Nonlinear Algorithms for Channel Equalization and Map Symbol Detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Giridhar, K.

The transfer of information through a communication medium invariably results in various kinds of distortion to the transmitted signal. In this dissertation, a feed -forward neural network-based equalizer, and a family of maximum a posteriori (MAP) symbol detectors are proposed for signal recovery in the presence of intersymbol interference (ISI) and additive white Gaussian noise. The proposed neural network-based equalizer employs a novel bit-mapping strategy to handle multilevel data signals in an equivalent bipolar representation. It uses a training procedure to learn the channel characteristics, and at the end of training, the multilevel symbols are recovered from the corresponding inverse bit-mapping. When the channel characteristics are unknown and no training sequences are available, blind estimation of the channel (or its inverse) and simultaneous data recovery is required. Convergence properties of several existing Bussgang-type blind equalization algorithms are studied through computer simulations, and a unique gain independent approach is used to obtain a fair comparison of their rates of convergence. Although simple to implement, the slow convergence of these Bussgang-type blind equalizers make them unsuitable for many high data-rate applications. Rapidly converging blind algorithms based on the principle of MAP symbol-by -symbol detection are proposed, which adaptively estimate the channel impulse response (CIR) and simultaneously decode the received data sequence. Assuming a linear and Gaussian measurement model, the near-optimal blind MAP symbol detector (MAPSD) consists of a parallel bank of conditional Kalman channel estimators, where the conditioning is done on each possible data subsequence that can convolve with the CIR. This algorithm is also extended to the recovery of convolutionally encoded waveforms in the presence of ISI. Since the complexity of the MAPSD algorithm increases exponentially with the length of the assumed CIR, a suboptimal

Yellow fever disease: density equalizing mapping and gender analysis of international research output.

Science.gov (United States)

Bundschuh, Matthias; Groneberg, David A; Klingelhoefer, Doris; Gerber, Alexander

2013-11-18

A number of scientific papers on yellow fever have been published but no broad scientometric analysis on the published research of yellow fever has been reported.The aim of the article based study was to provide an in-depth evaluation of the yellow fever field using large-scale data analysis and employment of bibliometric indicators of production and quantity. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science database (WoS) and analyzed as part of the NewQis platform. Then data were extracted from each file, transferred to databases and visualized as diagrams. Partially by means of density-equalizing mapping makes the findings clear and emphasizes the output of the analysis. In the study period from 1900 to 2012 a total of 5,053 yellow fever-associated items were published by 79 countries. The United States (USA) having the highest publication rate at 42% (n = 751) followed by far from Brazil (n = 203), France (n = 149) and the United Kingdom (n = 113). The most productive journals are the "Public Health Reports", the "American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene" and the "Journal of Virology". The gender analysis showed an overall steady increase of female authorship from 1950 to 2011. Brazil is the only country of the five most productive countries with a higher proportion of female scientists. The present data shows an increase in research productivity over the entire study period, in particular an increase of female scientists. Brazil shows a majority of female authors, a fact that is confirmed by other studies.

Beam density equalization in a channel with nonlinear optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batygin, Yu.K.; Kushin, V.V.; Nesterov, N.A.; Plotnikov, S.V.

1993-01-01

Simulation of beam density equalization in 2.85 m length transport channel covering two quadrupole lenses and two octupole lenses was carried out to obtain irradiation homogeneous field of track membrane materials. 0.3 MeV/nucleon energy and 1/8 electron-charge-mass ratio ion beam was supplied to the system inlet. Equalization of beam density function equal to about 80% was obtained. 4 refs., 1 fig

Breast cancer research output, 1945-2008: a bibliometric and density-equalizing analysis

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Glynn, Ronan W

2010-12-22

Abstract Introduction Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, with an estimated 194,280 new cases diagnosed in the United States in 2009 alone. The primary aim of this work was to provide an in-depth evaluation of research yield in breast cancer from 1945 to 2008, using large-scale data analysis, the employment of bibliometric indicators of production and quality, and density-equalizing mapping. Methods Data were retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) Science Citation Expanded database; this was searched using the Boolean operator, \\'OR\\

Interactive density maps for moving objects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheepens, R.J.; Willems, C.M.E.; Wetering, van de H.M.M.; Wijk, van J.J.

2012-01-01

Trajectories capture the movements of objects with multiple attributes. A visualization method called density maps shows trends in these trajectories. Density map creation involves aggregating smoothed trajectories in a density field and then visualizing the field. Users can explore attributes along

Road Map for Gender Equality in the FCC Study

CERN Document Server

Genevieve Guinot

2015-01-01

Plan towards defining well scoped deliverables on gender specific communication for discussion, mapping of country context and organisational practices and the establishment of a focused task-force on gender equality in participating institutes.

Galaxy bias from the Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data: combining galaxy density maps and weak lensing maps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, C.; Pujol, A.; Gaztañaga, E.; Amara, A.; Réfrégier, A.; Bacon, D.; Becker, M. R.; Bonnett, C.; Carretero, J.; Castander, F. J.; Crocce, M.; Fosalba, P.; Giannantonio, T.; Hartley, W.; Jarvis, M.; Kacprzak, T.; Ross, A. J.; Sheldon, E.; Troxel, M. A.; Vikram, V.; Zuntz, J.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D. L.; Capozzi, D.; Rosell, A. Carnero; Kind, M. Carrasco; Cunha, C. E.; D' Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Dietrich, J. P.; Doel, P.; Eifler, T. F.; Estrada, J.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; Frieman, J.; Goldstein, D. A.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; Jain, B.; James, D. J.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Li, T. S.; Lima, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Martini, P.; Melchior, P.; Miller, C. J.; Miquel, R.; Mohr, J. J.; Nichol, R. C.; Nord, B.; Ogando, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Reil, K.; Romer, A. K.; Roodman, A.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Walker, A. R.

2016-04-15

We measure the redshift evolution of galaxy bias from a magnitude-limited galaxy sample by combining the galaxy density maps and weak lensing shear maps for a $\\sim$116 deg$^{2}$ area of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Science Verification data. This method was first developed in Amara et al. (2012) and later re-examined in a companion paper (Pujol et al., in prep) with rigorous simulation tests and analytical treatment of tomographic measurements. In this work we apply this method to the DES SV data and measure the galaxy bias for a magnitude-limited galaxy sample. We find the galaxy bias and 1$\\sigma$ error bars in 4 photometric redshift bins to be 1.33$\\pm$0.18 (z=0.2-0.4), 1.19$\\pm$0.23 (z=0.4-0.6), 0.99$\\pm$0.36 ( z=0.6-0.8), and 1.66$\\pm$0.56 (z=0.8-1.0). These measurements are consistent at the 1-2$\\sigma$ level with mea- surements on the same dataset using galaxy clustering and cross-correlation of galaxies with CMB lensing. In addition, our method provides the only $\\sigma_8$-independent constraint among the three. We forward-model the main observational effects using mock galaxy catalogs by including shape noise, photo-z errors and masking effects. We show that our bias measurement from the data is consistent with that expected from simulations. With the forthcoming full DES data set, we expect this method to provide additional constraints on the galaxy bias measurement from more traditional methods. Furthermore, in the process of our measurement, we build up a 3D mass map that allows further exploration of the dark matter distribution and its relation to galaxy evolution.

Performance of equal gain combining with quantized phases in rayleigh fading channels

KAUST Repository

Rizvi, Umar H.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we analyze the error probability of equal gain combining with quantized channel phase compensation for binary phase shift keying signalling over Rayleigh fading channels. The probability density and characteristic functions of the combined signal amplitude are derived and used to compute the analytic expressions for the bit error probability in dependance of the number of quantization levels L, the number of diversity branches N-R and the average received signal-to-noise ratio. The analysis is utilized to outline the trade-off between N-R and L and to compare the performance with non-coherent binary frequency shift keying and differential binary phase shift keying schemes under diversity reception. © 2011 IEEE.

Homotopic Chain Maps Have Equal s-Homology and d-Homology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Z. Kazemi-Baneh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The homotopy of chain maps on preabelian categories is investigated and the equality of standard homologies and d-homologies of homotopic chain maps is established. As a special case, if X and Y are the same homotopy type, then their nth d-homology R-modules are isomorphic, and if X is a contractible space, then its nth d-homology R-modules for n≠0 are trivial.

The frequency-domain approach for apparent density mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, T.; Guo, L.

2017-12-01

Apparent density mapping is a technique to estimate density distribution in the subsurface layer from the observed gravity data. It has been widely applied for geologic mapping, tectonic study and mineral exploration for decades. Apparent density mapping usually models the density layer as a collection of vertical, juxtaposed prisms in both horizontal directions, whose top and bottom surfaces are assumed to be horizontal or variable-depth, and then inverts or deconvolves the gravity anomalies to determine the density of each prism. Conventionally, the frequency-domain approach, which assumes that both top and bottom surfaces of the layer are horizontal, is usually utilized for fast density mapping. However, such assumption is not always valid in the real world, since either the top surface or the bottom surface may be variable-depth. Here, we presented a frequency-domain approach for apparent density mapping, which permits both the top and bottom surfaces of the layer to be variable-depth. We first derived the formula for forward calculation of gravity anomalies caused by the density layer, whose top and bottom surfaces are variable-depth, and the formula for inversion of gravity anomalies for the density distribution. Then we proposed the procedure for density mapping based on both the formulas of inversion and forward calculation. We tested the approach on the synthetic data, which verified its effectiveness. We also tested the approach on the real Bouguer gravity anomalies data from the central South China. The top surface was assumed to be flat and was on the sea level, and the bottom surface was considered as the Moho surface. The result presented the crustal density distribution, which was coinciding well with the basic tectonic features in the study area.

Synthesizing chaotic maps with prescribed invariant densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, Alan; Shorten, Robert; Heffernan, Daniel M.

2004-01-01

The Inverse Frobenius-Perron Problem (IFPP) concerns the creation of discrete chaotic mappings with arbitrary invariant densities. In this Letter, we present a new and elegant solution to the IFPP, based on positive matrix theory. Our method allows chaotic maps with arbitrary piecewise-constant invariant densities, and with arbitrary mixing properties, to be synthesized

Depression and Suicide Publication Analysis, Using Density Equalizing Mapping and Output Benchmarking

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelzang, B. H.; Scutaru, C.; Mache, S.; Vitzthum, K.; Quarcoo, David; Groneberg, D. A.

2011-01-01

Background: Depression is a major cause of suicide worldwide. This association has been reflected by numerous scientific publications reporting about studies to this theme. There is currently no overall evaluation of the global research activities in this field. Aim: The aim of the current study was to analyze long-term developments and recent research trends in this area. Material and Methods: We searched the Web of Science databases developed by the Thompson Institute of Scientific Information for items concerning depression and suicide published between 1900 and 2007 and analyzed the results using scientometric methods and density-equalizing calculations. Results: We found that publications on this topic increased dramatically in the time period 1990 to 2007. The comparison of the different Journals showed that the Archives of General Psychiatry had the highest average citation rate (more than twice that of any other Journal). When comparing authors, we found that not all the authors who had high h-indexes cooperated much with other authors. The analysis of countries who published papers on this topic showed that they published papers in relation to their Gross Domestic Product and Purchasing Power Parity. Among the G8 countries, Russia had the highest male suicide rate in 1999 (more than twice that of any of the other G8 countries), despite having published least papers and cooperating least with other countries among the G8. Conclusion: We conclude that, although there has been an increase in publications on this topic from 1990 to 2006, this increase is of a lower gradient than that of psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. PMID:22021955

Covariance and correlation estimation in electron-density maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Altomare, Angela; Cuocci, Corrado; Giacovazzo, Carmelo; Moliterni, Anna; Rizzi, Rosanna

2012-03-01

Quite recently two papers have been published [Giacovazzo & Mazzone (2011). Acta Cryst. A67, 210-218; Giacovazzo et al. (2011). Acta Cryst. A67, 368-382] which calculate the variance in any point of an electron-density map at any stage of the phasing process. The main aim of the papers was to associate a standard deviation to each pixel of the map, in order to obtain a better estimate of the map reliability. This paper deals with the covariance estimate between points of an electron-density map in any space group, centrosymmetric or non-centrosymmetric, no matter the correlation between the model and target structures. The aim is as follows: to verify if the electron density in one point of the map is amplified or depressed as an effect of the electron density in one or more other points of the map. High values of the covariances are usually connected with undesired features of the map. The phases are the primitive random variables of our probabilistic model; the covariance changes with the quality of the model and therefore with the quality of the phases. The conclusive formulas show that the covariance is also influenced by the Patterson map. Uncertainty on measurements may influence the covariance, particularly in the final stages of the structure refinement; a general formula is obtained taking into account both phase and measurement uncertainty, valid at any stage of the crystal structure solution.

Local activation time sampling density for atrial tachycardia contact mapping: how much is enough?

