per minute (bpm), and for the 31-mm valve at 60 bpm. Moreover, for each HR, similar percentages of valve open area were obtained regardless of MV nominal diameters. In conclusion, the experimental setup for the 2D PIV measurements synchronized with the MV area detection was a useful tool for knowing the inflow characteristics of the LVM.

  13. Ferritin-Templated Quantum-Dots for Quantum Logic Gates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Sang H.; Kim, Jae-Woo; Chu, Sang-Hyon; Park, Yeonjoon; King, Glen C.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Kim, Seon-Jeong; Elliott, James R.

    2005-01-01

    Quantum logic gates (QLGs) or other logic systems are based on quantum-dots (QD) with a stringent requirement of size uniformity. The QD are widely known building units for QLGs. The size control of QD is a critical issue in quantum-dot fabrication. The work presented here offers a new method to develop quantum-dots using a bio-template, called ferritin, that ensures QD production in uniform size of nano-scale proportion. The bio-template for uniform yield of QD is based on a ferritin protein that allows reconstitution of core material through the reduction and chelation processes. One of the biggest challenges for developing QLG is the requirement of ordered and uniform size of QD for arrays on a substrate with nanometer precision. The QD development by bio-template includes the electrochemical/chemical reconsitution of ferritins with different core materials, such as iron, cobalt, manganese, platinum, and nickel. The other bio-template method used in our laboratory is dendrimers, precisely defined chemical structures. With ferritin-templated QD, we fabricated the heptagonshaped patterned array via direct nano manipulation of the ferritin molecules with a tip of atomic force microscope (AFM). We also designed various nanofabrication methods of QD arrays using a wide range manipulation techniques. The precise control of the ferritin-templated QD for a patterned arrangement are offered by various methods, such as a site-specific immobilization of thiolated ferritins through local oxidation using the AFM tip, ferritin arrays induced by gold nanoparticle manipulation, thiolated ferritin positioning by shaving method, etc. In the signal measurements, the current-voltage curve is obtained by measuring the current through the ferritin, between the tip and the substrate for potential sweeping or at constant potential. The measured resistance near zero bias was 1.8 teraohm for single holoferritin and 5.7 teraohm for single apoferritin, respectively.

  14. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of nanoporous anodic alumina template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahzad, K.

    2010-01-01

    Room temperature EIS characterization of nanoporous anodic alumina prepared at 40 V and 60 V has been done in 0.3 M oxalic acid solution. Rapid decrease in impedance was observed for the template prepared at 40 V. EIS study of porous anodic alumina template prepared in 0.3 M oxalic acid has been done in different electrolytes. Templates prepared in 0.3 M sulfuric acid solution were also characterized for comparison. Rapid decrease in the thickness of nonporous anodic film was observed with an increase of aggressiveness of electrolyte. Temperature based systematic study of EIS measurement has been done for porous anodic alumina template at different temperatures. Formation of micropores was observed in the nanoporous anodic alumina film formed on aluminum in 0.3 M oxalic acid solution which accelerates the dissolution rate with increase of measurement temperature. In addition to these, electropolishing behavior of pure aluminum has also been studied in different electrolytes and it was observed that electropolishing conditions prior to anodization are extremely important. (author)

  15. Comparison contemporary methods of regeneration sodium-cationic filters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burakov, I. A.; Burakov, A. Y.; Nikitina, I. S.; Verkhovsky, A. E.; Ilyushin, A. S.; Aladushkin, S. V.

    2017-11-01

    Regeneration plays a crucial role in the field of efficient application sodium-cationic filters for softening the water. Traditionally used as regenerant saline NaCl. However, due to the modern development of the energy industry and its close relationship with other industrial and academic sectors the opportunity to use in the regeneration of other solutions. The report estimated data and application possibilities as regenerant solution sodium-cationic filters brine wells a high mineral content, as both primary application and after balneotherapeutic use reverse osmosis and concentrates especially recycled regenerant water repeated. Comparison of the effectiveness of these solutions with the traditional use of NaCl. Developed and tested system for the processing of highly mineralized brines wells after balneological use. Recommendations for use as regeneration solutions for the sodium-cationic unit considered solutions and defined rules of brine for regeneration costs.

  16. Regeneration of limb joints in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jangwoo; Gardiner, David M

    2012-01-01

    In spite of numerous investigations of regenerating salamander limbs, little attention has been paid to the details of how joints are reformed. An understanding of the process and mechanisms of joint regeneration in this model system for tetrapod limb regeneration would provide insights into developing novel therapies for inducing joint regeneration in humans. To this end, we have used the axolotl (Mexican Salamander) model of limb regeneration to describe the morphology and the expression patterns of marker genes during joint regeneration in response to limb amputation. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the mechanisms of joint formation whether it be development or regeneration are conserved. We also have determined that defects in the epiphyseal region of both forelimbs and hind limbs in the axolotl are regenerated only when the defect is small. As is the case with defects in the diaphysis, there is a critical size above which the endogenous regenerative response is not sufficient to regenerate the joint. This non-regenerative response in an animal that has the ability to regenerate perfectly provides the opportunity to screen for the signaling pathways to induce regeneration of articular cartilage and joints.

  17. Regeneration of limb joints in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jangwoo Lee

    Full Text Available In spite of numerous investigations of regenerating salamander limbs, little attention has been paid to the details of how joints are reformed. An understanding of the process and mechanisms of joint regeneration in this model system for tetrapod limb regeneration would provide insights into developing novel therapies for inducing joint regeneration in humans. To this end, we have used the axolotl (Mexican Salamander model of limb regeneration to describe the morphology and the expression patterns of marker genes during joint regeneration in response to limb amputation. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the mechanisms of joint formation whether it be development or regeneration are conserved. We also have determined that defects in the epiphyseal region of both forelimbs and hind limbs in the axolotl are regenerated only when the defect is small. As is the case with defects in the diaphysis, there is a critical size above which the endogenous regenerative response is not sufficient to regenerate the joint. This non-regenerative response in an animal that has the ability to regenerate perfectly provides the opportunity to screen for the signaling pathways to induce regeneration of articular cartilage and joints.

  18. Composite Matrix Regenerator for Stirling Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knowles, Timothy R.

    1997-01-01

    This project concerns the design, fabrication and testing of carbon regenerators for use in Stirling power convertors. Radial fiber design with nonmetallic components offers a number of potential advantages over conventional steel regenerators: reduced conduction and pressure drop losses, and the capability for higher temperature, higher frequency operation. Diverse composite fabrication methods are explored and lessons learned are summarized. A pulsed single-blow test rig has been developed that has been used for generating thermal effectiveness data for different flow velocities. Carbon regenerators have been fabricated by carbon vapor infiltration of electroflocked preforms. Performance data in a small Stirling engine are obtained. Prototype regenerators designed for the BP-1000 power convertor were fabricated and delivered to NASA-Lewis.

  19. Limb Regeneration in Axolotl: Is It Superhealing?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphane Roy

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The ability of axolotls to regenerate their limbs is almost legendary. In fact, urodeles such as the axolotl are the only vertebrates that can regenerate multiple structures like their limbs, jaws, tail, spinal cord, and skin (the list goes on throughout their lives. It is therefore surprising to realize, although we have known of their regenerative potential for over 200 years, how little we understand the mechanisms behind this achievement of adult tissue morphogenesis. Many observations can be drawn between regeneration and other disciplines such as development and wound healing. In this review, we present new developments in functional analysis that will help to address the role of specific genes during the process of regeneration. We also present an analysis of the resemblance between wound healing and regeneration, and discuss whether axolotls are superhealers. A better understanding of these animals' regenerative capacity could lead to major benefits by providing regenerative medicine with directions on how to develop therapeutic approaches leading to regeneration in humans.

  20. Formation of novel morphologies of aragonite induced by inorganic template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Xiaoming; Nan, Zhaodong

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Glass-slices were used as a template to induce formation and assembly of aragonite. Different morphologies, such as hemisphere, twinborn hemisphere and flower-shaped particles, were produced by direction of the glass-slices. Highlights: → Glass-slices were used as a template to induce formation and assembly of aragonite. → Hemisphere, twinborn hemisphere and flower-shaped particles were produced by direction of the glass-slices. → Planes were always appeared in these as-synthesized samples. → Thermodynamic theory was applied to explain the production of the aragonite. -- Abstract: A glass-slice was used as a template to induce formation and assembly of aragonite. Thermodynamic theory was applied to explain the production of the aragonite. Transformation of three-dimensional nucleation to template-based two-dimensional surface nucleation caused the production of aragonite. Hemisphere, twinborn hemisphere and flower-shaped particles were produced by direction of the glass-slices. Planes were always appeared in these as-synthesized samples because the nucleation and the growth of these samples were adsorbed at the surfaces of the glass-slices. The formation mechanism of the as-formed sample was proposed. Compared with organic template, the present study provides a facile method to apply inorganic template to prepare functional materials.

  1. A Novel Surgical Template Design in Staged Dental Implant Rehabilitations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Patras

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: The philosophy of a gradual transition to an implant retained prosthesis in cases of full-mouth or extensive rehabilitation usually involves a staged treatment concept. In this therapeutic approach, the placement of implants may sometimes be divided into phases. During a subsequent surgical phase of treatment, the pre-existing implants can serve as anchors for the surgical template. Those modified surgical templates help in the precise transferring of restorative information into the surgical field and guide the optimal three-dimensional implant positioning. Methods: This article highlights the rationale of implant-retained surgical templates and illustrates them through the presentation of two clinical cases. The templates are duplicates of the provisional restorations and are secured to the existing implants through the utilization of implant mounts. Results: This template design in such staged procedures provided stability in the surgical field and enhanced the accuracy in implant positioning based upon the planned restoration, thus ensuring predictable treatment outcomes.Conclusions: Successful rehabilitation lies in the correct sequence of surgical and prosthetic procedures. Whenever a staged approach of implant placement is planned, the clinician can effectively use the initially placed implants as anchors for the surgical template during the second phase of implant surgery.

  2. Tailoring the porosity of hierarchical zeolites by carbon-templating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhu, Kake; Egeblad, Kresten; Christensen, Claus H.

    2008-01-01

    We report the synthesis and characterization of a series of hierarchical porous zeolite single crystal materials with a range of porosities made available by carbon-templating using differently-sized carbon particles as templates for the additional non-micropore porosity. The materials were...

  3. Cancer-related aspects of regeneration research: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donaldson, D.J.; Mason, J.M.

    1975-01-01

    Tissue regeneration is simply the replacement of lost cells of a tissue by those remaining. Epimorphic regeneration involves dedifferentiation of many tissues and their organization into a blastema which eventually differentiates into the missing part, usually an appendage. A detailed comparison of the cell membrane changes occurring in epimorphic regeneration, tissue regeneration and cancer can contribute to greater understanding of the differences between normal and tumor cells. Further, there is evidence that epimorphic regeneration fields may in some instances suppress tumor induction and control existing tumors. This influence may be mediated by bioelectric fields, which are ubiquitous in nature and appear to control many cellular events. Disruption of these bioelectric fields suppresses epimorphic regeneration and may lead to cancer in mammals, while applied electric fields alter regenerative events and cause tumor regression. Studies on x-radioinduced regeneration suppression in relation to mutagenesis are also reviewed

  4. Irradiation inhibits the regeneration of aneurogenic limbs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wallace, H.; Maden, M.

    1976-01-01

    The developing arms of axolotl larvae from the 2-digit stage onward and the aneurogenic arms of surgically denervated larvae maintained in parabiosis are able to regenerate after amputation. Such regeneration is uniformly inhibited by local irradiation of the arm, whether innervated or not. This demonstration refutes a recent hypothesis that x-rays interfere with a special activity of nerves required for regeneration, and supports the earlier concept that x-rays act directly on those cells which must proliferate to form the regenerated tissues

  5. Template matching techniques in computer vision theory and practice

    CERN Document Server

    Brunelli, Roberto

    2009-01-01

    The detection and recognition of objects in images is a key research topic in the computer vision community.  Within this area, face recognition and interpretation has attracted increasing attention owing to the possibility of unveiling human perception mechanisms, and for the development of practical biometric systems. This book and the accompanying website, focus on template matching, a subset of object recognition techniques of wide applicability, which has proved to be particularly effective for face recognition applications. Using examples from face processing tasks throughout the book to illustrate more general object recognition approaches, Roberto Brunelli: examines the basics of digital image formation, highlighting points critical to the task of template matching;presents basic and  advanced template matching techniques, targeting grey-level images, shapes and point sets;discusses recent pattern classification paradigms from a template matching perspective;illustrates the development of a real fac...

  6. Photoelectron spectroscopic study on electronic structure of butterfly-templated ZnO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kamada, Masao; Sugiyama, Harue; Takahashi, Kazutoshi; Guo, Qixin [Synchrotron Light Application Center, Saga University, Honjo 1, Saga 840-8502 (Japan); Gu, Jiajun; Zhang, Wang; Fan, Tongxiang; Zhang, Di [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030 (China)

    2010-06-15

    Biological systems have complicated hierarchical architecture involving nano-structures inside, and are expected as another candidate for new nano-templates. The present work reports the photoelectron spectroscopic study on electronic structure of the butterfly-templated ZnO that were successfully produced from butterfly wings. Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectrum (UPS) of the butterfly-templated ZnO shows clearly the valence band and a Zn-3d peak, indicating that the butterfly-templated ZnO has the same electronic structure as bulk ZnO. However, the details show that the energy positions of the Zn-3d level and the valence-band structure are different between them. The present results indicate that the bonding interaction between Zn-4sp and O-2p orbitals is stronger in the butterfly-templated ZnO, probably due to the nano-structures inside. Important parameters such as band bending and electron affinity are also obtained. The larger band bending and the lower electron affinity are found in the butterfly-templated ZnO (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  7. Colloidal micro- and nano-particles as templates for polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parakhonskiy, Bogdan V; Yashchenok, Alexey M; Konrad, Manfred; Skirtach, Andre G

    2014-05-01

    Colloidal particles play an important role in various areas of material and pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, and biomedicine. In this overview we describe micro- and nano-particles used for the preparation of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules and as drug delivery vehicles. An essential feature of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsule preparations is the ability to adsorb polymeric layers onto colloidal particles or templates followed by dissolution of these templates. The choice of the template is determined by various physico-chemical conditions: solvent needed for dissolution, porosity, aggregation tendency, as well as release of materials from capsules. Historically, the first templates were based on melamine formaldehyde, later evolving towards more elaborate materials such as silica and calcium carbonate. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed here in comparison to non-particulate templates such as red blood cells. Further steps in this area include development of anisotropic particles, which themselves can serve as delivery carriers. We provide insights into application of particles as drug delivery carriers in comparison to microcapsules templated on them. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Cardiac regeneration therapy: connections to cardiac physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takehara, Naofumi; Matsubara, Hiroaki

    2011-12-01

    Without heart transplantation, a large number of patients with failing hearts worldwide face poor outcomes. By means of cardiomyocyte regeneration, cardiac regeneration therapy is emerging with great promise as a means for restoring loss of cardiac function. However, the limited success of clinical trials using bone marrow-derived cells and myoblasts with heterogeneous constituents, transplanted at a wide range of cell doses, has led to disagreement on the efficacy of cell therapy. It is therefore essential to reevaluate the evidence for the efficacy of cell-based cardiac regeneration therapy, focusing on targets, materials, and methodologies. Meanwhile, the revolutionary innovation of cardiac regeneration therapy is sorely needed to help the millions of people who suffer heart failure from acquired loss of cardiomyocytes. Cardiac regeneration has been used only in limited species or as a developing process in the rodent heart; now, the possibility of cardiomyocyte turnover in the human heart is being revisited. In the pursuit of this concept, the use of cardiac stem/progenitor stem cells in the cardiac niche must be focused to usher in a second era of cardiac regeneration therapy for the severely injured heart. In addition, tissue engineering and cellular reprogramming will advance the next era of treatment that will enable current cell-based therapy to progress to "real" cardiac regeneration therapy. Although many barriers remain, the prevention of refractory heart failure through cardiac regeneration is now becoming a realistic possibility.

  9. Computer-Aided Template for Model Reuse, Development and Maintenance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fedorova, Marina; Sin, Gürkan; Gani, Rafiqul

    2014-01-01

    A template-based approach for model development is presented in this work. Based on a model decomposition technique, the computer-aided template concept has been developed. This concept is implemented as a software tool , which provides a user-friendly interface for following the workflow steps...

  10. Internodal function in normal and regenerated mammalian axons

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moldovan, M; Krarup, C

    2007-01-01

    AIM: Following Wallerian degeneration, peripheral myelinated axons have the ability to regenerate and, given a proper pathway, establish functional connections with targets. In spite of this capacity, the clinical outcome of nerve regeneration remains unsatisfactory. Early studies have found...... that regenerated internodes remain persistently short though this abnormality did not seem to influence recovery in conduction. It remains unclear to which extent abnormalities in axonal function itself may contribute to the poor outcome of nerve regeneration. METHODS: We review experimental evidence indicating...... that internodes play an active role in axonal function. RESULTS: By investigating internodal contribution to axonal excitability we have found evidence that axonal function may be permanently compromised in regenerated nerves. Furthermore, we illustrate that internodal function is also abnormal in regenerated...

  11. Patterned FePt nanostructures using ultrathin self-organized templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Chen Hua; Zhang, Min; Wang, Fang; Xu, Xiao Hong

    2018-02-01

    Patterned magnetic thin films are both scientifically interesting and technologically useful. Ultrathin self-organized anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template can be used to fabricate large area nanodot and antidot arrays. The magnetic properties of these nanostructures may be tuned by the morphology of the AAO template, which in turn can be controlled by synthetic parameters. In this work, ultrathin AAO templates were used as etching masks for the fabrication of both FePt nanodot and antidot arrays with high areal density. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of L10 FePt thin films are preserved in the nanostructures.

  12. Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates for Nano wires Array Fabrication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Kok, K.Y.; Ng, I.K.

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on the process developed to fabricate anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) templates suitable for the fabrication of nano wire arrays. Anodization process has been used to fabricate the AAO templates with pore diameters ranging from 15 nm to 30 nm. Electrodeposition of parallel arrays of high aspect ratio nickel nano wires were demonstrated using these fabricated AAO templates. The nano wires produced were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the orientations of the electrodeposited nickel nano wires were governed by the deposition current and electrolyte conditions. (author)

  13. Creation of structured documentation templates using Natural Language Processing techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kashyap, Vipul; Turchin, Alexander; Morin, Laura; Chang, Frank; Li, Qi; Hongsermeier, Tonya

    2006-01-01

    Structured Clinical Documentation is a fundamental component of the healthcare enterprise, linking both clinical (e.g., electronic health record, clinical decision support) and administrative functions (e.g., evaluation and management coding, billing). One of the challenges in creating good quality documentation templates has been the inability to address specialized clinical disciplines and adapt to local clinical practices. A one-size-fits-all approach leads to poor adoption and inefficiencies in the documentation process. On the other hand, the cost associated with manual generation of documentation templates is significant. Consequently there is a need for at least partial automation of the template generation process. We propose an approach and methodology for the creation of structured documentation templates for diabetes using Natural Language Processing (NLP).

  14. Template synthesis of indium nanowires using anodic aluminum oxide membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Feng; Kitai, Adrian H

    2008-09-01

    Indium nanowires with diameters approximately 300 nm have been synthesized by a hydraulic pressure technique using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. The indium melt is injected into the AAO template and solidified to form nanostructures. The nanowires are dense, continuous and uniformly run through the entire approximately 60 microm thickness of the AAO template. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the nanowires are polycrystalline with a preferred orientation. SEM is performed to characterize the morphology of the nanowires.

  15. Autoradiographic analysis of protein regeneration in striated skeleton muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dadoune, J.P.

    1977-01-01

    An autoradiographic study was conducted of protein regeneration in striated muscles aimed at clarifying the contradictions in the literature: while some authors hold that the regeneration rate is identical for all types of myofibril proteins and the myofibril is thus regenerated as a whole, others claim that the regeneration rate differs depending on the type of the myofibril protein. Tritium-labelled leucine incorporation experiments showed the existence of at least 2 pools of newly formed proteins in striated muscles in both adult and young animals. One pool is regenerated in 1 to 2 weeks, the other roughly in a month. The regeneration of proteins is initially more significant in red fibres; thus the rate of myofibril protein regeneration is not uniform. In adult animals regeneration seems to be slower in filaments than in the sarcoplasm and in the mitochondria. (A.K.)

  16. Apparatus and methods for regeneration of precipitating solvent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Guohai; Vimalchand, Pannalal; Peng, Wan Wang; Bonsu, Alexander

    2015-08-25

    A regenerator that can handle rich loaded chemical solvent containing precipitated absorption reaction products is disclosed. The invention is particularly suitable for separating CO.sub.2 from large gas streams that are typical of power plant processes. The internally circulating liquid stream in the regenerator (ICLS regenerator) rapidly heats-up the in-coming rich solvent stream in a downcomer standpipe as well as decreases the overall concentration of CO.sub.2 in the mixed stream. Both these actions lead to dissolution of precipitates. Any remaining precipitate further dissolves as heat is transferred to the mixed solution with an inverted bayonet tube heat exchanger in the riser portion of the regenerator. The evolving CO.sub.2 bubbles in the riser portion of the regenerator lead to substantial gas hold-up and the large density difference between the solutions in the downcomer standpipe and riser portions promotes internal circulation of the liquid stream in the regenerator. As minor amounts of solvent components present in the exit gas stream are condensed and returned back to the regenerator, pure CO.sub.2 gas stream exits the disclosed regenerator and condenser system.

  17. FEATURES OF THE REGENERATION PROCESS OF THE FILTER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Yu. Panov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The regeneration system exercises significant influence on the efficiency and reliability of the filters. During operation of the filter it continuously increases the hydraulic resistance and the gas permeability of the filter material decreases as the deposition of the disperse phase capturable on the filter element, and to maintain the bandwidth of the filter in the filter element within the set must be periodically changed or regenerated. Thus, regeneration of a process of removing part of the dust layer with the purpose of full or partial reduction of the initial filter partitioning properties. On the basis of theoretical synthesis, physico-chemical effects of dust in layers, analysis of energy effects, developed methods of intensification of the process of regeneration of particulate filters. Pneumopulse regeneration of bag filter has been investigated, and based on it a regression equation for regeneration efficiency has been derived. It has been shown that pulse pressure exerts the dominant influence on the regeneration efficiency. The obtained model was used for assessment and prediction of the efficiency of the pneumopulse system of regeneration of bag filters at a number of structural materials producing enterprises in the Voronezh region.

  18. Template Composite Dark Matter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drach, Vincent; Hietanen, Ari; Pica, Claudio

    2015-01-01

    We present a non perturbative study of SU(2) gauge theory with two fundamental Dirac flavours. We discuss how the model can be used as a template for composite Dark Matter (DM). We estimate one particular interaction of the DM candidate with the Standard Model : the interaction through photon...

  19. Periodontal regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanovski, S

    2009-09-01

    The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is the regeneration of the tissues destroyed as a result of periodontal disease. Currently, two clinical techniques, based on the principles of "guided tissue regeneration" (GTR) or utilization of the biologically active agent "enamel matrix derivative" (EMD), can be used for the regeneration of intrabony and Class II mandibular furcation periodontal defects. In cases where additional support and space-making requirements are necessary, both of these procedures can be combined with a bone replacement graft. There is no evidence that the combined use of GTR and EMD results in superior clinical results compared to the use of each material in isolation. Great variability in clinical outcomes has been reported in relation to the use of both EMD and GTR, and these procedures can be generally considered to be unpredictable. Careful case selection and treatment planning, including consideration of patient, tooth, site and surgical factors, is required in order to optimize the outcomes of treatment. There are limited data available for the clinical effectiveness of other biologically active molecules, such as growth factors and platelet concentrates, and although promising results have been reported, further clinical trials are required in order to confirm their effectiveness. Current active areas of research are centred on tissue engineering and gene therapy strategies which may result in more predictable regenerative outcomes in the future.

  20. Biological regeneration of phenol-loaded activated carbon (up flow system)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durrani, M.A.Q.J.; Mirajuddin; Martin, R.J.

    1995-01-01

    This paper represents the report on the biological regeneration of totally activated carbon following the experimental studies carried out at the University of Birmingham, U.K. Biological regeneration is one of several methods that may be used to restore the adsorptive capacity of exhausted granular activated carbon. This study deals with in situ biological regeneration on a pilot scale. The principal objective of this research was to ascertain whether biological regeneration of GAC could occur under conditions typical of water treatment. The important parameters which may have the greatest impact on bio regeneration for a given adsorbate were studied. The research investigated the extent of bio regeneration for phenol of concentration 50 mg/l. Bio regeneration in the total exhaustion system was evaluated in terms of regeneration efficiency and the substrate removal. A three mode procedure was followed for each bio regeneration run. The prepared carbon was initialing exhausted with an adsorbate; it was then bio regenerated with a mixed culture of bacteria, and lastly the carbon was saturated. In the totally exhausted GAC system, the bio regeneration was enhanced by increasing the duration of regeneration for a fixed initial biomass content of the bioreactor. The regenerated phenol loaded GAC bed had nearly gained its original adsorption after the 5-day period of regeneration. Bacterial counts in the effluents of regenerated GAC columns were significantly more than those of fresh carbon effluents. (author)

  1. BPFlexTemplate: A Business Process template generation tool based on similarity and flexibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Latifa Ilahi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In large organizations with multiple organizational units, process variants emerge due to many aspects, including local management policies, resources or socio-technical limitations. Organizations then struggle to improve a business process which has no longer a single process model to redesign, implement and adjust. In this paper, we propose an approach to tackle these two challenges: decrease the proliferation of process variants in these organizations, and foresee, at the same time, the need of having flexible business processes that allow for a certain degree of adjustment. To validate our approach, we first conducted case studies where we collected six real-world business process variants from two organizational units of the same healthcare organization. We then proposed an algorithm to derive a template process model from all the variants, which includes common and flexible process elements. We implemented our approach in a software tool called BPFlexTemplate, and tested it with the elicited variants.

  2. Chitosan(PEO)/silica hybrid nanofibers as a potential biomaterial for bone regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toskas, Georgios; Cherif, Chokri; Hund, Rolf-Dieter; Laourine, Ezzeddine; Mahltig, Boris; Fahmi, Amir; Heinemann, Christiane; Hanke, Thomas

    2013-05-15

    New hybrid nanofibers prepared with chitosan (CTS), containing a total amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) down to 3.6wt.%, and silica precursors were produced by electrospinning. The solution of modified sol-gel particles contained tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and the organosilane 3-glycidyloxypropyltriethoxysilane (GPTEOS). This is rending stable solution toward gelation and contributing in covalent bonding with chitosan. The fibers encompass advantages of biocompatible polymer template silicate components to form self-assembled core-shell structure of the polymer CTS/PEO encapsulated by the silica. Potential applicability of this hybrid material to bone tissue engineering was studied examining its cellular compatibility and bioactivity. The nanofiber matrices were proved cytocompatible when seeded with bone-forming 7F2-cells, promoting attachment and proliferation over 7 days. These found to enhance a fast apatite formation by incorporation of Ca(2+) ions and subsequent immersion in modified simulated body fluid (m-SBF). The tunable properties of these hybrid nanofibers can find applications as active biomaterials in bone repair and regeneration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Pulp regeneration: Current approaches and future challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingwen eYANG

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Regenerative endodontics aims to replace inflamed/necrotic pulp tissues with regenerated pulp-like tissues to revitalize teeth and improve life quality. Pulp revascularization case reports, which showed successful clinical and radiographic outcomes, indicated the possible clinical application of pulp regeneration via cell homing strategy. From a clinical point of view, functional pulp-like tissues should be regenerated with the characterization of vascularization, re-innervation, and dentin deposition with a regulated rate similar to that of normal pulp. Efficient root canal disinfection and proper size of the apical foramen are the two requisite preconditions for pulp regeneration. Progress has been made on pulp regeneration via cell homing strategies. This review focused on the requisite preconditions and cell homing strategies for pulp regeneration. In addition to the traditionally used mechanical preparation and irrigation, antibiotics, irrigation assisted with EndoVac apical negative-pressure system, and ultrasonic and laser irradiation are now being used in root canal disinfection. In addition, pulp-like tissues could be formed with the apical foramen less than 1 mm, although more studies are needed to determine the appropriate size. Moreover, signaling molecules including stromal cell derived factor (SDF-1α, basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF, Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF, stem cell factor (SCF, and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF were used to achieve pulp-like tissue formation via a cell homing strategy. Studies on the cell sources of pulp regeneration might give some indications on the signaling molecular selection. The active recruitment of endogenous cells into root canals to regenerate pulp-like tissues is a novel concept that may offer an unprecedented opportunity for the near-term clinical translation of current biology-based therapies for dental pulp regeneration.

  4. Sacrificial template method of fabricating a nanotube

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Peidong [Berkeley, CA; He, Rongrui [Berkeley, CA; Goldberger, Joshua [Berkeley, CA; Fan, Rong [El Cerrito, CA; Wu, Yi-Ying [Albany, CA; Li, Deyu [Albany, CA; Majumdar, Arun [Orinda, CA

    2007-05-01

    Methods of fabricating uniform nanotubes are described in which nanotubes were synthesized as sheaths over nanowire templates, such as using a chemical vapor deposition process. For example, single-crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires are utilized as templates over which gallium nitride (GaN) is epitaxially grown. The ZnO templates are then removed, such as by thermal reduction and evaporation. The completed single-crystalline GaN nanotubes preferably have inner diameters ranging from 30 nm to 200 nm, and wall thicknesses between 5 and 50 nm. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the resultant nanotubes are single-crystalline with a wurtzite structure, and are oriented along the direction. The present invention exemplifies single-crystalline nanotubes of materials with a non-layered crystal structure. Similar "epitaxial-casting" approaches could be used to produce arrays and single-crystalline nanotubes of other solid materials and semiconductors. Furthermore, the fabrication of multi-sheath nanotubes are described as well as nanotubes having multiple longitudinal segments.

  5. A template bank to search for gravitational waves from inspiralling compact binaries: II. Phenomenological model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cokelaer, T

    2007-01-01

    Matched filtering is used to search for gravitational waves emitted by inspiralling compact binaries in data from ground-based interferometers. One of the key aspects of the detection process is the deployment of a set of templates, also called a template bank, to cover the astrophysically interesting region of the parameter space. In a companion paper, we described the template bank algorithm used in the analysis of Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) data to search for signals from non-spinning binaries made of neutron star and/or stellar-mass black holes; this template bank is based upon physical template families. In this paper, we describe the phenomenological template bank that was used to search for gravitational waves from non-spinning black hole binaries (from stellar mass formation) in the second, third and fourth LIGO science runs. We briefly explain the design of the bank, whose templates are based on a phenomenological detection template family. We show that this template bank gives matches greater than 95% with the physical template families that are expected to be captured by the phenomenological templates

  6. Growth control of carbon nanotubes using by anodic aluminum oxide nano templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Yong Seob; Choi, Won Seek; Yi, Junsin; Lee, Jaehyeong

    2014-05-01

    Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) template prepared in acid electrolyte possess regular and highly anisotropic porous structure with pore diameter range from five to several hundred nanometers, and with a density of pores ranging from 10(9) to 10(11) cm(-2). AAO can be used as microfilters and templates for the growth of CNTs and metal or semiconductor nanowires. Varying anodizing conditions such as temperature, electrolyte, applied voltage, anodizing and widening time, one can control the diameter, the length, and the density of pores. In this work, we deposited Al thin film by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method to fabricate AAO nano template and synthesized multi-well carbon nanotubes on a glass substrate by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD). AAO nano-porous templates with various pore sizes and depths were introduced to control the dimension and density of CNT arrays. The AAO nano template was synthesize on glass by two-step anodization technique. The average diameter and interpore distance of AAO nano template are about 65 nm and 82 nm. The pore density and AAO nano template thickness are about 2.1 x 10(10) pores/cm2 and 1 microm, respectively. Aligned CNTs on the AAO nano template were synthesized by MPECVD at 650 degrees C with the Ni catalyst layer. The length and diameter of CNTs were grown 2 microm and 50 nm, respectively.

  7. Applications of Metals for Bone Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina Glenske

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The regeneration of bone tissue is the main purpose of most therapies in dental medicine. For bone regeneration, calcium phosphate (CaP-based substitute materials based on natural (allo- and xenografts and synthetic origins (alloplastic materials are applied for guiding the regeneration processes. The optimal bone substitute has to act as a substrate for bone ingrowth into a defect, as well as resorb in the time frame needed for complete regeneration up to the condition of restitution ad integrum. In this context, the modes of action of CaP-based substitute materials have been frequently investigated, where it has been shown that such materials strongly influence regenerative processes such as osteoblast growth or differentiation and also osteoclastic resorption due to different physicochemical properties of the materials. However, the material characteristics needed for the required ratio between new bone tissue formation and material degradation has not been found, until now. The addition of different substances such as collagen or growth factors and also of different cell types has already been tested but did not allow for sufficient or prompt application. Moreover, metals or metal ions are used differently as a basis or as supplement for different materials in the field of bone regeneration. Moreover, it has already been shown that different metal ions are integral components of bone tissue, playing functional roles in the physiological cellular environment as well as in the course of bone healing. The present review focuses on frequently used metals as integral parts of materials designed for bone regeneration, with the aim to provide an overview of currently existing knowledge about the effects of metals in the field of bone regeneration.