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Steven E; Harrison, James L; Chubb, Henry; Whitaker, John; Kiedrowicz, Radek; Rinaldi, Christopher A; Cooklin, Michael; Wright, Matthew; Niederer, Steven; O'Neill, Mark D

2018-02-01

Local activation time (LAT) mapping forms the cornerstone of atrial tachycardia diagnosis. Although anatomic and positional accuracy of electroanatomic mapping (EAM) systems have been validated, the effect of electrode sampling density on LAT map reconstruction is not known. Here, we study the effect of chamber geometry and activation complexity on optimal LAT sampling density using a combined in silico and in vivo approach. In vivo 21 atrial tachycardia maps were studied in three groups: (1) focal activation, (2) macro-re-entry, and (3) localized re-entry. In silico activation was simulated on a 4×4cm atrial monolayer, sampled randomly at 0.25-10 points/cm2 and used to re-interpolate LAT maps. Activation patterns were studied in the geometrically simple porcine right atrium (RA) and complex human left atrium (LA). Activation complexity was introduced into the porcine RA by incomplete inter-caval linear ablation. In all cases, optimal sampling density was defined as the highest density resulting in minimal further error reduction in the re-interpolated maps. Optimal sampling densities for LA tachycardias were 0.67 ± 0.17 points/cm2 (focal activation), 1.05 ± 0.32 points/cm2 (macro-re-entry) and 1.23 ± 0.26 points/cm2 (localized re-entry), P = 0.0031. Increasing activation complexity was associated with increased optimal sampling density both in silico (focal activation 1.09 ± 0.14 points/cm2; re-entry 1.44 ± 0.49 points/cm2; spiral-wave 1.50 ± 0.34 points/cm2, P density (0.61 ± 0.22 points/cm2 vs. 1.0 ± 0.34 points/cm2, P = 0.0015). Optimal sampling densities can be identified to maximize diagnostic yield of LAT maps. Greater sampling density is required to correctly reveal complex activation and represent activation across complex geometries. Overall, the optimal sampling density for LAT map interpolation defined in this study was ∼1.0-1.5 points/cm2. Published on behalf of the European Society of

Influenza: a scientometric and density-equalizing analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fricke, Ralph; Uibel, Stefanie; Klingelhoefer, Doris; Groneberg, David A

2013-09-30

Novel influenza in 2009 caused by H1N1, as well as the seasonal influenza, still are a challenge for the public health sectors worldwide. An increasing number of publications referring to this infectious disease make it difficult to distinguish relevant research output. The current study used scientometric indices for a detailed investigation on influenza related research activity and the method of density equalizing mapping to make the differences of the overall research worldwide obvious. The aim of the study was to compare scientific effort over the time as well as geographical distribution including the cooperation on national and international level. Therefore, publication data was retrieved from Web of Science (WoS) of Thomson Scientific. Subsequently the data was analysed in order to show geographical distributions and the development of the research output over the time.The query retrieved 51,418 publications that are listed in WoS for the time interval from 1900 to 2009. There is a continuous increase in research output and general citation activity especially since 1990. The identified all in all 51,418 publications were published by researchers from 151 different countries. Scientists from the USA participate in more than 37 percent of all publications, followed by researchers from the UK and Germany with more than five percent. In addition, the USA is in the focus of international cooperation.In terms of number of publications on influenza, the Journal of Virology ranks first, followed by Vaccine and Virology. The highest impact factor (IF 2009) in this selection can be established for The Lancet (30.75). Robert Webster seems to be the most prolific author contributing the most publications in the field of influenza. This study reveals an increasing and wide research interest in influenza. Nevertheless, citation based-declaration of scientific quality should be considered critically due to distortion by self-citation and co-authorship.

Density and diversity of OpenStreetMap road networks in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingjia Zhang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available OpenStreetMap is a geographic information platform designed to provide real-time updates and user-generated content related to its freely available global map, and it is one of the most widely used examples of volunteered geographic information, a technique associated with so-called neogeography. This paper, based on the data from China’s OpenStreetMap road network in May 2014, taking 340 prefecture-level cities in China as its study area, presents the geometric-related (road density and attribute-related (type diversity spatial patterns of the OpenStreetMap road network, and explores their relationship. The results are as follows. (1 The distribution of OpenStreetMap road density in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macao predominantly obeys a “positive skewness distribution”. OpenStreetMap data for eastern China shows a higher overall and circular structure. In central China, there are noticeable discrepancies in the road density, whereas in western China, the road density is low. (2 The OpenStreetMap road diversity shows a normal distribution. The spatial pattern for the so-called “Hu Huanyong line” was broken by the effect of diplomatic and strategic factors, showing a high diversity along the peripheral border, coastal cities, and core inland cites. (3 China’s OpenStreetMap is partitioned into four parts according to road density and diversity: high density and high diversity; low density and low diversity; high density and low diversity; and low density high diversity. (4 The OpenStreetMap geographical information-collection process and mechanism were analyzed, demonstrating that the road density reflects the preponderance of traffic in the real world. OpenStreetMap road diversity reflects the road-related geographic information demand and value, and it also reflects the interests of users toward to OpenStreetMap geographical information.

Cowichan Valley energy mapping and modelling. Report 5 - Energy density mapping projections. Final report. [Vancouver Island, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-06-15

The driving force behind the Integrated Energy Mapping and Analysis project was the identification and analysis of a suite of pathways that the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) can utilise to increase its energy resilience, as well as reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions, with a primary focus on the residential sector. Mapping and analysis undertaken will support provincial energy and GHG reduction targets, and the suite of pathways outlined will address a CVRD internal target that calls for 75% of the region's energy within the residential sector to come from locally sourced renewables by 2050. The target has been developed as a mechanism to meet resilience and climate action target. The maps and findings produced are to be integrated as part of a regional policy framework currently under development. Task 5 focused on energy projection mapping to estimate and visualise the energy consumption density and GHG emissions under different scenarios. The scenarios from task 4 were built around the energy consumption density of the residential sector under future land use patterns and rely on different energy source combinations (the suite of pathways). In task 5 the energy usage under the different scenarios were fed back into GIS, thereby giving a visual representation of forecasted residential energy consumption per unit area. The methodology is identical to that used in task 2 where current usage was mapped, whereas the mapping in this task is for future forecasts. These results are documented in this report. In addition, GHG mapping under the various scenarios was also undertaken. (LN)

Ligand identification using electron-density map correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terwilliger, Thomas C.; Adams, Paul D.; Moriarty, Nigel W.; Cohn, Judith D.

2007-01-01

An automated ligand-fitting procedure is applied to (F o − F c )exp(iϕ c ) difference density for 200 commonly found ligands from macromolecular structures in the Protein Data Bank to identify ligands from density maps. A procedure for the identification of ligands bound in crystal structures of macromolecules is described. Two characteristics of the density corresponding to a ligand are used in the identification procedure. One is the correlation of the ligand density with each of a set of test ligands after optimization of the fit of that ligand to the density. The other is the correlation of a fingerprint of the density with the fingerprint of model density for each possible ligand. The fingerprints consist of an ordered list of correlations of each the test ligands with the density. The two characteristics are scored using a Z-score approach in which the correlations are normalized to the mean and standard deviation of correlations found for a variety of mismatched ligand-density pairs, so that the Z scores are related to the probability of observing a particular value of the correlation by chance. The procedure was tested with a set of 200 of the most commonly found ligands in the Protein Data Bank, collectively representing 57% of all ligands in the Protein Data Bank. Using a combination of these two characteristics of ligand density, ranked lists of ligand identifications were made for representative (F o − F c )exp(iϕ c ) difference density from entries in the Protein Data Bank. In 48% of the 200 cases, the correct ligand was at the top of the ranked list of ligands. This approach may be useful in identification of unknown ligands in new macromolecular structures as well as in the identification of which ligands in a mixture have bound to a macromolecule

Molecular surface mesh generation by filtering electron density map.

Science.gov (United States)

Giard, Joachim; Macq, Benoît

2010-01-01

Bioinformatics applied to macromolecules are now widely spread and in continuous expansion. In this context, representing external molecular surface such as the Van der Waals Surface or the Solvent Excluded Surface can be useful for several applications. We propose a fast and parameterizable algorithm giving good visual quality meshes representing molecular surfaces. It is obtained by isosurfacing a filtered electron density map. The density map is the result of the maximum of Gaussian functions placed around atom centers. This map is filtered by an ideal low-pass filter applied on the Fourier Transform of the density map. Applying the marching cubes algorithm on the inverse transform provides a mesh representation of the molecular surface.

Molecular Surface Mesh Generation by Filtering Electron Density Map

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joachim Giard

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Bioinformatics applied to macromolecules are now widely spread and in continuous expansion. In this context, representing external molecular surface such as the Van der Waals Surface or the Solvent Excluded Surface can be useful for several applications. We propose a fast and parameterizable algorithm giving good visual quality meshes representing molecular surfaces. It is obtained by isosurfacing a filtered electron density map. The density map is the result of the maximum of Gaussian functions placed around atom centers. This map is filtered by an ideal low-pass filter applied on the Fourier Transform of the density map. Applying the marching cubes algorithm on the inverse transform provides a mesh representation of the molecular surface.

Automatically Generated Vegetation Density Maps with LiDAR Survey for Orienteering Purpose

Science.gov (United States)

Petrovič, Dušan

2018-05-01

The focus of our research was to automatically generate the most adequate vegetation density maps for orienteering purpose. Application Karttapullatuin was used for automated generation of vegetation density maps, which requires LiDAR data to process an automatically generated map. A part of the orienteering map in the area of Kazlje-Tomaj was used to compare the graphical display of vegetation density. With different settings of parameters in the Karttapullautin application we changed the way how vegetation density of automatically generated map was presented, and tried to match it as much as possible with the orienteering map of Kazlje-Tomaj. Comparing more created maps of vegetation density the most suitable parameter settings to automatically generate maps on other areas were proposed, too.

Near equality of ion phase space densities at earth, Jupiter, and Saturn

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, A. F.; Krimigis, S. M.; Armstrong, T. P.

1985-01-01

Energetic-ion phase-space density profiles are strikingly similar in the inner magnetospheres of earth, Jupiter, and Saturn for ions of first adiabatic invariant near 100 MeV/G and small mirror latitudes. Losses occur inside L approximately equal to 7 for Jupiter and Saturn and inside L approximately equal to 5 at earth. At these L values there exist steep plasma-density gradients at all three planets, associated with the Io plasma torus at Jupiter, the Rhea-Dione-Tethys torus at Saturn, and the plasmasphere at earth. Measurements of ion flux-tube contents at Jupiter and Saturn by the low-energy charged-particle experiment show that these are similar (for O ions at L = 5-9) to those at earth (for protons at L = 2-6). Furthermore, the thermal-ion flux-tube contents from Voyager plasma-science data at Jupiter and Saturn are also very nearly equal, and again similar to those at earth, differing by less than a factor of 3 at the respective L values. The near equality of energetic and thermal ion flux-tube contents at earth, Jupiter, and Saturn suggests the possibility of strong physical analogies in the interaction between plasma and energetic particles at the plasma tori/plasma sheets of Jupiter and Saturn and the plasmasphere of earth.

Soil map density and a nation's wealth and income

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartemink, A.E.

2008-01-01

Little effort has been made to link soil mapping and soil data density to a nation’s welfare. Soil map density in 31 European countries and 44 low and middle income countries is linked to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and the number of soil scientists per country.

Cowichan Valley energy mapping and modelling. Report 2 - Energy consumption and density mapping. Final report. [Vancouver Island, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-06-15

The driving force behind the Integrated Energy Mapping and Analysis project was the identification and analysis of a suite of pathways that the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) can utilise to increase its energy resilience, as well as reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions, with a primary focus on the residential sector. Mapping and analysis undertaken will support provincial energy and GHG reduction targets, and the suite of pathways outlined will address a CVRD internal target that calls for 75% of the region's energy within the residential sector to come from locally sourced renewables by 2050. The target has been developed as a mechanism to meet resilience and climate action target. The maps and findings produced are to be integrated as part of a regional policy framework currently under development. The second task in the overall project was the mapping of regional energy consumption density. Combined with the findings from task one, this enables comparison of energy consumption density per area unit with the renewable energy resource availability. In addition, it provides an energy baseline against which future energy planning activities can be evaluated. The mapping of the energy consumption density was divided into categories to correspond with local British Columbia Assessment Authority (BCAA) reporting. The residential sub-categories were comprised of single family detached dwellings, single family attached dwellings, apartments, and moveable dwellings. For commercial and industrial end-users the 14 sub-categories are also in line with BCAA as well as the on-going provincial TaNDM project of which the CVRD is a partner. The results of task two are documented in this report. (LN)

Spatial mapping of humeral head bone density.

Science.gov (United States)

Alidousti, Hamidreza; Giles, Joshua W; Emery, Roger J H; Jeffers, Jonathan

2017-09-01

Short-stem humeral replacements achieve fixation by anchoring to the metaphyseal trabecular bone. Fixing the implant in high-density bone can provide strong fixation and reduce the risk of loosening. However, there is a lack of data mapping the bone density distribution in the proximal humerus. The aim of the study was to investigate the bone density in proximal humerus. Eight computed tomography scans of healthy cadaveric humeri were used to map bone density distribution in the humeral head. The proximal humeral head was divided into 12 slices parallel to the humeral anatomic neck. Each slice was then divided into 4 concentric circles. The slices below the anatomic neck, where short-stem implants have their fixation features, were further divided into radial sectors. The average bone density for each of these regions was calculated, and regions of interest were compared using a repeated-measures analysis of variance with significance set at P density was found to decrease from proximal to distal regions, with the majority of higher bone density proximal to the anatomic neck of the humerus (P density increases from central to peripheral regions, where cortical bone eventually occupies the space (P density distribution in the medial calcar region was also observed. This study indicates that it is advantageous with respect to implant fixation to preserve some bone above the anatomic neck and epiphyseal plate and to use the denser bone at the periphery. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Complex motion of elevators in piecewise map model combined with circle map

Science.gov (United States)

Nagatani, Takashi

2013-11-01

We study the dynamic behavior in the elevator traffic controlled by capacity when the inflow rate of passengers into elevators varies periodically with time. The dynamics of elevators is described by the piecewise map model combined with the circle map. The motion of the elevators depends on the inflow rate, its period, and the number of elevators. The motion in the piecewise map model combined with the circle map shows a complex behavior different from the motion in the piecewise map model.

Evaluation of macromolecular electron-density map quality using the correlation of local r.m.s. density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terwilliger, Thomas C.; Berendzen, Joel

1999-01-01

The correlation of local r.m.s. density is shown to be a good measure of the presence of distinct solvent and macromolecule regions in macromolecular electron-density maps. It has recently been shown that the standard deviation of local r.m.s. electron density is a good indicator of the presence of distinct regions of solvent and protein in macromolecular electron-density maps [Terwilliger & Berendzen (1999 ▶). Acta Cryst. D55, 501–505]. Here, it is demonstrated that a complementary measure, the correlation of local r.m.s. density in adjacent regions on the unit cell, is also a good measure of the presence of distinct solvent and protein regions. The correlation of local r.m.s. density is essentially a measure of how contiguous the solvent (and protein) regions are in the electron-density map. This statistic can be calculated in real space or in reciprocal space and has potential uses in evaluation of heavy-atom solutions in the MIR and MAD methods as well as for evaluation of trial phase sets in ab initio phasing procedures

Improving snow density estimation for mapping SWE with Lidar snow depth: assessment of uncertainty in modeled density and field sampling strategies in NASA SnowEx

Science.gov (United States)

Raleigh, M. S.; Smyth, E.; Small, E. E.

2017-12-01

The spatial distribution of snow water equivalent (SWE) is not sufficiently monitored with either remotely sensed or ground-based observations for water resources management. Recent applications of airborne Lidar have yielded basin-wide mapping of SWE when combined with a snow density model. However, in the absence of snow density observations, the uncertainty in these SWE maps is dominated by uncertainty in modeled snow density rather than in Lidar measurement of snow depth. Available observations tend to have a bias in physiographic regime (e.g., flat open areas) and are often insufficient in number to support testing of models across a range of conditions. Thus, there is a need for targeted sampling strategies and controlled model experiments to understand where and why different snow density models diverge. This will enable identification of robust model structures that represent dominant processes controlling snow densification, in support of basin-scale estimation of SWE with remotely-sensed snow depth datasets. The NASA SnowEx mission is a unique opportunity to evaluate sampling strategies of snow density and to quantify and reduce uncertainty in modeled snow density. In this presentation, we present initial field data analyses and modeling results over the Colorado SnowEx domain in the 2016-2017 winter campaign. We detail a framework for spatially mapping the uncertainty in snowpack density, as represented across multiple models. Leveraging the modular SUMMA model, we construct a series of physically-based models to assess systematically the importance of specific process representations to snow density estimates. We will show how models and snow pit observations characterize snow density variations with forest cover in the SnowEx domains. Finally, we will use the spatial maps of density uncertainty to evaluate the selected locations of snow pits, thereby assessing the adequacy of the sampling strategy for targeting uncertainty in modeled snow density.

Canopy Density Mapping on Ultracam-D Aerial Imagery in Zagros Woodlands, Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Erfanifard, Y.; Khodaee, Z.

2013-09-01

Canopy density maps express different characteristics of forest stands, especially in woodlands. Obtaining such maps by field measurements is so expensive and time-consuming. It seems necessary to find suitable techniques to produce these maps to be used in sustainable management of woodland ecosystems. In this research, a robust procedure was suggested to obtain these maps by very high spatial resolution aerial imagery. It was aimed to produce canopy density maps by UltraCam-D aerial imagery, newly taken in Zagros woodlands by Iran National Geographic Organization (NGO), in this study. A 30 ha plot of Persian oak (Quercus persica) coppice trees was selected in Zagros woodlands, Iran. The very high spatial resolution aerial imagery of the plot purchased from NGO, was classified by kNN technique and the tree crowns were extracted precisely. The canopy density was determined in each cell of different meshes with different sizes overlaid on the study area map. The accuracy of the final maps was investigated by the ground truth obtained by complete field measurements. The results showed that the proposed method of obtaining canopy density maps was efficient enough in the study area. The final canopy density map obtained by a mesh with 30 Ar (3000 m2) cell size had 80% overall accuracy and 0.61 KHAT coefficient of agreement which shows a great agreement with the observed samples. This method can also be tested in other case studies to reveal its capability in canopy density map production in woodlands.

EVOLUTION OF DARK MATTER PHASE-SPACE DENSITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN EQUAL-MASS HALO MERGERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vass, Ileana M.; Kazanzidis, Stelios; Valluri, Monica; Kravtsov, Andrey V.

2009-01-01

We use dissipationless N-body simulations to investigate the evolution of the true coarse-grained phase-space density distribution f(x, v) in equal-mass mergers between dark matter (DM) halos. The halo models are constructed with various asymptotic power-law indices ρ ∝ r -γ ranging from steep cusps to core-like profiles and we employ the phase-space density estimator 'EnBid' developed by Sharma and Steinmetz to compute f(x, v). The adopted force resolution allows robust phase-space density profile estimates in the inner ∼1% of the virial radii of the simulated systems. We confirm that merger events result in a decrease of the coarse-grained phase-space density in accordance with expectations from Mixing Theorems for collisionless systems. We demonstrate that binary mergers between identical DM halos produce remnants that retain excellent memories of the inner slopes and overall shapes of the phase-space density distribution of their progenitors. The robustness of the phase-space density profiles holds for a range of orbital energies, and a variety of encounter configurations including sequences of several consecutive merger events, designed to mimic hierarchical merging, and collisions occurring at different cosmological epochs. If the progenitor halos are constructed with appreciably different asymptotic power-law indices, we find that the inner slope and overall shape of the phase-space density distribution of the remnant are substantially closer to that of the initial system with the steepest central density cusp. These results explicitly demonstrate that mixing is incomplete in equal-mass mergers between DM halos, as it does not erase memory of the progenitor properties. Our results also confirm the recent analytical predictions of Dehnen regarding the preservation of merging self-gravitating central density cusps.

Globally optimal superconducting magnets part I: minimum stored energy (MSE) current density map.

Science.gov (United States)

Tieng, Quang M; Vegh, Viktor; Brereton, Ian M

2009-01-01

An optimal current density map is crucial in magnet design to provide the initial values within search spaces in an optimization process for determining the final coil arrangement of the magnet. A strategy for obtaining globally optimal current density maps for the purpose of designing magnets with coaxial cylindrical coils in which the stored energy is minimized within a constrained domain is outlined. The current density maps obtained utilising the proposed method suggests that peak current densities occur around the perimeter of the magnet domain, where the adjacent peaks have alternating current directions for the most compact designs. As the dimensions of the domain are increased, the current density maps yield traditional magnet designs of positive current alone. These unique current density maps are obtained by minimizing the stored magnetic energy cost function and therefore suggest magnet coil designs of minimal system energy. Current density maps are provided for a number of different domain arrangements to illustrate the flexibility of the method and the quality of the achievable designs.

Comparative study of fixation density maps

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engelke, U.; Liu, H.; Wang, Junle; Callet, Le P.; Heynderickx, I.E.J.; Zepernick, H.-J.; Maeder, A.

2013-01-01

Fixation density maps (FDM) created from eye tracking experiments are widely used in image processing applications. The FDM are assumed to be reliable ground truths of human visual attention and as such, one expects a high similarity between FDM created in different laboratories. So far, no studies

Breast cancer research output, 1945-2008: a bibliometric and density-equalizing analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Glynn, Ronan W; Scutaru, Cristian; Kerin, Michael J; Sweeney, Karl J

2010-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, with an estimated 194,280 new cases diagnosed in the United States in 2009 alone. The primary aim of this work was to provide an in-depth evaluation of research yield in breast cancer from 1945 to 2008, using large-scale data analysis, the employment of bibliometric indicators of production and quality, and density-equalizing mapping. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) Science Citation Expanded database; this was searched using the Boolean operator, 'OR', with different terms related to breast cancer, including "breast cancer", "mammary ductal carcinoma" and "breast tumour". Data were then extracted from each file, transferred to Excel charts and visualised as diagrams. Mapping was performed as described by Groneberg-Kloft et al. in 2008. A total of 180,126 breast cancer-associated items were produced over the study period; these had been cited 4,136,224 times. The United States returned the greatest level of output (n = 77,101), followed by the UK (n = 18,357) and Germany (n = 12,529). International cooperation peaked in 2008, with 3,127 entries produced as a result; relationships between the United States and other countries formed the basis for the 10 most common forms of bilateral cooperation. Publications from nations with high levels of international cooperation were associated with greater average citation rates. A total of 4,096 journals published at least one item on breast cancer, although the top 50 most prolific titles together accounted for over 43% (77,517/180,126) of the total output. Breast cancer-associated research output continues to increase annually. In an era when bibliometric indicators are increasingly being employed in performance assessment, these findings should provide useful information for those tasked with improving that performance.

Ellipsoidal terrain correction based on multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid

Science.gov (United States)

Ardalan, A. A.; Safari, A.

2004-09-01

An operational algorithm for computation of terrain correction (or local gravity field modeling) based on application of closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates in multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid is presented. Multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid has been derived and is described in detail for the first time. Ellipsoidal mass elements with various sizes on the surface of the reference ellipsoid are selected and the gravitational potential and vector of gravitational intensity (i.e. gravitational acceleration) of the mass elements are computed via numerical solution of the Newton integral in terms of geodetic coordinates {λ,ϕ,h}. Four base- edge points of the ellipsoidal mass elements are transformed into a multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection surface to build Cartesian mass elements by associating the height of the corresponding ellipsoidal mass elements to the transformed area elements. Using the closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates, the gravitational potential and vector of gravitational intensity of the transformed Cartesian mass elements are computed and compared with those of the numerical solution of the Newton integral for the ellipsoidal mass elements in terms of geodetic coordinates. Numerical tests indicate that the difference between the two computations, i.e. numerical solution of the Newton integral for ellipsoidal mass elements in terms of geodetic coordinates and closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates, in a multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection, is less than 1.6×10-8 m2/s2 for a mass element with a cross section area of 10×10 m and a height of 10,000 m. For a mass element with a cross section area of 1×1 km and a height of 10,000 m the difference is less than 1.5×10-4m2/s2. Since 1.5× 10-4 m2/s2 is equivalent to 1.5×10-5m in the vertical

StreamMap: Smooth Dynamic Visualization of High-Density Streaming Points.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chenhui; Baciu, George; Han, Yu

2018-03-01

Interactive visualization of streaming points for real-time scatterplots and linear blending of correlation patterns is increasingly becoming the dominant mode of visual analytics for both big data and streaming data from active sensors and broadcasting media. To better visualize and interact with inter-stream patterns, it is generally necessary to smooth out gaps or distortions in the streaming data. Previous approaches either animate the points directly or present a sampled static heat-map. We propose a new approach, called StreamMap, to smoothly blend high-density streaming points and create a visual flow that emphasizes the density pattern distributions. In essence, we present three new contributions for the visualization of high-density streaming points. The first contribution is a density-based method called super kernel density estimation that aggregates streaming points using an adaptive kernel to solve the overlapping problem. The second contribution is a robust density morphing algorithm that generates several smooth intermediate frames for a given pair of frames. The third contribution is a trend representation design that can help convey the flow directions of the streaming points. The experimental results on three datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of StreamMap when dynamic visualization and visual analysis of trend patterns on streaming points are required.

A high-density SNP map for accurate mapping of seed fibre QTL in Brassica napus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liezhao Liu

Full Text Available A high density genetic linkage map for the complex allotetraploid crop species Brassica napus (oilseed rape was constructed in a late-generation recombinant inbred line (RIL population, using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP markers assayed by the Brassica 60 K Infinium BeadChip Array. The linkage map contains 9164 SNP markers covering 1832.9 cM. 1232 bins account for 7648 of the markers. A subset of 2795 SNP markers, with an average distance of 0.66 cM between adjacent markers, was applied for QTL mapping of seed colour and the cell wall fiber components acid detergent lignin (ADL, cellulose and hemicellulose. After phenotypic analyses across four different environments a total of 11 QTL were detected for seed colour and fiber traits. The high-density map considerably improved QTL resolution compared to the previous low-density maps. A previously identified major QTL with very high effects on seed colour and ADL was pinpointed to a narrow genome interval on chromosome A09, while a minor QTL explaining 8.1% to 14.1% of variation for ADL was detected on chromosome C05. Five and three QTL accounting for 4.7% to 21.9% and 7.3% to 16.9% of the phenotypic variation for cellulose and hemicellulose, respectively, were also detected. To our knowledge this is the first description of QTL for seed cellulose and hemicellulose in B. napus, representing interesting new targets for improving oil content. The high density SNP genetic map enables navigation from interesting B. napus QTL to Brassica genome sequences, giving useful new information for understanding the genetics of key seed quality traits in rapeseed.