  8. The influence of regeneration fellings on the development of artificially regenerated beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) plantations

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bednář, Pavel; Černý, J.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 62, č. 5 (2014), s. 859-867 ISSN 1211-8516 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : European beech * regeneration felling * artificial regeneration * height * DBH – the diameter at breast-height * quality * ISF – Indirect Site Factor Subject RIV: GK - Forestry

  9. Mesoporous templated silicas: stability, pore size engineering and catalytic activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vansant, Etienne

    2003-01-01

    structural characterization techniques (XRD and N2-adsorption-desorption) to insure that the crystallinity and the porosity of the structure are still intact. Also the catalytic evaluation of the synthesized materials is an essential part of the characterization. The activity and product selectivity are compared with commercial and conventional catalysts, initially by using a simple probe reaction. Hereby the characteristics of the catalyst, such as leaching, hydrothermal stability, regeneration and mechanical strength are evaluated. Most MTS materials exhibit a rather poor mechanical and hydrothermal stability. The intrinsic stability of these materials can be improved by either optimizing the synthesis conditions, yielding more stable structures, or by introducing a post-synthesis modification step with a stabilizing reagent. This post synthesis modification step consists of silylation procedures, that are either aiming at a thickening of the pore wall (mechanical stability) or at a partial hydrophobization of the surface (improving both mechanical and hydrothermal stability). Hereby, secondary anchoring groups are created which are interesting for catalytic activation. Furthermore, with this treatment the leaching of the active centers (metal oxides) is reduced to almost zero, even in liquid water. Recently, we have developed an entirely new material, called PHMTS (Plugged Hexagonal Mesoporous Templated Silica). The material consists of hexagonally packed cylindrical pores, with large pore widths (6-8 nm) and thick pore walls (3-4 nm). The pore walls themselves are perforated with micropores. Moreover, microporous silica plugs exist inside the mesopores, resulting in a unique nitrogen desorption isotherm and unprecedented possibilities for adsorption (controlled desorption), encapsulation and catalysis. (author)

  10. Template for success: using a resident-designed sign-out template in the handover of patient care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Clancy J; Sindell, Sarah L; Koehler, Richard P

    2011-01-01

    Report our implementation of a standardized handover process in a general surgery residency program. The standardized handover process, sign-out template, method of implementation, and continuous quality improvement process were designed by general surgery residents with support of faculty and senior hospital administration using standard work principles and business models of the Virginia Mason Production System and the Toyota Production System. Nonprofit, tertiary referral teaching hospital. General surgery residents, residency faculty, patient care providers, and hospital administration. After instruction in quality improvement initiatives, a team of general surgery residents designed a sign-out process using an electronic template and standard procedures. The initial implementation phase resulted in 73% compliance. Using resident-driven continuous quality improvement processes, real-time feedback enabled residents to modify and improve this process, eventually attaining 100% compliance and acceptance by residents. The creation of a standardized template and protocol for patient handovers might eliminate communication failures. Encouraging residents to participate in this process can establish the groundwork for successful implementation of a standardized handover process. Integrating a continuous quality-improvement process into such an initiative can promote active participation of busy general surgery residents and lead to successful implementation of standard procedures. Copyright © 2011 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Manipulations to regenerate aspen ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wayne D. Shepperd

    2001-01-01

    Vegetative regeneration of aspen can be initiated through manipulations that provide hormonal stimulation, proper growth environment, and sucker protection - the three elements of the aspen regeneration triangle. The correct course of action depends upon a careful evaluation of the size, vigor, age, and successional status of the existing clone. Soils and site...

  12. Template Directed Oligomer Ligation in Eutectic Phases in Water-Ice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dörr, Mark; Löffler, Philipp M. G.; Wieczorek, Rafal

    2011-01-01

    achieved, if small, activated, oligonucleotides are ligated on a template. A template directed ligation can lead to autocatalytic or cross- catalytic replication and thus maintain a certain pool of catalyitc species. Important for these processes is a destabilization of the formed douplex....../multiplex to overcome product inhibition. The latest results of our template directed ligation experiments in the eutectic ice phase are presented. Different activation strategies are compared and an outlook towards applications in molecular evolution and artifical cell systems (« protocells ») will be given. Figure 1....... (a) Reaction scheme of the condensation reaction of two oligoribonucleotides : The leaving group in this example is imidazole. (b) Illustration of a possible spatial arrangement of a template (15nt) directed ligation. The 7-mer is activated with imidazole at the 5' phosphate (apical moiety...

  13. Template assisted solid state electrochemical growth of silver micro- and nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peppler, Klaus; Janek, Juergen

    2007-01-01

    We report on a template based solid state electrochemical method for fabricating silver nanowires with predefined diameter, depending only on the pore diameter of the template. As templates we used porous silicon with pore diameters in the μm range and porous alumina with pore diameters in the nm range. The template pores were filled with silver sulfide (a mixed silver cation and electronic conductor) by direct chemical reaction of silver and sulfur. The filled template was then placed between a silver foil as anode (bottom side) and a microelectrode (top side) as cathode. An array of small cylindrical transference cells with diameters in the range of either micro- or nanometers was thus obtained. By applying a cathodic voltage to the microelectrode silver in the form of either micro- or nanowires was deposited at about 150 deg. C. The growth rate is controllable by the electric current

  14. Computer-aided modelling template: Concept and application

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fedorova, Marina; Sin, Gürkan; Gani, Rafiqul

    2015-01-01

    decomposition technique which identifies generic steps and workflow involved, the computer-aided template concept has been developed. This concept is implemented as a software tool, which provides a user-friendly interface for following the workflow steps and guidance through the steps providing additional......Modelling is an important enabling technology in modern chemical engineering applications. A template-based approach is presented in this work to facilitate the construction and documentation of the models and enable their maintenance for reuse in a wider application range. Based on a model...

  15. Stress state during fixation determines susceptibility to fatigue-linked biodegradation in bioprosthetic heart valve materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margueratt, Sean D; Lee, J Michael

    2002-01-01

    Mechanical loading contributes to the structural deterioration of bioprosthetic heart valves. The influence of stress state during fixation may play a substantial role in their failure, linking fatigue damage caused by buckling and tension and the enzymatic degradation of glutaraldehyde-crosslinked collagen. Bovine pericardia were obtained immediately postmortem and 100 mm x 15 mm samples were cut in the base-to-apex direction. Half the samples were subjected to a uniaxial tensile stress of 250 kPa and half remained unloaded during a crosslinking treatment in 0.5% glutaraldehyde. Tissue samples were rinsed and cut into 16 mm x 4 mm test strips. Half of these strips were exposed to cyclic compressive buckling and alternating tension at 30 Hz for 20 million cycles (approx. 7.5 days) using a custom-built multi-sample fatigue system. Fatigue-damaged and non-damaged samples were subsequently incubated at 37 C for 48 hrs in: (i) Type I bacterial collagenase (20 U/ml) buffered in 0.05 M Tris, 10 mM CaCl2 2H2O (pH 7.4) or (ii) 0.05 M Tris buffer (pH 7.4) only. In both cases, the samples were loaded sinusoidally between 40 and 80 g using a previously described microtensile culture system. Tissue removed from the bath was rinsed in 0.1 M EDTA solution and mounted in a servo-hydraulic mechanical testing system (MTS). Ultimate tensile strength (UTS), maximum tissue modulus, and fracture strain were determined. The percent collagen solubilized was assessed by a colourmetric hydroxyproline assay of the enzyme bath and tissue sample. All data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results confirmed the synergy between fatigue damage and collagenase proteolysis in these materials; however, there were no significant differences in this effect between simple fixation and stress-fixation up to 20 million cycles. There were significant decreases in the mechanical properties and an increase in the amount of collagen solubilized with increased exposure to fatigue cycling.

  16. Tailoring silver nanoparticle construction using dendrimer templated silica networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Xiaojun; Kakkar, Ashok

    2008-01-01

    We have examined the role of the internal environment of dendrimer templated silica networks in tailoring the construction of silver nanoparticle assemblies. Silica networks from which 3,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol based dendrimer templates have been completely removed, slowly wet with an aqueous solution of silver acetate. The latter then reacts with internal silica silanol groups, leading to chemisorption of silver ions, followed by the growth of silver oxide nanoparticles. Silica network constructed using generation 4 dendrimer contains residual dendrimer template, and mixes with aqueous silver acetate solution easily. Upon chemisorption, silver ions get photolytically reduced to silver metal under a stabilizing dendrimer environment, leading to the formation of silver metal nanoparticles

  17. Regenerating America: Meeting the Challenge of Building Local Economies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabel, Medard; And Others

    The document includes five papers on the implications and applications of regeneration by the Regeneration Project, based in Emmaus, Pa. The first paper, "Regenerating America: Meeting the Challenge of Building Local Economies," (Medard Gabel) defines regeneration as economic recovery and growth, fostered by diversification within a…

  18. Regeneration of hair cells in the mammalian vestibular system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenyan; You, Dan; Chen, Yan; Chai, Renjie; Li, Huawei

    2016-06-01

    Hair cells regenerate throughout the lifetime of non-mammalian vertebrates, allowing these animals to recover from hearing and balance deficits. Such regeneration does not occur efficiently in humans and other mammals. Thus, balance deficits become permanent and is a common sensory disorder all over the world. Since Forge and Warchol discovered the limited spontaneous regeneration of vestibular hair cells after gentamicininduced damage in mature mammals, significant efforts have been exerted to trace the origin of the limited vestibular regeneration in mammals after hair cell loss. Moreover, recently many strategies have been developed to promote the hair cell regeneration and subsequent functional recovery of the vestibular system, including manipulating the Wnt, Notch and Atoh1. This article provides an overview of the recent advances in hair cell regeneration in mammalian vestibular epithelia. Furthermore, this review highlights the current limitations of hair cell regeneration and provides the possible solutions to regenerate functional hair cells and to partially restore vestibular function.

  19. Priming and the guidance by visual and categorical templates in visual search

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilschut, A.M.; Theeuwes, J.; Olivers, C.N.L.

    2014-01-01

    Visual search is thought to be guided by top-down templates that are held in visual working memory. Previous studies have shown that a search-guiding template can be rapidly and strongly implemented from a visual cue, whereas templates are less effective when based on categorical cues. Direct visual

  20. Supply-Chain Optimization Template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quiett, William F.; Sealing, Scott L.

    2009-01-01

    The Supply-Chain Optimization Template (SCOT) is an instructional guide for identifying, evaluating, and optimizing (including re-engineering) aerospace- oriented supply chains. The SCOT was derived from the Supply Chain Council s Supply-Chain Operations Reference (SCC SCOR) Model, which is more generic and more oriented toward achieving a competitive advantage in business.

  1. Experiments and Analysis of DPF Loading and Regeneration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balakrishnan, Krishnan

    2000-08-20

    Particulate filter system consists of a filter and a regeneration strategy Commercial filters are very effective at removing PM, but regeneration is a challenge. In addition to removal of PM if is important to reduce other pollutants including NO, from diesel engine exhaust Particulate filter regeneration strategy can include catalysts, fuel additives, engine control, and fuel injection Regeneration 5M?-500 C without catalyst Near 350 C with fuel additive or catalyst coated DPF

  2. CPU and GPU (Cuda Template Matching Comparison

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evaldas Borcovas

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Image processing, computer vision or other complicated opticalinformation processing algorithms require large resources. It isoften desired to execute algorithms in real time. It is hard tofulfill such requirements with single CPU processor. NVidiaproposed CUDA technology enables programmer to use theGPU resources in the computer. Current research was madewith Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4500 2.3 GHz processor with4 GB RAM DDR3 (CPU I, NVidia GeForce GT320M CUDAcompliable graphics card (GPU I and Intel Core I5-2500K3.3 GHz processor with 4 GB RAM DDR3 (CPU II, NVidiaGeForce GTX 560 CUDA compatible graphic card (GPU II.Additional libraries as OpenCV 2.1 and OpenCV 2.4.0 CUDAcompliable were used for the testing. Main test were made withstandard function MatchTemplate from the OpenCV libraries.The algorithm uses a main image and a template. An influenceof these factors was tested. Main image and template have beenresized and the algorithm computing time and performancein Gtpix/s have been measured. According to the informationobtained from the research GPU computing using the hardwarementioned earlier is till 24 times faster when it is processing abig amount of information. When the images are small the performanceof CPU and GPU are not significantly different. Thechoice of the template size makes influence on calculating withCPU. Difference in the computing time between the GPUs canbe explained by the number of cores which they have.

  3. Iris Template Protection Based on Local Ranking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongdong Zhao

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Biometrics have been widely studied in recent years, and they are increasingly employed in real-world applications. Meanwhile, a number of potential threats to the privacy of biometric data arise. Iris template protection demands that the privacy of iris data should be protected when performing iris recognition. According to the international standard ISO/IEC 24745, iris template protection should satisfy the irreversibility, revocability, and unlinkability. However, existing works about iris template protection demonstrate that it is difficult to satisfy the three privacy requirements simultaneously while supporting effective iris recognition. In this paper, we propose an iris template protection method based on local ranking. Specifically, the iris data are first XORed (Exclusive OR operation with an application-specific string; next, we divide the results into blocks and then partition the blocks into groups. The blocks in each group are ranked according to their decimal values, and original blocks are transformed to their rank values for storage. We also extend the basic method to support the shifting strategy and masking strategy, which are two important strategies for iris recognition. We demonstrate that the proposed method satisfies the irreversibility, revocability, and unlinkability. Experimental results on typical iris datasets (i.e., CASIA-IrisV3-Interval, CASIA-IrisV4-Lamp, UBIRIS-V1-S1, and MMU-V1 show that the proposed method could maintain the recognition performance while protecting the privacy of iris data.

  4. Stimulating endogenous cardiac regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda eFinan

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The healthy adult heart has a low turnover of cardiac myocytes. The renewal capacity, however, is augmented after cardiac injury. Participants in cardiac regeneration include cardiac myocytes themselves, cardiac progenitor cells, and peripheral stem cells, particularly from the bone marrow compartment. Cardiac progenitor cells and bone marrow stem cells are augmented after cardiac injury, migrate to the myocardium, and support regeneration. Depletion studies of these populations have demonstrated their necessary role in cardiac repair. However, the potential of these cells to completely regenerate the heart is limited. Efforts are now being focused on ways to augment these natural pathways to improve cardiac healing, primarily after ischemic injury but in other cardiac pathologies as well. Cell and gene therapy or pharmacological interventions are proposed mechanisms. Cell therapy has demonstrated modest results and has passed into clinical trials. However, the beneficial effects of cell therapy have primarily been their ability to produce paracrine effects on the cardiac tissue and recruit endogenous stem cell populations as opposed to direct cardiac regeneration. Gene therapy efforts have focused on prolonging or reactivating natural signaling pathways. Positive results have been demonstrated to activate the endogenous stem cell populations and are currently being tested in clinical trials. A potential new avenue may be to refine pharmacological treatments that are currently in place in the clinic. Evidence is mounting that drugs such as statins or beta blockers may alter endogenous stem cell activity. Understanding the effects of these drugs on stem cell repair while keeping in mind their primary function may strike a balance in myocardial healing. To maximize endogenous cardiac regeneration,a combination of these approaches couldameliorate the overall repair process to incorporate the participation ofmultiple cell players.

  5. Zirconia changes after grinding and regeneration firing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatanaka, Gabriel R; Polli, Gabriela S; Fais, Laiza M G; Reis, José Maurício Dos S N; Pinelli, Lígia A P

    2017-07-01

    Despite improvements in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) systems, grinding during either laboratory procedures or clinical adjustments is often needed to modify the shape of 3 mol(%) yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP) restorations. However, the best way to achieve adjustment is unclear. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the microstructural and crystallographic phase changes, flexural strength, and Weibull modulus of a 3Y-TZP zirconia after grinding with or without water cooling and regeneration firing. Ninety-six bar-shaped specimens were obtained and divided as follows: as-sintered, control; as-sintered with regeneration firing; grinding without water cooling; grinding and regeneration firing with water cooling; and grinding and regeneration firing. Grinding (0.3 mm) was performed with a 150-μm diamond rotary instrument in a high-speed handpiece. For regeneration firing, the specimens were annealed at 1000°C for 30 minutes. The crystalline phases were evaluated by using x-ray powder diffraction. A 4-point bending test was conducted (10 kN; 0.5 mm/min). The Weibull modulus was used to analyze strength reliability. The microstructure was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Data from the flexural strength test were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (α=.05). Tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation was identified in the ground specimens; R regeneration firing groups showed only the tetragonal phase. The median flexural strength of as-sintered specimens was 642.0; 699.3 MPa for as-sintered specimens with regeneration firing; 770.1 MPa for grinding and water-cooled specimens; 727.3 MPa for specimens produced using water-cooled grinding and regeneration firing; 859.9 MPa for those produced by grinding; and 764.6 for those produced by grinding and regeneration firing; with statistically higher values for the ground groups. The regenerative firing did not affect the flexural

  6. Template security analysis of multimodal biometric frameworks based on fingerprint and hand geometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arvind Selwal

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Biometric systems are automatic tools used to provide authentication during various applications of modern computing. In this work, three different design frameworks for multimodal biometric systems based on fingerprint and hand geometry modalities are proposed. An analysis is also presented to diagnose various types of template security issues in the proposed system. Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP is applied with five decision parameters on all the designs and framework 1 is found to be better in terms of template data security, templates fusion and computational efficiency. It is noticed that template data security before storage in database is a challenging task. An important observation is that a template may be secured at feature fusion level and an indexing technique may be used to improve the size of secured templates.

  7. Finding Urban Identity through Culture-led Urban Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyu Hong Hwang

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: A city experiencing a cycle from growth to decline cannot maintain sustainable development without the type of urban identity that could be consolidated by culture-led urban regeneration. A plan for urban regeneration in a declining urban area should be practiced partially or on the whole according to the characteristics of the community. By transforming a low-value and deteriorated area into a highly valued district, the local community can simultaneously restore its social pride, revive the local economy, and realize an urban identity.Firstly, this paper examines urban decline in order to better understand urban regeneration and the need for multidisciplinary management, and also, by considering the necessity for and universal types of urban regeneration, investigates the characteristics of culture-led urban regeneration as a tool for realizing socio-economic revival and urban identity. In particular, this study suggests the action techniques and benchmarking points for urban regeneration by analyzing cases of culture-led urban regeneration in Korea. Three subjects were considered as case studies in this paper: 1 Hanok village in Jeonju city, which changed from a twilight zone to a tourist attraction; 2 Changdong district in Changwon city, which recovered from an area of declining and dark alleyways that had been the hub for arts and culture in the 1970s to become a new artist village; and 3 Cheongju city, which is being transformed from an idle industrial facility into a cultural space. This thesis suggests the implementation process of culture-led urban regeneration to find an urban identity through analysis of the causes of urban decline, the methods of regeneration, and the results of urban regeneration in the three aforementioned cases. In the conclusion section of this paper, the implementation process for culture-led urban regeneration is summarized as consisting of 5 phases: Phase 1, the diagnosis of decline; Phase 2

  8. The Carmat Bioprosthetic Total Artificial Heart Is Associated With Early Hemostatic Recovery and no Acquired von Willebrand Syndrome in Calves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smadja, David M; Susen, Sophie; Rauch, Antoine; Cholley, Bernard; Latrémouille, Christian; Duveau, Daniel; Zilberstein, Luca; Méléard, Denis; Boughenou, Marie-Fazia; Belle, Eric Van; Gaussem, Pascale; Capel, Antoine; Jansen, Piet; Carpentier, Alain

    2017-10-01

    To determine hemostasis perturbations, including von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers, after implantation of a new bioprosthetic and pulsatile total artificial heart (TAH). Preclinical study SETTING: Single-center biosurgical research laboratory. Female Charolais calves, 2-to-6 months old, weighing 102-to-122 kg. Surgical implantation of TAH through a mid-sternotomy approach. Four of 12 calves had a support duration of several days (4, 4, 8, and 10 days), allowing for the exploration of early steps of hemostasis parameters, including prothrombin time; coagulation factor levels (II, V, VII+X, and fibrinogen); and platelet count. Multimeric analysis of VWF was performed to detect a potential loss of high-molecular weight (HMW) multimers, as previously described for continuous flow rotary blood pumps. Despite the absence of anticoagulant treatment administered in the postoperative phase, no signs of coagulation activation were detected. Indeed, after an immediate postsurgery decrease of prothrombin time, platelet count, and coagulation factor levels, most parameters returned to baseline values. HMW multimers of VWF remained stable either after initiation or during days of support. Coagulation parameters and platelet count recovery in the postoperative phase of the Carmat TAH (Camat SA, Velizy Villacoublay Cedex, France) implantation in calves, in the absence of anticoagulant treatment and associated with the absence of decrease in HMW multimers of VWF, is in line with early hemocompatibility that is currently being validated in human clinical studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Laparotomy operative note template constructed through a modified Delphi method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Lolonya; Churley-Strom, Ruth; Singal, Bonita; O'Leary, Sharon

    2009-05-01

    An operative note is indispensable to physician documentation and decision-making; however, there are no accepted standards for operative note content. Our aim was to use a modified Delphi consensus-building method to construct a uniform operative note template for laparotomy. Using Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requirements, literature review, and feedback from 15 medical malpractice defense attorneys, we compiled a draft operative note template of 31 elements. We surveyed 37 Association of Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics/Solvay scholars asking for their input on inclusion of each item as essential content of the operative note. Two iterations of the survey were required to reach a predetermined 75% level of consensus. Nine elements were eliminated from the template: 6 original and 3 expert-suggested elements. We provide an operative note template that was compiled through a Delphi process.

  10. Biometric template data protection in mobile device environment using XML-database

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thirumathyam, Rubathas; Derawi, Mohammad; Fischer, Paul

    2010-01-01

    recognition or gait recognition. To gain a real understanding of how it is possible to protect the biometric data, this paper first starts out with introducing a technique for security in a biometric system and emphasizes that template protection is important by going through the vulnerabilities and threats....... Furthermore, it points out requirements for template protection, a recital of various template protection schemes and a brief overview of biometric standards....

  11. Novel simple templates for reproducible positioning of skin applicators in brachytherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Rodríguez Villalba

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose : Esteya and Valencia surface applicators are designed to treat skin tumors using brachytherapy. In clinical practice, in order to avoid errors that may affect the treatment outcome, there are two issues that need to be carefully addressed. First, the selected applicator for the treatment should provide adequate margin for the target, and second, the applicator has to be precisely positioned before each treatment fraction. In this work, we describe the development and use of a new acrylic templates named Template La Fe-ITIC. They have been designed specifically to help the clinical user in the selection of the correct applicator, and to assist the medical staff in reproducing the positioning of the applicator. These templates are freely available upon request. Material and methods: Templates that were developed by University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe (La Fe and Hospital Clínica Benidorm (ITIC in cooperation with Elekta, consist of a thin sheet made of transparent acrylic. For each applicator, a crosshair and two different circles are drawn on these templates: the inner one corresponds to the useful beam, while the outer one represents the external perimeter of the applicator. The outer circle contains slits that facilitate to draw a circle on the skin of the patient for exact positioning of the applicator. In addition, there are two perpendicular rulers to define the adequate margin. For each applicator size, a specific template was developed. Results: The templates have been used successfully in our institutions for more than 50 patients’ brachytherapy treatments. They are currently being used for Esteya and Valencia applicators. Conclusions : The template La Fe-ITIC is simple and practical. It improves both the set-up time and reproducibility. It helps to establish the adequate margins, an essential point in the clinical outcome.

  12. Hair cell regeneration in the avian auditory epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Jennifer S; Cotanche, Douglas A

    2007-01-01

    Regeneration of sensory hair cells in the mature avian inner ear was first described just over 20 years ago. Since then, it has been shown that many other non-mammalian species either continually produce new hair cells or regenerate them in response to trauma. However, mammals exhibit limited hair cell regeneration, particularly in the auditory epithelium. In birds and other non-mammals, regenerated hair cells arise from adjacent non-sensory (supporting) cells. Hair cell regeneration was initially described as a proliferative response whereby supporting cells re-enter the mitotic cycle, forming daughter cells that differentiate into either hair cells or supporting cells and thereby restore cytoarchitecture and function in the sensory epithelium. However, further analyses of the avian auditory epithelium (and amphibian vestibular epithelium) revealed a second regenerative mechanism, direct transdifferentiation, during which supporting cells change their gene expression and convert into hair cells without dividing. In the chicken auditory epithelium, these two distinct mechanisms show unique spatial and temporal patterns, suggesting they are differentially regulated. Current efforts are aimed at identifying signals that maintain supporting cells in a quiescent state or direct them to undergo direct transdifferentiation or cell division. Here, we review current knowledge about supporting cell properties and discuss candidate signaling molecules for regulating supporting cell behavior, in quiescence and after damage. While significant advances have been made in understanding regeneration in non-mammals over the last 20 years, we have yet to determine why the mammalian auditory epithelium lacks the ability to regenerate hair cells spontaneously and whether it is even capable of significant regeneration under additional circumstances. The continued study of mechanisms controlling regeneration in the avian auditory epithelium may lead to strategies for inducing

  13. Effect of the biodegradation rate controlled by pore structures in magnesium phosphate ceramic scaffolds on bone tissue regeneration in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ju-Ang; Lim, Jiwon; Naren, Raja; Yun, Hui-Suk; Park, Eui Kyun

    2016-10-15

    Similar to calcium phosphates, magnesium phosphate (MgP) ceramics have been shown to be biocompatible and support favorable conditions for bone cells. Micropores below 25μm (MgP25), between 25 and 53μm (MgP53), or no micropores (MgP0) were introduced into MgP scaffolds using different sizes of an NaCl template. The porosities of MgP25 and MgP53 were found to be higher than that of MgP0 because of their micro-sized pores. Both in vitro and in vivo analysis showed that MgP scaffolds with high porosity promoted rapid biodegradation. Implantation of the MgP0, MgP25, and MgP53 scaffolds into rabbit calvarial defects (with 4- and 6-mm diameters) was assessed at two times points (4 and 8weeks), followed by analysis of bone regeneration. The micro-CT and histologic analyses of the 4-mm defect showed that the MgP25 and MgP53 scaffolds were degraded completely at 4weeks with simultaneous bone and marrow-like structure regeneration. For the 6-mm defect, a similar pattern of regeneration was observed. These results indicate that the rate of degradation is associated with bone regeneration. The MgP25 and MgP53 scaffold-implanted bone showed a better lamellar structure and enhanced calcification compared to the MgP0 scaffold because of their porosity and degradation rate. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining indicated that the newly formed bone was undergoing maturation and remodeling. Overall, these data suggest that the pore architecture of MgP ceramic scaffolds greatly influence bone formation and remodeling activities and thus should be considered in the design of new scaffolds for long-term bone tissue regeneration. The pore structural conditions of scaffold, including porosity, pore size, pore morphology, and pore interconnectivity affect cell ingrowth, mechanical properties and biodegradabilities, which are key components of scaffold in bone tissue regeneration. In this study, we designed hierarchical pore structure of the magnesium phosphate (Mg

  14. [Use of diagnostic templates at stages of prosthetics treatment with implant-retained restorations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gvetadze, R Sh; Abramyan, S V; Ivanov, A A; Nubaryan, A P

    The comparative analysis of efficiency of various types of diagnostic templates for planning orthopedic treatment of 50 patients with partial or complete absence of teeth was performed. The patients were divided in 3 groups according to template manufacturing technique. All diagnostic templates made in accordance with clinical conditions allowed transfering digital data of the scheduled prosthetic construction for virtual implantation planning. Advantages and pitfalls of each template type are discussed.

  15. Regeneration of neural crest derivatives in the Xenopus tadpole tail

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slack Jonathan MW

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background After amputation of the Xenopus tadpole tail, a functionally competent new tail is regenerated. It contains spinal cord, notochord and muscle, each of which has previously been shown to derive from the corresponding tissue in the stump. The regeneration of the neural crest derivatives has not previously been examined and is described in this paper. Results Labelling of the spinal cord by electroporation, or by orthotopic grafting of transgenic tissue expressing GFP, shows that no cells emigrate from the spinal cord in the course of regeneration. There is very limited regeneration of the spinal ganglia, but new neurons as well as fibre tracts do appear in the regenerated spinal cord and the regenerated tail also contains abundant peripheral innervation. The regenerated tail contains a normal density of melanophores. Cell labelling experiments show that melanophores do not arise from the spinal cord during regeneration, nor from the mesenchymal tissues of the skin, but they do arise by activation and proliferation of pre-existing melanophore precursors. If tails are prepared lacking melanophores, then the regenerates also lack them. Conclusion On regeneration there is no induction of a new neural crest similar to that seen in embryonic development. However there is some regeneration of neural crest derivatives. Abundant melanophores are regenerated from unpigmented precursors, and, although spinal ganglia are not regenerated, sufficient sensory systems are produced to enable essential functions to continue.

  16. Synthesis and characterizations of Pt nanorods on electrospun polyamide-6 nanofibers templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nirmala, R.; Navamathavan, R.; Won, Jeong Jin; Jeon, Kyung Soo; Yousef, Ayman; Kim, Hak Yong

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Electrospun polyamide-6 nanofibers were used as the templates for synthesis Pt nanorods. ► Polyamide-6 nanofibers surfaces were plasma treated to coat Pt. ► High quality Pt nanorods were obtained by calcinations process. ► Pt nanorods with a diameter of few hundred nanometers were obtained. ► Polyamide-6 nanofibers template based Pt nanorods synthesis are a feasible method. - Abstract: We report on the synthesis of platinum (Pt) nanorods by using ultrafine polyamide-6 nanofibers templates produced via electrospinning technique. These ultrafine polyamide-6 nanofibers can be utilized as the templates for growing Pt nanorods after modifying them optimally by plasma passivations. The morphological, structural, optical and electrical properties of the template assisted Pt nanorods were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and current–voltage (I–V) characteristics. The ability to fabricate the ultrafine size controlled Pt nanorods on polyamide-6 templates with optimized growth parameters in real time can be utilized for the variety of technological applications. Therefore, it is possible to obtain high quality with size control Pt nanorods. Once obtaining the high quality metal nanorods on polymer templates, the same can be adapted for the electronic device fabrication.

  17. BioAssay templates for the semantic web

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex M. Clark

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Annotation of bioassay protocols using semantic web vocabulary is a way to make experiment descriptions machine-readable. Protocols are communicated using concise scientific English, which precludes most kinds of analysis by software algorithms. Given the availability of a sufficiently expressive ontology, some or all of the pertinent information can be captured by asserting a series of facts, expressed as semantic web triples (subject, predicate, object. With appropriate annotation, assays can be searched, clustered, tagged and evaluated in a multitude of ways, analogous to other segments of drug discovery informatics. The BioAssay Ontology (BAO has been previously designed for this express purpose, and provides a layered hierarchy of meaningful terms which can be linked to. Currently the biggest challenge is the issue of content creation: scientists cannot be expected to use the BAO effectively without having access to software tools that make it straightforward to use the vocabulary in a canonical way. We have sought to remove this barrier by: (1 defining a BioAssay Template (BAT data model; (2 creating a software tool for experts to create or modify templates to suit their needs; and (3 designing a common assay template (CAT to leverage the most value from the BAO terms. The CAT was carefully assembled by biologists in order to find a balance between the maximum amount of information captured vs. low degrees of freedom in order to keep the user experience as simple as possible. The data format that we use for describing templates and corresponding annotations is the native format of the semantic web (RDF triples, and we demonstrate some of the ways that generated content can be meaningfully queried using the SPARQL language. We have made all of these materials available as open source (http://github.com/cdd/bioassay-template, in order to encourage community input and use within diverse projects, including but not limited to our own

  18. Supercritical Regeneration of an Activated Carbon Fiber Exhausted with Phenol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Jesus Sanchez-Montero

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The properties of supercritical CO2 (SCCO2 and supercritical water (SCW turn them into fluids with a great ability to remove organic adsorbates retained on solids. These properties were used herein to regenerate an activated carbon fiber (ACF saturated with a pollutant usually contained in wastewater and drinking water, phenol. Severe regeneration conditions, up to 225 bar and 400 °C, had to be employed in SCCO2 regeneration to break the strong interaction established between phenol and the ACF. Under suitable conditions (regeneration temperature, time, and pressure, and flow of SCCO2 the adsorption capacity of the exhausted ACF was completely recovered, and even slightly increased. Most of the retained phenol was removed by thermal desorption, but the extra percentage removed by extraction allowed SCCO2 regeneration to be significantly more efficient than the classical thermal regeneration methods. SCCO2 regeneration and SCW regeneration were also compared for the first time. The use of SCW slightly improved regeneration, although SCW pressure was thrice SCCO2 pressure. The pathways that controlled SCW regeneration were also investigated.

  19. The optical properties of ZnO films grown on porous Si templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Y L; Liu, Y C; Yang, H; Wang, W B; Ma, J G; Zhang, J Y; Lu, Y M; Shen, D Z; Fan, X W

    2003-01-01

    ZnO films were electrodeposited on porous silicon templates with different porosities. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the samples before and after deposition of ZnO were measured to study the effect of template porosity on the luminescence properties of ZnO/porous Si composites. As-prepared porous Si (PS) templates emit strong red light. The red PL peak of porous Si after deposition of ZnO shows an obvious blueshift, and the trend of blueshift increases with an increase in template porosity. A green emission at about 550 nm was also observed when the porosity of template increases, which is ascribed to the deep-level emission band of ZnO. A model-based band diagram of the ZnO/porous Si composite is suggested to interpret the properties of the composite

  20. Aluminum Templates of Different Sizes with Micro-, Nano- and Micro/Nano-Structures for Cell Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Liang Yen

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the results of cell cultures on aluminum (Al templates with flat-structures, micro-structures, nano-structures and micro/nano-structures. An Al template with flat-structure was obtained by electrolytic polishing; an Al template with micro-structure was obtained by micro-powder blasting; an Al template with nano-structure was obtained by aluminum anodization; and an Al template with micro/nano-structure was obtained by micro-powder blasting and then anodization. Osteoblast-like cells were cultured on aluminum templates with various structures. The microculture tetrazolium test assay was utilized to assess the adhesion, elongation, and proliferation behaviors of cultured osteoblast-like cells on aluminum templates with flat-structures, micro-structures, nano-structures, and micro/nano-structures. The results showed that the surface characterization of micro/nano-structure of aluminum templates had superhydrophilic property, and these also revealed that an aluminum template with micro/nano-structure could provide the most suitable growth situation for cell culture.

  1. Thermal and Structural Analysis of Micro-Fabricated Involute Regenerators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Songgang; Augenblick, Jack E.

    2005-02-01

    Long-life, high-efficiency power generators based on free-piston Stirling engines are an energy conversion solution for future space power generation and commercial applications. As part of the efforts to further improve Stirling engine efficiency and reliability, a micro-fabricated, involute regenerator structure is proposed by a Cleveland State University-led regenerator research team. This paper reports on thermal and structural analyses of the involute regenerator to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed regenerator. The results indicate that the involute regenerator has extremely high axial stiffness to sustain reasonable axial compression forces with negligible lateral deformation. The relatively low radial stiffness may impose some challenges to the appropriate installation of the in-volute regenerators.

  2. Comparison of five-axis milling and rapid prototyping for implant surgical templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Ji-Man; Yi, Tae-Kyoung; Koak, Jai-Young; Kim, Seong-Kyoon; Park, Eun-Jin; Heo, Seong-Joo

    2014-01-01

    This study aims to compare and evaluate the accuracy of surgical templates fabricated using coordinate synchronization processing with five-axis milling and design-related processing with rapid prototyping (RP). Master phantoms with 10 embedded gutta-percha cylinders hidden under artificial gingiva were fabricated and imaged using cone beam computed tomography. Vectors of the hidden cylinders were extracted and transferred to those of the planned implants through reverse engineering using virtual planning software. An RP-produced template was fabricated by stereolithography in photopolymer at the RP center according to planned data. Metal sleeves were bonded after holes were bored (group RP). For the milled template, milling coordinates were synchronized using the conversion process for the coordinate synchronization platform located on the model's bottom. Metal bushings were set on holes milled on the five-axis milling machine, on which the model was fixed through the coordinate synchronization plate, and the framework was constructed on the model using orthodontic resin (group CS). A computed tomography image was taken with templates firmly fixed on models using anchor pins (RP) or anchor screws (CS). The accuracy was analyzed via reverse engineering. Differences between the two groups were compared by repeated measures two-factor analysis. From the reverse-engineered image of the template on the experimental model, RP-produced templates showed significantly larger deviations than did milled surgical guides. Maximum deviations of the group RP were 1.58 mm (horizontal), 1.68 mm (vertical), and 8.51 degrees (angular); those of the group CS were 0.68 mm (horizontal), 0.41 mm (vertical), and 3.23 degrees (angular). A comparison of milling and RP template production methods showed that a vector-milled surgical guide had significantly smaller deviations than did an RP-produced template. The accuracy of computer-guided milled surgical templates was within the safety

  3. Review: Biological and Molecular Differences between Tail Regeneration and Limb Scarring in Lizard: An Inspiring Model Addressing Limb Regeneration in Amniotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibardi, Lorenzo

    2017-09-01

    Tissue regeneration in lizards represents a unique model of regeneration and scarring in amniotes. The tail and limb contain putative stem cells but also dedifferentiating cells contribute to regeneration. Following tail amputation, inflammation is low and cell proliferation high, leading to regeneration while the intense inflammation in the limb leads to low proliferation and scarring. FGFs stimulate tail and limb regeneration and are present in the wound epidermis and blastema while they disappear in the limb wound epidermis 2-3 weeks postamputation in the scarring outgrowth. FGFs localize in the tail blastema and the apical epidermal peg (AEP), an epidermal microregion that allows tail growth but is absent in the limb. Inflammatory cells invade the limb blastema and wound epidermis, impeding the formation of an AEP. An embryonic program of growth is activated in the tail, dominated by Wnt-positive and -negative regulators of cell proliferation and noncoding RNAs, that represent the key regenerative genes. The balanced actions of these regulators likely impede the formation of a tumor in the tail tip. Genes for FACIT and fibrillar collagens, protease inhibitors, and embryonic keratins are upregulated in the regenerating tail blastema. A strong downregulation of genes for both B and T-lymphocyte activation suggests the regenerating tail blastema is a temporal immune-tolerated organ, whereas a scarring program is activated in the limb. Wnt inhibitors, pro-inflammatory genes, negative regulators of cell proliferation, downregulation of myogenic genes, proteases, and oxidases favoring scarring are upregulated. The evolution of an efficient immune system may be the main limiting barrier for organ regeneration in amniotes, and the poor regeneration of mammals and birds is associated with the efficiency of their mature immune system. This does not tolerate embryonic antigens formed in reprogrammed embryonic cells (as for neoplastic cells) that are consequently

  4. Method for modifying trigger level for adsorber regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruth, Michael J.; Cunningham, Michael J.

    2010-05-25

    A method for modifying a NO.sub.x adsorber regeneration triggering variable. Engine operating conditions are monitored until the regeneration triggering variable is met. The adsorber is regenerated and the adsorbtion efficiency of the adsorber is subsequently determined. The regeneration triggering variable is modified to correspond with the decline in adsorber efficiency. The adsorber efficiency may be determined using an empirically predetermined set of values or by using a pair of oxygen sensors to determine the oxygen response delay across the sensors.

  5. Controlling the anodizing conditions in preparation of an nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazemi, Azadeh; Abolfazl, Seyed; Sadjadi, Seyed

    2014-12-01

    Porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) template is commonly used in the synthesis of one-dimensional nanostructures, such as nanowires and nanorods, due to its simple fabrication process. Controlling the anodizing conditions is important because of their direct influence on the size of AAO template pores; it affects the size of nanostructures that are fabricated in AAO template. In present study, several alumina templates were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical anodization in different conditions, such as the time of first process, its voltage, and electrolyte concentration. The effect of these factors on pore diameters of AAO templates was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

  6. Effect of migration in a diffusion model for template coexistence in protocells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fontanari, José F; Serva, Maurizio

    2014-03-01

    The compartmentalization of distinct templates in protocells and the exchange of templates between them (migration) are key elements of a modern scenario for prebiotic evolution. Here we use the diffusion approximation of population genetics to study analytically the steady-state properties of such a prebiotic scenario. The coexistence of distinct template types inside a protocell is achieved by a selective pressure at the protocell level (group selection) favoring protocells with a mixed template composition. In the degenerate case, where the templates have the same replication rate, we find that a vanishingly small migration rate suffices to eliminate the segregation effect of random drift and so to promote coexistence. In the nondegenerate case, a small migration rate greatly boosts coexistence as compared with the situation where there is no migration. However, increase of the migration rate beyond a critical value leads to the complete dominance of the more efficient template type (homogeneous regime). In this case, we find a continuous phase transition separating the homogeneous and the coexistence regimes, with the order parameter vanishing linearly with the distance to the transition point.

  7. Action video game play facilitates the development of better perceptual templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bejjanki, Vikranth R.; Zhang, Ruyuan; Li, Renjie; Pouget, Alexandre; Green, C. Shawn; Lu, Zhong-Lin; Bavelier, Daphne

    2014-01-01

    The field of perceptual learning has identified changes in perceptual templates as a powerful mechanism mediating the learning of statistical regularities in our environment. By measuring threshold-vs.-contrast curves using an orientation identification task under varying levels of external noise, the perceptual template model (PTM) allows one to disentangle various sources of signal-to-noise changes that can alter performance. We use the PTM approach to elucidate the mechanism that underlies the wide range of improvements noted after action video game play. We show that action video game players make use of improved perceptual templates compared with nonvideo game players, and we confirm a causal role for action video game play in inducing such improvements through a 50-h training study. Then, by adapting a recent neural model to this task, we demonstrate how such improved perceptual templates can arise from reweighting the connectivity between visual areas. Finally, we establish that action gamers do not enter the perceptual task with improved perceptual templates. Instead, although performance in action gamers is initially indistinguishable from that of nongamers, action gamers more rapidly learn the proper template as they experience the task. Taken together, our results establish for the first time to our knowledge the development of enhanced perceptual templates following action game play. Because such an improvement can facilitate the inference of the proper generative model for the task at hand, unlike perceptual learning that is quite specific, it thus elucidates a general learning mechanism that can account for the various behavioral benefits noted after action game play. PMID:25385590

  8. Action video game play facilitates the development of better perceptual templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bejjanki, Vikranth R; Zhang, Ruyuan; Li, Renjie; Pouget, Alexandre; Green, C Shawn; Lu, Zhong-Lin; Bavelier, Daphne

    2014-11-25

    The field of perceptual learning has identified changes in perceptual templates as a powerful mechanism mediating the learning of statistical regularities in our environment. By measuring threshold-vs.-contrast curves using an orientation identification task under varying levels of external noise, the perceptual template model (PTM) allows one to disentangle various sources of signal-to-noise changes that can alter performance. We use the PTM approach to elucidate the mechanism that underlies the wide range of improvements noted after action video game play. We show that action video game players make use of improved perceptual templates compared with nonvideo game players, and we confirm a causal role for action video game play in inducing such improvements through a 50-h training study. Then, by adapting a recent neural model to this task, we demonstrate how such improved perceptual templates can arise from reweighting the connectivity between visual areas. Finally, we establish that action gamers do not enter the perceptual task with improved perceptual templates. Instead, although performance in action gamers is initially indistinguishable from that of nongamers, action gamers more rapidly learn the proper template as they experience the task. Taken together, our results establish for the first time to our knowledge the development of enhanced perceptual templates following action game play. Because such an improvement can facilitate the inference of the proper generative model for the task at hand, unlike perceptual learning that is quite specific, it thus elucidates a general learning mechanism that can account for the various behavioral benefits noted after action game play.

  9. Liquid foam templating - A route to tailor-made polymer foams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrieux, Sébastien; Quell, Aggeliki; Stubenrauch, Cosima; Drenckhan, Wiebke

    2018-06-01

    Solid foams with pore sizes between a few micrometres and a few millimetres are heavily exploited in a wide range of established and emerging applications. While the optimisation of foam applications requires a fine control over their structural properties (pore size distribution, pore opening, foam density, …), the great complexity of most foaming processes still defies a sound scientific understanding and therefore explicit control and prediction of these parameters. We therefore need to improve our understanding of existing processes and also develop new fabrication routes which we understand and which we can exploit to tailor-make new porous materials. One of these new routes is liquid templating in general and liquid foam templating in particular, to which this review article is dedicated. While all solid foams are generated from an initially liquid(-like) state, the particular notion of liquid foam templating implies the specific condition that the liquid foam has time to find its "equilibrium structure" before it is solidified. In other words, the characteristic time scales of the liquid foam's stability and its solidification are well separated, allowing to build on the vast know-how on liquid foams established over the last 20 years. The dispersed phase of the liquid foam determines the final pore size and pore size distribution, while the continuous phase contains the precursors of the desired porous scaffold. We review here the three key challenges which need to be addressed by this approach: (1) the control of the structure of the liquid template, (2) the matching of the time scales between the stability of the liquid template and solidification, and (3) the preservation of the structure of the template throughout the process. Focusing on the field of polymer foams, this review gives an overview of recent research on the properties of liquid foam templates and summarises a key set of studies in the emerging field of liquid foam templating. It

  10. Theoretical study for solar air pretreatment collector/regenerator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peng Donggen; Zhang Xiaosong; Yin Yonggao [School of Energy and Environment, Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China)

    2008-07-01

    A new liquid regeneration equipment - solar air pretreatment collector/regenerator for liquid desiccant cooling system is put forward in this paper, which is preferable to solution regeneration in hot and moist climate in South China. The equipment can achieve liquid regeneration in lower temperature. When the solution and the air are in ''match'' state in collector/ regenerator, a match air to salt mass ratio ASMR* is found by theoretical study in which there is the largest theoretical storage capacity SC{sub max}. After two new concepts of the effective solution proportion (EPS) and the effective storage capacity (ESC) are defined, it is found by theoretical calculation that when ESP drops from 100% to 67%, ESC raises lowly, not drops and liquid outlet concentration C{sub str} {sub sol} increases from 40% to 49% in which its increment totals to 90%. All these data explain fully that air pretreatment liquid regeneration equipment enables to improve the performance of liquid desiccant cooling system. (orig.)

  11. Reducing Individual Variation for fMRI Studies in Children by Minimizing Template Related Errors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Weng

    Full Text Available Spatial normalization is an essential process for group comparisons in functional MRI studies. In practice, there is a risk of normalization errors particularly in studies involving children, seniors or diseased populations and in regions with high individual variation. One way to minimize normalization errors is to create a study-specific template based on a large sample size. However, studies with a large sample size are not always feasible, particularly for children studies. The performance of templates with a small sample size has not been evaluated in fMRI studies in children. In the current study, this issue was encountered in a working memory task with 29 children in two groups. We compared the performance of different templates: a study-specific template created by the experimental population, a Chinese children template and the widely used adult MNI template. We observed distinct differences in the right orbitofrontal region among the three templates in between-group comparisons. The study-specific template and the Chinese children template were more sensitive for the detection of between-group differences in the orbitofrontal cortex than the MNI template. Proper templates could effectively reduce individual variation. Further analysis revealed a correlation between the BOLD contrast size and the norm index of the affine transformation matrix, i.e., the SFN, which characterizes the difference between a template and a native image and differs significantly across subjects. Thereby, we proposed and tested another method to reduce individual variation that included the SFN as a covariate in group-wise statistics. This correction exhibits outstanding performance in enhancing detection power in group-level tests. A training effect of abacus-based mental calculation was also demonstrated, with significantly elevated activation in the right orbitofrontal region that correlated with behavioral response time across subjects in the trained group.

  12. Dosimetry study of three-dimensional print template-guided precision 125I seed implantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Hongtao

    2016-01-01

    Conclusions: The postplan and preplan dose parameters of 3D print template-guided seed implantation were nearly consistent. The dose parameters of template group superior to the traditional group. The seeds can be implanted accurately with 3D print template.

  13. Template-based protein-protein docking exploiting pairwise interfacial residue restraints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Xue, Li C; Garcia Lopes Maia Rodrigues, João; Dobbs, Drena; Honavar, Vasant; Bonvin, Alexandre M J J

    2016-01-01

    Although many advanced and sophisticatedab initioapproaches for modeling protein-protein complexes have been proposed in past decades, template-based modeling (TBM) remains the most accurate and widely used approach, given a reliable template is available. However, there are many different ways to

  14. New immobilisation protocol for the template used in solid-phase synthesis of MIP nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lu; Muhammad, Turghun; Yakup, Burabiye; Piletsky, Sergey A.

    2017-06-01

    As a novel imprinting method, solid-phase synthesis has proven to be a promising approach to prepare polymer nanoparticles with specific recognition sites for a template molecule. In this method, imprinted polymer nanoparticles were synthesized using template immobilized on a solid support. Herein, preparation of immobilized templates on quartz chips through homogeneous route was reported as an efficient alternative strategy to heterogeneous one. The template molecule indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was reacted with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to produce silylated template (IBA-APTES), and it was characterized by IR, 1H NMR and GC-MS. Then, the silylated template molecule was grafted onto the activated surfaces of quartz chip to prepare immobilized template (SiO2@IBA-APTES). The immobilization was confirmed by contact angle, XPS, UV and fluorescence measurement. Immobilization protocol has shown good reproducibility and stability of the immobilized template. MIP nanoparticles were prepared with high selectivity toward the molecule immobilized onto the solid surface. This provides a new approach for the development of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles.

  15. III - Template Metaprogramming for massively parallel scientific computing - Templates for Iteration; Thread-level Parallelism

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2016-01-01

    Large scale scientific computing raises questions on different levels ranging from the fomulation of the problems to the choice of the best algorithms and their implementation for a specific platform. There are similarities in these different topics that can be exploited by modern-style C++ template metaprogramming techniques to produce readable, maintainable and generic code. Traditional low-level code tend to be fast but platform-dependent, and it obfuscates the meaning of the algorithm. On the other hand, object-oriented approach is nice to read, but may come with an inherent performance penalty. These lectures aim to present he basics of the Expression Template (ET) idiom which allows us to keep the object-oriented approach without sacrificing performance. We will in particular show to to enhance ET to include SIMD vectorization. We will then introduce techniques for abstracting iteration, and introduce thread-level parallelism for use in heavy data-centric loads. We will show to to apply these methods i...

  16. Regeneration of the coalfield areas. Anglo-German perspectives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Critcher, C; Schubert, K; Waddington, D [eds.

    1996-12-31

    Papers are presented under 6 main parts: the context; industrial regeneration through innovation, conversion and diversification; industrial regeneration through new investment by public and private sector partnership; fostering entrepreneurship through economic and psychological incentives; environmental issues - land reclamation and local regeneration; and education and training - reskilling the workforce.

  17. Regeneration of the coalfield areas. Anglo-German perspectives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Critcher, C.; Schubert, K.; Waddington, D. [eds.

    1995-12-31

    Papers are presented under 6 main parts: the context; industrial regeneration through innovation, conversion and diversification; industrial regeneration through new investment by public and private sector partnership; fostering entrepreneurship through economic and psychological incentives; environmental issues - land reclamation and local regeneration; and education and training - reskilling the workforce.

  18. Preformed template fluctuations promote fibril formation: Insights from lattice and all-atom models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kouza, Maksim, E-mail: mkouza@chem.uw.edu.pl; Kolinski, Andrzej [Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, ul. Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warszaw (Poland); Co, Nguyen Truong [Department of Physics, Institute of Technology, National University of HCM City, 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Institute for Computational Science and Technology, Quang Trung Software City, Tan Chanh Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Nguyen, Phuong H. [Laboratoire de Biochimie Theorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Universite Paris 7, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Li, Mai Suan, E-mail: masli@ifpan.edu.pl [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland)

    2015-04-14

    Fibril formation resulting from protein misfolding and aggregation is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Despite the fact that the fibril formation process is very slow and thus poses a significant challenge for theoretical and experimental studies, a number of alternative pictures of molecular mechanisms of amyloid fibril formation have been recently proposed. What seems to be common for the majority of the proposed models is that fibril elongation involves the formation of pre-nucleus seeds prior to the creation of a critical nucleus. Once the size of the pre-nucleus seed reaches the critical nucleus size, its thermal fluctuations are expected to be small and the resulting nucleus provides a template for sequential (one-by-one) accommodation of added monomers. The effect of template fluctuations on fibril formation rates has not been explored either experimentally or theoretically so far. In this paper, we make the first attempt at solving this problem by two sets of simulations. To mimic small template fluctuations, in one set, monomers of the preformed template are kept fixed, while in the other set they are allowed to fluctuate. The kinetics of addition of a new peptide onto the template is explored using all-atom simulations with explicit water and the GROMOS96 43a1 force field and simple lattice models. Our result demonstrates that preformed template fluctuations can modulate protein aggregation rates and pathways. The association of a nascent monomer with the template obeys the kinetics partitioning mechanism where the intermediate state occurs in a fraction of routes to the protofibril. It was shown that template immobility greatly increases the time of incorporating a new peptide into the preformed template compared to the fluctuating template case. This observation has also been confirmed by simulation using lattice models and may be invoked to understand the role of template fluctuations in

  19. Looking sharp: Becoming a search template boosts precision and stability in visual working memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajsic, Jason; Ouslis, Natasha E; Wilson, Daryl E; Pratt, Jay

    2017-08-01

    Visual working memory (VWM) plays a central role in visual cognition, and current work suggests that there is a special state in VWM for items that are the goal of visual searches. However, whether the quality of memory for target templates differs from memory for other items in VWM is currently unknown. In this study, we measured the precision and stability of memory for search templates and accessory items to determine whether search templates receive representational priority in VWM. Memory for search templates exhibited increased precision and probability of recall, whereas accessory items were remembered less often. Additionally, while memory for Templates showed benefits when instances of the Template appeared in search, this benefit was not consistently observed for Accessory items when they appeared in search. Our results show that becoming a search template can substantially affect the quality of a representation in VWM.

  20. Macrophages are necessary for epimorphic regeneration in African spiny mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simkin, Jennifer; Gawriluk, Thomas R; Gensel, John C; Seifert, Ashley W

    2017-05-16

    How the immune system affects tissue regeneration is not well understood. In this study, we used an emerging mammalian model of epimorphic regeneration, the African spiny mouse, to examine cell-based inflammation and tested the hypothesis that macrophages are necessary for regeneration. By directly comparing inflammatory cell activation in a 4 mm ear injury during regeneration ( Acomys cahirinus ) and scarring ( Mus musculus ), we found that both species exhibited an acute inflammatory response, with scarring characterized by stronger myeloperoxidase activity. In contrast, ROS production was stronger and more persistent during regeneration. By depleting macrophages during injury, we demonstrate a functional requirement for these cells to stimulate regeneration. Importantly, the spatial distribution of activated macrophage subtypes was unique during regeneration with pro-inflammatory macrophages failing to infiltrate the regeneration blastema. Together, our results demonstrate an essential role for inflammatory cells to regulate a regenerative response.

  1. Improved dielectric functions in metallic films obtained via template stripping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyuk Park, Jong; Nagpal, Prashant; Oh, Sang-Hyun; Norris, David J.

    2012-02-01

    We compare the dielectric functions of silver interfaces obtained via thermal evaporation with those obtained with template stripping. Ellipsometry measurements show that the smoother template-stripped surfaces exhibit effective dielectric functions with a more negative real component and a smaller imaginary component, implying higher conductivity and less energy loss, respectively. These results agree with the relation between dielectric function and surface roughness derived from combining the effective-medium model and the Drude-Lorentz model. The improvement in the effective dielectric properties shows that metallic films prepared via template stripping can be favorable for applications in electronics, nanophotonics, and plasmonics.

  2. Reduce, reuse, recycle - Developmental signals in spinal cord regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardozo, Marcos Julian; Mysiak, Karolina S; Becker, Thomas; Becker, Catherina G

    2017-12-01

    Anamniotes, fishes and amphibians, have the capacity to regenerate spinal cord tissue after injury, generating new neurons that mature and integrate into the spinal circuitry. Elucidating the molecular signals that promote this regeneration is a fundamental question in regeneration research. Model systems, such as salamanders and larval and adult zebrafish are used to analyse successful regeneration. This shows that many developmental signals, such as Notch, Hedgehog (Hh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Wnt, Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), Retinoic Acid (RA) and neurotransmitters are redeployed during regeneration and activate resident spinal progenitor cells. Here we compare the roles of these signals in spinal cord development and regeneration of the much larger and fully patterned adult spinal cord. Understanding how developmental signalling systems are reactivated in successfully regenerating species may ultimately lead to ways to reactivate similar systems in mammalian progenitor cells, which do not show neurogenesis after spinal injury. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. External and semi-internal controls for PCR amplification of homologous sequences in mixed templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalle, Elena; Gulevich, Alexander; Rensing, Christopher

    2013-11-01

    In a mixed template, the presence of homologous target DNA sequences creates environments that almost inevitably give rise to artifacts and biases during PCR. Heteroduplexes, chimeras, and skewed template-to-product ratios are the exclusive attributes of mixed template PCR and never occur in a single template assay. Yet, multi-template PCR has been used without appropriate attention to quality control and assay validation, in spite of the fact that such practice diminishes the reliability of results. External and internal amplification controls became obligatory elements of good laboratory practice in different PCR assays. We propose the inclusion of an analogous approach as a quality control system for multi-template PCR applications. The amplification controls must take into account the characteristics of multi-template PCR and be able to effectively monitor particular assay performance. This study demonstrated the efficiency of a model mixed template as an adequate external amplification control for a particular PCR application. The conditions of multi-template PCR do not allow implementation of a classic internal control; therefore we developed a convenient semi-internal control as an acceptable alternative. In order to evaluate the effects of inhibitors, a model multi-template mix was amplified in a mixture with DNAse-treated sample. Semi-internal control allowed establishment of intervals for robust PCR performance for different samples, thus enabling correct comparison of the samples. The complexity of the external and semi-internal amplification controls must be comparable with the assumed complexity of the samples. We also emphasize that amplification controls should be applied in multi-template PCR regardless of the post-assay method used to analyze products. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Preparation of Biomorphic TiO2 Ceramics from Rattan Templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liangcun Qian

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In this work, biomorphic ceramics were produced from various rattan templates, and sol infiltration was used with vacuum/positive pressure technology. Finally, the samples were sintered to form TiO2 ceramics with a rattan microstructure. Through X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric (TG data, dimensional variation analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM images of biomorphic ceramics, the results of this experiment showed that the times of sol-gel infiltration were decreased due to use of the vacuum/positive pressure technology. In order to further supply the TiO2 content and fill the pyrolysis gaps in the charcoal/TiO2 composites sintered at 800 °C, it was necessary to repeat the sol-gel process. In the transverse section, ceramics for the rattan templates without the rattan edge, more perfect biomorphic features were achieved. Conversely, deformations occurred along the transverse section of the ceramics for the templates made with the rattan edge. Meanwhile, the fracture phenomenon took place along the ceramic axial section. The main reason for deformation and fracture was that the anisotropic structure of the template was stressed during the sintering process. Furthermore, the micrometer-sized pores were found in the ceramics along the axial section because of the removal of the charcoal templates.

  5. A novel ethanol templating synthesis of ordered lamellar superstructured crystalline zirconia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chao; Wang Bin; Ji Xiujie; Zhao Shanshan; Wu Jie; Jia Jianlong; Ma Dongxia

    2012-01-01

    Soft template technique has attracted great interest, because it is a facile, inexpensive and efficient synthesis strategy for ordered superstructural systems. Here, a novel ethanol template was used to synthesize the ordered lamellar superstructured crystalline zirconia (Lα-ZrO 2 ) without post-treatments and surfactants. ZrOCl 2 and NaOH were served as Zr source and precipitant, respectively. XRD analysis showed that Lα-ZrO 2 is crystalline. XPS spectra indicated the physical adsorption of ethanol molecules in Lα-ZrO 2 . TEM further observed and proved the 1.36-nm period of superstructure detected and calculated by SAXRD (1.35 nm), which is composed of 0.68-nm thick ZrO 2 and pore alternatively. In contrast, the template-free ZrO 2 (TF-ZrO 2 ) presents no superstructure and is poorly crystallized. As a soft template, ethanol presents the roles of (i) inducing the growth of zirconia layers, (ii) directing the self-assembly of ordered lamellar superstructure, and (iii) decreasing the crystallization temperature. The possible mechanism of ethanol serving as a soft template was proposed and discussed in thermodynamics.

  6. Multi-template synthesis of hierarchically porous carbon spheres with potential application in supercapacitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhou, Weizheng; Lin, Zhixing; Tong, Gangsheng; Stoyanov, Simeon D.; Yan, Deyue; Mai, Yiyong; Zhu, Xinyuan

    2016-01-01

    A new and simple multi-template approach towards hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) materials was reported. HPC spheres were prepared by using hierarchical silica capsules (HSCs) as the hard template and triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 as the soft template. Three types of pores were tunably

  7. 78 FR 64925 - Request for Comments on Proposed Elimination of Patents Search Templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-30

    ...] Request for Comments on Proposed Elimination of Patents Search Templates AGENCY: United States Patent and... Patents Search Templates from the USPTO Web site. In 2006, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented Patents Search Templates, which are United States Patent Classification (USPC...

  8. Effect of template in MCM-41 on the adsorption of aniline from aqueous solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xinxin; Guan, Qingxin; Li, Wei

    2011-11-01

    The effect of the surfactant template cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in MCM-41 on the adsorption of aniline was investigated. Various MCM-41 samples were prepared by controlling template removal using an extraction method. The samples were then used as adsorbents for the removal of aniline from aqueous solution. The results showed that the MCM-41 samples with the template partially removed (denoted as C-MCM-41) exhibited better adsorption performance than MCM-41 with the template completely removed (denoted as MCM-41). The reason for this difference may be that the C-MCM-41 samples had stronger hydrophobic properties and selectivity for aniline because of the presence of the template. The porosity and cationic sites generated by the template play an important role in the adsorption process. The optimal adsorbent with moderate template was achieved by changing the ratio of extractant; it has the potential for promising applications in the field of water pollution control. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A Survey On Various Web Template Detection And Extraction Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neethu Mary Varghese

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In todays digital world reliance on the World Wide Web as a source of information is extensive. Users increasingly rely on web based search engines to provide accurate search results on a wide range of topics that interest them. The search engines in turn parse the vast repository of web pages searching for relevant information. However majority of web portals are designed using web templates which are designed to provide consistent look and feel to end users. The presence of these templates however can influence search results leading to inaccurate results being delivered to the users. Therefore to improve the accuracy and reliability of search results identification and removal of web templates from the actual content is essential. A wide range of approaches are commonly employed to achieve this and this paper focuses on the study of the various approaches of template detection and extraction that can be applied across homogenous as well as heterogeneous web pages.

  10. Template-assisted growth of nano structured functional materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ying, K.K.; Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Khuan, N.I.; Suhaila Hani Ilias; Foo, C.T.

    2012-01-01

    Template-assisted growth is an important nano electrochemical deposition technique for synthesizing one-dimensional (1-D) nano structures with uniformly well-controlled shapes and sizes. A good template with well-defined dimensions is imperative for realizing this task. Porous anodic alumina (PAA) has been a favorable candidate for this purpose as it can be tailor-made with precise pore geometries, such as pore length and diameter as well as inter-pore distances, via the anodization of pure aluminium. This paper reports the fabrication of PAA templates and electrochemical synthesis of functional nano structures in the form of nano wires using PAA templates as scaffolds. Axial heterostructure and homogeneous nano wires formed by engineering materials configuration via composition and/ or layer thickness variations were fabricated for different functionalities. X-ray diffraction and imaging techniques were used to alucidate the microstructures, morphologies and chemical compositions of the nano wires produced. Due to their large surface area-to-volume ratios, and therefore high sensitivities, these functional nano structures have useful applications as critical components in nano sensor devices and various areas of nano technology. Potential applications include as hydrogen gas sensors in nuclear power plant for monitoring structural integrity of reactor components and containment building, as well as environmental monitoring of air pollution and leakages of toxic gases and chemicals. (Author)

  11. Regenerator cross arm seal assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackman, Anthony V.

    1988-01-01

    A seal assembly for disposition between a cross arm on a gas turbine engine block and a regenerator disc, the seal assembly including a platform coextensive with the cross arm, a seal and wear layer sealingly and slidingly engaging the regenerator disc, a porous and compliant support layer between the platform and the seal and wear layer porous enough to permit flow of cooling air therethrough and compliant to accommodate relative thermal growth and distortion, a dike between the seal and wear layer and the platform for preventing cross flow through the support layer between engine exhaust and pressurized air passages, and air diversion passages for directing unregenerated pressurized air through the support layer to cool the seal and wear layer and then back into the flow of regenerated pressurized air.