Development of spatial density maps based on geoprocessing web services: application to tuberculosis incidence in Barcelona, Spain

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Health professionals and authorities strive to cope with heterogeneous data, services, and statistical models to support decision making on public health. Sophisticated analysis and distributed processing capabilities over geocoded epidemiological data are seen as driving factors to speed up control and decision making in these health risk situations. In this context, recent Web technologies and standards-based web services deployed on geospatial information infrastructures have rapidly become an efficient way to access, share, process, and visualize geocoded health-related information. Methods Data used on this study is based on Tuberculosis (TB) cases registered in Barcelona city during 2009. Residential addresses are geocoded and loaded into a spatial database that acts as a backend database. The web-based application architecture and geoprocessing web services are designed according to the Representational State Transfer (REST) principles. These web processing services produce spatial density maps against the backend database. Results The results are focused on the use of the proposed web-based application to the analysis of TB cases in Barcelona. The application produces spatial density maps to ease the monitoring and decision making process by health professionals. We also include a discussion of how spatial density maps may be useful for health practitioners in such contexts. Conclusions In this paper, we developed web-based client application and a set of geoprocessing web services to support specific health-spatial requirements. Spatial density maps of TB incidence were generated to help health professionals in analysis and decision-making tasks. The combined use of geographic information tools, map viewers, and geoprocessing services leads to interesting possibilities in handling health data in a spatial manner. In particular, the use of spatial density maps has been effective to identify the most affected areas and its spatial impact. This

Development of spatial density maps based on geoprocessing web services: application to tuberculosis incidence in Barcelona, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Dominkovics, Pau; Granell, Carlos; Pérez-Navarro, Antoni; Casals, Martí; Orcau, Angels; Caylà, Joan A

2011-11-29

Health professionals and authorities strive to cope with heterogeneous data, services, and statistical models to support decision making on public health. Sophisticated analysis and distributed processing capabilities over geocoded epidemiological data are seen as driving factors to speed up control and decision making in these health risk situations. In this context, recent Web technologies and standards-based web services deployed on geospatial information infrastructures have rapidly become an efficient way to access, share, process, and visualize geocoded health-related information. Data used on this study is based on Tuberculosis (TB) cases registered in Barcelona city during 2009. Residential addresses are geocoded and loaded into a spatial database that acts as a backend database. The web-based application architecture and geoprocessing web services are designed according to the Representational State Transfer (REST) principles. These web processing services produce spatial density maps against the backend database. The results are focused on the use of the proposed web-based application to the analysis of TB cases in Barcelona. The application produces spatial density maps to ease the monitoring and decision making process by health professionals. We also include a discussion of how spatial density maps may be useful for health practitioners in such contexts. In this paper, we developed web-based client application and a set of geoprocessing web services to support specific health-spatial requirements. Spatial density maps of TB incidence were generated to help health professionals in analysis and decision-making tasks. The combined use of geographic information tools, map viewers, and geoprocessing services leads to interesting possibilities in handling health data in a spatial manner. In particular, the use of spatial density maps has been effective to identify the most affected areas and its spatial impact. This study is an attempt to demonstrate how web

An Ultra-High-Density, Transcript-Based, Genetic Map of Lettuce

Science.gov (United States)

Truco, Maria José; Ashrafi, Hamid; Kozik, Alexander; van Leeuwen, Hans; Bowers, John; Wo, Sebastian Reyes Chin; Stoffel, Kevin; Xu, Huaqin; Hill, Theresa; Van Deynze, Allen; Michelmore, Richard W.

2013-01-01

We have generated an ultra-high-density genetic map for lettuce, an economically important member of the Compositae, consisting of 12,842 unigenes (13,943 markers) mapped in 3696 genetic bins distributed over nine chromosomal linkage groups. Genomic DNA was hybridized to a custom Affymetrix oligonucleotide array containing 6.4 million features representing 35,628 unigenes of Lactuca spp. Segregation of single-position polymorphisms was analyzed using 213 F7:8 recombinant inbred lines that had been generated by crossing cultivated Lactuca sativa cv. Salinas and L. serriola acc. US96UC23, the wild progenitor species of L. sativa. The high level of replication of each allele in the recombinant inbred lines was exploited to identify single-position polymorphisms that were assigned to parental haplotypes. Marker information has been made available using GBrowse to facilitate access to the map. This map has been anchored to the previously published integrated map of lettuce providing candidate genes for multiple phenotypes. The high density of markers achieved in this ultradense map allowed syntenic studies between lettuce and Vitis vinifera as well as other plant species. PMID:23550116

An Ultra-High-Density, Transcript-Based, Genetic Map of Lettuce.

Science.gov (United States)

Truco, Maria José; Ashrafi, Hamid; Kozik, Alexander; van Leeuwen, Hans; Bowers, John; Wo, Sebastian Reyes Chin; Stoffel, Kevin; Xu, Huaqin; Hill, Theresa; Van Deynze, Allen; Michelmore, Richard W

2013-04-09

We have generated an ultra-high-density genetic map for lettuce, an economically important member of the Compositae, consisting of 12,842 unigenes (13,943 markers) mapped in 3696 genetic bins distributed over nine chromosomal linkage groups. Genomic DNA was hybridized to a custom Affymetrix oligonucleotide array containing 6.4 million features representing 35,628 unigenes of Lactuca spp. Segregation of single-position polymorphisms was analyzed using 213 F 7:8 recombinant inbred lines that had been generated by crossing cultivated Lactuca sativa cv. Salinas and L. serriola acc. US96UC23, the wild progenitor species of L. sativa The high level of replication of each allele in the recombinant inbred lines was exploited to identify single-position polymorphisms that were assigned to parental haplotypes. Marker information has been made available using GBrowse to facilitate access to the map. This map has been anchored to the previously published integrated map of lettuce providing candidate genes for multiple phenotypes. The high density of markers achieved in this ultradense map allowed syntenic studies between lettuce and Vitis vinifera as well as other plant species. Copyright © 2013 Truco et al.

Terrain Correction on the moving equal area cylindrical map projection of the surface of a reference ellipsoid

Science.gov (United States)

Ardalan, A.; Safari, A.; Grafarend, E.

2003-04-01

An operational algorithm for computing the ellipsoidal terrain correction based on application of closed form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates in the cylindrical equal area map projected surface of a reference ellipsoid has been developed. As the first step the mapping of the points on the surface of a reference ellipsoid onto the cylindrical equal area map projection of a cylinder tangent to a point on the surface of reference ellipsoid closely studied and the map projection formulas are computed. Ellipsoidal mass elements with various sizes on the surface of the reference ellipsoid is considered and the gravitational potential and the vector of gravitational intensity of these mass elements has been computed via the solution of Newton integral in terms of ellipsoidal coordinates. The geographical cross section areas of the selected ellipsoidal mass elements are transferred into cylindrical equal area map projection and based on the transformed area elements Cartesian mass elements with the same height as that of the ellipsoidal mass elements are constructed. Using the close form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates the potential of the Cartesian mass elements are computed and compared with the same results based on the application of the ellipsoidal Newton integral over the ellipsoidal mass elements. The results of the numerical computations show that difference between computed gravitational potential of the ellipsoidal mass elements and Cartesian mass element in the cylindrical equal area map projection is of the order of 1.6 × 10-8m^2/s^2 for a mass element with the cross section size of 10 km × 10 km and the height of 1000 m. For a 1 km × 1 km mass element with the same height, this difference is less than 1.5 × 10-4 m^2}/s^2. The results of the numerical computations indicate that a new method for computing the terrain correction based on the closed form solution of the Newton integral in

Local thermodynamic mapping for effective liquid density-functional theory

Science.gov (United States)

Kyrlidis, Agathagelos; Brown, Robert A.

1992-01-01

The structural-mapping approximation introduced by Lutsko and Baus (1990) in the generalized effective-liquid approximation is extended to include a local thermodynamic mapping based on a spatially dependent effective density for approximating the solid phase in terms of the uniform liquid. This latter approximation, called the local generalized effective-liquid approximation (LGELA) yields excellent predictions for the free energy of hard-sphere solids and for the conditions of coexistence of a hard-sphere fcc solid with a liquid. Moreover, the predicted free energy remains single valued for calculations with more loosely packed crystalline structures, such as the diamond lattice. The spatial dependence of the weighted density makes the LGELA useful in the study of inhomogeneous solids.

A high-density transcript linkage map with 1,845 expressed genes positioned by microarray-based Single Feature Polymorphisms (SFP) in Eucalyptus

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

with a concurrent objective of reducing microarray costs. HIgh-density gene-rich maps represent a powerful resource to assist gene discovery endeavors when used in combination with QTL and association mapping and should be especially valuable to assist the assembly of reference genome sequences soon to come for several plant and animal species. PMID:21492453

The impact of FFT size on the performance of a combined OFDM-equalization radio modem

OpenAIRE

Armour, SMD; Nix, AR; Bull, DR

1999-01-01

Conventional OFDM systems employ a guard interval to combat delay spread distortion of transmitted data. This reduces the efficiency of the OFDM transmission. A combined OFDM-equalization transmission strategy is presented in this paper. This strategy employs an adaptive equalizer to combat delay spread distortion instead of a guard interval. This facilitates the use of very short guard intervals and thus the efficiency of the OFDM transmission is improved. This paper presents the combined OF...

Effect of Co-segregating Markers on High-Density Genetic Maps and Prediction of Map Expansion Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

N'Diaye, Amidou; Haile, Jemanesh K; Fowler, D Brian; Ammar, Karim; Pozniak, Curtis J

2017-01-01

Advances in sequencing and genotyping methods have enable cost-effective production of high throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, making them the choice for linkage mapping. As a result, many laboratories have developed high-throughput SNP assays and built high-density genetic maps. However, the number of markers may, by orders of magnitude, exceed the resolution of recombination for a given population size so that only a minority of markers can accurately be ordered. Another issue attached to the so-called 'large p, small n' problem is that high-density genetic maps inevitably result in many markers clustering at the same position (co-segregating markers). While there are a number of related papers, none have addressed the impact of co-segregating markers on genetic maps. In the present study, we investigated the effects of co-segregating markers on high-density genetic map length and marker order using empirical data from two populations of wheat, Mohawk × Cocorit (durum wheat) and Norstar × Cappelle Desprez (bread wheat). The maps of both populations consisted of 85% co-segregating markers. Our study clearly showed that excess of co-segregating markers can lead to map expansion, but has little effect on markers order. To estimate the inflation factor (IF), we generated a total of 24,473 linkage maps (8,203 maps for Mohawk × Cocorit and 16,270 maps for Norstar × Cappelle Desprez). Using seven machine learning algorithms, we were able to predict with an accuracy of 0.7 the map expansion due to the proportion of co-segregating markers. For example in Mohawk × Cocorit, with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers the length of the map inflated by 4.5 and 16.6%, respectively. Similarly, the map of Norstar × Cappelle Desprez expanded by 3.8 and 11.7% with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers. With the increasing number of markers on SNP-chips, the proportion of co-segregating markers in high-density maps will continue to increase making map expansion

Effect of Co-segregating Markers on High-Density Genetic Maps and Prediction of Map Expansion Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amidou N’Diaye

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Advances in sequencing and genotyping methods have enable cost-effective production of high throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP markers, making them the choice for linkage mapping. As a result, many laboratories have developed high-throughput SNP assays and built high-density genetic maps. However, the number of markers may, by orders of magnitude, exceed the resolution of recombination for a given population size so that only a minority of markers can accurately be ordered. Another issue attached to the so-called ‘large p, small n’ problem is that high-density genetic maps inevitably result in many markers clustering at the same position (co-segregating markers. While there are a number of related papers, none have addressed the impact of co-segregating markers on genetic maps. In the present study, we investigated the effects of co-segregating markers on high-density genetic map length and marker order using empirical data from two populations of wheat, Mohawk × Cocorit (durum wheat and Norstar × Cappelle Desprez (bread wheat. The maps of both populations consisted of 85% co-segregating markers. Our study clearly showed that excess of co-segregating markers can lead to map expansion, but has little effect on markers order. To estimate the inflation factor (IF, we generated a total of 24,473 linkage maps (8,203 maps for Mohawk × Cocorit and 16,270 maps for Norstar × Cappelle Desprez. Using seven machine learning algorithms, we were able to predict with an accuracy of 0.7 the map expansion due to the proportion of co-segregating markers. For example in Mohawk × Cocorit, with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers the length of the map inflated by 4.5 and 16.6%, respectively. Similarly, the map of Norstar × Cappelle Desprez expanded by 3.8 and 11.7% with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers. With the increasing number of markers on SNP-chips, the proportion of co-segregating markers in high-density maps will continue to increase

Comparison of lithological mapping results from airborne hyperspectral VNIR-SWIR, LWIR and combined data

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Jilu; Rogge, Derek; Rivard, Benoit

2018-02-01

This study investigates using the Airborne Hyperspectral Imaging Systems (AISA) visible and short-wave infrared (SWIR) and Spatially Enhanced Broadband Array Spectrograph System (SEBASS) longwave infrared (LWIR) (2 and 4 m spatial resolution, respectively) imagery independently and in combination to produce detailed lithologic maps in a subarctic region (Cape Smith Belt, Nunavik, Canada) where regionally metamorphosed lower greenschist mafic, ultramafic and sedimentary rocks are exposed in the presence of lichen coatings. We make use of continuous wavelet analysis (CWA) to improve the radiometric quality of the imagery through the minimization of random noise and the enhancement of spectral features, the minimization of residual errors in the ISAC radiometric correction and target temperature estimation in the case of the LWIR data, the minimization of line to line residual calibration effects that lead to inconsistencies in data mosaics, and the reduction in variability of the spectral continuum introduced by variable illumination and topography. The use of CWA also provides a platform to directly combine the wavelet scale spectral profiles of the SWIR and LWIR after applying a scalar correction factor to the LWIR such that the dynamic range of two data sets have equal weight. This is possible using CWA as the datasets are normalized to a zero mean allowing spectra from different spectral regions to be adjoined. Lithologic maps are generated using an iterative spectral unmixing approach with image spectral endmembers extracted from the SWIR and LWIR imagery based on locations defined from previous work of the study area and field mapping information. Unmixing results of the independent SWIR and LWIR data, and the combined data show clear benefits to using the CWA combined imagery. The analysis showed SWIR and LWIR imagery highlight similar regions and spatial distributions for the three ultramafic units (dunite, peridotite, pyroxenite). However, significant

Construction of a high-density genetic map for grape using next generation restriction-site associated DNA sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Nian

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genetic mapping and QTL detection are powerful methodologies in plant improvement and breeding. Construction of a high-density and high-quality genetic map would be of great benefit in the production of superior grapes to meet human demand. High throughput and low cost of the recently developed next generation sequencing (NGS technology have resulted in its wide application in genome research. Sequencing restriction-site associated DNA (RAD might be an efficient strategy to simplify genotyping. Combining NGS with RAD has proven to be powerful for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP marker development. Results An F1 population of 100 individual plants was developed. In-silico digestion-site prediction was used to select an appropriate restriction enzyme for construction of a RAD sequencing library. Next generation RAD sequencing was applied to genotype the F1 population and its parents. Applying a cluster strategy for SNP modulation, a total of 1,814 high-quality SNP markers were developed: 1,121 of these were mapped to the female genetic map, 759 to the male map, and 1,646 to the integrated map. A comparison of the genetic maps to the published Vitis vinifera genome revealed both conservation and variations. Conclusions The applicability of next generation RAD sequencing for genotyping a grape F1 population was demonstrated, leading to the successful development of a genetic map with high density and quality using our designed SNP markers. Detailed analysis revealed that this newly developed genetic map can be used for a variety of genome investigations, such as QTL detection, sequence assembly and genome comparison.

Rapid model building of beta-sheets in electron-density maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Terwilliger, Thomas C

2010-03-01

A method for rapidly building beta-sheets into electron-density maps is presented. beta-Strands are identified as tubes of high density adjacent to and nearly parallel to other tubes of density. The alignment and direction of each strand are identified from the pattern of high density corresponding to carbonyl and C(beta) atoms along the strand averaged over all repeats present in the strand. The beta-strands obtained are then assembled into a single atomic model of the beta-sheet regions. The method was tested on a set of 42 experimental electron-density maps at resolutions ranging from 1.5 to 3.8 A. The beta-sheet regions were nearly completely built in all but two cases, the exceptions being one structure at 2.5 A resolution in which a third of the residues in beta-sheets were built and a structure at 3.8 A in which under 10% were built. The overall average r.m.s.d. of main-chain atoms in the residues built using this method compared with refined models of the structures was 1.5 A.

Combined Density Nowcasting in an Uncertain Economic Environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.A. Aastveit; F. Ravazzolo (Francesco); H.K. van Dijk (Herman)

2014-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ We introduce a Combined Density Nowcasting (CDN) approach to Dynamic Factor Models (DFM) that in a coherent way accounts for time-varying uncertainty of several model and data features in order to provide more accurate and complete density nowcasts. The combination

K-maps: a vehicle to an optimal solution in combinational logic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

K-maps: a vehicle to an optimal solution in combinational logic design problems using digital multiplexers. ... Abstract. Application of Karnaugh maps (K-Maps) for the design of combinational logic circuits and sequential logic circuits is a subject that has been widely discussed. However, the use of K-Maps in the design of ...

Combining Step Gradients and Linear Gradients in Density.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ashok A; Walz, Jenna A; Gonidec, Mathieu; Mace, Charles R; Whitesides, George M

2015-06-16

Combining aqueous multiphase systems (AMPS) and magnetic levitation (MagLev) provides a method to produce hybrid gradients in apparent density. AMPS—solutions of different polymers, salts, or surfactants that spontaneously separate into immiscible but predominantly aqueous phases—offer thermodynamically stable steps in density that can be tuned by the concentration of solutes. MagLev—the levitation of diamagnetic objects in a paramagnetic fluid within a magnetic field gradient—can be arranged to provide a near-linear gradient in effective density where the height of a levitating object above the surface of the magnet corresponds to its density; the strength of the gradient in effective density can be tuned by the choice of paramagnetic salt and its concentrations and by the strength and gradient in the magnetic field. Including paramagnetic salts (e.g., MnSO4 or MnCl2) in AMPS, and placing them in a magnetic field gradient, enables their use as media for MagLev. The potential to create large steps in density with AMPS allows separations of objects across a range of densities. The gradients produced by MagLev provide resolution over a continuous range of densities. By combining these approaches, mixtures of objects with large differences in density can be separated and analyzed simultaneously. Using MagLev to add an effective gradient in density also enables tuning the range of densities captured at an interface of an AMPS by simply changing the position of the container in the magnetic field. Further, by creating AMPS in which phases have different concentrations of paramagnetic ions, the phases can provide different resolutions in density. These results suggest that combining steps in density with gradients in density can enable new classes of separations based on density.

Wild boar mapping using population-density statistics: From polygons to high resolution raster maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittiglio, Claudia; Khomenko, Sergei; Beltran-Alcrudo, Daniel

2018-01-01

The wild boar is an important crop raider as well as a reservoir and agent of spread of swine diseases. Due to increasing densities and expanding ranges worldwide, the related economic losses in livestock and agricultural sectors are significant and on the rise. Its management and control would strongly benefit from accurate and detailed spatial information on species distribution and abundance, which are often available only for small areas. Data are commonly available at aggregated administrative units with little or no information about the distribution of the species within the unit. In this paper, a four-step geostatistical downscaling approach is presented and used to disaggregate wild boar population density statistics from administrative units of different shape and size (polygons) to 5 km resolution raster maps by incorporating auxiliary fine scale environmental variables. 1) First a stratification method was used to define homogeneous bioclimatic regions for the analysis; 2) Under a geostatistical framework, the wild boar densities at administrative units, i.e. subnational areas, were decomposed into trend and residual components for each bioclimatic region. Quantitative relationships between wild boar data and environmental variables were estimated through multiple regression and used to derive trend components at 5 km spatial resolution. Next, the residual components (i.e., the differences between the trend components and the original wild boar data at administrative units) were downscaled at 5 km resolution using area-to-point kriging. The trend and residual components obtained at 5 km resolution were finally added to generate fine scale wild boar estimates for each bioclimatic region. 3) These maps were then mosaicked to produce a final output map of predicted wild boar densities across most of Eurasia. 4) Model accuracy was assessed at each different step using input as well as independent data. We discuss advantages and limits of the method and its

A high-density linkage map and QTL mapping of fruit-related traits in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yu-Juan; Zhou, Yang-Yang; Li, Jun-Xing; Yu, Ting; Wu, Ting-Quan; Luo, Jian-Ning; Luo, Shao-Bo; Huang, He-Xun

2017-10-06

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) is an economically worldwide crop. Few quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were reported previously due to the lack of genomic and genetic resources. In this study, a high-density linkage map of C. moschata was structured by double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, using 200 F2 individuals of CMO-1 × CMO-97. By filtering 74,899 SNPs, a total of 3,470 high quality SNP markers were assigned to the map spanning a total genetic distance of 3087.03 cM on 20 linkage groups (LGs) with an average genetic distance of 0.89 cM. Based on this map, both pericarp color and strip were fined mapped to a novel single locus on LG8 in the same region of 0.31 cM with phenotypic variance explained (PVE) of 93.6% and 90.2%, respectively. QTL analysis was also performed on carotenoids, sugars, tuberculate fruit, fruit diameter, thickness and chamber width with a total of 12 traits. 29 QTLs distributed in 9 LGs were detected with PVE from 9.6% to 28.6%. It was the first high-density linkage SNP map for C. moschata which was proved to be a valuable tool for gene or QTL mapping. This information will serve as significant basis for map-based gene cloning, draft genome assembling and molecular breeding.

A high density genetic map and QTL for agronomic and yield traits in Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv].

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Xiaomei; Dong, Kongjun; Wang, Xiaoqin; Liu, Tianpeng; He, Jihong; Ren, Ruiyu; Zhang, Lei; Liu, Rui; Liu, Xueying; Li, Man; Huang, Mengzhu; Zhang, Zhengsheng; Yang, Tianyu

2016-05-04

Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.], a crop of historical importance in China, has been adopted as a model crop for studying C-4 photosynthesis, stress biology and biofuel traits. Construction of a high density genetic map and identification of stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) lay the foundation for marker-assisted selection for agronomic traits and yield improvement. A total of 10598 SSR markers were developed according to the reference genome sequence of foxtail millet cultivar 'Yugu1'. A total of 1013 SSR markers showing polymorphism between Yugu1 and Longgu7 were used to genotype 167 individuals from a Yugu1 × Longgu7 F2 population, and a high density genetic map was constructed. The genetic map contained 1035 loci and spanned 1318.8 cM with an average distance of 1.27 cM between adjacent markers. Based on agronomic and yield traits identified in 2 years, 29 QTL were identified for 11 traits with combined analysis and single environment analysis. These QTL explained from 7.0 to 14.3 % of phenotypic variation. Favorable QTL alleles for peduncle length originated from Longgu7 whereas favorable alleles for the other traits originated from Yugu1 except for qLMS6.1. New SSR markers, a high density genetic map and QTL identified for agronomic and yield traits lay the ground work for functional gene mapping, map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection in foxtail millet.

Synergy Maps: exploring compound combinations using network-based visualization.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Richard; Guha, Rajarshi; Korcsmaros, Tamás; Bender, Andreas

2015-01-01

The phenomenon of super-additivity of biological response to compounds applied jointly, termed synergy, has the potential to provide many therapeutic benefits. Therefore, high throughput screening of compound combinations has recently received a great deal of attention. Large compound libraries and the feasibility of all-pairs screening can easily generate large, information-rich datasets. Previously, these datasets have been visualized using either a heat-map or a network approach-however these visualizations only partially represent the information encoded in the dataset. A new visualization technique for pairwise combination screening data, termed "Synergy Maps", is presented. In a Synergy Map, information about the synergistic interactions of compounds is integrated with information about their properties (chemical structure, physicochemical properties, bioactivity profiles) to produce a single visualization. As a result the relationships between compound and combination properties may be investigated simultaneously, and thus may afford insight into the synergy observed in the screen. An interactive web app implementation, available at http://richlewis42.github.io/synergy-maps, has been developed for public use, which may find use in navigating and filtering larger scale combination datasets. This tool is applied to a recent all-pairs dataset of anti-malarials, tested against Plasmodium falciparum, and a preliminary analysis is given as an example, illustrating the disproportionate synergism of histone deacetylase inhibitors previously described in literature, as well as suggesting new hypotheses for future investigation. Synergy Maps improve the state of the art in compound combination visualization, by simultaneously representing individual compound properties and their interactions. The web-based tool allows straightforward exploration of combination data, and easier identification of correlations between compound properties and interactions.

Model FT631 moisture/density combined gauge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Changsong; Dai Zhude; Zhang Jianguo; Zhang Enshang; Huang Jiling; Meng Qingbao

1990-01-01

Model FT631 Moisture/Density Combined Gauge has been developed, with which both water content and density, the two parameters of measured medium (soil), are obtained in one act of measurement at the same time. A China patent has been taken for this invention

Existence and density theorems for stochastic maps on commutative C*-algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alberti, P.M.; Uhlmann, A.

1979-06-01

Theorems are presented on the structure of stochastic and normalized positive linear maps over commutative C*-algebras. It is shown how strongly the solution of the n-tupel problem for stochastic maps relates to the fact that stochastic maps of finite rank are weakly dense within stochastic maps in case of a commutative C*-algebra. A new proof of the density theorem is given and (besides the solution of the n-tupel problem) results are derived concerning the extremal maps of certain convex subsets which are weakly dense. All stated facts suggest application in statistical physics (algebraic approach), especially concerning questions around evolution of classical systems. (author)

Kernel density estimation and transition maps of Moldavian Neolithic and Eneolithic settlement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin Brigand

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Neo-Eneolithic settlement pattern and salt exploitation in Romanian Moldavia” (Brigand and Weller, 2018 [1]. Kernel density estimation (KDE is used in order to move beyond the discrete distribution of sites and to enable us to work on a continuous surface that reflects the intensity of the occupation in the space. Maps of density per period – Neolithic I (Cris, Neolithic II (LBK, Eneolithic I (Precucuteni, Eneolithic II (Cucuteni A, Eneolithic III-IV (Cucuteni A-B and B – are used to create maps of density difference (Figs. 1–4 in order to analyse the dynamic (either non-existent, negative or positive between two chronological sequences.

Topology in Synthetic Column Density Maps for Interstellar Turbulence

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Putko, Joseph; Burkhart, B. K.; Lazarian, A.