  12. LDH nanocages synthesized with MOF templates and their high performance as supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Zhen; Li, Zhengping; Qin, Zhenhua; Sun, Haiyan; Jiao, Xiuling; Chen, Dairong

    2013-11-01

    Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are currently attracting intense research interest for their various applications. Three LDH hollow nano-polyhedra are synthesized with zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) nanocrystals as the templates. The nanocages well inherit the rhombic dodecahedral shape of the ZIF-67 templates, and the shell is composed of nanosheets assembled with an edge-to-face stacking. This is the first synthesis of the LDH non-spherical structures. And the mechanism of utilizing metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocrystals as templates is explored. Control of the simultaneous reactions, the precipitation of the shells and the template etching, is extremely crucial to the preparation of the perfect nanocages. And the Ni-Co LDH nanocages exhibit superior pseudocapacitance property due to their novel hierarchical and submicroscopic structures.Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are currently attracting intense research interest for their various applications. Three LDH hollow nano-polyhedra are synthesized with zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) nanocrystals as the templates. The nanocages well inherit the rhombic dodecahedral shape of the ZIF-67 templates, and the shell is composed of nanosheets assembled with an edge-to-face stacking. This is the first synthesis of the LDH non-spherical structures. And the mechanism of utilizing metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocrystals as templates is explored. Control of the simultaneous reactions, the precipitation of the shells and the template etching, is extremely crucial to the preparation of the perfect nanocages. And the Ni-Co LDH nanocages exhibit superior pseudocapacitance property due to their novel hierarchical and submicroscopic structures. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, XRD, TEM, SEM, and XPS images. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03829g

  13. Thermodynamic analysis of a Stirling engine including regenerator dead volume

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puech, Pascal; Tishkova, Victoria [Universite de Toulouse, UPS, CNRS, CEMES, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, F-31055 Toulouse (France)

    2011-02-15

    This paper provides a theoretical investigation on the thermodynamic analysis of a Stirling engine with linear and sinusoidal variations of the volume. The regenerator in a Stirling engine is an internal heat exchanger allowing to reach high efficiency. We used an isothermal model to analyse the net work and the heat stored in the regenerator during a complete cycle. We show that the engine efficiency with perfect regeneration doesn't depend on the regenerator dead volume but this dead volume strongly amplifies the imperfect regeneration effect. An analytical expression to estimate the improvement due to the regenerator has been proposed including the combined effects of dead volume and imperfect regeneration. This could be used at the very preliminary stage of the engine design process. (author)

  14. Julius – a template based supplementary electronic health record system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klein Gunnar O

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background EHR systems are widely used in hospitals and primary care centres but it is usually difficult to share information and to collect patient data for clinical research. This is partly due to the different proprietary information models and inconsistent data quality. Our objective was to provide a more flexible solution enabling the clinicians to define which data to be recorded and shared for both routine documentation and clinical studies. The data should be possible to reuse through a common set of variable definitions providing a consistent nomenclature and validation of data. Another objective was that the templates used for the data entry and presentation should be possible to use in combination with the existing EHR systems. Methods We have designed and developed a template based system (called Julius that was integrated with existing EHR systems. The system is driven by the medical domain knowledge defined by clinicians in the form of templates and variable definitions stored in a common data repository. The system architecture consists of three layers. The presentation layer is purely web-based, which facilitates integration with existing EHR products. The domain layer consists of the template design system, a variable/clinical concept definition system, the transformation and validation logic all implemented in Java. The data source layer utilizes an object relational mapping tool and a relational database. Results The Julius system has been implemented, tested and deployed to three health care units in Stockholm, Sweden. The initial responses from the pilot users were positive. The template system facilitates patient data collection in many ways. The experience of using the template system suggests that enabling the clinicians to be in control of the system, is a good way to add supplementary functionality to the present EHR systems. Conclusion The approach of the template system in combination with various local EHR

  15. Design and Fabrication of a Precision Template for Spine Surgery Using Selective Laser Melting (SLM).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Di; Wang, Yimeng; Wang, Jianhua; Song, Changhui; Yang, Yongqiang; Zhang, Zimian; Lin, Hui; Zhen, Yongqiang; Liao, Suixiang

    2016-07-22

    In order to meet the clinical requirements of spine surgery, this paper proposes the fabrication of the customized template for spine surgery through computer-aided design. A 3D metal printing-selective laser melting (SLM) technique was employed to directly fabricate the 316L stainless steel template, and the metal template with tiny locating holes was used as an auxiliary tool to insert spinal screws inside the patient's body. To guarantee accurate fabrication of the template for cervical vertebra operation, the contact face was placed upwards to improve the joint quality between the template and the cervical vertebra. The joint surface of the printed template had a roughness of Ra = 13 ± 2 μm. After abrasive blasting, the surface roughness was Ra = 7 ± 0.5 μm. The surgical metal template was bound with the 3D-printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic model. The micro-hardness values determined at the cross-sections of SLM-processed samples varied from HV0.3 250 to HV0.3 280, and the measured tensile strength was in the range of 450 MPa to 560 MPa, which showed that the template had requisite strength. Finally, the metal template was clinically used in the patient's surgical operation, and the screws were inserted precisely as the result of using the auxiliary template. The geometrical parameters of the template hole (e.g., diameter and wall thickness) were optimized, and measures were taken to optimize the key geometrical units (e.g., hole units) in metal 3D printing. Compared to the traditional technology of screw insertion, the use of the surgical metal template enabled the screws to be inserted more easily and accurately during spinal surgery. However, the design of the high-quality template should fully take into account the clinical demands of surgeons, as well as the advice of the designing engineers and operating technicians.

  16. Performance Evaluation of Fusing Protected Fingerprint Minutiae Templates on the Decision Level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raymond N. J. Veldhuis

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available In a biometric authentication system using protected templates, a pseudonymous identifier is the part of a protected template that can be directly compared. Each compared pair of pseudonymous identifiers results in a decision testing whether both identifiers are derived from the same biometric characteristic. Compared to an unprotected system, most existing biometric template protection methods cause to a certain extent degradation in biometric performance. Fusion is therefore a promising way to enhance the biometric performance in template-protected biometric systems. Compared to feature level fusion and score level fusion, decision level fusion has not only the least fusion complexity, but also the maximum interoperability across different biometric features, template protection and recognition algorithms, templates formats, and comparison score rules. However, performance improvement via decision level fusion is not obvious. It is influenced by both the dependency and the performance gap among the conducted tests for fusion. We investigate in this paper several fusion scenarios (multi-sample, multi-instance, multi-sensor, multi-algorithm, and their combinations on the binary decision level, and evaluate their biometric performance and fusion efficiency on a multi-sensor fingerprint database with 71,994 samples.

  17. Performance Evaluation of Fusing Protected Fingerprint Minutiae Templates on the Decision Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bian; Busch, Christoph; de Groot, Koen; Xu, Haiyun; Veldhuis, Raymond N. J.

    2012-01-01

    In a biometric authentication system using protected templates, a pseudonymous identifier is the part of a protected template that can be directly compared. Each compared pair of pseudonymous identifiers results in a decision testing whether both identifiers are derived from the same biometric characteristic. Compared to an unprotected system, most existing biometric template protection methods cause to a certain extent degradation in biometric performance. Fusion is therefore a promising way to enhance the biometric performance in template-protected biometric systems. Compared to feature level fusion and score level fusion, decision level fusion has not only the least fusion complexity, but also the maximum interoperability across different biometric features, template protection and recognition algorithms, templates formats, and comparison score rules. However, performance improvement via decision level fusion is not obvious. It is influenced by both the dependency and the performance gap among the conducted tests for fusion. We investigate in this paper several fusion scenarios (multi-sample, multi-instance, multi-sensor, multi-algorithm, and their combinations) on the binary decision level, and evaluate their biometric performance and fusion efficiency on a multi-sensor fingerprint database with 71,994 samples. PMID:22778583

  18. Synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes with SiC nanowire as template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong, B.; Song, L.; Huang, X.X.; Wen, G.W.; Xia, L.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have been fabricated using SiC nanowires as template. → SiC nanowires could be effectively etched out by the vapors decomposed from ammonia borane, leading to the formation of BNNTs. → A template self-sacrificing mechanism is responsible for the formation of BNNTs. -- Abstract: A novel template method for the preparation of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) using SiC nanowire as template and ammonia borane as precursor is reported. We find out that the SiC nanowires could be effectively etched out by the vapors decomposed from ammonia borane, leading to the formation of BNNTs. The as-prepared products are well characterized by means of complementary analytical techniques. A possible formation mechanism is disclosed. The method developed here paves the way for large scale production of BNNTs.

  19. Fabrication of porous zirconia using filter paper template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Yuhua; Wei Pan

    2005-01-01

    In this work, porous zirconia ceramic was synthesized using filter papers as a template. Special attention is paid to whether the structural of the filter paper can be transferred to the zirconia structure. Microstructure of so synthesized porous zirconia was observed with SEM and the phase was determined by XRD. The surface area and the pore were investigated with an automatic volumetric sorption analyzer. It has been found that the morphology of the template transmit to the porous zirconia quite well. (orig.)

  20. Thinning in artificially regenerated young beech stands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Novák Jiří

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Although beech stands are usually regenerated naturally, an area of up to 5,000 ha year−1 is artificially regenerated by beech in the Czech Republic annually. Unfortunately, these stands often showed insufficient stand density and, consequently, lower quality of stems. Therefore, thinning methods developed for naturally regenerated beech stands are applicable with difficulties. The paper evaluates the data from two thinning experiments established in young artificially regenerated beech stands located in different growing conditions. In both experiments, thinning resulted in the lower amount of salvage cut in following years. Positive effect of thinning on periodic stand basal area increment and on periodic diameter increment of dominant trees was found in the beech stand located at middle elevations. On the other hand, thinning effects in mountain conditions were negligible. Thinning focusing on future stand quality cannot be commonly applied in artificially regenerated beech stands because of their worse initial quality and lower density. However, these stands show good growth and response to thinning, hence their management can be focused on maximising beech wood production.

  1. The Role of Morphology in Word Recognition of Hebrew as a Templatic Language

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oganyan, Marina

    2017-01-01

    Research on recognition of complex words has primarily focused on affixational complexity in concatenative languages. This dissertation investigates both templatic and affixational complexity in Hebrew, a templatic language, with particular focus on the role of the root and template morphemes in recognition. It also explores the role of morphology…

  2. Performance analysis and experimental study of heat-source tower solution regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang, Caihua; Wen, Xiantai; Liu, Chengxing; Zhang, Xiaosong

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Theoretical analysis is performed on the characteristics of heat-source tower. • Experimental study is performed on various rules of the solution regeneration rate. • The characteristics of solution regeneration vary widely with different demands. • Results are useful for optimizing the process of solution regeneration. - Abstract: By analyzing similarities and difference between the solution regeneration of a heat-source tower and desiccant solution regeneration, this paper points out that solution regeneration of a heat-source tower has the characteristics of small demands and that a regeneration rate is susceptible to outdoor ambient environments. A theoretical analysis is performed on the characteristics of a heat-source tower solution in different outdoor environments and different regeneration modes, and an experimental study is performed on variation rules of the solution regeneration rate of a cross-flow heat-source tower under different inlet parameters and operating parameters. The experimental results show that: in the operating regeneration mode, as the air volume was increased from 123 m 3 h −1 to 550 m 3 h −1 , the system heat transfer amount increased from 0.42 kW to 0.78 kW, and the regeneration rate increased from 0.03 g s −1 to 0.19 g s −1 . Increasing the solution flow may increase the system heat transfer amount; however, the regeneration rate decreased to a certain extent. In the regeneration mode when the system is idle, as the air volume was increased from 136 m 3 h −1 to 541 m 3 h −1 , the regeneration rate increased from 0.03 g s −1 to 0.1 g s −1 . The regeneration rate almost remained unchanged around 0.07 g s −1 as the solution flow is increased. In the regeneration mode with auxiliary heat when the system is idle, increasing the air volume and increasing the solution flow required more auxiliary heat, thereby improving the solution regeneration rate. As the auxiliary heat was increased from 0.33 k

  3. External and semi-internal controls for PCR amplification of homologous sequences in mixed templates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kalle, Elena; Gulevich, Alexander; Rensing, Christopher Günther T

    2013-01-01

    as an acceptable alternative. In order to evaluate the effects of inhibitors, a model multi-template mix was amplified in a mixture with DNAse-treated sample. Semi-internal control allowed establishment of intervals for robust PCR performance for different samples, thus enabling correct comparison of the samples......In a mixed template, the presence of homologous target DNA sequences creates environments that almost inevitably give rise to artifacts and biases during PCR. Heteroduplexes, chimeras, and skewed template-to-product ratios are the exclusive attributes of mixed template PCR and never occur....... This study demonstrated the efficiency of a model mixed template as an adequate external amplification control for a particular PCR application. The conditions of multi-template PCR do not allow implementation of a classic internal control; therefore we developed a convenient semi-internal control...

  4. Silymarin Accelerates Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jia-Ping Wu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Partial hepatectomy (PHx is a liver regeneration physiological response induced to maintain homeostasis. Liver regeneration evolved presumably to protect wild animals from catastrophic liver loss caused by toxins or tissue injury. Silymarin (Sm ability to stimulate liver regeneration has been an object of curiosity for many years. Silymarin has been investigated for use as an antioxidant and anticarcinogen. However, its use as a supportive treatment for liver damage is elusive. In this study, we fed silymarin (Sm, 25 mg/kg to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 7 weeks. Surgical 2/3 PHx was then conducted on the rats at 6 hrs, 24 hrs, and 72 hrs. Western blot and RT-PCR were conducted to detect the cell cycle activities and silymarin effects on hepatic regeneration. The results showed that silymarin enhanced liver regeneration by accelerating the cell cycle in PHx liver. Silymarin led to increased G1 phase (cyclin D1/pRb, S phase (cyclin E/E2F, G2 phase (cyclin B, and M phase (cyclin A protein and mRNA at 6 hrs, 24 hrs, and 72 hrs PHx. HGF, TGFα, and TGFβ1 growth factor expressions were also enhanced. We suggest that silymarin plays a crucial role in accelerated liver regeneration after PHx.

  5. International developments in openEHR archetypes and templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, Heather

    Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are a complex knowledge domain. The ability to design EHRs to cope with the changing nature of health knowledge, and to be shareable, has been elusive. A recent pilot study1 tested the applicability of the CEN 13606 as an electronic health record standard. Using openEHR archetypes and tools2, 650 clinical content specifi cations (archetypes) were created (e.g. for blood pressure) and re-used across all clinical specialties and contexts. Groups of archetypes were aggregated in templates to support clinical information gathering or viewing (e.g. 80 separate archetypes make up the routine antenatal visit record). Over 60 templates were created for use in the emergency department, antenatal care and delivery of an infant, and paediatric hearing loss assessment. The primary goal is to define a logical clinical record architecture for the NHS but potentially, with archetypes as the keystone, shareable EHRs will also be attainable. Archetype and template development work is ongoing, with associated evaluation occurring in parallel.

  6. Centroacinar cells: At the center of pancreas regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beer, Rebecca L; Parsons, Michael J; Rovira, Meritxell

    2016-05-01

    The process of regeneration serves to heal injury by replacing missing cells. Understanding regeneration can help us replace cell populations lost during disease, such as the insulin-producing β cells lost in diabetic patients. Centroacinar cells (CACs) are a specialized ductal pancreatic cell type that act as progenitors to replace β cells in the zebrafish. However, whether CACs contribute to β-cell regeneration in adult mammals remains controversial. Here we review the current understanding of the role of CACs as endocrine progenitors during regeneration in zebrafish and mammals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Plant Regeneration and Genetic Transformation in Eggplant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr Harmander Gill

    2014-02-05

    Feb 5, 2014 ... Review. Plant regeneration in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.): A review ... and development of somatic hybrids, efficient plant regeneration ... was first reported in eggplant from immature seed embryos .... Hormone free MS.

  8. Caprine Butchery and Bone Modification Templates: A step towards standardisation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Popkin

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Widely accepted zooarchaeological procedure for recording butchery marks and other types of bone modification involves two processes: Drawing the bone showing the exact location and orientation of the modification and recording all of the information about the bone and its modification into an electronic database. No recording templates have ever been published, however, resulting in individual zooarchaeologists repeating the effort of developing their own templates or drawings for each bone in an assemblage showing a modification. Both of these tasks are time consuming and lead to inconsistencies in recording and quantification methods. To help alleviate this problem a series of caprine (sheep and goat bone templates have been created. These templates show every bone in a goat skeleton, apart from the skull, from six views at life-size when printed on A4 paper. They have intentionally been produced with a minimum of detail (without shading or stippling etc. so that the recorded butchery marks and bone modifications will be clearly visible. Because the skeletal morphology of sheep and goats is so similar these templates may be used interchangeably for either species. They may also be used for many other artiodactyl species such as cattle and deer as no scale has been indicated. The study of butchery marks and bone modification has the potential to provide zooarchaeologists with information about taphonomy, site formation processes, burial/ritual practices, human behaviour, ancient technologies and possibly ethnicity amongst other things, but only if the recording of these bone modifications is undertaken in a standardised fashion across the field. While much effort has been directed towards standardising the recognition and classification of various bone modifications, the recording of these modifications regularly occurs in various ways. Using standardised recording templates will save valuable time and help to alleviate problems of data

  9. Design reflowable digital book template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasetya, Didik Dwi; Widiyaningtyas, Triyanna; Arifin, M. Zainal; Wahyu Sakti G., I.

    2017-09-01

    Electronic books (e-books or digital books) increasingly in demand and continue to grow in the form of future books. One of the standard format electronic books that potential is EPUB (electronic publication) published by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). This digital book has major advantages are able to provide interactive and reflowable content, which are not found in another book format, such as PDF. Reflowable content allows the book can be accessed through a variety of reader device, like desktop and mobile with a fit and comfort view. However, because the generating process of an EPUB digital book is not as easy a PDF, so this format is less popular. Therefore, in order to help overcome the existing problems, this paper develops digital reflowable text book templates to support electronic learning, especially in Indonesia. This template can be used by anyone to produce a standard digital book quickly and easily without requiring additional specialized knowledge.

  10. Periodontal regeneration around natural teeth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrett, S

    1996-11-01

    1. Evidence is conclusive (Table 2) that periodontal regeneration in humans is possible following the use of bone grafts, guided tissue regeneration procedures, both without and in combination with bone grafts, and root demineralization procedures. 2. Clinically guided tissue regeneration procedures have demonstrated significant positive clinical change beyond that achieved with debridement alone in treating mandibular and maxillary (buccal only) Class II furcations. Similar data exist for intraosseous defects. Evidence suggests that the use of bone grafts or GTR procedures produce equal clinical benefit in treating intraosseous defects. Further research is necessary to evaluate GTR procedures compared to, or combined with, bone grafts in treating intraosseous defects. 3. Although there are some data suggesting hopeful results in Class II furcations, the clinical advantage of procedures combining present regenerative techniques remains to be demonstrated. Additional randomized controlled trials with sufficient power are needed to demonstrate the potential usefulness of these techniques. 4. Outcomes following regenerative attempts remain somewhat variable with differences in results between studies and individual subjects. Some of this variability is likely patient related in terms of compliance with plaque control and maintenance procedures, as well as personal habits; e.g., smoking. Variations in the defects selected for study may also affect predictability of outcomes along with other factors. 5. There is evidence to suggest that present regenerative techniques lead to significant amounts of regeneration at localized sites on specific teeth. However, if complete regeneration is to become a reality, additional stimuli to enhance the regenerative process are likely needed. Perhaps this will be accomplished in the future, with combined procedures that include appropriate polypeptide growth factors or tissue factors to provide additional stimulus.

  11. A flexible, bolaamphiphilic template for mesoporous silicas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuen, Alexander K L; Heinroth, Falk; Ward, Antony J; Masters, Anthony F; Maschmeyer, Thomas

    2013-08-28

    A novel symmetrical bolaamphiphile, containing two N-methylimidazolium head-groups bridged by a 32-methylene linker, was synthesized and characterized. A variety of mesoporous silicas was prepared using the bolaamphiphile as a "soft template". The effects of absolute surfactant concentration and synthesis conditions upon the morphologies of these silicas were investigated. For a given surfactant concentration, particle morphology; pore size; and pore ordering were modified through control of the template to silica-precursor ratio and synthesis conditions. Observed morphologies included: lenticular core-shell nanoparticles and decorticated globules, truncated hexagonal plates, and sheets. In all cases the mesopores are aligned along the shortest axis of the nanomaterial. Decorticated materials displayed surface areas of up to 1200 m(2) g(-1) and pore diameters (D(BJH)) of 24-28 Å. Small-angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements revealed that the majority of the materials has elliptical pores arranged in rectangular lattices (c2mm). Adoption of this symmetry group is a result of the template aggregate deformation from a regular hexagonal phase of cylindrical rods to a ribbon phase under the synthetic conditions.

  12. Rational design of mesoporous metals and related nanomaterials by a soft-template approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamauchi, Yusuke; Kuroda, Kazuyuki

    2008-04-07

    We review recent developments in the preparation of mesoporous metals and related metal-based nanomaterials. Among the many types of mesoporous materials, mesoporous metals hold promise for a wide range of potential applications, such as in electronic devices, magnetic recording media, and metal catalysts, owing to their metallic frameworks. Mesoporous metals with highly ordered networks and narrow pore-size distributions have traditionally been produced by using mesoporous silica as a hard template. This method involves the formation of an original template followed by deposition of metals within the mesopores and subsequent removal of the template. Another synthetic method is the direct-template approach from lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) made of nonionic surfactants at high concentrations. Direct-template synthesis creates a novel avenue for the production of mesoporous metals as well as related metal-based nanomaterials. Many mesoporous metals have been prepared by the chemical or electrochemical reduction of metal salts dissolved in aqueous LLC domains. As a soft template, LLCs are more versatile and therefore more advantageous than hard templates. It is possible to produce various nanostructures (e.g., lamellar, 2D hexagonal (p6mm), and 3D cubic (Ia\\3d)), nanoparticles, and nanotubes simply by controlling the composition of the reaction bath.

  13. Fabricating hydroxyapatite nanorods using a biomacromolecule template

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu Aiping, E-mail: apzhu@yzu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China); Lu Yan; Si Yunfeng [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China); Dai Sheng [School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 (Australia)

    2011-02-01

    Rod-like hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles with various aspect ratios are synthesized by means of low-temperature hydrothermal method in the presence of a N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium) propyl]chitosan chloride (HTCC) template. The synthesized HAps were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The results reveal that HAps are rod-like monocrystals, where the size and morphology can be tailored by varying synthesis conditions, such as pH, hydrothermal synthesis temperature and the ratio of PO{sub 4}{sup 3-} to the quaternary ammonium in HTCC. The mechanism of HTCC template on HAp nanorod preparation is analyzed.

  14. Fabricating hydroxyapatite nanorods using a biomacromolecule template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Aiping; Lu Yan; Si Yunfeng; Dai Sheng

    2011-01-01

    Rod-like hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles with various aspect ratios are synthesized by means of low-temperature hydrothermal method in the presence of a N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium) propyl]chitosan chloride (HTCC) template. The synthesized HAps were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The results reveal that HAps are rod-like monocrystals, where the size and morphology can be tailored by varying synthesis conditions, such as pH, hydrothermal synthesis temperature and the ratio of PO 4 3- to the quaternary ammonium in HTCC. The mechanism of HTCC template on HAp nanorod preparation is analyzed.

  15. Frabicating hydroxyapatite nanorods using a biomacromolecule template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Aiping; Lu, Yan; Si, Yunfeng; Dai, Sheng

    2011-02-01

    Rod-like hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles with various aspect ratios are synthesized by means of low-temperature hydrothermal method in the presence of a N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium) propyl]chitosan chloride (HTCC) template. The synthesized HAps were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The results reveal that HAps are rod-like monocrystals, where the size and morphology can be tailored by varying synthesis conditions, such as pH, hydrothermal synthesis temperature and the ratio of PO43- to the quaternary ammonium in HTCC. The mechanism of HTCC template on HAp nanorod preparation is analyzed.

  16. Crosslinked Aspartic Acids as Helix-Nucleating Templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hui; Liu, Qi-Song; Geng, Hao; Tian, Yuan; Cheng, Min; Jiang, Yan-Hong; Xie, Ming-Sheng; Niu, Xiao-Gang; Jiang, Fan; Zhang, Ya-Ou; Lao, Yuan-Zhi; Wu, Yun-Dong; Xu, Nai-Han; Li, Zi-Gang

    2016-09-19

    Described is a facile helix-nucleating template based on a tethered aspartic acid at the N-terminus [terminal aspartic acid (TD)]. The nucleating effect of the template is subtly influenced by the substituent at the end of the side-chain-end tether as indicated by circular dichroism, nuclear magnetic resonance, and molecular dynamics simulations. Unlike most nucleating strategies, the N-terminal amine is preserved, thus enabling further modification. Peptidomimetic estrogen receptor modulators (PERMs) constructed using this strategy show improved therapeutic properties. The current strategy can be regarded as a good complement to existing helix-stabilizing methods. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Axonal Regeneration in Mammals with Spinal Cord Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-09-14

    Cajal, S. 1905. Notas preventivas sobre la degeneracion y regeneracion las vias nerviosos centrales . Trab. Lab. Invest. Biol. Univ. Madrid, 4: 295-301...S. 1914. Degeneracion y Regeneration del Sistema Nervioso , Vol. 1, 2. (Nicolas Moya, Madrid), Ramon y Cajal, S. 1928. Degeneration and Regeneration...field of central nervous system (CNS) regeneration research. These developments have revealed important aspects regarding the histology and

  18. Computational study of textured ferroelectric polycrystals: Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of template-matrix composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jie E.; Yan, Yongke; Priya, Shashank; Wang, Yu U.

    2017-01-01

    Quantitative relationships between processing, microstructure, and properties in textured ferroelectric polycrystals and the underlying responsible mechanisms are investigated by phase field modeling and computer simulation. This study focuses on three important aspects of textured ferroelectric ceramics: (i) grain microstructure evolution during templated grain growth processing, (ii) crystallographic texture development as a function of volume fraction and seed size of the templates, and (iii) dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the obtained template-matrix composites of textured polycrystals. Findings on the third aspect are presented here, while an accompanying paper of this work reports findings on the first two aspects. In this paper, the competing effects of crystallographic texture and template seed volume fraction on the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of ferroelectric polycrystals are investigated. The phase field model of ferroelectric composites consisting of template seeds embedded in matrix grains is developed to simulate domain evolution, polarization-electric field (P-E), and strain-electric field (ɛ-E) hysteresis loops. The coercive field, remnant polarization, dielectric permittivity, piezoelectric coefficient, and dissipation factor are studied as a function of grain texture and template seed volume fraction. It is found that, while crystallographic texture significantly improves the polycrystal properties towards those of single crystals, a higher volume fraction of template seeds tends to decrease the electromechanical properties, thus canceling the advantage of ferroelectric polycrystals textured by templated grain growth processing. This competing detrimental effect is shown to arise from the composite effect, where the template phase possesses material properties inferior to the matrix phase, causing mechanical clamping and charge accumulation at inter-phase interfaces between matrix and template inclusions. The computational

  19. A novel ethanol templating synthesis of ordered lamellar superstructured crystalline zirconia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Chao, E-mail: liuchao_tj@yahoo.com; Wang Bin [Key Laboratory for New Type of Functional Materials in Hebei Province, Hebei University of Technology (China); Ji Xiujie, E-mail: jxjchem@yahoo.com [State Key Laboratory of Hollow Fiber Membrane Materials and Processes, Tianjin Polytechnic University (China); Zhao Shanshan; Wu Jie; Jia Jianlong; Ma Dongxia [Key Laboratory for New Type of Functional Materials in Hebei Province, Hebei University of Technology (China)

    2012-03-15

    Soft template technique has attracted great interest, because it is a facile, inexpensive and efficient synthesis strategy for ordered superstructural systems. Here, a novel ethanol template was used to synthesize the ordered lamellar superstructured crystalline zirconia (L{alpha}-ZrO{sub 2}) without post-treatments and surfactants. ZrOCl{sub 2} and NaOH were served as Zr source and precipitant, respectively. XRD analysis showed that L{alpha}-ZrO{sub 2} is crystalline. XPS spectra indicated the physical adsorption of ethanol molecules in L{alpha}-ZrO{sub 2}. TEM further observed and proved the 1.36-nm period of superstructure detected and calculated by SAXRD (1.35 nm), which is composed of 0.68-nm thick ZrO{sub 2} and pore alternatively. In contrast, the template-free ZrO{sub 2} (TF-ZrO{sub 2}) presents no superstructure and is poorly crystallized. As a soft template, ethanol presents the roles of (i) inducing the growth of zirconia layers, (ii) directing the self-assembly of ordered lamellar superstructure, and (iii) decreasing the crystallization temperature. The possible mechanism of ethanol serving as a soft template was proposed and discussed in thermodynamics.

  20. Selection of appropriate template for spatial normalization of brain images: tensor based morphometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jae Sung; Lee, Dong Soo; Kim, Yu Kyeong; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul [College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-07-01

    Although there have been remarkable advances in spatial normalization techniques, the differences in the shape of the hemispheres and the sulcal pattern of brains relative to age, gender, races, and diseases cannot be fully overcome by the nonlinear spatial normalization techniques. T1 SPGR MR images in 16 elderly male normal volunteers (>55 y. mean age: = 61.8 {+-} 3.5 y) were spatially normalized onto the age/gender specific Korean templates, and the Caucasian MNI template and the extent of the deformations were compared. These particular subjects were never included in the development of the templates. First , the images were matched into the templates using an affine transformation to eliminate the global difference between the templates and source images. Second the affine registration was followed by an estimation of nonlinear deformation. Determinants of the Jacobian matrices of the nonlinear deformation were then calculated for every voxel to estimate the regional volume change during the nonlinear transformation Jacobian determinant images highlighted the great magnitude of the relative local volume changes obtained when the elderly brains were spatially normalized onto the young/midlife male or female templates. They reflect the enlargement of CSF space in the lateral ventricles, sylvian fissures and cisterna magna, and the shrinkage of the cortex noted mainly in frontal, insular and lateral temporal cortexes, and the cerebellums in the aged brains. In the Jacobian determinant images, a regional shrinkage of the brain in the left middle prefrontal cortex was observed in addition to the regional expansion in the ventricles and sylvian fissures, which may be due to the age differences between the template and source images. The regional anatomical difference between template and source images could impose an extreme deformation of the source images during the spatial normalization and therefore. Individual brains should be placed into the appropriate

  1. Selection of appropriate template for spatial normalization of brain images: tensor based morphometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jae Sung; Lee, Dong Soo; Kim, Yu Kyeong; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul

    2004-01-01

    Although there have been remarkable advances in spatial normalization techniques, the differences in the shape of the hemispheres and the sulcal pattern of brains relative to age, gender, races, and diseases cannot be fully overcome by the nonlinear spatial normalization techniques. T1 SPGR MR images in 16 elderly male normal volunteers (>55 y. mean age: = 61.8 ± 3.5 y) were spatially normalized onto the age/gender specific Korean templates, and the Caucasian MNI template and the extent of the deformations were compared. These particular subjects were never included in the development of the templates. First , the images were matched into the templates using an affine transformation to eliminate the global difference between the templates and source images. Second the affine registration was followed by an estimation of nonlinear deformation. Determinants of the Jacobian matrices of the nonlinear deformation were then calculated for every voxel to estimate the regional volume change during the nonlinear transformation Jacobian determinant images highlighted the great magnitude of the relative local volume changes obtained when the elderly brains were spatially normalized onto the young/midlife male or female templates. They reflect the enlargement of CSF space in the lateral ventricles, sylvian fissures and cisterna magna, and the shrinkage of the cortex noted mainly in frontal, insular and lateral temporal cortexes, and the cerebellums in the aged brains. In the Jacobian determinant images, a regional shrinkage of the brain in the left middle prefrontal cortex was observed in addition to the regional expansion in the ventricles and sylvian fissures, which may be due to the age differences between the template and source images. The regional anatomical difference between template and source images could impose an extreme deformation of the source images during the spatial normalization and therefore. Individual brains should be placed into the appropriate template

  2. The regeneration of polluted active carbon by radiation techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bao Borong; Wu Minghong; Hu Longxin; Zhou Riumin; Zhu Jinliang

    1998-01-01

    In this paper, we investigated the regeneration of polluted active carbon from monosodium glutamate factory by combination of radiation and acid-alkali chemical techniques. The experimental results show that the polluted active carbon will be highly regenerated on the conditions of process concentration 3%, process time 0.5 hour and the adjustment process concentration 2%, time 0.5 hour, radiation dose 5kGy. As regeneration times increase, the regenerated active carbon behaves with good repetition and stable property

  3. Improved modelling of a parallel plate active magnetic regenerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engelbrecht, K; Nielsen, K K; Bahl, C R H; Tušek, J; Kitanovski, A; Poredoš, A

    2013-01-01

    Much of the active magnetic regenerator (AMR) modelling presented in the literature considers only the solid and fluid domains of the regenerator and ignores other physical effects that have been shown to be important, such as demagnetizing fields in the regenerator, parasitic heat losses and fluid flow maldistribution in the regenerator. This paper studies the effects of these loss mechanisms and compares theoretical results with experimental results obtained on an experimental AMR device. Three parallel plate regenerators were tested, each having different demagnetizing field characteristics and fluid flow maldistributions. It was shown that when these loss mechanisms are ignored, the model significantly over predicts experimental results. Including the loss mechanisms can significantly change the model predictions, depending on the operating conditions and construction of the regenerator. The model is compared with experimental results for a range of fluid flow rates and cooling loads. (paper)

  4. Competence and regulatory interactions during regeneration in plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ajai Joseph Pulianmackal

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The ability to regenerate is widely exploited by multitudes of organisms ranging from unicellular bacteria to multicellular plants for their propagation and repair. But the levels of competence for regeneration vary from species to species. While variety of living cells of a plant display regeneration ability, only a few set of cells maintain their stemness in mammals. This highly pliable nature of plant cells in-terms of regeneration can be attributed to their high developmental plasticity. De novo organ initiation can be relatively easily achieved in plants by proper hormonal regulations. Elevated levels of plant hormone auxin induces the formation of proliferating mass of pluripotent cells called callus, which predominantly express lateral root meristem markers and hence is having an identity similar to lateral root primordia. Organ formation can be induced from the callus by modulating the ratio of hormones. An alternative for de novo organogenesis is by the forced expression of plant specific transcription factors. The mechanisms by which plant cells attain competence for regeneration on hormonal treatment or forced expression remain largely elusive. Recent studies have provided some insight into how the epigenetic modifications in plants affect this competence. In this review we discuss the present understanding of regenerative biology in plants and scrutinize the future prospectives of this topic. While discussing about the regeneration in the sporophyte of angiosperms which is well studied, here we outline the regenerative biology of the gametophytic phase and discuss about various strategies of regeneration that have evolved in the domain of life so that a common consensus on the entire process of regeneration can be made.