2013-01-01

We show how the topology tool known as the genus statistic can be utilized to characterize magnetohydrodyanmic (MHD) turbulence in the ISM. The genus is measured with respect to a given density threshold and varying the threshold produces a genus curve, which can suggest an overall ‘‘meatball,’’ neutral, or ‘‘Swiss cheese’’ topology through its integral. We use synthetic column density maps made from three-dimensional 5123 compressible MHD isothermal simulations performed for different sonic and Alfvénic Mach numbers (Ms and MA respectively). We study eight different Ms values each with one sub- and one super-Alfvénic counterpart. We consider sight-lines both parallel (x) and perpendicular (y and z) to the mean magnetic field. We find that the genus integral shows a dependence on both Mach numbers, and this is still the case even after adding beam smoothing and Gaussian noise to the maps to mimic observational data. The genus integral increases with higher Ms values (but saturates after about Ms = 4) for all lines of sight. This is consistent with greater values of Ms resulting in stronger shocks, which results in a clumpier topology. We observe a larger genus integral for the sub-Alfvénic cases along the perpendicular lines of sight due to increased compression from the field lines and enhanced anisotropy. Application of the genus integral to column density maps should allow astronomers to infer the Mach numbers and thus learn about the environments of interstellar turbulence. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation’s REU program through NSF Award AST-1004881.

Combined backscatter and transmission method for nuclear density gauge

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Golgoun Seyed Mohammad

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the use of nuclear density gauges, due to the ability to work in harsh industrial environments, is very common. In this study, to reduce error related to the ρ of continuous measuring density, the combination of backscatter and transmission are used simultaneously. For this reason, a 137Cs source for Compton scattering dominance and two detectors are simulated by MCNP4C code for measuring the density of 3 materials. Important advantages of this combined radiometric gauge are diminished influence of μ and therefore improving linear regression.

Confirmation and Fine Mapping of a Major QTL for Aflatoxin Resistance in Maize Using a Combination of Linkage and Association Mapping

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Yu Zhang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Maize grain contamination with aflatoxin from Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus is a serious health hazard to animals and humans. To map the quantitative trait loci (QTLs associated with resistance to A. flavus, we employed a powerful approach that differs from previous methods in one important way: it combines the advantages of the genome-wide association analysis (GWAS and traditional linkage mapping analysis. Linkage mapping was performed using 228 recombinant inbred lines (RILs, and a highly significant QTL that affected aflatoxin accumulation, qAA8, was mapped. This QTL spanned approximately 7 centi-Morgan (cM on chromosome 8. The confidence interval was too large for positional cloning of the causal gene. To refine this QTL, GWAS was performed with 558,629 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in an association population comprising 437 maize inbred lines. Twenty-five significantly associated SNPs were identified, most of which co-localised with qAA8 and explained 6.7% to 26.8% of the phenotypic variation observed. Based on the rapid linkage disequilibrium (LD and the high density of SNPs in the association population, qAA8 was further localised to a smaller genomic region of approximately 1500 bp. A high-resolution map of the qAA8 region will be useful towards a marker-assisted selection (MAS of A. flavus resistance and a characterisation of the causal gene.

Rapid genotyping with DNA micro-arrays for high-density linkage mapping and QTL mapping in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)

Science.gov (United States)

Yabe, Shiori; Hara, Takashi; Ueno, Mariko; Enoki, Hiroyuki; Kimura, Tatsuro; Nishimura, Satoru; Yasui, Yasuo; Ohsawa, Ryo; Iwata, Hiroyoshi

2014-01-01

For genetic studies and genomics-assisted breeding, particularly of minor crops, a genotyping system that does not require a priori genomic information is preferable. Here, we demonstrated the potential of a novel array-based genotyping system for the rapid construction of high-density linkage map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. By using the system, we successfully constructed an accurate, high-density linkage map for common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench); the map was composed of 756 loci and included 8,884 markers. The number of linkage groups converged to eight, which is the basic number of chromosomes in common buckwheat. The sizes of the linkage groups of the P1 and P2 maps were 773.8 and 800.4 cM, respectively. The average interval between adjacent loci was 2.13 cM. The linkage map constructed here will be useful for the analysis of other common buckwheat populations. We also performed QTL mapping for main stem length and detected four QTL. It took 37 days to process 178 samples from DNA extraction to genotyping, indicating the system enables genotyping of genome-wide markers for a few hundred buckwheat plants before the plants mature. The novel system will be useful for genomics-assisted breeding in minor crops without a priori genomic information. PMID:25914583

Mapping Students' Spoken Conceptions of Equality

Science.gov (United States)

Anakin, Megan

2013-01-01

This study expands contemporary theorising about students' conceptions of equality. A nationally representative sample of New Zealand students' were asked to provide a spoken numerical response and an explanation as they solved an arithmetic additive missing number problem. Students' responses were conceptualised as acts of communication and…

New 3D gas density maps of NaI and CaII interstellar absorption within 300 pc

Science.gov (United States)

Welsh, B. Y.; Lallement, R.; Vergely, J.-L.; Raimond, S.

2010-02-01

Aims: We present new high resolution (R > 50 000) absorption measurements of the NaI doublet (5889-5895 Å) along 482 nearby sight-lines, in addition to 807 new measurements of the CaII K (3933 Å) absorption line. We have combined these new data with previously reported measurements to produce a catalog of absorptions towards a total of 1857 early-type stars located within 800 pc of the Sun. Using these data we have determined the approximate 3-dimensional spatial distribution of neutral and partly ionized interstellar gas density within a distance-cube of 300 pc from the Sun. Methods: All newly recorded spectra were analyzed by means of a multi-component line profile-fitting program, in most cases using simultaneous fits to the line doublets. Normalized absorption profiles were fitted by varying the velocity, doppler width and column density for all intervening interstellar clouds. The resulting total column densities were then used in conjunction with the Hipparcos distances of the target stars to construct inversion maps of the 3D spatial density distribution of the NaI and CaII bearing gas. Results: A plot of the equivalent width of NaI versus distance reveals a wall of neutral gas at ~80 pc that can be associated with the boundary wall to the central rarefied Local Cavity region. In contrast, a similar plot for the equivalent width of CaII shows no sharply increasing absorption at 80 pc, but instead we observe a slowly increasing value of CaII equivalent width with increasing sight-line distance sampled. Low values for the volume density of NaI (nNaI values in the range 10-8 >nNaI > 10-10 cm-3 are found for sight-lines with distance >300 pc. Both high and low values of the volume density of CaII (nCaII) are found for sight-lines 100 pc a value of nCaII ~ 10-9 cm-3 is typical for most sight-lines, indicating that the distribution of CaII bearing gas is fairly uniform throughout the general ISM. Our three maps of the 3D spatial distribution of local neutral Na

Imaging the density profile of a volcano interior with cosmic-ray muon radiography combined with classical gravimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okubo, S; Tanaka, H K M

2012-01-01

Cosmic-ray muon radiography has the potential to reveal the density structure of gigantic objects. It utilizes the strong penetration ability of high-energy muons. By measuring the number of muons that travel through a target object, the average density can be calculated along the muon path. Since muons travel in straight paths through matter, specially designed detectors can generate density maps with higher spatial resolution than those obtained with conventional geophysical methods. However, this technique has a few notable limitations in that it can only be applied to near-surface structures above the muon sensor and strongly depends on the characteristics of the local topography. This is due to the fact that almost all cosmic-ray muons arrive only from the upper hemisphere. Geological structures, e.g. volcanoes, that allow for muon detectors to be placed on a slope directly below the point of interest are thus the best candidates for this technique. The drawback of muon radiography that only the horizontally integrated density above the sensor is measured with a time resolution larger than several weeks may be partly remedied by combining its results with gravity data, as they are both sensitive to target density while complementary to each other in several aspects. An example of such a combination is presented: real-time monitoring of magma head height in a volcano conduit. (topical review)

ASSESSING STUDENTS’ COMPETENCE IN DEVELOPING CHOROPLETH MAPS COMBINED WITH DIAGRAM MAPS

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GABRIELA OSACI-COSTACHE

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Choropleth maps combined with diagram maps are frequently used in geography. For this reason, based on the maps developed by students, the study aims at the following: identifying and analyzing the errors made by the students; establishing and analyzing the competence level of the students; identifying the causes that led to these errors; and finding the best solutions to improve both the educational process aiming at the formation of this kind of competences and the students’ results. The map assessment was accomplished during two academic years (2013-2014 and 2014-2015, in the aftermath of the activities meant to train the competence. We assessed 105 maps prepared by the students in Cartography (Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest based on an analytical evaluation grid, with dichotomous scale, comprising 15 criteria. This tool helped us identify the errors made by the students, as well as their competence level. By applying a questionnaire, we identified the source of the errors from the students’ perspective, while by comparing the errors and the competence levels at the end of the two academic years we were able to come up with potential solutions for the improvement of the teaching and learning process.

Telemedicine - a scientometric and density equalizing analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Groneberg, David A; Rahimian, Shaghayegh; Bundschuh, Matthias; Schwarzer, Mario; Gerber, Alexander; Kloft, Beatrix

2015-01-01

As a result of the various telemedicine projects in the past years a large number of studies were recently published in this field. However, a precise bibliometric analysis of telemedicine publications does not exist so far. The present study was conducted to establish a data base of the existing approaches. Density-equalizing algorithms were used and data was retrieved from the Thomson Reuters database Web of Science. During the period from 1900 to 2006 a number of 3290 filed items were connected to telemedicine, with the first being published in 1964. The studies originate from 101 countries, with the USA, Great Britain and Canada being the most productive suppliers participating in 56.08 % of all published items. Analyzing the average citation per item for countries with more than 10 publications, Ireland ranked first (10.19/item), New Zealand ranked second (9.5/item) followed by Finland (9.04/item). The citation rate can be assumed as an indicator for research quality. The ten most productive journals include three journals with the main focus telemedicine and another five with the main focus "Information/Informatics". In all subject categories examined for published items related to telemedicine, "Health Care Sciences & Services" ranked first by far. More than 36 % of all publications are assigned to this category, followed by "Medical Informatics" with 9.72 % and "Medicine, General & Internal" with 8.84 % of all publications. In summary it can be concluded that the data shows clearly a strong increase in research productivity. Using science citation analysis it can be assumed that there is a large rise in the interest in telemedicine studies.

Urban Land Use Mapping by Combining Remote Sensing Imagery and Mobile Phone Positioning Data

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Yuanxin Jia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Land use is of great importance for urban planning, environmental monitoring, and transportation management. Several methods have been proposed to obtain land use maps of urban areas, and these can be classified into two categories: remote sensing methods and social sensing methods. However, remote sensing and social sensing approaches have specific disadvantages regarding the description of social and physical features, respectively. Therefore, an appropriate fusion strategy is vital for large-area land use mapping. To address this issue, we propose an efficient land use mapping method that combines remote sensing imagery (RSI and mobile phone positioning data (MPPD for large areas. We implemented this method in two steps. First, a support vector machine was adopted to classify the RSI and MPPD. Then, the two classification results were fused using a decision fusion strategy to generate the land use map. The proposed method was applied to a case study of the central area of Beijing. The experimental results show that the proposed method improved classification accuracy compared with that achieved using MPPD alone, validating the efficacy of this new approach for identifying land use. Based on the land use map and MPPD data, activity density in key zones during daytime and nighttime was analyzed to illustrate the volume and variation of people working and living across different regions.

Mapping Mangrove Density from Rapideye Data in Central America

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Son, Nguyen-Thanh; Chen, Chi-Farn; Chen, Cheng-Ru

2017-06-01

Mangrove forests provide a wide range of socioeconomic and ecological services for coastal communities. Extensive aquaculture development of mangrove waters in many developing countries has constantly ignored services of mangrove ecosystems, leading to unintended environmental consequences. Monitoring the current status and distribution of mangrove forests is deemed important for evaluating forest management strategies. This study aims to delineate the density distribution of mangrove forests in the Gulf of Fonseca, Central America with Rapideye data using the support vector machines (SVM). The data collected in 2012 for density classification of mangrove forests were processed based on four different band combination schemes: scheme-1 (bands 1-3, 5 excluding the red-edge band 4), scheme-2 (bands 1-5), scheme-3 (bands 1-3, 5 incorporating with the normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI), and scheme-4 (bands 1-3, 5 incorporating with the normalized difference red-edge index, NDRI). We also hypothesized if the obvious contribution of Rapideye red-edge band could improve the classification results. Three main steps of data processing were employed: (1), data pre-processing, (2) image classification, and (3) accuracy assessment to evaluate the contribution of red-edge band in terms of the accuracy of classification results across these four schemes. The classification maps compared with the ground reference data indicated the slightly higher accuracy level observed for schemes 2 and 4. The overall accuracies and Kappa coefficients were 97% and 0.95 for scheme-2 and 96.9% and 0.95 for scheme-4, respectively.

Repeat Mapping in the Lower Monterey Submarine Canyon Sheds Light on Morphological Change During Discrete Sediment Density Flow Events

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, K.; Lundsten, E. M.; Caress, D. W.; Thomas, H. J.; Paull, C. K.; Maier, K. L.; Gales, J. A.; Gwiazda, R.; Talling, P.; Xu, J.; Parsons, D. R.

2017-12-01

The Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE), a multi-institutional collaboration effort, was designed to monitor the passage of sediment density flows along the axis of Monterey Canyon, offshore California, between 200 and 1850 m water depth. An array of moorings and sensors were deployed for three 6-month periods from October 2015 to April 2017. Aligned with the CCE deployments, repeat high-resolution multibeam bathymetric surveys of the Monterey Canyon floor were conducted with a mapping AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle). The AUV carried a Reson 7125 multibeam echosounder (vertical precision of 0.15 m and horizontal resolution of 1.0 m). An inertial navigation system combined with a Doppler velocity logger allowed the AUV to fly pre-programmed grids at 3 knots, while maintaining an altitude of 50 m above the seafloor, to obtain a nominal line spacing of 130 m. The floor and lower flanks of the canyon between 200 to 540 m and 1350 to 1880 m water depths were mapped six times during the CCE. These repeat maps are subtracted to create bathymetry difference grids to show morphological change. Coupling the sensor observations with the bathymetric surveys, the CCE successfully documented sediment density flow events as well as the associated changes in seafloor morphology. Between repeat surveys, three sediment density flow events reached the lower canyon, extending to at least 1850 m water depth. On January 15, 2016, a particularly large density flow traveled more than 50 km down Monterey Canyon. Unlike in the upper canyon where this event caused wholesale reorganization of geomorphological features, changes to the lower canyon morphology involved a more moderate re-sculpting of the features. The effect of a sediment density flow of known magnitude and duration on the seafloor morphology has never been documented in a deep-sea setting before.

Blood Density Is Nearly Equal to Water Density: A Validation Study of the Gravimetric Method of Measuring Intraoperative Blood Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitello, Dominic J; Ripper, Richard M; Fettiplace, Michael R; Weinberg, Guy L; Vitello, Joseph M

2015-01-01

Purpose. The gravimetric method of weighing surgical sponges is used to quantify intraoperative blood loss. The dry mass minus the wet mass of the gauze equals the volume of blood lost. This method assumes that the density of blood is equivalent to water (1 gm/mL). This study's purpose was to validate the assumption that the density of blood is equivalent to water and to correlate density with hematocrit. Methods. 50 µL of whole blood was weighed from eighteen rats. A distilled water control was weighed for each blood sample. The averages of the blood and water were compared utilizing a Student's unpaired, one-tailed t-test. The masses of the blood samples and the hematocrits were compared using a linear regression. Results. The average mass of the eighteen blood samples was 0.0489 g and that of the distilled water controls was 0.0492 g. The t-test showed P = 0.2269 and R (2) = 0.03154. The hematocrit values ranged from 24% to 48%. The linear regression R (2) value was 0.1767. Conclusions. The R (2) value comparing the blood and distilled water masses suggests high correlation between the two populations. Linear regression showed the hematocrit was not proportional to the mass of the blood. The study confirmed that the measured density of blood is similar to water.

A comparison of spatial analysis methods for the construction of topographic maps of retinal cell density.

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Eduardo Garza-Gisholt

Full Text Available Topographic maps that illustrate variations in the density of different neuronal sub-types across the retina are valuable tools for understanding the adaptive significance of retinal specialisations in different species of vertebrates. To date, such maps have been created from raw count data that have been subjected to only limited analysis (linear interpolation and, in many cases, have been presented as iso-density contour maps with contour lines that have been smoothed 'by eye'. With the use of stereological approach to count neuronal distribution, a more rigorous approach to analysing the count data is warranted and potentially provides a more accurate representation of the neuron distribution pattern. Moreover, a formal spatial analysis of retinal topography permits a more robust comparison of topographic maps within and between species. In this paper, we present a new R-script for analysing the topography of retinal neurons and compare methods of interpolating and smoothing count data for the construction of topographic maps. We compare four methods for spatial analysis of cell count data: Akima interpolation, thin plate spline interpolation, thin plate spline smoothing and Gaussian kernel smoothing. The use of interpolation 'respects' the observed data and simply calculates the intermediate values required to create iso-density contour maps. Interpolation preserves more of the data but, consequently includes outliers, sampling errors and/or other experimental artefacts. In contrast, smoothing the data reduces the 'noise' caused by artefacts and permits a clearer representation of the dominant, 'real' distribution. This is particularly useful where cell density gradients are shallow and small variations in local density may dramatically influence the perceived spatial pattern of neuronal topography. The thin plate spline and the Gaussian kernel methods both produce similar retinal topography maps but the smoothing parameters used may affect

A comparison of spatial analysis methods for the construction of topographic maps of retinal cell density.

Science.gov (United States)

Garza-Gisholt, Eduardo; Hemmi, Jan M; Hart, Nathan S; Collin, Shaun P

2014-01-01

Topographic maps that illustrate variations in the density of different neuronal sub-types across the retina are valuable tools for understanding the adaptive significance of retinal specialisations in different species of vertebrates. To date, such maps have been created from raw count data that have been subjected to only limited analysis (linear interpolation) and, in many cases, have been presented as iso-density contour maps with contour lines that have been smoothed 'by eye'. With the use of stereological approach to count neuronal distribution, a more rigorous approach to analysing the count data is warranted and potentially provides a more accurate representation of the neuron distribution pattern. Moreover, a formal spatial analysis of retinal topography permits a more robust comparison of topographic maps within and between species. In this paper, we present a new R-script for analysing the topography of retinal neurons and compare methods of interpolating and smoothing count data for the construction of topographic maps. We compare four methods for spatial analysis of cell count data: Akima interpolation, thin plate spline interpolation, thin plate spline smoothing and Gaussian kernel smoothing. The use of interpolation 'respects' the observed data and simply calculates the intermediate values required to create iso-density contour maps. Interpolation preserves more of the data but, consequently includes outliers, sampling errors and/or other experimental artefacts. In contrast, smoothing the data reduces the 'noise' caused by artefacts and permits a clearer representation of the dominant, 'real' distribution. This is particularly useful where cell density gradients are shallow and small variations in local density may dramatically influence the perceived spatial pattern of neuronal topography. The thin plate spline and the Gaussian kernel methods both produce similar retinal topography maps but the smoothing parameters used may affect the outcome.

A Larger Chocolate Chip—Development of a 15K Theobroma cacao L. SNP Array to Create High-Density Linkage Maps

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Donald Livingstone

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. is an important cash crop in tropical regions around the world and has a rich agronomic history in South America. As a key component in the cosmetic and confectionary industries, millions of people worldwide use products made from cacao, ranging from shampoo to chocolate. An Illumina Infinity II array was created using 13,530 SNPs identified within a small diversity panel of cacao. Of these SNPs, 12,643 derive from variation within annotated cacao genes. The genotypes of 3,072 trees were obtained, including two mapping populations from Ecuador. High-density linkage maps for these two populations were generated and compared to the cacao genome assembly. Phenotypic data from these populations were combined with the linkage maps to identify the QTLs for yield and disease resistance.

A Larger Chocolate Chip-Development of a 15K Theobroma cacao L. SNP Array to Create High-Density Linkage Maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Livingstone, Donald; Stack, Conrad; Mustiga, Guiliana M; Rodezno, Dayana C; Suarez, Carmen; Amores, Freddy; Feltus, Frank A; Mockaitis, Keithanne; Cornejo, Omar E; Motamayor, Juan C

2017-01-01

Cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) is an important cash crop in tropical regions around the world and has a rich agronomic history in South America. As a key component in the cosmetic and confectionary industries, millions of people worldwide use products made from cacao, ranging from shampoo to chocolate. An Illumina Infinity II array was created using 13,530 SNPs identified within a small diversity panel of cacao. Of these SNPs, 12,643 derive from variation within annotated cacao genes. The genotypes of 3,072 trees were obtained, including two mapping populations from Ecuador. High-density linkage maps for these two populations were generated and compared to the cacao genome assembly. Phenotypic data from these populations were combined with the linkage maps to identify the QTLs for yield and disease resistance.

Sweden: Combining childbearing and gender equality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Bernhardt

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Sweden is the forerunner of the Second Demographic Transition. Fertility trends have fluctuated greatly since the 1960s, and the 1990s showed both European-highest and lowest-ever-in-Sweden levels, while the cohort pattern has been relatively stable. Period fluctuations have been accompanied by a postponement of entering committed partnerships and parenthood as well as an increasing instability of family relationships. The awareness and the availability of effective contraceptives have been extensive since the mid-1970s, the year the liberal abortion law was introduced. Post-modern values are dominant in this highly secularized society, but ideal family size is among the highest in the European Union, and childlessness has remained at a relatively low level. Ethnic diversification has increased over time, with about one-fifth of the population having a 'foreign background' in the early 2000s. The level of female labor-force participation is the highest in Europe (although mothers of pre-schoolers often work part-time, and young women are just as highly educated as men. Family policies, based on the principle of equality across social groups and gender, seem to play an important role in keeping fertility relatively high. In combination with other factors, family policies also play a role in the fluctuations of fertility rates, as eligibility to parental-leave and benefits as well as the availability of public childcare are linked to parents' labor-force attachment.

Maximum entropy reconstruction of spin densities involving non uniform prior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schweizer, J.; Ressouche, E.; Papoular, R.J.; Zheludev, A.I.

1997-01-01

Diffraction experiments give microscopic information on structures in crystals. A method which uses the concept of maximum of entropy (MaxEnt), appears to be a formidable improvement in the treatment of diffraction data. This method is based on a bayesian approach: among all the maps compatible with the experimental data, it selects that one which has the highest prior (intrinsic) probability. Considering that all the points of the map are equally probable, this probability (flat prior) is expressed via the Boltzman entropy of the distribution. This method has been used for the reconstruction of charge densities from X-ray data, for maps of nuclear densities from unpolarized neutron data as well as for distributions of spin density. The density maps obtained by this method, as compared to those resulting from the usual inverse Fourier transformation, are tremendously improved. In particular, any substantial deviation from the background is really contained in the data, as it costs entropy compared to a map that would ignore such features. However, in most of the cases, before the measurements are performed, some knowledge exists about the distribution which is investigated. It can range from the simple information of the type of scattering electrons to an elaborate theoretical model. In these cases, the uniform prior which considers all the different pixels as equally likely, is too weak a requirement and has to be replaced. In a rigorous bayesian analysis, Skilling has shown that prior knowledge can be encoded into the Maximum Entropy formalism through a model m(rvec r), via a new definition for the entropy given in this paper. In the absence of any data, the maximum of the entropy functional is reached for ρ(rvec r) = m(rvec r). Any substantial departure from the model, observed in the final map, is really contained in the data as, with the new definition, it costs entropy. This paper presents illustrations of model testing

Genotyping-by-Sequencing derived High-Density Linkage Map and its Application to QTL Mapping of Flag Leaf Traits in Bread Wheat

Science.gov (United States)

Hard red winter wheat parents ‘Harry’ (drought tolerant) and ‘Wesley’ (drought susceptible) was used to develop a recombinant inbred population to identify genomic regions associated with drought and adaptation. To precisely map genomic regions high-density linkage maps are a prerequisite. In this s...

High-density genetic map using whole-genome re-sequencing for fine mapping and candidate gene discovery for disease resistance in peanut

Science.gov (United States)

High-density genetic linkage maps are essential for fine mapping QTLs controlling disease resistance traits, such as early leaf spot (ELS), late leaf spot (LLS), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). With completion of the genome sequences of two diploid ancestors of cultivated peanut, we could use ...

A new software routine that automates the fitting of protein X-ray crystallographic electron-density maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Levitt, D G

2001-07-01

The classical approach to building the amino-acid residues into the initial electron-density map requires days to weeks of a skilled investigator's time. Automating this procedure should not only save time, but has the potential to provide a more accurate starting model for input to refinement programs. The new software routine MAID builds the protein structure into the electron-density map in a series of sequential steps. The first step is the fitting of the secondary alpha-helix and beta-sheet structures. These 'fits' are then used to determine the local amino-acid sequence assignment. These assigned fits are then extended through the loop regions and fused with the neighboring sheet or helix. The program was tested on the unaveraged 2.5 A selenomethionine multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (SMAD) electron-density map that was originally used to solve the structure of the 291-residue protein human heart short-chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SHAD). Inputting just the map density and the amino-acid sequence, MAID fitted 80% of the residues with an r.m.s.d. error of 0.43 A for the main-chain atoms and 1.0 A for all atoms without any user intervention. When tested on a higher quality 1.9 A SMAD map, MAID correctly fitted 100% (418) of the residues. A major advantage of the MAID fitting procedure is that it maintains ideal bond lengths and angles and constrains phi/psi angles to the appropriate Ramachandran regions. Recycling the output of this new routine through a partial structure-refinement program may have the potential to completely automate the fitting of electron-density maps.