  5. Design and Fabrication of a Precision Template for Spine Surgery Using Selective Laser Melting (SLM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Wang

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In order to meet the clinical requirements of spine surgery, this paper proposes the fabrication of the customized template for spine surgery through computer-aided design. A 3D metal printing-selective laser melting (SLM technique was employed to directly fabricate the 316L stainless steel template, and the metal template with tiny locating holes was used as an auxiliary tool to insert spinal screws inside the patient’s body. To guarantee accurate fabrication of the template for cervical vertebra operation, the contact face was placed upwards to improve the joint quality between the template and the cervical vertebra. The joint surface of the printed template had a roughness of Ra = 13 ± 2 μm. After abrasive blasting, the surface roughness was Ra = 7 ± 0.5 μm. The surgical metal template was bound with the 3D-printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS plastic model. The micro-hardness values determined at the cross-sections of SLM-processed samples varied from HV0.3 250 to HV0.3 280, and the measured tensile strength was in the range of 450 MPa to 560 MPa, which showed that the template had requisite strength. Finally, the metal template was clinically used in the patient’s surgical operation, and the screws were inserted precisely as the result of using the auxiliary template. The geometrical parameters of the template hole (e.g., diameter and wall thickness were optimized, and measures were taken to optimize the key geometrical units (e.g., hole units in metal 3D printing. Compared to the traditional technology of screw insertion, the use of the surgical metal template enabled the screws to be inserted more easily and accurately during spinal surgery. However, the design of the high-quality template should fully take into account the clinical demands of surgeons, as well as the advice of the designing engineers and operating technicians.

  6. Exploring the efficiency potential for an active magnetic regenerator

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksen, Dan; Engelbrecht, Kurt; Haffenden Bahl, Christian Robert

    2016-01-01

    A novel rotary state of the art active magnetic regenerator refrigeration prototype was used in an experimental investigation with special focus on efficiency. Based on an applied cooling load, measured shaft power, and pumping power applied to the active magnetic regenerator, a maximum second-la...... and replacing the packed spheres with a theoretical parallel plate regenerator. Furthermore, significant potential efficiency improvements through optimized regenerator geometries are estimated and discussed......., especially for the pressure drop, significant improvements can be made to the machine. However, a large part of the losses may be attributed to regenerator irreversibilities. Considering these unchanged, an estimated upper limit to the second-law efficiency of 30% is given by eliminating parasitic losses...

  7. Mammalian Cochlear Hair Cell Regeneration and Ribbon Synapse Reformation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoling Lu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Hair cells (HCs are the sensory preceptor cells in the inner ear, which play an important role in hearing and balance. The HCs of organ of Corti are susceptible to noise, ototoxic drugs, and infections, thus resulting in permanent hearing loss. Recent approaches of HCs regeneration provide new directions for finding the treatment of sensor neural deafness. To have normal hearing function, the regenerated HCs must be reinnervated by nerve fibers and reform ribbon synapse with the dendrite of spiral ganglion neuron through nerve regeneration. In this review, we discuss the research progress in HC regeneration, the synaptic plasticity, and the reinnervation of new regenerated HCs in mammalian inner ear.

  8. Research on Remote Sensing Image Template Processing Based on Global Subdivision Theory

    OpenAIRE

    Xiong Delan; Du Genyuan

    2013-01-01

    Aiming at the questions of vast data, complex operation, and time consuming processing for remote sensing image, subdivision template was proposed based on global subdivision theory, which can set up high level of abstraction and generalization for remote sensing image. The paper emphatically discussed the model and structure of subdivision template, and put forward some new ideas for remote sensing image template processing, key technology and quickly applied demonstration. The research has ...

  9. Mechanisms of lymphatic regeneration after tissue transfer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan Yan

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Lymphedema is the chronic swelling of an extremity that occurs commonly after lymph node resection for cancer treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that transfer of healthy tissues can be used as a means of bypassing damaged lymphatics and ameliorating lymphedema. The purpose of these studies was to investigate the mechanisms that regulate lymphatic regeneration after tissue transfer.Nude mice (recipients underwent 2-mm tail skin excisions that were either left open or repaired with full-thickness skin grafts harvested from donor transgenic mice that expressed green fluorescent protein in all tissues or from LYVE-1 knockout mice. Lymphatic regeneration, expression of VEGF-C, macrophage infiltration, and potential for skin grafting to bypass damaged lymphatics were assessed.Skin grafts healed rapidly and restored lymphatic flow. Lymphatic regeneration occurred beginning at the peripheral edges of the graft, primarily from ingrowth of new lymphatic vessels originating from the recipient mouse. In addition, donor lymphatic vessels appeared to spontaneously re-anastomose with recipient vessels. Patterns of VEGF-C expression and macrophage infiltration were temporally and spatially associated with lymphatic regeneration. When compared to mice treated with excision only, there was a 4-fold decrease in tail volumes, 2.5-fold increase in lymphatic transport by lymphoscintigraphy, 40% decrease in dermal thickness, and 54% decrease in scar index in skin-grafted animals, indicating that tissue transfer could bypass damaged lymphatics and promote rapid lymphatic regeneration.Our studies suggest that lymphatic regeneration after tissue transfer occurs by ingrowth of lymphatic vessels and spontaneous re-connection of existing lymphatics. This process is temporally and spatially associated with VEGF-C expression and macrophage infiltration. Finally, tissue transfer can be used to bypass damaged lymphatics and promote rapid lymphatic regeneration.

  10. On the anodic aluminium oxide refractive index of nanoporous templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hierro-Rodriguez, A; Rocha-Rodrigues, P; Araujo, J P; Valdés-Bango, F; Alameda, J M; Teixeira, J M; Jorge, P A S; Santos, J L; Guerreiro, A

    2015-01-01

    In the present study, we have determined the intrinsic refractive index of anodic aluminium oxide, which is originated by the formation of nanoporous alumina templates. Different templates have been fabricated by the conventional two-step anodization procedure in oxalic acid. Their porosities were modified by chemical wet etching allowing the tuning of their effective refractive indexes (air-filled nanopores  +  anodic aluminium oxide). By standard spectroscopic light transmission measurements, the effective refractive index for each different template was extracted in the VIS–NIR region. The determination of the intrinsic anodic aluminium oxide refractive index was performed by using the Maxwell–Garnett homogenization theory. The results are coincident for all the fabricated samples. The obtained refractive index (∼1.55) is quite lower (∼22%) than the commonly used Al 2 O 3 handbook value (∼1.75), showing that the amorphous nature of the anodic oxide structure strongly conditions its optical properties. This difference is critical for the correct design and modeling of optical plasmonic metamaterials based on anodic aluminium oxide nanoporous templates. (paper)

  11. Metal-organic framework templated electrodeposition of functional gold nanostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Worrall, Stephen D.; Bissett, Mark A.; Hill, Patrick I.; Rooney, Aidan P.; Haigh, Sarah J.; Attfield, Martin P.; Dryfe, Robert A.W.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Electrodeposition of anisotropic Au nanostructures templated by HKUST-1. • Au nanostructures replicate ∼1.4 nm pore spaces of HKUST-1. • Encapsulated Au nanostructures active as SERS substrate for 4-fluorothiophenol. - Abstract: Utilizing a pair of quick, scalable electrochemical processes, the permanently porous MOF HKUST-1 was electrochemically grown on a copper electrode and this HKUST-1-coated electrode was used to template electrodeposition of a gold nanostructure within the pore network of the MOF. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that a proportion of the gold nanostructures exhibit structural features replicating the pore space of this ∼1.4 nm maximum pore diameter MOF, as well as regions that are larger in size. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the electrodeposited gold nanostructure, produced under certain conditions of synthesis and template removal, is sufficiently inter-grown and mechanically robust to retain the octahedral morphology of the HKUST-1 template crystals. The functionality of the gold nanostructure within the crystalline HKUST-1 was demonstrated through the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) detection of 4-fluorothiophenol at concentrations as low as 1 μM. The reported process is confirmed as a viable electrodeposition method for obtaining functional, accessible metal nanostructures encapsulated within MOF crystals.

  12. Composite cell sheet for periodontal regeneration: crosstalk between different types of MSCs in cell sheet facilitates complex periodontal-like tissue regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hao; Liu, Shiyu; Zhu, Bin; Xu, Qiu; Ding, Yin; Jin, Yan

    2016-11-14

    Tissue-engineering strategies based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cell sheets have been widely used for periodontal tissue regeneration. However, given the complexity in periodontal structure, the regeneration methods using a single species of MSC could not fulfill the requirement for periodontal regeneration. We researched the interaction between the periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and jaw bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (JBMMSCs), and constructed a composite cell sheet comprising both of the above MSCs to regenerate complex periodontium-like structures in nude mice. Our results show that by co-culturing PDLSCs and JBMMSCs, the expressions of bone and extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes and proteins were significantly improved in both MSCs. Further investigations showed that, compared to the cell sheet using PDLSCs or JBMMSCs, the composite stem cell sheet (CSCS), which comprises these two MSCs, expressed higher levels of bone- and ECM-related genes and proteins, and generated a composite structure more similar to the native periodontal tissue physiologically in vivo. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the crosstalk between PDLSCs and JBMMSCs in cell sheets facilitate regeneration of complex periodontium-like structures, providing a promising new strategy for physiological and functional regeneration of periodontal tissue.

  13. Modelling and comparison studies of packed screen regenerators for active magnetocaloric refrigeration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lei, Tian; Engelbrecht, Kurt; Nielsen, K. K.

    2011-01-01

    In active magnetic regeneration (AMR) systems, not only the magnetocaloric properties of materials, but also the regenerator geometry plays an important role in the system performance. Packed sphere regenerators are often employed in existing prototypes, however, the characteristics such as relat...... is improved and applied to simulate the regenerators. The performance of the new regenerators is studied and compared with that of the packed sphere regenerators. Possible fabrication methods of the packed screen regenerators are also discussed....

  14. Modelling and comparison studies of packed screen regenerators for active magnetocaloric refrigeration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lei, Tian; Engelbrecht, Kurt; Nielsen, Kaspar Kirstein

    2014-01-01

    In active magnetic regeneration (AMR) systems, not only the magnetocaloric properties of materials, but also the regenerator geometry plays an important role in the system performance. Packed sphere regenerators are often employed in existing prototypes, however, the characteristics such as relat...... is improved and applied to simulate the regenerators. The performance of the new regenerators is studied and compared with that of the packed sphere regenerators. Possible fabrication methods of the packed screen regenerators are also discussed....

  15. Electrochemically grown metallic nanocomb structures on nanoporous alumina templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaya, Savas; Atar, Erdem

    2011-01-01

    Electrochemical growth of metallic nanocomb structures on anodized alumina templates is described. Nanocombs originate from the orderly growth and merger of very thin (d=15±5 nm) metallic nanowires which do not completely fill much larger pores (d∼100 nm) in the alumina template (t≤3 μm). Instead, the nanowires prefer growing along the inner corners of the hexagonal pores, coalescing into a highly ordered structure as they emerge, resulting a metallic form reminiscent of the topology of the original template. We disclose here the typical processing conditions and the microstructure of this previously unknown material as observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. It is shown that Au nanocombs have an anomalous EDX spectra and can emit electrons at a field of ∼1 kV/cm.

  16. Implementation Support of Security Design Patterns Using Test Templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masatoshi Yoshizawa

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Security patterns are intended to support software developers as the patterns encapsulate security expert knowledge. However, these patterns may be inappropriately applied because most developers are not security experts, leading to threats and vulnerabilities. Here we propose a support method for security design patterns in the implementation phase of software development. Our method creates a test template from a security design pattern, consisting of an “aspect test template” to observe the internal processing and a “test case template”. Providing design information creates a test from the test template with a tool. Because our test template is reusable, it can easily perform a test to validate a security design pattern. In an experiment involving four students majoring in information sciences, we confirm that our method can realize an effective test, verify pattern applications, and support pattern implementation.

  17. Template measurement for plutonium pit based on neural networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Changfan; Gong Jian; Liu Suping; Hu Guangchun; Xiang Yongchun

    2012-01-01

    Template measurement for plutonium pit extracts characteristic data from-ray spectrum and the neutron counts emitted by plutonium. The characteristic data of the suspicious object are compared with data of the declared plutonium pit to verify if they are of the same type. In this paper, neural networks are enhanced as the comparison algorithm for template measurement of plutonium pit. Two kinds of neural networks are created, i.e. the BP and LVQ neural networks. They are applied in different aspects for the template measurement and identification. BP neural network is used for classification for different types of plutonium pits, which is often used for management of nuclear materials. LVQ neural network is used for comparison of inspected objects to the declared one, which is usually applied in the field of nuclear disarmament and verification. (authors)

  18. Target templates: the precision of mental representations affects attentional guidance and decision-making in visual search.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hout, Michael C; Goldinger, Stephen D

    2015-01-01

    When people look for things in the environment, they use target templates-mental representations of the objects they are attempting to locate-to guide attention and to assess incoming visual input as potential targets. However, unlike laboratory participants, searchers in the real world rarely have perfect knowledge regarding the potential appearance of targets. In seven experiments, we examined how the precision of target templates affects the ability to conduct visual search. Specifically, we degraded template precision in two ways: 1) by contaminating searchers' templates with inaccurate features, and 2) by introducing extraneous features to the template that were unhelpful. We recorded eye movements to allow inferences regarding the relative extents to which attentional guidance and decision-making are hindered by template imprecision. Our findings support a dual-function theory of the target template and highlight the importance of examining template precision in visual search.

  19. Hollow colloidal particles by emulsion templating, from synthesis to self-assembly

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zoldesi, C.I.

    2006-01-01

    This research was focused on developing a new method to prepare hollow colloidal particles in the micrometer range, based on emulsion templating, characterization of both the templates and the resulting particles from physical and chemical viewpoint, and fabrication of materials based on such

  20. Self-Ordered Nanoporous Alumina Templates Formed by Anodization of Aluminum in Oxalic Acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vida-Simiti, Ioan; Nemes, Dorel; Jumate, Nicolaie; Thalmaier, Gyorgy; Sechel, Niculina

    2012-10-01

    Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with highly ordered nanopores serve as ideal templates for the formation of various nanostructured materials. The procedure of the template preparation is based on a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum. In the current study, AAO templates were fabricated in 0.3 M oxalic acid under the anodizing potential range of 30-60 V at an electrolyte temperature of ~5°C. The AAO templates were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential thermal analysis. The as obtained layers are amorphous; the mean pore size is between 40 nm and 75 nm and increases with the increase of the anodization potential. Well-defined pores across the whole aluminum template, a pore density of ~1010 pores/cm2, and a tendency to form a porous structure with hexagonal symmetry were observed.

  1. Surfactant-assisted sacrificial template-mediated synthesis

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ... spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopyand photoluminescence studies. Influence of surfactant and solvents on morphology and luminescence of the final product in sacrificial template-assisted method has been investigated in detail.

  2. Microwave regeneration of molecular sieves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, V.P.

    1984-05-01

    Molecular sieve driers have been included in the design of tritium handling systems for fusion reactors. In these systems there is a need to maintain extremely low exit dew points from the driers as well as a capability to rapidly reduce tritium concentrations following an accident. The required capacity of the driers is very high. The conventional method of regenerating these sieves after a water adsorption cycle is with hot air. However, because water is rapidly heated by microwave energy, this technology may be suitable for decreasing the bed regeneration time and hence may allow reduced capital and operating costs associated with a smaller bed. The present study was conducted to obtain preliminary information on the technical feasibility of regenerating molecular sieves with microwave energy. The study concentrated on Type 4A molecular sieve with a few tests on Type 13X sieve and also a silica gel adsorbent

  3. Notochord-derived hedgehog is essential for tail regeneration in Xenopus tadpole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taniguchi, Yuka; Watanabe, Kenji; Mochii, Makoto

    2014-06-18

    Appendage regeneration in amphibians is regulated by the combinatorial actions of signaling molecules. The requirement of molecules secreted from specific tissues is reflected by the observation that the whole process of regeneration can be inhibited if a certain tissue is removed from the amputated stump. Interestingly, urodeles and anurans show different tissue dependencies during tail regeneration. The spinal cord is essential for tail regeneration in urodele but not in anuran larva, whereas the notochord but not the spinal cord is essential for tail regeneration in anuran tadpoles. Sonic hedgehog is one of the signaling molecules responsible for such phenomenon in axolotl, as hedgehog signaling is essential for overall tail regeneration and sonic hedgehog is exclusively expressed in the spinal cord. In order to know whether hedgehog signaling is involved in the molecular mechanism underlying the inconsistent tissue dependency for tail regeneration between anurans and urodeles, we investigated expression of hedgehog signal-related genes in the regenerating tail of Xenopus tadpole and examined the effect of the hedgehog signal inhibitor, cyclopamine, on the tail regeneration. In Xenopus, sonic hedgehog is expressed exclusively in the notochord but not in the spinal cord of the regenerate. Overall regeneration was severely impaired in cyclopamine-treated tadpoles. Notochord maturation in the regenerate, including cell alignment and vacuolation, and myofiber formation were inhibited. Proliferation of spinal cord cells in the neural ampulla and of mesenchymal cells was also impaired. As in the axolotl, hedgehog signaling is required for multiple steps in tail regeneration in the Xenopus tadpole, although the location of the Shh source is quite different between the two species. This difference in Shh localization is the likely basis for the differing tissue requirement for tail regeneration between urodeles and anurans.

  4. Computer-aided modeling framework – a generic modeling template

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fedorova, Marina; Sin, Gürkan; Gani, Rafiqul

    and test models systematically, efficiently and reliably. In this way, development of products and processes can be made faster, cheaper and more efficient. In this contribution, as part of the framework, a generic modeling template for the systematic derivation of problem specific models is presented....... The application of the modeling template is highlighted with a case study related to the modeling of a catalytic membrane reactor coupling dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with hydrogenation of nitrobenzene...

  5. Analytical template protection performance and maximum key size given a Gaussian-modeled biometric source

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kelkboom, E.J.C.; Breebaart, Jeroen; Buhan, I.R.; Veldhuis, Raymond N.J.; Vijaya Kumar, B.V.K.; Prabhakar, Salil; Ross, Arun A.

    2010-01-01

    Template protection techniques are used within biometric systems in order to protect the stored biometric template against privacy and security threats. A great portion of template protection techniques are based on extracting a key from or binding a key to a biometric sample. The achieved

  6. Redox Control of Skeletal Muscle Regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Moal, Emmeran; Pialoux, Vincent; Juban, Gaëtan; Groussard, Carole; Zouhal, Hassane; Chazaud, Bénédicte; Mounier, Rémi

    2017-08-10

    Skeletal muscle shows high plasticity in response to external demand. Moreover, adult skeletal muscle is capable of complete regeneration after injury, due to the properties of muscle stem cells (MuSCs), the satellite cells, which follow a tightly regulated myogenic program to generate both new myofibers and new MuSCs for further needs. Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) have long been associated with skeletal muscle physiology, their implication in the cell and molecular processes at work during muscle regeneration is more recent. This review focuses on redox regulation during skeletal muscle regeneration. An overview of the basics of ROS/RNS and antioxidant chemistry and biology occurring in skeletal muscle is first provided. Then, the comprehensive knowledge on redox regulation of MuSCs and their surrounding cell partners (macrophages, endothelial cells) during skeletal muscle regeneration is presented in normal muscle and in specific physiological (exercise-induced muscle damage, aging) and pathological (muscular dystrophies) contexts. Recent advances in the comprehension of these processes has led to the development of therapeutic assays using antioxidant supplementation, which result in inconsistent efficiency, underlying the need for new tools that are aimed at precisely deciphering and targeting ROS networks. This review should provide an overall insight of the redox regulation of skeletal muscle regeneration while highlighting the limits of the use of nonspecific antioxidants to improve muscle function. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 276-310.

  7. Polymorphic regenerated silk fibers assembled through bioinspired spinning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, Shengjie; Qin, Zhao; Li, Chunmei; Huang, Wenwen; Kaplan, David L; Buehler, Markus J

    2017-11-09

    A variety of artificial spinning methods have been applied to produce regenerated silk fibers; however, how to spin regenerated silk fibers that retain the advantages of natural silks in terms of structural hierarchy and mechanical properties remains challenging. Here, we show a bioinspired approach to spin regenerated silk fibers. First, we develop a nematic silk microfibril solution, highly viscous and stable, by partially dissolving silk fibers into microfibrils. This solution maintains the hierarchical structures in natural silks and serves as spinning dope. It is then spun into regenerated silk fibers by direct extrusion in the air, offering a useful route to generate polymorphic and hierarchical regenerated silk fibers with physical properties beyond natural fiber construction. The materials maintain the structural hierarchy and mechanical properties of natural silks, including a modulus of 11 ± 4 GPa, even higher than natural spider silk. It can further be functionalized with a conductive silk/carbon nanotube coating, responsive to changes in humidity and temperature.

  8. Recloning of regenerated plantlets from elite oil palm ( Elaeis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Plant regeneration in oil palm cv. Tenera via somatic embryogenesis was conducted using regenerated plantlets as an explant source. Explants from different positions – apex, middle and basal segments of regenerated plantlets – were cultured in N6 medium supplemented with 100, 120 and 140 mg/L 2 ...

  9. The effect of tapering on a magnetocaloric regenerator bed

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dallolio, Stefano; Lei, Tian; Engelbrecht, Kurt

    2017-01-01

    . Therefore, this paper investigates the effect of the tapering of the regenerators, which exhibit better air-gap utilization. Several simulations using a 1D AMR model were run to study the performance of the tapered regenerator, and the results were compared to the case of the straight regenerator bed...

  10. New organically templated photoluminescence iodocuprates(I)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou Qin; Zhao Jinjing; Zhao Tianqi; Jin Juan; Yu Jiehui; Xu Jiqing

    2011-01-01

    Two types of organic cyclic aliphatic diamine molecules piperazine (pip) and 1,3-bis(4-piperidyl)propane (bpp) were used, respectively, to react with an inorganic mixture of CuI and KI in the acidic CH 3 OH solutions under the solvothermal conditions, generating finally three new organically templated iodocuprates as 2-D layered [(Hpip)Cu 3 I 4 ] 1, 1-D chained [tmpip][Cu 2 I 4 ] 2 (tmpip=N,N,N',N'-tetramethylpiperazinium) and dinuclear [H 2 bpp] 2 [Cu 2 I 5 ] I.2H 2 O 3. Note that the templating agent tmpip 2+ in compound 2 originated from the in situ N-alkylation reaction between the pip molecule and the methanol solvent. The photoluminescence analysis indicates that the title compounds emit the different lights: yellow for 1, blue for 2 and yellow-green for 3, respectively. - Graphical abstract: The solvothermal self-assemblies of CuI, KI and pip/bpp in acidic CH 3 OH solutions created three iodocuprates 2-D layered [(Hpip)Cu 3 I 4 ] 1, 1-D chained [tmpip][Cu 2 I 4 ] 2 and dinuclear [H 2 bpp] 2 [Cu 2 I 5 ] I.2H 2 O 3. Highlights: → A new layered iodocuprate(I) with 20-membered rings was hydrothermally prepared. → A simple approach to prepare the new organic templating agent was reported. → Photoluminescence analysis indicates the emission for iodocuprate(I) is associated with the Cu...Cu interactions.

  11. 3-Dimensional printing guide template assisted percutaneous vertebroplasty: Technical note.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jian; Lin, JiSheng; Yang, Yong; Xu, JunChuan; Fei, Qi

    2018-06-01

    Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is currently considered as an effective treatment for pain caused by acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. Recently, puncture-related complications are increasingly reported. It's important to find a precise technique to reduce the puncture-related complications. We report a case and discussed the novel surgical technique with step-by-step operating procedures, to introduce the precise PVP assisted by a 3-dimensional printing guide template. Based on the preoperative CT scan and infrared scan data, a well-designed individual guide template could be established in a 3-dimensional reconstruction software and printed out by a 3-dimensional printer. In real operation, by matching the guide template to patient's back skin, cement needles' insertion orientation and depth were easily established. Only 14 times C-arm fluoroscopy with HDF mode (total exposure dose was 4.5 mSv) were required during the procedure. The operation took only 17 min. Cement distribution in the vertebral body was very good without any puncture-related complications. Pain was significantly relieved after surgery. In conclusion, the novel precise 3-dimensional printing guide template system may allow (1) comprehensive visualization of the fractured vertebral body and the individual surgical planning, (2) the perfect fitting between skin and guide template to ensure the puncture stability and accuracy, and (3) increased puncture precision and decreased puncture-related complications, surgical time and radiation exposure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. On the construction of a new stellar classification template library for the LAMOST spectral analysis pipeline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, Peng; Luo, Ali; Li, Yinbi; Tu, Liangping; Wang, Fengfei; Zhang, Jiannan; Chen, Xiaoyan; Hou, Wen; Kong, Xiao; Wu, Yue; Zuo, Fang; Yi, Zhenping; Zhao, Yongheng; Chen, Jianjun; Du, Bing; Guo, Yanxin; Ren, Juanjuan [Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Pan, Jingchang; Jiang, Bin; Liu, Jie, E-mail: lal@nao.cas.cn, E-mail: weipeng@nao.cas.cn [School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Information Engineering, Shandong University, Weihai 264209 (China); and others

    2014-05-01

    The LAMOST spectral analysis pipeline, called the 1D pipeline, aims to classify and measure the spectra observed in the LAMOST survey. Through this pipeline, the observed stellar spectra are classified into different subclasses by matching with template spectra. Consequently, the performance of the stellar classification greatly depends on the quality of the template spectra. In this paper, we construct a new LAMOST stellar spectral classification template library, which is supposed to improve the precision and credibility of the present LAMOST stellar classification. About one million spectra are selected from LAMOST Data Release One to construct the new stellar templates, and they are gathered in 233 groups by two criteria: (1) pseudo g – r colors obtained by convolving the LAMOST spectra with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey ugriz filter response curve, and (2) the stellar subclass given by the LAMOST pipeline. In each group, the template spectra are constructed using three steps. (1) Outliers are excluded using the Local Outlier Probabilities algorithm, and then the principal component analysis method is applied to the remaining spectra of each group. About 5% of the one million spectra are ruled out as outliers. (2) All remaining spectra are reconstructed using the first principal components of each group. (3) The weighted average spectrum is used as the template spectrum in each group. Using the previous 3 steps, we initially obtain 216 stellar template spectra. We visually inspect all template spectra, and 29 spectra are abandoned due to low spectral quality. Furthermore, the MK classification for the remaining 187 template spectra is manually determined by comparing with 3 template libraries. Meanwhile, 10 template spectra whose subclass is difficult to determine are abandoned. Finally, we obtain a new template library containing 183 LAMOST template spectra with 61 different MK classes by combining it with the current library.

  13. Fabrication of smooth patterned structures of refractory metals, semiconductors, and oxides via template stripping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jong Hyuk; Nagpal, Prashant; McPeak, Kevin M; Lindquist, Nathan C; Oh, Sang-Hyun; Norris, David J

    2013-10-09

    The template-stripping method can yield smooth patterned films without surface contamination. However, the process is typically limited to coinage metals such as silver and gold because other materials cannot be readily stripped from silicon templates due to strong adhesion. Herein, we report a more general template-stripping method that is applicable to a larger variety of materials, including refractory metals, semiconductors, and oxides. To address the adhesion issue, we introduce a thin gold layer between the template and the deposited materials. After peeling off the combined film from the template, the gold layer can be selectively removed via wet etching to reveal a smooth patterned structure of the desired material. Further, we demonstrate template-stripped multilayer structures that have potential applications for photovoltaics and solar absorbers. An entire patterned device, which can include a transparent conductor, semiconductor absorber, and back contact, can be fabricated. Since our approach can also produce many copies of the patterned structure with high fidelity by reusing the template, a low-cost and high-throughput process in micro- and nanofabrication is provided that is useful for electronics, plasmonics, and nanophotonics.

  14. My Regeneration:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carter, Dale

    2017-01-01

    and cultural referents shows that it offers an index to the album. Using its frontier setting and a variety of sacred and secular myths, symbols and icons, ‘Heroes and Villains,’ like Smile as a whole, offers historically-informed visions of national decline, crisis and regeneration that are at once critical...

  15. The role of neurotrophic factors in nerve regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Tessa

    2009-02-01

    This review considers the 2 sources of neurotrophic factors in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the neurons and the nonneuronal cells in the denervated distal nerve stumps, and their role in axon regeneration. Morphological assessment of regenerative success in response to administration of exogenous growth factors after nerve injury and repair has indicated a role of the endogenous neurotrophic factors from Schwann cells in the distal nerve stump. However, the increased number of axons may reflect more neurons regenerating their axons and/or increased numbers of axon sprouts from the same number of neurons. Using fluorescent dyes to count neurons that regenerated their axons across a suture site and into distal nerve stumps, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were found not to increase the number of neurons that regenerated their axons after immediate nerve repair. Nevertheless, the factors did reverse the deleterious effect of delayed nerve repair, indicating that the axons that regenerate into the distal nerve stump normally have access to sufficient levels of endogenous neurotrophic factors to sustain their regeneration, while neurons that do not have access to these factors require exogenous factors to sustain axon regeneration. Neurons upregulate neurotrophic factors after axotomy. The upregulation is normally slow, beginning after 7 days and occurring in association with a protracted period of axonal regeneration in which axons grow out from the proximal nerve stump across a suture site over a period of 1 month in rodents. This staggered axon regeneration across the suture site is accelerated by a 1-hour period of low-frequency electrical stimulation that simultaneously accelerates the expression of BDNF and its trkB receptor in the neurons. Elevation of the level of BDNF after 2 days to > 3 times that found in unstimulated neurons was accompanied by elevation of the level of cAMP and followed by

  16. A Novel Approach Based on PCNNs Template for Fingerprint Image Thinning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dacheng, X.; Bailiang, L.; Nijholt, Antinus; Kacprzyk, J.

    2009-01-01

    A PCNNs-based square-and-triangle-template method for binary fingerprint image thinning is proposed. The algorithm is iterative, in which a combined sequential and parallel processing is employed to accelerate execution. When a neuron satisfies the square template, the pixel corresponding to this

  17. About tendon tissue regeneration in experimental radiation disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Popov, D; Trichkova, P

    1976-01-01

    Under the conditions of experimental acute radiation disease the authors study the tendon tissue regeneration after suture of the lateral part of the gastrocnemius muscle tendon. Tendon auto and alloplasty were applied. In four postoperative periods the histological features are described in details as well as the characteristic phenomena observed during the regeneration influenced to a considerable degree by the irradiation. Round cell infiltration, large necrotic zones, erythrocyte infiltrations as well as predominance of non-specific tendon regeneration long after the surgery characterize the recovery period of the traumatically damaged tendon, nevertheless that at the end there is real tendon regeneration even though in a longer period in comparison with the controls (non-irradiated animals).

  18. [Age factor in eye regeneration of the gastropod mollusk Achatina fulica].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tartakovskaia, O S; Borisenko, S L; Zhukov, V V

    2003-01-01

    The dependence of the ability to regenerate the eye on the age of experimental animals was studied in the snail Achatina fulica. The degree of regeneration was estimated by light-microscopic and electrophysiological methods and by analyzing the motor response to visual stimuli. In older age groups, the number of regenerated eye-bearing tentacles decreased, whereas the period of regeneration increased. The regenerated eyes of the snails operated at the age of more than two months remained smaller than normal eyes even after six months. Regeneration of the distal part of the optic nerve was observed, and the regenerated eyes recovered the ability to respond to stimulation by light. In the electroretinogram, the responses of the regenerated eye, compared to the control, were characterised by a lower amplitude and longer repolarization and refractory periods. Manifestations of the motor response to visual stimuli in the young snails with regenerating eyes could be regarded as evidence for the recovery of connection between the organ of sight and the central ganglia.

  19. Template based rodent brain extraction and atlas mapping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weimin Huang; Jiaqi Zhang; Zhiping Lin; Su Huang; Yuping Duan; Zhongkang Lu

    2016-08-01

    Accurate rodent brain extraction is the basic step for many translational studies using MR imaging. This paper presents a template based approach with multi-expert refinement to automatic rodent brain extraction. We first build the brain appearance model based on the learning exemplars. Together with the template matching, we encode the rodent brain position into the search space to reliably locate the rodent brain and estimate the rough segmentation. With the initial mask, a level-set segmentation and a mask-based template learning are implemented further to the brain region. The multi-expert fusion is used to generate a new mask. We finally combine the region growing based on the histogram distribution learning to delineate the final brain mask. A high-resolution rodent atlas is used to illustrate that the segmented low resolution anatomic image can be well mapped to the atlas. Tested on a public data set, all brains are located reliably and we achieve the mean Jaccard similarity score at 94.99% for brain segmentation, which is a statistically significant improvement compared to two other rodent brain extraction methods.

  20. Impact of recipient-related factors on structural dysfunction of xenoaortic bioprosthetic heart valves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbarash O

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Olga Barbarash, Natalya Rutkovskaya, Oksana Hryachkova, Olga Gruzdeva, Evgenya Uchasova, Anastasia Ponasenko, Natalya Kondyukova, Yuri Odarenko, Leonid Barbarash Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Research Institute for Complex Issues of Cardiovascular Diseases, Kemerovo, Russia Objective: To analyze the influence of recipient-related metabolic factors on the rate of structural dysfunction caused by the calcification of xenoaortic bioprostheses. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical status, calcium–phosphorus metabolism, and nonspecific markers of inflammatory response in bioprosthetic mitral valve recipients with calcific degeneration confirmed by histological and electron microscopic studies (group 1, n=22, and in those without degeneration (group 2, n=48. Results: Patients with confirmed calcification of bioprostheses were more likely to have a severe clinical state (functional class IV in 36% in group 1 versus 15% in group 2, P=0.03 and a longer cardiopulmonary bypass period (112.8±18.8 minutes in group 1 versus 97.2±23.6 minutes in group 2, P=0.02 during primary surgery. Patients in group 1 demonstrated moderate hypovitaminosis D (median 34.0, interquartile range [21.0; 49.4] vs 40 [27.2; 54.0] pmol/L, P>0.05, osteoprotegerin deficiency (82.5 [44.2; 115.4] vs 113.5 [65.7; 191.3] pg/mL, P>0.05 and osteopontin deficiency (4.5 [3.3; 7.7] vs 5.2 [4.1; 7.2] ng/mL, P>0.05, and significantly reduced bone-specific alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme (17.1 [12.2; 21.4] vs 22.3 [15.5; 30.5] U/L, P=0.01 and interleukin-8 levels (9.74 [9.19; 10.09] pg/mL vs 13.17 [9.72; 23.1] pg/mL, P=0.045 compared with group 2, with an overall increase in serum levels of proinflammatory markers. Conclusion: Possible predictors of the rate of calcific degeneration of bioprostheses include the degree of decompensated heart failure, the duration and invasiveness of surgery, and the characteristics of calcium–phosphorus homeostasis in

  1. Content analysis of physical examination templates in electronic health records using SNOMED CT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gøeg, Kirstine Rosenbeck; Chen, Rong; Højen, Anne Randorff; Elberg, Pia

    2014-10-01

    Most electronic health record (EHR) systems are built on proprietary information models and terminology, which makes achieving semantic interoperability a challenge. Solving interoperability problems requires well-defined standards. In contrast, the need to support clinical work practice requires a local customization of EHR systems. Consequently, contrasting goals may be evident in EHR template design because customization means that local EHR organizations can define their own templates, whereas standardization implies consensus at some level. To explore the complexity of balancing these two goals, this study analyzes the differences and similarities between templates in use today. A similarity analysis was developed on the basis of SNOMED CT. The analysis was performed on four physical examination templates from Denmark and Sweden. The semantic relationships in SNOMED CT were used to quantify similarities and differences. Moreover, the analysis used these identified similarities to investigate the common content of a physical examination template. The analysis showed that there were both similarities and differences in physical examination templates, and the size of the templates varied from 18 to 49 fields. In the SNOMED CT analysis, exact matches and terminology similarities were represented in all template pairs. The number of exact matches ranged from 7 to 24. Moreover, the number of unrelated fields differed a lot from 1/18 to 22/35. Cross-country comparisons tended to have more unrelated content than within-country comparisons. On the basis of identified similarities, it was possible to define the common content of a physical examination. Nevertheless, a complete view on the physical examination required the inclusion of both exact matches and terminology similarities. This study revealed that a core set of items representing the physical examination templates can be generated when the analysis takes into account not only exact matches but also terminology

  2. Development of a Novel Degradation-Controlled Magnesium-Based Regeneration Membrane for Future Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Da-Jun Lin

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to develop and evaluate the ECO-friendly Mg-5Zn-0.5Zr (ECO505 alloy for application in dental-guided bone regeneration (GBR. The microstructure and surface properties of biomedical Mg materials greatly influence anti-corrosion performance and biocompatibility. Accordingly, for the purpose of microstructure and surface modification, heat treatments and surface coatings were chosen to provide varied functional characteristics. We developed and integrated both an optimized solution heat-treatment condition and surface fluoride coating technique to fabricate a Mg-based regeneration membrane. The heat-treated Mg regeneration membrane (ARRm-H380 and duplex-treated regeneration membrane group (ARRm-H380-F24 h were thoroughly investigated to characterize the mechanical properties, as well as the in vitro corrosion and in vivo degradation behaviors. Significant enhancement in ductility and corrosion resistance for the ARRm-H380 was obtained through the optimized solid-solution heat treatment; meanwhile, the corrosion resistance of ARRm-H380-F24 h showed further improvement, resulting in superior substrate integrity. In addition, the ARRm-H380 provided the proper amount of Mg-ion concentration to accelerate bone growth in the early stage (more than 80% new bone formation. From a specific biomedical application point of view, these research results point out a successful manufacturing route and suggest that the heat treatment and duplex treatment could be employed to offer custom functional regeneration membranes for different clinical patients.

  3. Sensory hair cell death and regeneration in fishes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jerry D. Monroe

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Sensory hair cells are specialized mechanotransductive receptors required for hearing and vestibular function. Loss of hair cells in humans and other mammals is permanent and causes reduced hearing and balance. In the early 1980’s, it was shown that hair cells continue to be added to the inner ear sensory epithelia in cartilaginous and bony fishes. Soon thereafter, hair cell regeneration was documented in the chick cochlea following acoustic trauma. Since then, research using chick and other avian models has led to great insights into hair cell death and regeneration. However, with the rise of the zebrafish as a model organism for studying disease and developmental processes, there has been an increased interest in studying sensory hair cell death and regeneration in its lateral line and inner ears. Advances derived from studies in zebrafish and other fish species include understanding the effect of ototoxins on hair cells and finding otoprotectants to mitigate ototoxin damage, the role of cellular proliferation versus direct transdifferentiation during hair cell regeneration, and elucidating cellular pathways involved in the regeneration process. This review will summarize research on hair cell death and regeneration using fish models, indicate the potential strengths and weaknesses of these models, and discuss several emerging areas of future studies.

  4. Demagnetizing fields in active magnetic regenerators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Kaspar Kirstein; Bahl, Christian R.H.; Smith, Anders

    2014-01-01

    A magnetic material in an externally applied magnetic field will in general experience a spatially varying internal magnetic field due to demagnetizing effects. When the performance of active magnetic regenerators (AMRs) is evaluated using numerical models the internal field is often assumed...... is in general both a function of the overall shape of the regenerator and its morphology (packed particles, parallel plates etc.) as well as the magnetization of the material. Due to the pronounced temperature dependence of the magnetization near the Curie temperature, the demagnetization field is also...... temperature dependent. We propose a relatively straightforward method to correct sufficiently for the demagnetizing field in AMR models. We discuss how the demagnetizing field behaves in regenerators made of packed spheres under realistic operation conditions....

  5. Performance investigation on the ultrasonic atomization liquid desiccant regeneration system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Zili; Zhang, Kaisheng; Hwang, Yunho; Lian, Zhiwei

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • We applied ultrasonic atomization technology to boost liquid desiccant regeneration. • We established a novel UARS and made a thorough study on its performance. • We developed a performance prediction model for UARS and validated its accuracy. • The necessary regeneration temperature dropped significantly (4.4 °C) in UARS. • Energy consumption for regenerating desiccant was reduced greatly (60.4%) in UARS. - Abstract: Liquid desiccant dehumidification systems have accumulated considerable research interest in recent years for their great energy saving potential in buildings. Within the system, the regenerator recovering liquid desiccant plays a major role in its performance. When the ultrasonic atomization technology is applied to atomize the desiccant solution into numerous tiny droplets with diameters around 50 μm, the regeneration process could be greatly enhanced. To validate this approach, a novel ultrasonic atomization liquid desiccant regeneration system (UARS) was studied in this work. An Ideal Regeneration Model (IRM) was developed to predict the regeneration performance of the UARS. Additionally, thorough experiments were carried out to validate the model under different operating conditions of the desiccant solution and air stream. The model predicted values and the experimental results coincided, with the average deviation less than 7.9%. The performance of UARS was compared with other regeneration systems from the open literature, while a case study was conducted for the power consumption and energy saving potential of UARS. It was found that the ultrasonic atomization technology enabled utilization of lower-grade energy for desiccant regeneration with the regeneration temperature lowered as much as 4.4 °C. In addition, a considerable energy saving potential of up to 23.4% could be achieved by the UARS for regenerating per unit mass flow of desiccant solution, while the power consumption of the ultrasonic atomization system

  6. Template-based automatic breast segmentation on MRI by excluding the chest region

    OpenAIRE

    Lin, M; Chen, JH; Wang, X; Chan, S; Chen, S; Su, MY

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Methods for quantification of breast density on MRI using semiautomatic approaches are commonly used. In this study, the authors report on a fully automatic chest template-based method. Methods: Nonfat-suppressed breast MR images from 31 healthy women were analyzed. Among them, one case was randomly selected and used as th e template, and the remaining 30 cases were used for testing. Unlike most model-based breast segmentation methods that use the breast region as the template, the c...

  7. The head-regeneration transcriptome of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Planarian flatworms can regenerate their head, including a functional brain, within less than a week. Despite the enormous potential of these animals for medical research and regenerative medicine, the mechanisms of regeneration and the molecules involved remain largely unknown. Results To identify genes that are differentially expressed during early stages of planarian head regeneration, we generated a de novo transcriptome assembly from more than 300 million paired-end reads from planarian fragments regenerating the head at 16 different time points. The assembly yielded 26,018 putative transcripts, including very long transcripts spanning multiple genomic supercontigs, and thousands of isoforms. Using short-read data from two platforms, we analyzed dynamic gene regulation during the first three days of head regeneration. We identified at least five different temporal synexpression classes, including genes specifically induced within a few hours after injury. Furthermore, we characterized the role of a conserved Runx transcription factor, smed-runt-like1. RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown and immunofluorescence analysis of the regenerating visual system indicated that smed-runt-like1 encodes a transcriptional regulator of eye morphology and photoreceptor patterning. Conclusions Transcriptome sequencing of short reads allowed for the simultaneous de novo assembly and differential expression analysis of transcripts, demonstrating highly dynamic regulation during head regeneration in planarians. PMID:21846378

  8. The Utility of Template Analysis in Qualitative Psychology Research

    OpenAIRE

    Brooks, Joanna; McCluskey, Serena; Turley, Emma L.; King, Nigel

    2015-01-01

    Thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative psychology research, and in this article, we present a particular style of thematic analysis known as Template Analysis. We outline the technique and consider its epistemological position, then describe three case studies of research projects which employed Template Analysis to illustrate the diverse ways it can be used. Our first case study illustrates how the technique was employed in data analysis undertaken by a team of researchers in a larg...

  9. Conducting polymer nanostructures: template synthesis and applications in energy storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Lijia; Qiu, Hao; Dou, Chunmeng; Li, Yun; Pu, Lin; Xu, Jianbin; Shi, Yi

    2010-07-02

    Conducting polymer nanostructures have received increasing attention in both fundamental research and various application fields in recent decades. Compared with bulk conducting polymers, conducting polymer nanostructures are expected to display improved performance in energy storage because of the unique properties arising from their nanoscaled size: high electrical conductivity, large surface area, short path lengths for the transport of ions, and high electrochemical activity. Template methods are emerging for a sort of facile, efficient, and highly controllable synthesis of conducting polymer nanostructures. This paper reviews template synthesis routes for conducting polymer nanostructures, including soft and hard template methods, as well as its mechanisms. The application of conducting polymer mesostructures in energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries, are discussed.

  10. Conducting Polymer Nanostructures: Template Synthesis and Applications in Energy Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lijia Pan

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Conducting polymer nanostructures have received increasing attention in both fundamental research and various application fields in recent decades. Compared with bulk conducting polymers, conducting polymer nanostructures are expected to display improved performance in energy storage because of the unique properties arising from their nanoscaled size: high electrical conductivity, large surface area, short path lengths for the transport of ions, and high electrochemical activity. Template methods are emerging for a sort of facile, efficient, and highly controllable synthesis of conducting polymer nanostructures. This paper reviews template synthesis routes for conducting polymer nanostructures, including soft and hard template methods, as well as its mechanisms. The application of conducting polymer mesostructures in energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries, are discussed.

  11. Template Assembly for Detailed Urban Reconstruction

    KAUST Repository

    Nan, Liangliang; Wonka, Peter; Ghanem, Bernard; Jiang, Caigui

    2015-01-01

    Structure from Motion and Multi View Stereo, and we model a set of 3D templates of facade details. Next, we optimize the initial coarse model to enforce consistency between geometry and appearance (texture images). Then, building details are reconstructed

  12. Customization of electronic medical record templates to improve end-user satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Carrie Lee; Pearce, Patricia F

    2013-03-01

    Since 2004, increasing importance has been placed on the adoption of electronic medical records by healthcare providers for documentation of patient care. Recent federal regulations have shifted the focus from adoption alone to meaningful use of an electronic medical record system. As proposed by the Technology Acceptance Model, the behavioral intention to use technology is determined by the person's attitude toward usage. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to devise and implement customized templates into an existent electronic medical record system in a single clinic and measure the satisfaction of the clinic providers with the system before and after implementation. Provider satisfaction with the electronic medical record system was evaluated prior to and following template implementation using the current version 7.0 of the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction tool. Provider comments and improvement in the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction levels of rankings following template implementation indicated a positive perspective by the providers in regard to the templates and customization of the system.

  13. Multilayer Ceramic Regenerator Materials for 4 K Cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numazawa, T.; Kamiya, K.; Satoh, T.; Nozawa, H.; Yanagitani, T.

    2006-01-01

    The ceramics oxide magnetic materials have shown excellent properties for use as regenerator materials used in 4 K crycoolers. Currently four kinds of oxide magnetic materials GdVO4, GAP=GdAlO3, GOS=Gd2O2S and Tb2O2S are available for applications for regenerators or thermal anchors from 2 K to 8 K. This paper focused on controlling the heat capacity of the (GdxTb1-x)2O2S system to cover the refrigeration temperatures between 6 K and 8 K. A concept of multilayer regenerator material consisting of multicomponent magnetic materials has been proposed and investigated. Two-layer ceramic material including two kinds of magnetic materials (Gd0.1Tb0.9)2O2S+Tb2O2S was successfully fabricated in the form of regenerator particles with an average diameter of 0.25 mm. Measured heat capacity data showed that it had twin peaks relating to those of (Gd0.1Tb0.9)2O2S and Tb2O2S, and the entire curve became broader and wider. The mechanical properties of strength and hardness of the two-layer ceramic material were the same as other ceramic regenerator materials like GOS. Thus, it is concluded that the multilayer ceramic material is very useful to control the heat capacity of the regenerator particles. The cooling tests using the two-layer ceramic material with HoCu2 and GOS have been done to investigate the 2nd stage regenerator configuration

  14. Plant regeneration in wheat mature embryo culture

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Kamil Haliloğlu

    2011-11-09

    Nov 9, 2011 ... Success in genetic engineering of cereals depends on the callus formation and efficient plant regeneration system. Callus formation and plant regeneration of wheat mature embryos ... compiled by modification of methods previously mentioned in ..... of more and readily available nutrition than artificial cul-.

  15. Heat exchanger versus regenerator: A fundamental comparison

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Will, M.E.; Waele, de A.T.A.M.

    2005-01-01

    Irreversible processes in regenerators and heat exchangers limit the performance of cryocoolers. In this paper we compare the performance of cryocoolers, operating with regenerators and heat exchangers from a fundamental point of view. The losses in the two systems are calculated from the entropy

  16. Hierarchical porous TiO{sub 2} thin films by soft and dual templating

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Henrist, Catherine, E-mail: catherine.henrist@ulg.ac.be [University of Liege, Department of Chemistry, GREENMAT-LCIS, B6 Sart Tilman, Liege 4000 (Belgium); University of Liege, Center for Applied Technology in Microscopy (CATmu), B6 Sart Tilman, Liege 4000 (Belgium); Dewalque, Jennifer [University of Liege, Department of Chemistry, GREENMAT-LCIS, B6 Sart Tilman, Liege 4000 (Belgium); Cloots, Rudi [University of Liege, Department of Chemistry, GREENMAT-LCIS, B6 Sart Tilman, Liege 4000 (Belgium); University of Liege, Center for Applied Technology in Microscopy (CATmu), B6 Sart Tilman, Liege 4000 (Belgium); Vertruyen, Bénédicte; Jonlet, Jonathan; Colson, Pierre [University of Liege, Department of Chemistry, GREENMAT-LCIS, B6 Sart Tilman, Liege 4000 (Belgium)

    2013-07-31

    Hierarchical porous structures, with different pore sizes, including pores larger than 10 nm, constitute an important field of research for many applications such as selective molecule detection, catalysis, dye-sensitized solar cells, nanobiotechnology and nanomedecine. However, increasing the pore size logically results in the decrease of specific surface. There is a need to quantify and predict the resulting porosity and specific surface. We have prepared hierarchical porous TiO{sub 2} thin films either by surfactant templating (soft) or dual surfactant/nanospheres templating (soft/hard). They all show narrow, bimodal distribution of pores. Soft templating route uses a modified sol–gel procedure by adding a swelling agent (polypropylene glycol) to a precursor solution containing Ti alkoxide and block-copolymer surfactant. This scheme leads to very thin films showing high specific surface and bimodal porosity with diameters of 10 nm and 54 nm. Dual templating route combines a precursor solution made of Ti alkoxide and block-copolymer surfactant with polystyrene (PS) nanospheres (diam. 250 nm) in a one-pot simple process. This gives thicker films with a bimodal distribution of pores (8 nm and 165-200 nm). The introduction of PS nanospheres in the surfactant–Ti system does not interfere with the soft templating process and results in a macroporosity with a pore diameter 20–30% smaller than the original beads diameter. The dye loading of hierarchical films is compared to pure surfactant-templated TiO{sub 2} films and shows a relative decrease of 29% for soft templating and 43% for dual templating. The microstructure of bimodal porous films is characterized by several techniques such as transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, profilometry and ellipsometry. Finally, a geometrical model is proposed and validated for each system, based on the agreement between calculated specific surfaces and experimental dye loading with N719 dye

  17. Aberrant regeneration of the third cranial nerve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, U D; Adhikari, S

    2012-01-01

    Aberrant regeneration of the third cranial nerve is most commonly due to its damage by trauma. A ten-month old child presented with the history of a fall from a four-storey building. She developed traumatic third nerve palsy and eventually the clinical features of aberrant regeneration of the third cranial nerve. The adduction of the eye improved over time. She was advised for patching for the strabismic amblyopia as well. Traumatic third nerve palsy may result in aberrant regeneration of the third cranial nerve. In younger patients, motility of the eye in different gazes may improve over time. © NEPjOPH.

  18. Public private co-operation in urban regeneration investment planning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jesper Ole; Larsen, Jacob Norvig

    development. However, we believe that municipalities can become much better at attracting private investors and developers, partly because there is knowledge about the motives and backgrounds for the developers' engagement in the urban regeneration. Based on data from a number of case studies and interviews......Increasing renovation costs and ever more limited public funding for urban regeneration in combination with a political desire to stimulate the development of a sense of ownership in urban regeneration neighbourhoods has brought about a growing interest in attracting private sector funding...... with developers we argue that developers own networks are more likely to lead them to the urban regeneration areas, than knowledge of the urban regeneration itself. Also, the study reveals a mutual knowledge-gap between the municipal planners and developers; planners have limited knowledge of developers...

  19. Manufacturing ontology through templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diciuc Vlad

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The manufacturing industry contains a high volume of knowhow and of high value, much of it being held by key persons in the company. The passing of this know-how is the basis of manufacturing ontology. Among other methods like advanced filtering and algorithm based decision making, one way of handling the manufacturing ontology is via templates. The current paper tackles this approach and highlights the advantages concluding with some recommendations.

  20. A SCHEME FOR TEMPLATE SECURITY AT FEATURE FUSION LEVEL IN MULTIMODAL BIOMETRIC SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arvind Selwal

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Biometric is the science of human recognition based upon using their biological, chemical or behavioural traits. These systems are used in many real life applications simply from biometric based attendance system to providing security at very sophisticated level. A biometric system deals with raw data captured using a sensor and feature template extracted from raw image. One of the challenges being faced by designers of these systems is to secure template data extracted from the biometric modalities of the user and protect the raw images. To minimize spoof attacks on biometric systems by unauthorised users one of the solutions is to use multi-biometric systems. Multi-modal biometric system works by using fusion technique to merge feature templates generated from different modalities of the human. In this work a new scheme is proposed to secure template during feature fusion level. Scheme is based on union operation of fuzzy relations of templates of modalities during fusion process of multimodal biometric systems. This approach serves dual purpose of feature fusion as well as transformation of templates into a single secured non invertible template. The proposed technique is cancelable and experimentally tested on a bimodal biometric system comprising of fingerprint and hand geometry. Developed scheme removes the problem of an attacker learning the original minutia position in fingerprint and various measurements of hand geometry. Given scheme provides improved performance of the system with reduction in false accept rate and improvement in genuine accept rate.

  1. Self-organized template formation for quantum dot ordering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noetzel, Richard; Mano, Takaaki; Wolter, Joachim H.

    2004-01-01

    Ordered arrays of quantum dots (QDs) are created by self-organized anisotropic strain engineering of (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum wire (QWR) superlattice (SL) templates on exactly oriented GaAs (100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The well-defined one-dimensional arrays of (In,Ga)As QDs formed on top of these templates due to local strain recognition are of excellent structural and optical quality up to room temperature. The QD arrays thus allow for fundamental studies and device operation principles based on single- and multiple carrier- and photon-, and coherent quantum interference effects

  2. Macrophages are required to coordinate mouse digit tip regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simkin, Jennifer; Sammarco, Mimi C; Marrero, Luis; Dawson, Lindsay A; Yan, Mingquan; Tucker, Catherine; Cammack, Alex; Muneoka, Ken

    2017-11-01

    In mammals, macrophages are known to play a major role in tissue regeneration. They contribute to inflammation, histolysis, re-epithelialization, revascularization and cell proliferation. Macrophages have been shown to be essential for regeneration in salamanders and fish, but their role has not been elucidated in mammalian epimorphic regeneration. Here, using the regenerating mouse digit tip as a mammalian model, we demonstrate that macrophages are essential for the regeneration process. Using cell-depletion strategies, we show that regeneration is completely inhibited; bone histolysis does not occur, wound re-epithelialization is inhibited and the blastema does not form. Although rescue of epidermal wound closure in the absence of macrophages promotes blastema accumulation, it does not rescue cell differentiation, indicating that macrophages play a key role in the redifferentiation of the blastema. We provide additional evidence that although bone degradation is a component, it is not essential to the overall regenerative process. These findings show that macrophages play an essential role in coordinating the epimorphic regenerative response in mammals. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  3. Adaptation of regenerants of Vaccinium corymbosum L. and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The benchmark analysis of the structured-functional particularities of regeneration ... the structured-functional organization regeneration (a mobile system) can be ... Key words: Aseptic culture, greenhouse, open ground, anatomical structure, ...

  4. Templated Chemistry for Sequence-Specific Fluorogenic Detection of Duplex DNA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hao; Franzini, Raphael M.; Bruner, Christopher; Kool, Eric T.

    2015-01-01

    We describe the development of templated fluorogenic chemistry for detection of specific sequences of duplex DNA in solution. In this approach, two modified homopyrimidine oligodeoxynucleotide probes are designed to bind by triple helix formation at adjacent positions on a specific purine-rich target sequence of duplex DNA. One fluorescein-labeled probe contains an α-azidoether linker to a fluorescence quencher; the second (trigger) probe carries a triarylphosphine, designed to reduce the azide and cleave the linker. The data showed that at pH 5.6 these probes yielded a strong fluorescence signal within minutes on addition to a complementary homopurine duplex DNA target. The signal increased by a factor of ca. 60, and was completely dependent on the presence of the target DNA. Replacement of cytosine in the probes with pseudoisocytosine allowed the templated chemistry to proceed readily at pH 7. Single nucleotide mismatches in the target oligonucleotide slowed the templated reaction considerably, demonstrating high sequence selectivity. The use of templated fluorogenic chemistry for detection of duplex DNAs has not been previously reported and may allow detection of double stranded DNA, at least for homopurine-homopyrimidine target sites, under native, non-disturbing conditions. PMID:20859985

  5. Synthesis of CdS nanoparticles based on DNA network templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao Yong; Song Yonghai; Wang Li

    2008-01-01

    CdS nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by using DNA networks as templates. The synthesis was carried out by first dropping a mixture of cadmium acetate and DNA on a mica surface for the formation of the DNA network template and then transferring the sample into a heated thiourea solution. The Cd 2+ reacted with thiourea at high temperature and formed CdS nanoparticles on the DNA network template. UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, x-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the CdS nanoparticles in detail. AFM results showed that the resulted CdS nanoparticles were directly aligned on the DNA network templates and that the synthesis and assembly of CdS nanoparticles was realized in one step. CdS nanoparticles fabricated with this method were smaller than those directly synthesized in a thiourea solution and were uniformly aligned on the DNA networks. By adjusting the density of the DNA networks and the concentration of Cd 2+ , the size and density of the CdS nanoparticles could be effectively controlled and CdS nanoparticles could grow along the DNA chains into nanowires. The possible growth mechanism has also been discussed in detail

  6. Exploring Many-Core Design Templates for FPGAs and ASICs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilia Lebedev

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a highly productive approach to hardware design based on a many-core microarchitectural template used to implement compute-bound applications expressed in a high-level data-parallel language such as OpenCL. The template is customized on a per-application basis via a range of high-level parameters such as the interconnect topology or processing element architecture. The key benefits of this approach are that it (i allows programmers to express parallelism through an API defined in a high-level programming language, (ii supports coarse-grained multithreading and fine-grained threading while permitting bit-level resource control, and (iii reduces the effort required to repurpose the system for different algorithms or different applications. We compare template-driven design to both full-custom and programmable approaches by studying implementations of a compute-bound data-parallel Bayesian graph inference algorithm across several candidate platforms. Specifically, we examine a range of template-based implementations on both FPGA and ASIC platforms and compare each against full custom designs. Throughout this study, we use a general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU implementation as a performance and area baseline. We show that our approach, similar in productivity to programmable approaches such as GPGPU applications, yields implementations with performance approaching that of full-custom designs on both FPGA and ASIC platforms.

  7. Short template switch events explain mutation clusters in the human genome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Löytynoja, Ari; Goldman, Nick

    2017-06-01

    Resequencing efforts are uncovering the extent of genetic variation in humans and provide data to study the evolutionary processes shaping our genome. One recurring puzzle in both intra- and inter-species studies is the high frequency of complex mutations comprising multiple nearby base substitutions or insertion-deletions. We devised a generalized mutation model of template switching during replication that extends existing models of genome rearrangement and used this to study the role of template switch events in the origin of short mutation clusters. Applied to the human genome, our model detects thousands of template switch events during the evolution of human and chimp from their common ancestor and hundreds of events between two independently sequenced human genomes. Although many of these are consistent with a template switch mechanism previously proposed for bacteria, our model also identifies new types of mutations that create short inversions, some flanked by paired inverted repeats. The local template switch process can create numerous complex mutation patterns, including hairpin loop structures, and explains multinucleotide mutations and compensatory substitutions without invoking positive selection, speculative mechanisms, or implausible coincidence. Clustered sequence differences are challenging for current mapping and variant calling methods, and we show that many erroneous variant annotations exist in human reference data. Local template switch events may have been neglected as an explanation for complex mutations because of biases in commonly used analyses. Incorporation of our model into reference-based analysis pipelines and comparisons of de novo assembled genomes will lead to improved understanding of genome variation and evolution. © 2017 Löytynoja and Goldman; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  8. Regeneration characteristics of desiccant rotor with microwave and hot-air heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubota, Mitsuhiro; Hanada, Takuya; Yabe, Satoshi; Matsuda, Hitoki

    2013-01-01

    Microwave heating, because of its advantages of direct and rapid heating of materials, has the potential to be employed as a novel regeneration method of desiccant rotors in humidity conditioners. We proposed a combined regeneration process, which combines microwave heating and conventional hot-air heating. The system is expected to achieve high heating rate during an initial regeneration period by assisting water desorption using the additional energy of the microwave. In this study, the regeneration characteristics of a desiccant rotor were experimentally investigated under conditions of microwave heating, hot-air heating, and combined heating at various microwave powers and hot-air temperatures. The effectiveness of the combined regeneration was evaluated in terms of the regeneration ratio, the initial regeneration rate, the temperature distribution in the rotor, and finally in terms of the energy consumption. It was demonstrated that combined heating was effective at leveling non-uniform temperature distribution in the rotor. Combined heating achieved higher ratios and initial rates in regeneration compared to just microwave and hot-air heating. This result was obviously attributed to the additional input of microwave energy, resulting that average rotor temperature increased by microwave absorption of rotor. Moreover, it was also effective for enhancement of regeneration to level the temperature distribution in the rotor by combination of two heating methods with different heating mechanisms. Both the initial regeneration rate and the equilibrium regeneration ratio for combined heating were found to increase as the microwave power increased. A linear relationship was observed with respect to microwave power. From the viewpoint of energy consumption, it may be possible to apply combined and microwave heating to humidity control systems that switch between adsorption and regeneration in short cycle times, if the conversion and absorption efficiencies of the

  9. Adventitious shoots induction and plant regeneration from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A highly efficient regeneration system is a prerequisite step for successful genetic transformation of watermelon cultivars (Citrullus lanatus L.). The objective of this study was to establish efficient in vitro plant regeneration for three watermelon cultivars. To achieve optimal conditions for adventitious shoot induction, the ...

  10. Detecting lung cancer symptoms with analogic CNN algorithms based on a constrained diffusion template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirakawa, Satoshi; Nishio, Yoshifumi; Ushida, Akio; Ueno, Junji; Kasem, I.; Nishitani, Hiromu; Rekeczky, C.; Roska, T.

    1997-01-01

    In this article, a new type of diffusion template and an analogic CNN algorithm using this diffusion template for detecting some lung cancer symptoms in X-ray films are proposed. The performance of the diffusion template is investigated and our CNN algorithm is verified to detect some key lung cancer symptoms, successfully. (author)

  11. Orthogonal muscle fibres have different instructive roles in planarian regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scimone, M Lucila; Cote, Lauren E; Reddien, Peter W

    2017-11-30

    The ability to regenerate missing body parts exists throughout the animal kingdom. Positional information is crucial for regeneration, but how it is harboured and used by differentiated tissues is poorly understood. In planarians, positional information has been identified from study of phenotypes caused by RNA interference in which the wrong tissues are regenerated. For example, inhibition of the Wnt signalling pathway leads to regeneration of heads in place of tails. Characterization of these phenotypes has led to the identification of position control genes (PCGs)-genes that are expressed in a constitutive and regional manner and are associated with patterning. Most PCGs are expressed within planarian muscle; however, how muscle is specified and how different muscle subsets affect regeneration is unknown. Here we show that different muscle fibres have distinct regulatory roles during regeneration in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. myoD is required for formation of a specific muscle cell subset: the longitudinal fibres, oriented along the anterior-posterior axis. Loss of longitudinal fibres led to complete regeneration failure because of defects in regeneration initiation. A different transcription factor-encoding gene, nkx1-1, is required for the formation of circular fibres, oriented along the medial-lateral axis. Loss of circular fibres led to a bifurcated anterior-posterior axis with fused heads forming in single anterior blastemas. Whereas muscle is often viewed as a strictly contractile tissue, these findings reveal that different muscle types have distinct and specific regulatory roles in wound signalling and patterning to enable regeneration.

  12. Straight-Pore Microfilter with Efficient Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Han; LaConti, Anthony B.; McCallum. Thomas J.; Schmitt, Edwin W.

    2010-01-01

    A novel, high-efficiency gas particulate filter has precise particle size screening, low pressure drop, and a simple and fast regeneration process. The regeneration process, which requires minimal material and energy consumption, can be completely automated, and the filtration performance can be restored within a very short period of time. This filter is of a novel material composite that contains the support structure and a novel coating.

  13. Chronological protein synthesis in regenerating rat liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jinjun; Hao, Shuai; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Fuzheng; Huang, Lingyun; Xiao, Xueyuan; He, Dacheng

    2015-07-01

    Liver regeneration has been studied for decades; however, its regulation remains unclear. In this study, we report a dynamic tracing of protein synthesis in rat regenerating liver with a new proteomic technique, (35) S in vivo labeling analysis for dynamic proteomics (SiLAD). Conventional proteomic techniques typically measure protein alteration in accumulated amounts. The SiLAD technique specifically detects protein synthesis velocity instead of accumulated amounts of protein through (35) S pulse labeling of newly synthesized proteins, providing a direct way for analyzing protein synthesis variations. Consequently, protein synthesis within short as 30 min was visualized and protein regulations in the first 8 h of regenerating liver were dynamically traced. Further, the 3.5-5 h post partial hepatectomy (PHx) was shown to be an important regulatory turning point by acute regulation of many proteins in the initiation of liver regeneration. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Müller stem cell dependent retinal regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chohan, Annu; Singh, Usha; Kumar, Atul; Kaur, Jasbir

    2017-01-01

    Müller Stem cells to treat ocular diseases has triggered enthusiasm across all medical and scientific communities. Recent development in the field of stem cells has widened the prospects of applying cell based therapies to regenerate ocular tissues that have been irreversibly damaged by disease or injury. Ocular tissues such as the lens and the retina are now known to possess cell having remarkable regenerative abilities. Recent studies have shown that the Müller glia, a cell found in all vertebrate retinas, is the primary source of new neurons, and therefore are considered as the cellular basis for retinal regeneration in mammalian retinas. Here, we review the current status of retinal regeneration of the human eye by Müller stem cells. This review elucidates the current status of retinal regeneration by Müller stem cells, along with major retinal degenerative diseases where these stem cells play regenerative role in retinal repair and replacement. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Growth of aragonite calcium carbonate nanorods in the biomimetic anodic aluminum oxide template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Inho; Han, Haksoo; Lee, Sang-Yup

    2010-04-01

    In this study, a biomimetic template was prepared and applied for growing calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) nanorods whose shape and polymorphism were controlled. A biomimetic template was prepared by adsorbing catalytic dipeptides into the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane. Using this peptide-adsorbed template, mineralization and aggregation of CaCO 3 was carried out to form large nanorods in the pores. The nanorods were aragonite and had a structure similar to nanoneedle assembly. This aragonite nanorod formation was driven by both the AAO template and catalytic function of dipeptides. The AAO membrane pores promoted generation of aragonite polymorph and guided nanorod formation by guiding the nanorod growth. The catalytic dipeptides promoted the aggregation and further dehydration of calcium species to form large nanorods. Functions of the AAO template and catalytic dipeptides were verified through several control experiments. This biomimetic approach makes possible the production of functional inorganic materials with controlled shapes and crystalline structures.

  16. Regeneration of used activated carbon by electron beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arai, H.; Hosono, M.; Zhu, G.; Miyata, T.

    1992-01-01

    The adsorbing power of granular activated carbons which adsorbed sodium laurylsulfate were most effectively recovered by irradiation of high energy electron beams in nitrogen stream, and the carbon was hardly lost by irradiation. The regeneration was induced mainly by microscopic heating of adsorption sites. Regeneration was also confirmed by adsorption endotherms. Regeneration cost was tentatively evaluated. (author)

  17. Traffic engineering and regenerator placement in GMPLS networks with restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yetginer, Emre; Karasan, Ezhan

    2002-07-01

    In this paper we study regenerator placement and traffic engineering of restorable paths in Generalized Multipro-tocol Label Switching (GMPLS) networks. Regenerators are necessary in optical networks due to transmission impairments. We study a network architecture where there are regenerators at selected nodes and we propose two heuristic algorithms for the regenerator placement problem. Performances of these algorithms in terms of required number of regenerators and computational complexity are evaluated. In this network architecture with sparse regeneration, offline computation of working and restoration paths is studied with bandwidth reservation and path rerouting as the restoration scheme. We study two approaches for selecting working and restoration paths from a set of candidate paths and formulate each method as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) prob-lem. Traffic uncertainty model is developed in order to compare these methods based on their robustness with respect to changing traffic patterns. Traffic engineering methods are compared based on number of additional demands due to traffic uncertainty that can be carried. Regenerator placement algorithms are also evaluated from a traffic engineering point of view.

  18. Chitosan Based Regenerated Cellulose Fibers Functionalized with Plasma and Ultrasound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urška Vrabič Brodnjak

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The great potential of regenerated cellulose fibers, which offer excellent possibilities as a matrix for the design of bioactive materials, was the lead for our research. We focused on the surface modification of fibers to improve the sorption properties of regenerated cellulose and biocomposite regenerated cellulose/chitosan fibers, which are on the market. The purpose of our investigation was also the modification of regenerated cellulose fibers with the functionalization by chitosan as a means of obtaining similar properties to biocomposite regenerated cellulose/chitosan fibers on the market. Argon gas plasma was used for fiber surface activation and chitosan adsorption. Ultrasound was also used as a treatment procedure for the surface activation of regenerated cellulose fibers and treatment with chitosan. Analyses have shown that ultrasonic energy or plasma change the accessibility of free functional groups, structure and reactivity, especially in regenerated cellulose fibers. Changes that occurred in the morphology and in the structure of fibers were also reflected in their physical and chemical properties. Consequently, moisture content, sorption properties and water retention improved.

  19. Mesoporous carbon prepared from carbohydrate as hard template for hierarchical zeolites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Egeblad, Kresten; Christensen, Claus H.

    2007-01-01

    treatment of a mixture of sucrose and ammonia followed by carbonization of the mixture in N-2 at high temperatures. The porous carbon produced by this method was subsequently applied as a hard template in the synthesis of mesoporous silicalite-1 and removed by combustion after synthesis. X-ray diffraction......A mesoporous carbon prepared from sucrose was successfully employed as a hard template to produce hierarchical silicalite-1, thus providing a very simple and inexpensive route to desirable zeolite catalysts from widely available raw materials. The porous carbon was prepared by hydrothermal...... the porous carbon template as well as the mesoporous zeolite single-crystal material....

  20. Challenges of stem cell-based pulp and dentin regeneration: a clinical perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, George T-J; Al-Habib, Mey; Gauthier, Philippe

    2013-03-01

    There are two types of approaches to regenerate tissues: cell-based and cell-free. The former approach is to introduce exogenous cells into the host to regenerate tissues, and the latter is to use materials other than cells in an attempt to regenerate tissues. There has been a significant advancement in stem cell-based pulp and dentin regeneration research in the past few years. Studies in small and large animals have demonstrated that pulp/dentin-like tissues can be regenerated partially or completely in the root canal space with apical openings of 0.7-3.0 mm using dental pulp stem cells, including stem cells from apical papilla (SCAP) and subpopulations of pulp stem cells. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADMSCs) have also been shown to regenerate pulp-like tissue. In contrast, the cell-free approach has not produced convincing evidence on pulp regeneration. However, one crucial concept has not been considered nor defined in the field of pulp/dentin regeneration and that is the critical size defect of dentin and pulp. Without such consideration and definition, it is difficult to predict or anticipate the extent of cell-free pulp regeneration that would occur. By reasoning, cell-free therapy is unlikely to regenerate an organ/tissue after total loss. Similarly, after a total loss of pulp, it is unlikely to regenerate without using exogenously introduced cells. A cell homing approach may provide a limited amount of tissue regeneration. Although stem cell-based pulp/dentin regeneration has shown great promise, clinical trials are difficult to launch at present. This article will address several issues that challenge and hinder the clinical applications of pulp/dentin regeneration which need to be overcome before stem cell-based pulp/dentin regeneration can occur in the clinic.

  1. Untersuchungen zur Regeneration des Hinterendes bei Anaitides mucosa (Polychaeta, Phyllodocidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Röhrkasten, A.

    1983-06-01

    Caudal regeneration was investigated in decerebrate Anaitides mucosa and in brain-intact individuals. Both groups show an identical capacity to regenerate lost caudal segments. Furthermore there is no difference in males and females. Low temperature (5 °C) inhibits the regeneration of caudal segments, but it is necessary for normal oogenesis. Under conditions of high temperature (15 °C), caudal regeneration is very extensive. At the same time degeneration of most oocytes occurs.

  2. Planning and Implementation of Urban Regeneration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aunsborg, Christian; Sørensen, Michael Tophøj

    2008-01-01

    new statutory tools to handle the spatial transformation of urban regeneration areas. The paper examines the subsequent development of Danish planning legislation with the purpose of determining whether the present 'statutory toolbox' can be considered sufficient compared to the problems...... the regeneration challenge became an issue in the professional debate. The urban, economic and spatial problematics rising from structural development trends of society were subject to a committee work from 1999 through 2001. The work resulted in a number of recommendations comprising i.a. suggestions concerning...... and challenges emerging in practice. To evaluate the adequacy of the toolbox the paper draws on case studies on urban regeneration projects in three major Danish cities. The conclusion is that the legislative developments during the last five years must be considered very relevant to problem solving in practice...

  3. Pancreatic islet regeneration: Therapeutic potential, unknowns and controversy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ingrid L. Cockburn

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Glucose homeostasis in mammals is primarily maintained by the insulin-secreting β-cells contained within pancreas-resident islets of Langerhans. Gross disruption of this glucose regulation as a result of pancreatic dysfunction frequently results in diabetes, which is currently a major health concern in South Africa, as well as globally. For many years, researchers have realised that the pancreas, and specifically the islets of Langerhans, have a regenerative capacity, as islet mass has frequently been shown to increase following induced pancreatic injury. Given that gross β-cell loss contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, endogenous pancreatic islet regeneration has been investigated extensively as a potential β-cell replacement therapy for diabetes. From the extensive research conducted on pancreatic regeneration, opposing findings and opinions have arisen as to how, and more recently even if, pancreatic regeneration occurs following induced injury. In this review, we outline and discuss the three primary mechanisms by which pancreatic regeneration is proposed to occur: neogenesis, β-cell replication and transdifferentiation. We further explain some of the advanced techniques used in pancreatic regeneration research, and conclude that despite the technologically advanced research tools available to researchers today, the mechanisms governing pancreatic regeneration may remain elusive until more powerful techniques are developed to allow for real-time, live-cell assessment of morphology and gene expression within the pancreas.

  4. Nucleated regeneration of semiarid sclerophyllous forests close to remnant vegetation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fuentes-Castillo, T.; Miranda, A.; Rivera-Hutinel, A.; Smith-Ramirez, C.; Holmgren, M.

    2012-01-01

    Natural regeneration of mediterranean plant communities has proved difficult in all continents. In this paper we assess whether regeneration of sclerophyllous forests shows nucleated patterns indicative of a positive effect of vegetation remnants at the landscape level and compare the regeneration

  5. Nacre-like calcium carbonate controlled by ionic liquid/graphene oxide composite template

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, Chengli [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230039 (China); School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei Normal University, Hefei, Anhui 230601 (China); Xie, Anjian, E-mail: anjx@163.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230039 (China); Shen, Yuhua [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230039 (China); Zhu, Jinmiao; Li, Hongying [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei Normal University, Hefei, Anhui 230601 (China)

    2015-06-01

    Nacre-like calcium carbonate nanostructures have been mediated by an ionic liquid (IL)-graphene oxide (GO) composite template. The resultant crystals were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD). The results showed that either 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF{sub 4}) or graphene oxide can act as a soft template for calcium carbonate formation with unusual morphologies. Based on the time-dependent morphology changes of calcium carbonate particles, it is concluded that nacre-like calcium carbonate nanostructures can be formed gradually utilizing [BMIM]BF{sub 4}/GO composite template. During the process of calcium carbonate formation, [BMIM]BF{sub 4} acted not only as solvents but also as morphology templates for the fabrication of calcium carbonate materials with nacre-like morphology. Based on the observations, the possible mechanisms were also discussed. - Highlights: • Nacre-like CaCO{sub 3}/GO were prepared by gas diffusion. • Ionic liquid/GO served as composite templates. • The interaction of Ca{sup 2+} ions and GO played a very important role in the formation of nacre-like CaCO{sub 3}.

  6. The Design of a Templated C++ Small Vector Class for Numerical Computing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Patrick J.

    2000-01-01

    We describe the design and implementation of a templated C++ class for vectors. The vector class is templated both for vector length and vector component type; the vector length is fixed at template instantiation time. The vector implementation is such that for a vector of N components of type T, the total number of bytes required by the vector is equal to N * size of (T), where size of is the built-in C operator. The property of having a size no bigger than that required by the components themselves is key in many numerical computing applications, where one may allocate very large arrays of small, fixed-length vectors. In addition to the design trade-offs motivating our fixed-length vector design choice, we review some of the C++ template features essential to an efficient, succinct implementation. In particular, we highlight some of the standard C++ features, such as partial template specialization, that are not supported by all compilers currently. This report provides an inventory listing the relevant support currently provided by some key compilers, as well as test code one can use to verify compiler capabilities.

  7. Surgical Templates for Dental Implant Positioning; Current ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    prosthodontics; however, designing an implant‑supported prosthesis with function .... template where a provisional fixed restoration bridges the implant site. Pesun and ... in single implant therapy or short‑span implant‑supported prostheses.

  8. Electroless Fabrication of Cobalt Alloys Nanowires within Alumina Template

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazila Dadvand

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available A new method of nanowire fabrication based on electroless deposition process is described. The method is novel compared to the current electroless procedure used in making nanowires as it involves growing nanowires from the bottom up. The length of the nanowires was controlled at will simply by adjusting the deposition time. The nanowires were fabricated within the nanopores of an alumina template. It was accomplished by coating one side of the template by a thin layer of palladium in order to activate the electroless deposition within the nanopores from bottom up. However, prior to electroless deposition process, the template was pretreated with a suitable wetting agent in order to facilitate the penetration of the plating solution through the pores. As well, the electroless deposition process combined with oblique metal evaporation process within a prestructured silicon wafer was used in order to fabricate long nanowires along one side of the grooves within the wafer.

  9. Fcγ receptor-mediated inflammation inhibits axon regeneration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang Zhang

    Full Text Available Anti-glycan/ganglioside antibodies are the most common immune effectors found in patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which is a peripheral autoimmune neuropathy. We previously reported that disease-relevant anti-glycan autoantibodies inhibited axon regeneration, which echo the clinical association of these antibodies and poor recovery in Guillain-Barré Syndrome. However, the specific molecular and cellular elements involved in this antibody-mediated inhibition of axon regeneration are not previously defined. This study examined the role of Fcγ receptors and macrophages in the antibody-mediated inhibition of axon regeneration. A well characterized antibody passive transfer sciatic nerve crush and transplant models were used to study the anti-ganglioside antibody-mediated inhibition of axon regeneration in wild type and various mutant and transgenic mice with altered expression of specific Fcγ receptors and macrophage/microglia populations. Outcome measures included behavior, electrophysiology, morphometry, immunocytochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blotting. We demonstrate that the presence of autoantibodies, directed against neuronal/axonal cell surface gangliosides, in the injured mammalian peripheral nerves switch the proregenerative inflammatory environment to growth inhibitory milieu by engaging specific activating Fcγ receptors on recruited monocyte-derived macrophages to cause severe inhibition of axon regeneration. Our data demonstrate that the antibody orchestrated Fcγ receptor-mediated switch in inflammation is one mechanism underlying inhibition of axon regeneration. These findings have clinical implications for nerve repair and recovery in antibody-mediated immune neuropathies. Our results add to the complexity of axon regeneration in injured peripheral and central nervous systems as adverse effects of B cells and autoantibodies on neural injury and repair are increasingly recognized.

  10. Construction of optimal 3-node plate bending triangles by templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felippa, C. A.; Militello, C.

    A finite element template is a parametrized algebraic form that reduces to specific finite elements by setting numerical values to the free parameters. The present study concerns Kirchhoff Plate-Bending Triangles (KPT) with 3 nodes and 9 degrees of freedom. A 37-parameter template is constructed using the Assumed Natural Deviatoric Strain (ANDES). Specialization of this template includes well known elements such as DKT and HCT. The question addressed here is: can these parameters be selected to produce high performance elements? The study is carried out by staged application of constraints on the free parameters. The first stage produces element families satisfying invariance and aspect ratio insensitivity conditions. Application of energy balance constraints produces specific elements. The performance of such elements in benchmark tests is presently under study.

  11. Pending templates imprinted polymers-hypothesis, synthesis, adsorption, and chromatographic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chun; Luan, Xinjie; Zhao, Meifeng; Liu, Guofeng; Wang, Jian; Qu, Qishu; Hu, Xiaoya

    2013-05-01

    This is the first time when protein-imprinted polymers are prepared with "pending templates." The polymers were synthesized in the presence of a real sample (chicken egg white), rather than any known commercial proteins. Compared with a simultaneously synthesized nonimprinted control polymer, the polymers show higher adsorption capacity for abundant components (as "pending templates") in the original sample. Chromatography experiments indicated that the columns made of the imprinted polymers could retain abundant species (imprinted) and separate them from those not imprinted. Thus, the sample could be split into dimidiate subfractions with reduced complexities. "Pending template imprinting" suggests a new way to investigate molecular imprinting, especially to dissect, simplify, and analyze complicated samples through a series of polymers just imprinted by the samples per se. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Anion Exchange in II-VI Semiconducting Nanostructures via Atomic Templating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agarwal, Rahul; Krook, Nadia M; Ren, Ming-Liang; Tan, Liang Z; Liu, Wenjing; Rappe, Andrew M; Agarwal, Ritesh

    2018-03-14

    Controlled chemical transformation of nanostructures is a promising technique to obtain precisely designed novel materials, which are difficult to synthesize otherwise. We report high-temperature vapor-phase anion-exchange reactions to chemically transform II-VI semiconductor nanostructures (100-300 nm length scale) while retaining the single crystallinity, crystal structure, morphology, and even defect distribution of the parent material via atomic templating. The concept of atomic templating is employed to obtain kinetically controlled, thermodynamically metastable structural phases such as zincblende CdSe and CdS from zincblende CdTe upon complete chemical replacement of Te with Se or S. The underlying transformation mechanisms are explained through first-principles density functional theory calculations. Atomic templating is a unique path to independently tune materials' phase and composition at the nanoscale, allowing the synthesis of novel materials.

  13. CO2 regeneration performance enhancement by nanoabsorbents for energy conversion application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jung Hun; Lee, Jae Won; Kang, Yong Tae

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: (a) Optical profiling image of the surface of copper after regeneration process in nanoabsorbents, Al 2 O 3 (45 nm, 0.01 vol%). (b) The number of regeneration sites by the nanoabsorbents. - Highlights: • CO 2 regeneration performance is enhanced by using Al 2 O 3 nanoabsorbents. • CO 2 regeneration process on the heating surface is visualized in nanoabsorbents. • Surface modification by nanoabsorbents has a greater effect than the nanoparticle size. • The mechanism of surface effect is the most plausible to explain the regeneration performance enhancement. - Abstract: Due to the recent increase in the consumption of energy and the use of fossil fuels, global warming has become a serious issue. To address this problem, CO 2 gas, which is the major element of the greenhouse gases, should be captured, regenerated and converted to useful fuels. The Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and cement process generate large amount of CO 2 , which are controlled through pre-combustion capture. However, this method has a disadvantage because the system temperature should be decreased to −20 °C or lower. Therefore, the development of new absorbent is required to reduce the energy consumed for refrigeration. There is a study that improved the CO 2 absorption performance by adding Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles to methanol. However, studies on the regeneration of CO 2 in nanofluid absorbents (nanoabsorbents) are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, the CO 2 regeneration performance in Al 2 O 3 nanoabsorbents is evaluated. It is found that the regeneration performance of CO 2 is improved by 16% by using nanoabsorbents compared to methanol. Furthermore, the CO 2 regeneration characteristics of nanoabsorbents are analyzed by considering the detachment time of CO 2 bubbles from the surface, the cross-sectional area of CO 2 bubble, and the number of regeneration sites through the CO 2 regeneration and bubble visualization experiments. It is concluded

  14. Factors influencing callus induction and plant regeneration of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ajl yemi

    2012-01-12

    ). Effect of basal medium on callus induction and plant regeneration. Three different kinds of basal mediums (MS, N6 and SH) were used to investigate their effects on callus induction and regeneration. Significant differences ...

  15. Method of continuously regenerating decontaminating electrolytic solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, Takashi; Kobayashi, Toshio; Wada, Koichi.

    1985-01-01

    Purpose: To continuously recover radioactive metal ions from the electrolytic solution used for the electrolytic decontamination of radioactive equipment and increased with the radioactive dose, as well as regenerate the electrolytic solution to a high concentration acid. Method: A liquid in an auxiliary tank is recycled to a cathode chamber containing water of an electro depositing regeneration tank to render pH = 2 by way of a pH controller and a pH electrode. The electrolytic solution in an electrolytic decontaminating tank is introduced by way of an injection pump to an auxiliary tank and, interlocking therewith, a regenerating solution is introduced from a regenerating solution extracting pump by way of a extraction pipeway to an electrolytic decontaminating tank. Meanwhile, electric current is supplied to the electrode to deposit radioactive metal ions dissolved in the cathode chamber on the capturing electrode. While on the other hand, anions are transferred by way of a partition wall to an anode chamber to regenerate the electrolytic solution to high concentration acid solution. While on the other hand, water is supplied by way of an electromagnetic valve interlocking with the level meter to maintain the level meter constant. This can decrease the generation of the liquid wastes and also reduce the amount of the radioactive secondary wastes. (Horiuchi, T.)

  16. Impact of FCC regenerator design in the NOx emissions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pereira, Hugo Borges; Sandes, Emanuel Freire; Gilbert, William Richard; Roncolatto, Rodolfo Eugenio; Gobbo, Rodrigo; Casavechia, Luiz Carlos; Candido, William Victor Carlos [Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (PETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Bridi, Patricia Elaine [Possebon Engenharia, Sao Mateus do Sul, PR (Brazil)

    2012-07-01

    Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) is the main point source of NOx in the refinery and it is responsible for at least 20% of the total NOx emissions from the refineries. The thermal NOx formation in the FCC regenerator is negligible. However, half of the feed nitrogen is converted to coke, and is burned in the regenerator. The majority of coke nitrogen is reduced to N2 and less than 10% is converted to NOx. This number may vary significantly with the oxygen excess in the flue gas and other operational conditions. With the purpose of evaluating the impact of different regenerator designs in NOx formation, several tests were carried out in the PETROBRAS FCC prototype unit. The test unit is equipped with adiabatic insulation and a CO boiler, allowing it to reproduce the heat balance of a commercial FCC and to operate either in full combustion or partial combustion. Two different designs of FCC regenerators were evaluated: single stage regenerator (the existing configuration) and two stage regenerator, with the catalyst bed divided into two sections by a structured packing baffle. It was observed in the tests that the combustion regime had a very strong effect on NOx formation. In full combustion, the effect of the FCC operating variables: excess oxygen, combustion promoter content in catalyst and regenerator design could be identified. The two stage configuration was capable of decreasing NOx emissions by 30%. In partial combustion, the effect of the CO-boiler variables on NOx emissions was overwhelming, but the use of the structured packing baffle was able to improve the catalyst regeneration.(author)

  17. PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF A MINIATURE STIRLING CRYOCOOLER WITH A MULTI MESH REGENERATOR DESIGN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KISHOR KUMAR V. V.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available A parametric study has been carried out using the software REGEN 3.3 to optimize the regenerator of a miniature Stirling cryocooler operating with a warm end temperature of 300 K and cold end temperature of 80 K. Regenerator designs which produce the maximum coefficient of performance (COP of the system is considered as an optimized regenerator. The length and diameter of the regenerator were fixed from the cooler system requirements. Single mesh regenerators made of 200, 250, 300, 400 and 450 Stainless Steel wire meshes were considered and the optimum phase angle and mesh size were obtained. A maximum COP of 0.1475 was obtained for 300 mesh regenerator at 70° phase angle. Then multi mesh regenerators were considered with finer mesh on the cold end and coarser mesh on the hot end. The optimum size and length of each mesh in the multi mesh regenerator and the optimum phase angle were calculated. The maximum COP of 0.156 was obtained for 200 300-400 multi mesh regenerator at 70° phase angle. The COP and net refrigeration obtained for an optimized multi mesh regenerator was found to be significantly higher than that of a single mesh regenerator. Thus a multi mesh regenerator design with a proper combination of regenerator mesh size and length can enhance the regenerator effectiveness.

  18. Review of Research on Template Methods in Preparation of Nanomaterials

    OpenAIRE

    Yadian Xie; Duygu Kocaefe; Chunying Chen; Yasar Kocaefe

    2016-01-01

    The nanomaterials have been widely used in various fields, such as photonics, catalysis, and adsorption, because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Therefore, their production methods are of utmost importance. Compared with traditional synthetic methods, the template method can effectively control the morphology, particle size, and structure during the preparation of nanomaterials, which is an effective method for their synthesis. The key for the template method is to choose di...

  19. Size and Crystallinity in Protein-Templated Inorganic Nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jolley, Craig C.; Uchida, Masaki; Reichhardt, Courtney; Harrington, Richard; Kang, Sebyung; Klem, Michael T.; Parise, John B.; Douglas, Trevor (SBU); (Montana)

    2010-12-01

    Protein cages such as ferritins and virus capsids have been used as containers to synthesize a wide variety of protein-templated inorganic nanoparticles. While identification of the inorganic crystal phase has been successful in some cases, very little is known about the detailed nanoscale structure of the inorganic component. We have used pair distribution function analysis of total X-ray scattering to measure the crystalline domain size in nanoparticles of ferrihydrite, {gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}, CoPt, and FePt grown inside 24-meric ferritin cages from H. sapiens and P. furiosus. The material properties of these protein-templated nanoparticles are influenced by processes at a variety of length scales: the chemistry of the material determines the precise arrangement of atoms at very short distances, while the interior volume of the protein cage constrains the maximum nanoparticle size attainable. At intermediate length scales, the size of coherent crystalline domains appears to be constrained by the arrangement of crystal nucleation sites on the interior of the cage. On the basis of these observations, some potential synthetic strategies for the control of crystalline domain size in protein-templated nanoparticles are suggested.

  20. Dual-controlled release system of drugs for bone regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yang-Hee; Tabata, Yasuhiko

    2015-11-01

    Controlled release systems have been noted to allow drugs to enhance their ability for bone regeneration. To this end, various biomaterials have been used as the release carriers of drugs, such as low-molecular-weight drugs, growth factors, and others. The drugs are released from the release carriers in a controlled fashion to maintain their actions for a long time period. Most research has been focused on the controlled release of single drugs to demonstrate the therapeutic feasibility. Controlled release of two combined drugs, so-called dual release systems, are promising and important for tissue regeneration. This is because the tissue regeneration process of bone formation is generally achieved by multiple bioactive molecules, which are produced from cells by other molecules. If two types of bioactive molecules, (i.e., drugs), are supplied in an appropriate fashion, the regeneration process of living bodies will be efficiently promoted. This review focuses on the bone regeneration induced by dual-controlled release of drugs. In this paper, various dual-controlled release systems of drugs aiming at bone regeneration are overviewed explaining the type of drugs and their release materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The influence of the solid thermal conductivity on active magnetic regenerators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Kaspar Kirstein; Engelbrecht, Kurt

    2012-01-01

    The influence of the thermal conductivity of the regenerator solid on the performance of a flat plate active magnetic regenerator (AMR) is investigated using an established numerical AMR model. The cooling power at different (fixed) temperature spans is used as a measure of the performance...... for a range of thermal conductivities, operating frequencies, a long and short regenerator, and finally a regenerator with a low and a high number of transfer units (NTU) regenerator. In this way the performance is mapped out and the impact of the thermal conductivity of the solid is probed. Modeling shows...... that under certain operating conditions, the AMR cycle is sensitive to the solid conductivity. It is found that as the operating frequency is increased it is not only sufficient to have a high NTU regenerator but the regenerator performance will also benefit from increased thermal conductivity in the solid...

  2. Role of metallothioneins in peripheral nerve function and regeneration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ceballos, D; Lago, N; Verdú, E

    2003-01-01

    The physiological role of the metallothionein (MT) family of proteins during peripheral nerve injury and regeneration was examined in Mt1+ 2 and Mt3 knockout (KO) mice. To this end, the right sciatic nerve was crushed, and the regeneration distance was evaluated by the pinch test 2-7 days....... The improved regeneration observed with the Mt3 KO mice was confirmed by compound nerve action potentials that were recorded from digital nerves at 14 dpl only in this group. We conclude that Mt3 normally inhibits peripheral nerve regeneration........ Moreover, the number of regenerating axons in the distal tibial nerve was significantly higher in Mt3KO mice than in the other two strains at 14 dpl. Immunoreactive profiles to protein gene product 9.5 were present in the epidermis and the sweat glands of the plantar skin of the hindpaw of the Mt3 KO group...

  3. Biocatalytic synthesis of polymeric nanowires by micellar templates of ionic surfactants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nazari, K., E-mail: nazarikh@ripi.ir [Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, NIOC, P.O. Box 14665-137, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Chemistry Dept., Shahr Rey Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 18735-334, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Adhami, F.; Najjar-Safari, A.; Salmani, S. [Chemistry Dept., Shahr Rey Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 18735-334, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mahmoudi, A. [Chemistry Dept., Karaj Islamic Azad University, Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2011-07-15

    Highlights: {yields} Soft-template production of polyguaiacol nanowire was done by peroxidase enzyme. {yields} Main advantage of this simple method is producing soluble encapsulated nanowires. {yields} Nanowire can be easily precipitated and separated by dilution with distilled water. {yields} Size tuned templates of sodium decyl sulfate (d = 2.7 nm) gave nanowires with d = 2-4 nm. {yields} Dried surfactant-coated wires recover freshly on specified and desired applications. -- Abstract: Micelle-templated polyguaiacol nanowires were successfully prepared via polymerization oxidation of guaiacol (o-methoxy phenol) by peroxidase enzyme in the presence of hydrogen peroxide at mild reaction conditions. The dimensions of the prepared nanowires were controlled by tuning the size and shape of the micelle structure via changing and controlling the type, chain length and molar concentrations of the ionic surfactant. The progress of the reaction and estimation of the size of soft micellar templates were followed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The resulting micelle encapsulated or purified polyguaiacol nanowires were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

  4. Biocatalytic synthesis of polymeric nanowires by micellar templates of ionic surfactants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nazari, K.; Adhami, F.; Najjar-Safari, A.; Salmani, S.; Mahmoudi, A.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Soft-template production of polyguaiacol nanowire was done by peroxidase enzyme. → Main advantage of this simple method is producing soluble encapsulated nanowires. → Nanowire can be easily precipitated and separated by dilution with distilled water. → Size tuned templates of sodium decyl sulfate (d = 2.7 nm) gave nanowires with d = 2-4 nm. → Dried surfactant-coated wires recover freshly on specified and desired applications. -- Abstract: Micelle-templated polyguaiacol nanowires were successfully prepared via polymerization oxidation of guaiacol (o-methoxy phenol) by peroxidase enzyme in the presence of hydrogen peroxide at mild reaction conditions. The dimensions of the prepared nanowires were controlled by tuning the size and shape of the micelle structure via changing and controlling the type, chain length and molar concentrations of the ionic surfactant. The progress of the reaction and estimation of the size of soft micellar templates were followed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The resulting micelle encapsulated or purified polyguaiacol nanowires were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

  5. Enhanced plant regeneration in lemna minor by amino acids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, L.; Han, H.; Zhou, K.; Ren, C.; Zhu, Y.

    2014-01-01

    In present study we investigated the effects of different L-amino acids on the plant regeneration from callus of Lemna minor, and established an efficient protocol. Among the 20 L-amino acids, only L-Ser and L-Gly showed significant improving effect, with the optimal concentration being 1 mM and 1.5 mM, respectively. A regeneration frequency of 46% was observed when the callus transferred to the regeneration medium with addition of 1 mM L-Ser for 11 days. After 26 days of cultivation, the frond regeneration achieved 100% and 94% for 1 mM L-Ser and 1.5 mM L-Gly treatment, respectively. (author)

  6. Nanoparticles for tendon healing and regeneration: literature review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Domenico Parchi

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Tendon injuries are commonly met in the emergency department. Unfortunately, tendon tissue has limited regeneration potential and usually the consequent formation of scar tissue causes inferior mechanical properties Nanoparticles could be used in different way to improve tendon healing and regeneration, ranging from scaffolds manufacturing (increasing the strength and endurance or anti-adhesions, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties to gene therapy. This paper aims to summarize the most relevant studies showing the potential application of nanoparticles for tendon tissue regeneration

  7. Somatostatin-like peptide and regeneration capacities in planarians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautz, A; Schilt, J

    1986-11-01

    The presence of a neuropeptide immunologically related to somatostatin (SRIF) has been investigated in the neurosecretory cells of two regenerating planarian species (Dugesia lugubris and Dendrocoelum lacteum). A correlation has been shown between the discharge of the SRIF-like-immunoreactive cells during the first hours after amputation and the capacity to regenerate, and between the persistence of numerous positive cells and the lack of regeneration. These results suggest that somatostatin might play a regulatory (inhibitory) role on the cellular proliferation which leads to the blastema edification.

  8. Atmospheric pressure plasma accelerates tail regeneration in tadpoles Xenopus laevis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivie, A.; Martus, K.; Menon, J.

    2017-08-01

    Atmospheric pressure plasma is a partially ionized gas composed of neutral and charged particles, including electrons and ions, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recently, it is utilized as possible therapy in oncology, sterilization, skin diseases, wound healing and tissue regeneration. In this study we focused on effect of plasma exposure on tail regeneration of tadpoles, Xenopus leavis with special emphasis on role of ROS, antioxidant defenses and morphological features of the regenerate. When amputated region of the tail was exposed to the helium plasma it resulted in a faster rate of growth, elevated ROS and increase in antioxidant enzymes in the regenerate compared to that of untreated control. An increase in nitric oxide (free radical) as well as activity of nitric oxide synthase(s) were observed once the cells of the regeneration blastema - a mass of proliferating cells are ready for differentiation. Microscopically the cells of the regenerate of plasma treated tadpoles show altered morphology and characteristics of cellular hypoxia and oxidative stress. We summarize that plasma exposure accelerates the dynamics of wound healing and tail regeneration through its effects on cell proliferation and differentiation as well as angiogenesis mediated through ROS signaling.

  9. Regeneration in an internal combustion engine: Thermal-hydraulic modeling and analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thyageswaran, Sridhar

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • An arrangement is proposed for in-cylinder regeneration in a 4-stroke engine. • Thermodynamic models are formulated for overall cycle analysis. • A design procedure is outlined for micro-channel regenerators. • Partial differential equations are solved for flow inside the regenerator. • Regeneration with lean combustion decreases the idealized cycle efficiency. - Abstract: An arrangement is proposed for a four-stroke internal combustion engine to: (a) recover thermal energy from products of combustion during the exhaust stroke; (b) store that energy as sensible heat in a micro-channel regenerator matrix; and (c) transfer the stored heat to compressed fresh charge that flows through the regenerator during the succeeding mechanical cycle. An extra moveable piston that can be locked at preferred positions and a sequence of valve events enable the regenerator to lose heat to the working fluid during one interval of time but gain heat from the fluid during another interval of time. This paper examines whether or not this scheme for in-cylinder regeneration (ICR) improves the cycle thermal efficiency η I . Models for various thermodynamic processes in the cycle and treatments for unsteady compressible flow and heat transfer inside the regenerator are developed. Digital simulations of the cycle are made. Compared to an idealized engine cycle devoid of regeneration, provisions for ICR seem to deteriorate the thermal efficiency. In an 8:1 compression ratio octane engine simulated with an equivalence ratio of 0.75, η I  = 0.455 with regeneration and η I  = 0.491 without. This study shows that previous claims on efficiency gains via ICR, using highly-simplified models, may be misleading.

  10. Magnetotherapy: The quest for tendon regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pesqueira, Tamagno; Costa-Almeida, Raquel; Gomes, Manuela E

    2018-05-09

    Tendons are mechanosensitive tissues that connect and transmit the forces generated by muscles to bones by allowing the conversion of mechanical input into biochemical signals. These physical forces perform the fundamental work of preserving tendon homeostasis assuring body movements. However, overloading causes tissue injuries, which leads us to the field of tendon regeneration. Recently published reviews have broadly shown the use of biomaterials and different strategies to attain tendon regeneration. In this review, our focus is the use of magnetic fields as an alternative therapy, which has demonstrated clinical relevance in tendon medicine because of their ability to modulate cell fate. Yet the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms still need to be elucidated. While providing a brief outlook about specific signalling pathways and intracellular messengers as framework in play by tendon cells, application of magnetic fields as a subcategory of physical forces is explored, opening up a compelling avenue to enhance tendon regeneration. We outline here useful insights on the effects of magnetic fields both at in vitro and in vivo levels, particularly on the expression of tendon genes and inflammatory cytokines, ultimately involved in tendon regeneration. Subsequently, the potential of using magnetically responsive biomaterials in tendon tissue engineering is highlighted and future directions in magnetotherapy are discussed. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Performance Evaluation of Fusing Protected Fingerprint Minutiae Templates on the Decision Level

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yang, Bian; Busch, C.; Groot, K. de; Xu, H.; Veldhuis, Raymond N.J.

    In a biometric authentication system using protected templates, a pseudonymous identifier is the part of a protected template that can be directly compared. Each compared pair of pseudonymous identifiers results in a decision testing whether both identifiers are derived from the same biometric

  12. Performance evaluation of fusing protected fingerprint minutiae templates on the decision level

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yang, B.; Groot, K.T.J. de; Christoph Busch; Veldhuis, R.N.J.; Xu, H.

    2013-01-01

    In a biometric authentication system using protected templates, a pseudonymous identifier is the part of a protected template that can be directly compared. Each compared pair of pseudonymous identifiersresults in a decision testing whether both identifiers are derived from the same biometric

  13. Nacre-like calcium carbonate controlled by ionic liquid/graphene oxide composite template.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Chengli; Xie, Anjian; Shen, Yuhua; Zhu, Jinmiao; Li, Hongying

    2015-06-01

    Nacre-like calcium carbonate nanostructures have been mediated by an ionic liquid (IL)-graphene oxide (GO) composite template. The resultant crystals were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD). The results showed that either 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4) or graphene oxide can act as a soft template for calcium carbonate formation with unusual morphologies. Based on the time-dependent morphology changes of calcium carbonate particles, it is concluded that nacre-like calcium carbonate nanostructures can be formed gradually utilizing [BMIM]BF4/GO composite template. During the process of calcium carbonate formation, [BMIM]BF4 acted not only as solvents but also as morphology templates for the fabrication of calcium carbonate materials with nacre-like morphology. Based on the observations, the possible mechanisms were also discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Improved cartilage regeneration by implantation of acellular biomaterials after bone marrow stimulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michiel W. Pot

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Microfracture surgery may be applied to treat cartilage defects. During the procedure the subchondral bone is penetrated, allowing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to migrate towards the defect site and form new cartilage tissue. Microfracture surgery generally results in the formation of mechanically inferior fibrocartilage. As a result, this technique offers only temporary clinical improvement. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine may improve the outcome of microfracture surgery. Filling the subchondral defect with a biomaterial may provide a template for the formation of new hyaline cartilage tissue. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess the current evidence for the efficacy of cartilage regeneration in preclinical models using acellular biomaterials implanted after marrow stimulating techniques (microfracturing and subchondral drilling compared to the natural healing response of defects. The review aims to provide new insights into the most effective biomaterials, to provide an overview of currently existing knowledge, and to identify potential lacunae in current studies to direct future research. A comprehensive search was systematically performed in PubMed and EMBASE (via OvidSP using search terms related to tissue engineering, cartilage and animals. Primary studies in which acellular biomaterials were implanted in osteochondral defects in the knee or ankle joint in healthy animals were included and study characteristics tabulated (283 studies out of 6,688 studies found. For studies comparing non-treated empty defects to defects containing implanted biomaterials and using semi-quantitative histology as outcome measure, the risk of bias (135 studies was assessed and outcome data were collected for meta-analysis (151 studies. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed, using cartilage regeneration as outcome measure on an absolute 0–100% scale. Implantation of acellular

  15. Improved cartilage regeneration by implantation of acellular biomaterials after bone marrow stimulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pot, Michiel W; Gonzales, Veronica K; Buma, Pieter; IntHout, Joanna; van Kuppevelt, Toin H; de Vries, Rob B M; Daamen, Willeke F

    2016-01-01

    Microfracture surgery may be applied to treat cartilage defects. During the procedure the subchondral bone is penetrated, allowing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to migrate towards the defect site and form new cartilage tissue. Microfracture surgery generally results in the formation of mechanically inferior fibrocartilage. As a result, this technique offers only temporary clinical improvement. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine may improve the outcome of microfracture surgery. Filling the subchondral defect with a biomaterial may provide a template for the formation of new hyaline cartilage tissue. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess the current evidence for the efficacy of cartilage regeneration in preclinical models using acellular biomaterials implanted after marrow stimulating techniques (microfracturing and subchondral drilling) compared to the natural healing response of defects. The review aims to provide new insights into the most effective biomaterials, to provide an overview of currently existing knowledge, and to identify potential lacunae in current studies to direct future research. A comprehensive search was systematically performed in PubMed and EMBASE (via OvidSP) using search terms related to tissue engineering, cartilage and animals. Primary studies in which acellular biomaterials were implanted in osteochondral defects in the knee or ankle joint in healthy animals were included and study characteristics tabulated (283 studies out of 6,688 studies found). For studies comparing non-treated empty defects to defects containing implanted biomaterials and using semi-quantitative histology as outcome measure, the risk of bias (135 studies) was assessed and outcome data were collected for meta-analysis (151 studies). Random-effects meta-analyses were performed, using cartilage regeneration as outcome measure on an absolute 0-100% scale. Implantation of acellular biomaterials significantly

  16. Group C. Initiator paper. Periodontal regeneration--fact or fiction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartold, P M

    2015-01-01

    Numerous techniques have been tried and tested to regenerate tissues lost to periodontal disease. While there has been some success to date, more work is required to move this to a reliable and clinically predictable procedure. Much of the future success for such treatments will rely largely on our understanding of the biology of both developmental and regenerative processes. Nonetheless, despite the noble goal of periodontal regeneration, the relevance of re-creation of a connective tissue attachment has been questioned. Since formation of a long junctional epithelial attachment to the tooth following a variety of periodontal treatment procedures has been shown to be no more susceptible to further breakdown than a non-diseased site, the question arises as to what purpose do we seek the ultimate outcome of periodontal regeneration? The answer lies in the "fact and fiction" of periodontal regeneration. There is no doubt that the regenerative procedures that have been developed can be shown to be biologically successful at the histological level. Furthermore, the results of periodontal regeneration (particularly guided tissue regeneration) have been stable over the long term (at least up to 10 years). However, the techniques currently under use which show the greatest promise (guided tissue regeneration and growth factors) are still clinically unpredictable because of their highly technique-sensitive nature. In addition, whether the slight clinical improvements offered by these procedures over routine open flap debridement procedures are of cost or patient benefit with regards to improved periodontal health and retention of teeth remains to be established. The next phase in regenerative technologies will undoubtedly involve a deeper understanding of the molecular signaling (both intra- and extra-cellular) and cellular differentiation processes involved in the regenerative processes. So in answer to the question of whether periodontal regeneration is fact or fiction

  17. Gamma Radiation-Induced Template Polymerization Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siyam, T.

    2005-01-01

    Gamma radiation induced copolymerization of acrylamide sodiumacrylate (AM-AANa) in the presence and absence of the polymer additive was studied at low monomer concentration(1.4M/l). The results showed that the exponents of the dose rate for the polymerization rate was found to be 1.3 and 1.4 in the absence and in the presence of the polymer additive respectively. The molecular weight of the formed polymer increased by addition of the polymer to the system. In the presence of the polymer the comonomers polymerize on the added polymer. In the absence of the added polymer the comonomers polymerize according to the copolymerization process at the initial stage of the copolymerization. While at high conversion the residual comonomers polymerize on the formed macromolecular chains of the produced polymer. These studies showed that the copolymerization in the presence of added polymer is completely template copolymerization while in the absence of the polymer the copolymerization process is only template process with a high conversion

  18. Superhydrophobicity and regeneration of PVDF/SiO2 composite films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tao; Li, Xianfeng; Wang, Daohui; Huang, Qinglin; Liu, Zhen; Li, Nana; Xiao, Changfa

    2017-02-01

    Superhydrophobicity of polymers is easily destroyed by careless touching due to the softness of microstructures. In this study, based on a well-constructed polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) surface, a novel superhydrophobic PVDF/SiO2 composite film was fabricated by adding hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticle and solvent into a coagulation bath. The water contact angle of the composite film reached 162.3° and the sliding angle was as low as 1.5°. More importantly, the composite film could be regenerated only through immersing the composite film in the designed regeneration agent. The composition of the designed regeneration agent ensured that SiO2 nanoparticles were firmly adhered on the film surface even under the ultrasonic cleaning. Hence, the superhydrophobicity and self-cleaing property could be regenerated and maintained effectively, and moreover, these propeties could resist a proper pressure. In addition, after many rubbing-regenerating cycles, the regeneration method was still valid.

  19. Myocardial Polyploidization Creates a Barrier to Heart Regeneration in Zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Rosa, Juan Manuel; Sharpe, Michka; Field, Dorothy; Soonpaa, Mark H; Field, Loren J; Burns, Caroline E; Burns, C Geoffrey

    2018-02-26

    Correlative evidence suggests that polyploidization of heart muscle, which occurs naturally in post-natal mammals, creates a barrier to heart regeneration. Here, we move beyond a correlation by demonstrating that experimental polyploidization of zebrafish cardiomyocytes is sufficient to suppress their proliferative potential during regeneration. Initially, we determined that zebrafish myocardium becomes susceptible to polyploidization upon transient cytokinesis inhibition mediated by dominant-negative Ect2. Using a transgenic strategy, we generated adult animals containing mosaic hearts composed of differentially labeled diploid and polyploid-enriched cardiomyocyte populations. Diploid cardiomyocytes outcompeted their polyploid neighbors in producing regenerated heart muscle. Moreover, hearts composed of equivalent proportions of diploid and polyploid cardiomyocytes failed to regenerate altogether, demonstrating that a critical percentage of diploid cardiomyocytes is required to achieve heart regeneration. Our data identify cardiomyocyte polyploidization as a barrier to heart regeneration and suggest that mobilizing rare diploid cardiomyocytes in the human heart will improve its regenerative capacity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Improving your target-template alignment with MODalign.

    KAUST Repository

    Barbato, Alessandro; Benkert, Pascal; Schwede, Torsten; Tramontano, Anna; Kosinski, Jan

    2012-01-01

    , upon modification of the target-template alignment, updates the multiple sequence alignments of the two protein families, their conservation score, secondary structure and solvent accessibility values, and local quality scores of the implied three

  1. Working memory templates are maintained as feature-specific perceptual codes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreenivasan, Kartik K; Sambhara, Deepak; Jha, Amishi P

    2011-07-01

    Working memory (WM) representations serve as templates that guide behavior, but the neural basis of these templates remains elusive. We tested the hypothesis that WM templates are maintained by biasing activity in sensoriperceptual neurons that code for features of items being held in memory. Neural activity was recorded using event-related potentials (ERPs) as participants viewed a series of faces and responded when a face matched a target face held in WM. Our prediction was that if activity in neurons coding for the features of the target is preferentially weighted during maintenance of the target, then ERP activity evoked by a nontarget probe face should be commensurate with the visual similarity between target and probe. Visual similarity was operationalized as the degree of overlap in visual features between target and probe. A face-sensitive ERP response was modulated by target-probe similarity. Amplitude was largest for probes that were similar to the target, and decreased monotonically as a function of decreasing target-probe similarity. These results indicate that neural activity is weighted in favor of visual features that comprise an actively held memory representation. As such, our findings support the notion that WM templates rely on neural populations involved in forming percepts of memory items.

  2. Automatic capture of attention by conceptually generated working memory templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Sol Z; Shen, Jenny; Shaw, Mark; Cant, Jonathan S; Ferber, Susanne

    2015-08-01

    Many theories of attention propose that the contents of working memory (WM) can act as an attentional template, which biases processing in favor of perceptually similar inputs. While support has been found for this claim, it is unclear how attentional templates are generated when searching real-world environments. We hypothesized that in naturalistic settings, attentional templates are commonly generated from conceptual knowledge, an idea consistent with sensorimotor models of knowledge representation. Participants performed a visual search task in the delay period of a WM task, where the item in memory was either a colored disk or a word associated with a color concept (e.g., "Rose," associated with red). During search, we manipulated whether a singleton distractor in the array matched the contents of WM. Overall, we found that search times were impaired in the presence of a memory-matching distractor. Furthermore, the degree of impairment did not differ based on the contents of WM. Put differently, regardless of whether participants were maintaining a perceptually colored disk identical to the singleton distractor, or whether they were simply maintaining a word associated with the color of the distractor, the magnitude of attentional capture was the same. Our results suggest that attentional templates can be generated from conceptual knowledge, in the physical absence of the visual feature.

  3. Natural regeneration processes in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlaepfer, Daniel R.; Lauenroth, William K.; Bradford, John B.

    2014-01-01

    Big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata Nuttall (Asteraceae), is the dominant plant species of large portions of semiarid western North America. However, much of historical big sagebrush vegetation has been removed or modified. Thus, regeneration is recognized as an important component for land management. Limited knowledge about key regeneration processes, however, represents an obstacle to identifying successful management practices and to gaining greater insight into the consequences of increasing disturbance frequency and global change. Therefore, our objective is to synthesize knowledge about natural big sagebrush regeneration. We identified and characterized the controls of big sagebrush seed production, germination, and establishment. The largest knowledge gaps and associated research needs include quiescence and dormancy of embryos and seedlings; variation in seed production and germination percentages; wet-thermal time model of germination; responses to frost events (including freezing/thawing of soils), CO2 concentration, and nutrients in combination with water availability; suitability of microsite vs. site conditions; competitive ability as well as seedling growth responses; and differences among subspecies and ecoregions. Potential impacts of climate change on big sagebrush regeneration could include that temperature increases may not have a large direct influence on regeneration due to the broad temperature optimum for regeneration, whereas indirect effects could include selection for populations with less stringent seed dormancy. Drier conditions will have direct negative effects on germination and seedling survival and could also lead to lighter seeds, which lowers germination success further. The short seed dispersal distance of big sagebrush may limit its tracking of suitable climate; whereas, the low competitive ability of big sagebrush seedlings may limit successful competition with species that track climate. An improved understanding of the

  4. Structural templating in a nonplanar phthalocyanine using single crystal copper iodide

    OpenAIRE

    Rochford, L. A. (Luke A.); Ramadan, Alexandra J.; Keeble, Dean S.; Ryan, Mary P.; Heutz, Sandrine; Jones, T. S. (Tim S.)

    2015-01-01

    Solution-grown copper iodide crystals are used as substrates for the templated growth of the nonplanar vanadyl phthalocyanine using organic molecular beam deposition. Structural characterization reveals a single molecular orientation produced by the (111) Miller plane of the copper iodide crystals. These fundamental measurements show the importance of morphology and structure in templating interactions for organic electronics applications.

  5. Capacity issues in local communities for integral urban regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mrđenović Tatjana

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The subject of the research in wider sense is organizational-communication capacity of local communities in Serbia in the frame of sustainable development. Along with this, the paper will explore potentialities of Faludi's model of multiplanning agencies as well as Healey's collaborative theory for better efficiency and effectiveness of planning in the process of urban regeneration. Specifically the paper will research relation between organizational structure of local communities in Serbia and their potentialities to provide adequate communication towards integral information for urban regeneration. Research is framed with a problem of efficiency and effectiveness in creating urban regeneration policies, strategies, designs, and technical solutions. The problem will be focused to Serbian context; characterized with inadequate, transitional, system of governance that is moving from centralistic towards decentralist model. This will be further explored through level and type of participation in the process of urban regeneration. The hypothesis of the research explores the nature of the relation between number and types of communication channels, provided by organizational structure of local communities that should enable effectiveness and efficiency of urban regeneration. In other words the hypothesis is: number and types of communication channels (variable A influences the effectiveness and efficiency of urban planning for sustainable urban regeneration (variable B. The aims of the paper are identification of the regulations between the variables. Expected result is establishing the model for measuring the capacity of local communities for integral urban regeneration.

  6. Post-irradiation thymocyte regeneration after bone marrow transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boersma, W.; Betel, I.; Daculsi, R.; Westen, G. van der

    1981-01-01

    Growth kinetics of the donor-type thymus cell population after transplantation of bone marrow into irradiated syngeneic recipient mice is biphasic. During the first rapid phase of regeneration, lasting until day 19 after transplantation, the rate of development of the donor cells is independent of the number of bone marrow cells inoculated. The second slow phase is observed only when low numbers of bone marrow cells (2.5 x 10 4 ) are transplanted. The decrease in the rate of development is attributed to an efflux of donor cells from the thymus because, at the same time, the first immunologically competent cells are found in spleen. After bone marrow transplantation the regeneration of thymocyte progenitor cells in the marrow is delayed when compared to regeneration of CFUs. Therefore, regenerating marrow has a greatly reduced capacity to restore the thymus cell population. One week after transplantation of 3 x 10 6 cells, 1% of normal capacity of bone marrow is found. It is concluded that the regenerating thymus cells population after bone marrow transplantation is composed of the direct progeny of precursor cells in the inoculum. (author)

  7. Reconsidering regeneration in metazoans: an evo-devo approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano eTiozzo

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Regeneration of body structures is an ability widely but unevenly distributed amongst the animal kingdom. Understanding regenerative biology in metazoans means understanding the multiplicity of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to the differentiation, morphogenesis and ultimately the development of a particular regenerating unit. In this manuscript we critically assess the evolutionary considerations suggesting that regeneration is an ancestral trait rather than a mechanism independently evolved in different taxa. As a general method to test evolutionary hypothesis on regeneration, we propose mechanistically dissecting the regenerative processes according to its conserved chronological steps: wound healing, mobilization of cell precursors and morphogenesis. We then suggest interpreting regenerative biology from an evo-devo perspective, proposing a possible theoretical framework and experimental approaches without necessarily invoking a common origin or only multiple losses of regenerative capabilities.

  8. In vivo study of lens regeneration in Rana cyanophlyctis under ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-03-12

    Mar 12, 2014 ... enhanced the percentage lens regeneration not only in young tadpoles but also in froglets. Lens regeneration ability ... Influence of vitamin A and ascorbic acid on lens regeneration in young, mature tadpoles and froglets of the frog Rana cyanophlyctis. Group .... ingested by macrophages. Dorsal iris cells ...

  9. The Surface Imprinted Polystyrene Beads Prepared via Emulsion Templates

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Guo Xiang CHENG; Guang Ling PEI; Ling Gang ZENG; Li Yong ZHANG; Chao LIU

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, the surface imprinted cross-linked polystyrene beads were prepared via suspension polymerization with styrene (St), divinylbezene (DVB), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA1788), the mixture of Span 85 and xylene or the mixture of Span 85 and paraffin as monomer, cross-linking agent, dispersion stabilizer and templates, respectively. The results indicate that there are dense cavities on the surface of beads, and the diameter and density of cavity are related with the composition and amount of emulsion template. The forming mechanism of cavity from thermodynamics and dynamics was proposed.

  10. Reliability and accuracy of digital templating for the humeral component of total shoulder arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Christopher S; Davis, Shane M; Lane, Christianne J; Koonce, Ryan C; Hartman, Andrew P; Ball, Kenneth; Esch, James C

    2015-01-01

    This experimental study evaluated the interobserver reliability and accuracy of pre-operative digital templating for humeral head size, stem size and neck angle for total shoulder arthroplasty. Twenty-five patients underwent a total shoulder arthroplasty with a single prosthesis. Four independent, blinded surgeons (two experienced shoulder surgeons and two PGY-6 fellows) used pre-operative radiographs and templating software to generate templates of the humeral head, stem and neck for each patient. Interobserver reliability was calculated using weighted kappa (κ) analysis. Accuracy was assessed by comparing templates to actual implant sizes. Interobserver reliability was fair to substantial (κ = 0.26 to 0.71) for head size, fair to substantial (κ = 0.39 to 0.72) for stem size and slight to fair (κ = 0.16 to 0.34) for neck angle. Templated head size, stem size and neck angle had accuracies of 53%, 77% and 68% within one size variation, respectively. Experience did not affect accuracy (p = 0.11 to 0.48). Digital templating is not a useful guide for pre-operative surgical planning and should not be used to select a prosthesis.

  11. Evolvement of soft templates in surfactant/cosurfactant system for shape control of ZnSe nanocrystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou Bo; Liu Yongjun; Li Yanjuan; Yuan Bo; Jia Mingfen; Jiang Fengzhi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Soft templates were found in the shape control synthesis of ZnSe nanocrystals. ► Micelle formation model in the soft templates system was proposed and proved. ► Different shapes of ZnSe nanocrystals were prepared and explained by proposed model. - Abstract: The evolution of soft templates in the synthesis of ZnSe nanocrystals realized through a surfactant/cosurfactant system was investigated and a micelle formation process model was proposed. Through freeze-fracture electron microscopy, it was proven that template micelles were formed in the zinc precursors. Furthermore, it was found that a long stirring period was essential for achieving the lowest energy state of the soft templates which were used for synthesizing monodisperse ZnSe quantum dots.

  12. Feathers and fins: non-mammalian models for hair cell regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brignull, Heather R; Raible, David W; Stone, Jennifer S

    2009-06-24

    Death of mechanosensory cells in the inner ear results in two profound disabilities: hearing loss and balance disorders. Although mammals lack the capacity to regenerate hair cells, recent studies in mice and other rodents have offered valuable insight into strategies for stimulating hair cell regeneration in mammals. Investigations of model organisms that retain the ability to form new hair cells after embryogenesis, such as fish and birds, are equally important and have provided clues as to the cellular and molecular mechanisms that may block hair cell regeneration in mammals. Here, we summarize studies on hair cell regeneration in the chicken and the zebrafish, discuss specific advantages of each model, and propose future directions for the use of non-mammalian models in understanding hair cell regeneration.

  13. Influence of porewidening duration on the template assisted growth of graphitic carbon nitride nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suchitra, S. M.; Udayashankar, N. K.

    2018-01-01

    Porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) membranes with a highly ordered pore arrangement are typically used as ideal templates for the synthesis of numerous nanostructured materials. Highly ordered templates gained significant attraction due to the fact that they are readily fabricated through self-organised simple anodization process. In this paper, the effect of different pore-widening treatments on the quality of the pores of the AAO templates prepared with different electrolytes were inspected. Results confirmed that, without altering the interpore distance different pore dimensions and diameters of the AAO templates can be easily achieved by chemical pore widening process at room temperature. Also, graphitic carbon nitride nanorods of different dimension have been fabricated from AAO template after porewidening process. These nanostructures are widely used in case of metal free visible light driven photo catalysis, photo degradation of organic pollutants, photo electric conversion and water splitting applications.

  14. Diffeomorphic Iterative Centroid Methods for Template Estimation on Large Datasets

    OpenAIRE

    Cury , Claire; Glaunès , Joan Alexis; Colliot , Olivier

    2014-01-01

    International audience; A common approach for analysis of anatomical variability relies on the stimation of a template representative of the population. The Large Deformation Diffeomorphic Metric Mapping is an attractive framework for that purpose. However, template estimation using LDDMM is computationally expensive, which is a limitation for the study of large datasets. This paper presents an iterative method which quickly provides a centroid of the population in the shape space. This centr...

  15. Template-controlled mineralization: Determining film granularity and structure by surface functionality patterns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina J. Blumenstein

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available We present a promising first example towards controlling the properties of a self-assembling mineral film by means of the functionality and polarity of a substrate template. In the presented case, a zinc oxide film is deposited by chemical bath deposition on a nearly topography-free template structure composed of a pattern of two self-assembled monolayers with different chemical functionality. We demonstrate the template-modulated morphological properties of the growing film, as the surface functionality dictates the granularity of the growing film. This, in turn, is a key property influencing other film properties such as conductivity, piezoelectric activity and the mechanical properties. A very pronounced contrast is observed between areas with an underlying fluorinated, low energy template surface, showing a much more (almost two orders of magnitude coarse-grained film with a typical agglomerate size of around 75 nm. In contrast, amino-functionalized surface areas induce the growth of a very smooth, fine-grained surface with a roughness of around 1 nm. The observed influence of the template on the resulting clear contrast in morphology of the growing film could be explained by a contrast in surface adhesion energies and surface diffusion rates of the nanoparticles, which nucleate in solution and subsequently deposit on the functionalized substrate.

  16. Structure and catalytic activity of regenerated spent hydrotreating catalysts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, C.S.; Massoth, F.E.; Furimsky, E. (Utah University, Salt Lake City, UT (USA). Dept. of Fuels Engineering)

    1992-11-01

    Two spent catalysts, obtained from different hydrodemetallation operations, were regenerated by two different treatments, viz. 2% (V/V) O[sub 2]/N[sub 2] and air. One spent catalyst (B), contained 3 wt% V and 15 wt% C, while the other (H) contained 10 wt% V, 14 wt% C and 8 wt% Fe. After regeneration in the O[sub 2]/N[sub 2] stream, catalyst B showed essentially complete recovery of its original surface area, whereas catalyst H showed only 70% recovery. Both catalysts showed substantial losses in surface area by the air treatment. Catalytic activity tests on the regenerated catalysts for hydrodesulfurization of thiophene and for hydrogenation of 1-hexene showed low recovery of activities, even for the regenerated catalyst in which the surface area had been completely recovered. X-ray diffraction analyses of the spent-regenerated catalysts revealed substantial changes in catalyst structure. Surface area and catalytic activity results were qualitatively explained by these catalyst structural changes. 17 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.

  17. 'Gate effect' in templated polyacrylamide membranes influences the electrotransport of proteins and finds applications in proteome analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bossi, Alessandra; Andreoli, Matteo; Bonini, Francesca; Piletsky, Sergey

    2007-09-01

    Templating is an effective way for the structural modifications of a material and hence for altering its functional properties. Here protein imprinting was exploited to alter polymeric polyacrylamide (PAA) membranes. The sieving properties and selection abilities of the material formed were evaluated by studying the electrically driven transport of various proteins across templated PAA membranes. The sieving properties correlated with the templating process and depended on the quantity of template used during the polymerisation. For 1 mg/mL protein-templated membranes a 'gate effect' was shown, which induced a preferential migration of the template and of similar-size proteins. Such template preferential electrotransport was exploited for the selective removal of certain proteins in biological fluids prior to proteome analysis (depletion of albumin from human serum); the efficiency of the removal was demonstrated by analysing the serum proteome by two-dimensional electrophoresis experiments.

  18. Effect of digital template in the assistant of a giant condylar osteochondroma resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Guo; He, Dongmei; Yang, Chi; Lu, Chuan; Huang, Dong; Chen, Minjie; Yuan, Jianbing

    2014-05-01

    Exostosis osteochondroma is usually resected with the whole condyle even part of it is not involved. This study was to report the effect of using digital template in the assistant of resection while protecting the uninvolved condyle. We used computer-aided design technique in the assistant of making preoperative plan of a patient with giant condylar osteochondroma of exogenous type, including determining the boundary between the tumor and the articular surface of condyle, and designing the virtual tumor resection plane, surgical approach, and remove-out path of the tumor. The digital osteotomy template was made by rapid prototyping technique based on the preoperative plan. Postoperative CT scan was performed and merged with the preoperative CT by the Proplan 1.3 system to evaluate the accuracy of surgical resection with the guide of digital template. The osteotomy template was attached to the lateral surface of condyle accurately, and the tumor was removed totally by the guide of the template without injuries to adjacent nerves and vessels. Postoperative CT showed that the osteochondroma was removed completely and the unaffected articular surface of condyle was preserved well. The merging of postoperative and preoperative CT by Proplan 1.3 system showed the outcome of the operation matched with the preoperative planning quite well with an error of 0.92 mm. There was no sign of recurrence after 6 months of follow-up. The application of digital template could improve the accuracy of the giant condylar tumor resection and help to preserve the uninvolved condyle. The use of digital template could reduce injuries to the nerves and vessels as well as save time for the operation.

  19. Preparation of silica stabilized biological templates for the production of metal and layered nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culver, James N; Royston, Elizabeth; Brown, Adam; Harris, Michael

    2013-02-26

    The present invention relates to a system and method providing for increased silica growth on a bio-template, wherein the bio-template is pretreated with aniline to produce a uniform silica attractive surface and yielding a significant silica layers of at least 10 nm, and more preferably at least 20 nm in thickness, thereby providing for a high degree of stability to the bio-template.

  20. Rancang Bangun E-commerce Template Untuk Aplikasi Content and Management Electronic Mall (Came-mall)

    OpenAIRE

    Maulana, Kamal; Sugiharto, Aris; Wibawa, Helmie Arif

    2012-01-01

    Kebanyakan e-commerce di Indonesia masih berorientasi ke pasar regional. Sehingga e-commerce tersebut masih menggunakan bahasa Indonesia. Adanya e-commerce template memudahkan pembuatan sebuah e-commerce. Namun, kebanyakan e-commerce template menggunakan bahasa Inggris sebagai default. Dibutuhkan aplikasi pembuat e-commerce yang menggunakan bahasa Indonesia dan memiliki fungsi-fungsi yang hanya dibutuhkan oleh pengguna pemula. Came-mall adalah salah satu aplikasi e-commerce template yang meng...