Combined effect of pulse density and grid cell size on predicting and mapping aboveground carbon in fast-growing Eucalyptus forest plantation using airborne LiDAR data.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Carlos Alberto; Hudak, Andrew Thomas; Klauberg, Carine; Vierling, Lee Alexandre; Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos; de Padua Chaves Carvalho, Samuel; Rodriguez, Luiz Carlos Estraviz; Cardil, Adrián

2017-12-01

LiDAR remote sensing is a rapidly evolving technology for quantifying a variety of forest attributes, including aboveground carbon (AGC). Pulse density influences the acquisition cost of LiDAR, and grid cell size influences AGC prediction using plot-based methods; however, little work has evaluated the effects of LiDAR pulse density and cell size for predicting and mapping AGC in fast-growing Eucalyptus forest plantations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of LiDAR pulse density and grid cell size on AGC prediction accuracy at plot and stand-levels using airborne LiDAR and field data. We used the Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm to model AGC using LiDAR-derived metrics from LiDAR collections of 5 and 10 pulses m -2 (RF5 and RF10) and grid cell sizes of 5, 10, 15 and 20 m. The results show that LiDAR pulse density of 5 pulses m -2 provides metrics with similar prediction accuracy for AGC as when using a dataset with 10 pulses m -2 in these fast-growing plantations. Relative root mean square errors (RMSEs) for the RF5 and RF10 were 6.14 and 6.01%, respectively. Equivalence tests showed that the predicted AGC from the training and validation models were equivalent to the observed AGC measurements. The grid cell sizes for mapping ranging from 5 to 20 also did not significantly affect the prediction accuracy of AGC at stand level in this system. LiDAR measurements can be used to predict and map AGC across variable-age Eucalyptus plantations with adequate levels of precision and accuracy using 5 pulses m -2 and a grid cell size of 5 m. The promising results for AGC modeling in this study will allow for greater confidence in comparing AGC estimates with varying LiDAR sampling densities for Eucalyptus plantations and assist in decision making towards more cost effective and efficient forest inventory.

A simple method for combining genetic mapping data from multiple crosses and experimental designs.

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Jeremy L Peirce

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Over the past decade many linkage studies have defined chromosomal intervals containing polymorphisms that modulate a variety of traits. Many phenotypes are now associated with enough mapping data that meta-analysis could help refine locations of known QTLs and detect many novel QTLs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We describe a simple approach to combining QTL mapping results for multiple studies and demonstrate its utility using two hippocampus weight loci. Using data taken from two populations, a recombinant inbred strain set and an advanced intercross population we demonstrate considerable improvements in significance and resolution for both loci. 1-LOD support intervals were improved 51% for Hipp1a and 37% for Hipp9a. We first generate locus-wise permuted P-values for association with the phenotype from multiple maps, which can be done using a permutation method appropriate to each population. These results are then assigned to defined physical positions by interpolation between markers with known physical and genetic positions. We then use Fisher's combination test to combine position-by-position probabilities among experiments. Finally, we calculate genome-wide combined P-values by generating locus-specific P-values for each permuted map for each experiment. These permuted maps are then sampled with replacement and combined. The distribution of best locus-specific P-values for each combined map is the null distribution of genome-wide adjusted P-values. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our approach is applicable to a wide variety of segregating and non-segregating mapping populations, facilitates rapid refinement of physical QTL position, is complementary to other QTL fine mapping methods, and provides an appropriate genome-wide criterion of significance for combined mapping results.

Surface density mapping of natural tissue by a scanning haptic microscope (SHM).

Science.gov (United States)

Moriwaki, Takeshi; Oie, Tomonori; Takamizawa, Keiichi; Murayama, Yoshinobu; Fukuda, Toru; Omata, Sadao; Nakayama, Yasuhide

2013-02-01

To expand the performance capacity of the scanning haptic microscope (SHM) beyond surface mapping microscopy of elastic modulus or topography, surface density mapping of a natural tissue was performed by applying a measurement theory of SHM, in which a frequency change occurs upon contact of the sample surface with the SHM sensor - a microtactile sensor (MTS) that vibrates at a pre-determined constant oscillation frequency. This change was mainly stiffness-dependent at a low oscillation frequency and density-dependent at a high oscillation frequency. Two paragon examples with extremely different densities but similar macroscopic elastic moduli in the range of natural soft tissues were selected: one was agar hydrogels and the other silicon organogels with extremely low (less than 25 mg/cm(3)) and high densities (ca. 1300 mg/cm(3)), respectively. Measurements were performed in saline solution near the second-order resonance frequency, which led to the elastic modulus, and near the third-order resonance frequency. There was little difference in the frequency changes between the two resonance frequencies in agar gels. In contrast, in silicone gels, a large frequency change by MTS contact was observed near the third-order resonance frequency, indicating that the frequency change near the third-order resonance frequency reflected changes in both density and elastic modulus. Therefore, a density image of the canine aortic wall was subsequently obtained by subtracting the image observed near the second-order resonance frequency from that near the third-order resonance frequency. The elastin-rich region had a higher density than the collagen-rich region.

Statistical density modification using local pattern matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terwilliger, Thomas C.

2003-01-01

Statistical density modification can make use of local patterns of density found in protein structures to improve crystallographic phases. A method for improving crystallographic phases is presented that is based on the preferential occurrence of certain local patterns of electron density in macromolecular electron-density maps. The method focuses on the relationship between the value of electron density at a point in the map and the pattern of density surrounding this point. Patterns of density that can be superimposed by rotation about the central point are considered equivalent. Standard templates are created from experimental or model electron-density maps by clustering and averaging local patterns of electron density. The clustering is based on correlation coefficients after rotation to maximize the correlation. Experimental or model maps are also used to create histograms relating the value of electron density at the central point to the correlation coefficient of the density surrounding this point with each member of the set of standard patterns. These histograms are then used to estimate the electron density at each point in a new experimental electron-density map using the pattern of electron density at points surrounding that point and the correlation coefficient of this density to each of the set of standard templates, again after rotation to maximize the correlation. The method is strengthened by excluding any information from the point in question from both the templates and the local pattern of density in the calculation. A function based on the origin of the Patterson function is used to remove information about the electron density at the point in question from nearby electron density. This allows an estimation of the electron density at each point in a map, using only information from other points in the process. The resulting estimates of electron density are shown to have errors that are nearly independent of the errors in the original map using

Construction and analysis of a high-density genetic linkage map in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata

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Wang Wanxing

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Brassica oleracea encompass a family of vegetables and cabbage that are among the most widely cultivated crops. In 2009, the B. oleracea Genome Sequencing Project was launched using next generation sequencing technology. None of the available maps were detailed enough to anchor the sequence scaffolds for the Genome Sequencing Project. This report describes the development of a large number of SSR and SNP markers from the whole genome shotgun sequence data of B. oleracea, and the construction of a high-density genetic linkage map using a double haploid mapping population. Results The B. oleracea high-density genetic linkage map that was constructed includes 1,227 markers in nine linkage groups spanning a total of 1197.9 cM with an average of 0.98 cM between adjacent loci. There were 602 SSR markers and 625 SNP markers on the map. The chromosome with the highest number of markers (186 was C03, and the chromosome with smallest number of markers (99 was C09. Conclusions This first high-density map allowed the assembled scaffolds to be anchored to pseudochromosomes. The map also provides useful information for positional cloning, molecular breeding, and integration of information of genes and traits in B. oleracea. All the markers on the map will be transferable and could be used for the construction of other genetic maps.

Variable-Weighted Linear Combination Model for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Case Study in the Shennongjia Forestry District, China

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Wei Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A landslide susceptibility map plays an essential role in urban and rural planning. The main purpose of this study is to establish a variable-weighted linear combination model (VWLC and assess its potential for landslide susceptibility mapping. Firstly, different objective methods are employed for data processing rather than the frequently-used subjective judgments: K-means clustering is used for classification; binarization is introduced to determine buffer length thresholds for locational elements (road, river, and fault; landslide area density is adopted as the contribution index; and a correlation analysis is conducted for suitable factor selection. Secondly, considering the dimension changes of the preference matrix varying with the different locations of the mapping cells, the variable weights of each optimal factor are determined based on the improved analytic hierarchy process (AHP. On this basis, the VWLC model is established and applied to regional landslide susceptibility mapping for the Shennongjia Forestry District, China, where shallow landslides frequently occur. The obtained map is then compared with a map using the traditional WLC, and the results of the comparison show that VWLC is more reasonable, with a higher accuracy, and can be used anywhere that has the same or similar geological and topographical conditions.

Mapping Sub-Antarctic Cushion Plants Using Random Forests to Combine Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery and Terrain Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Bricher, Phillippa K.; Lucieer, Arko; Shaw, Justine; Terauds, Aleks; Bergstrom, Dana M.

2013-01-01

Monitoring changes in the distribution and density of plant species often requires accurate and high-resolution baseline maps of those species. Detecting such change at the landscape scale is often problematic, particularly in remote areas. We examine a new technique to improve accuracy and objectivity in mapping vegetation, combining species distribution modelling and satellite image classification on a remote sub-Antarctic island. In this study, we combine spectral data from very high resolution WorldView-2 satellite imagery and terrain variables from a high resolution digital elevation model to improve mapping accuracy, in both pixel- and object-based classifications. Random forest classification was used to explore the effectiveness of these approaches on mapping the distribution of the critically endangered cushion plant Azorella macquariensis Orchard (Apiaceae) on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. Both pixel- and object-based classifications of the distribution of Azorella achieved very high overall validation accuracies (91.6–96.3%, κ = 0.849–0.924). Both two-class and three-class classifications were able to accurately and consistently identify the areas where Azorella was absent, indicating that these maps provide a suitable baseline for monitoring expected change in the distribution of the cushion plants. Detecting such change is critical given the threats this species is currently facing under altering environmental conditions. The method presented here has applications to monitoring a range of species, particularly in remote and isolated environments. PMID:23940805

Project on comparison of structural parameters and electron density maps of oxalic acid dihydrate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coppens, Philip; Dam, J.; Harkema, Sybolt; Feil, D.

1984-01-01

Results obtained from four X-ray and five neutron data sets collected under a project sponsored by the Commission on Charge, Spin and Momentum Densities are analyzed by comparison of thermal parameters, positional parameters and X - N electron density maps. Three sets of theoretical calculations are

Genetic dissection of maize plant architecture with an ultra-high density bin map based on recombinant inbred lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Chaoshu; Zhou, Yu; Hao, Zhuanfang; Wang, Zhenhua; Zeng, Xing; Di, Hong; Li, Mingshun; Zhang, Degui; Yong, Hongjun; Zhang, Shihuang; Weng, Jianfeng; Li, Xinhai

2016-03-03

Plant architecture attributes, such as plant height, ear height, and internode number, have played an important role in the historical increases in grain yield, lodging resistance, and biomass in maize (Zea mays L.). Analyzing the genetic basis of variation in plant architecture using high density QTL mapping will be of benefit for the breeding of maize for many traits. However, the low density of molecular markers in existing genetic maps has limited the efficiency and accuracy of QTL mapping. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) is an improved strategy for addressing a complex genome via next-generation sequencing technology. GBS has been a powerful tool for SNP discovery and high-density genetic map construction. The creation of ultra-high density genetic maps using large populations of advanced recombinant inbred lines (RILs) is an efficient way to identify QTL for complex agronomic traits. A set of 314 RILs derived from inbreds Ye478 and Qi319 were generated and subjected to GBS. A total of 137,699,000 reads with an average of 357,376 reads per individual RIL were generated, which is equivalent to approximately 0.07-fold coverage of the maize B73 RefGen_V3 genome for each individual RIL. A high-density genetic map was constructed using 4183 bin markers (100-Kb intervals with no recombination events). The total genetic distance covered by the linkage map was 1545.65 cM and the average distance between adjacent markers was 0.37 cM with a physical distance of about 0.51 Mb. Our results demonstrated a relatively high degree of collinearity between the genetic map and the B73 reference genome. The quality and accuracy of the bin map for QTL detection was verified by the mapping of a known gene, pericarp color 1 (P1), which controls the color of the cob, with a high LOD value of 80.78 on chromosome 1. Using this high-density bin map, 35 QTL affecting plant architecture, including 14 for plant height, 14 for ear height, and seven for internode number were detected

Development and Integration of Genome-Wide Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers onto a Reference Linkage Map for Constructing a High-Density Genetic Map of Chickpea.

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Yash Paul Khajuria

Full Text Available The identification of informative in silico polymorphic genomic and genic microsatellite markers by comparing the genome and transcriptome sequences of crop genotypes is a rapid, cost-effective and non-laborious approach for large-scale marker validation and genotyping applications, including construction of high-density genetic maps. We designed 1494 markers, including 1016 genomic and 478 transcript-derived microsatellite markers showing in-silico fragment length polymorphism between two parental genotypes (Cicer arietinum ICC4958 and C. reticulatum PI489777 of an inter-specific reference mapping population. High amplification efficiency (87%, experimental validation success rate (81% and polymorphic potential (55% of these microsatellite markers suggest their effective use in various applications of chickpea genetics and breeding. Intra-specific polymorphic potential (48% detected by microsatellite markers in 22 desi and kabuli chickpea genotypes was lower than inter-specific polymorphic potential (59%. An advanced, high-density, integrated and inter-specific chickpea genetic map (ICC4958 x PI489777 having 1697 map positions spanning 1061.16 cM with an average inter-marker distance of 0.625 cM was constructed by assigning 634 novel informative transcript-derived and genomic microsatellite markers on eight linkage groups (LGs of our prior documented, 1063 marker-based genetic map. The constructed genome map identified 88, including four major (7-23 cM longest high-resolution genomic regions on LGs 3, 5 and 8, where the maximum number of novel genomic and genic microsatellite markers were specifically clustered within 1 cM genetic distance. It was for the first time in chickpea that in silico FLP analysis at genome-wide level was carried out and such a large number of microsatellite markers were identified, experimentally validated and further used in genetic mapping. To best of our knowledge, in the presently constructed genetic map, we mapped

Derivation of elastic stiffness from site-matched mineral density and acoustic impedance maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raum, Kay; Cleveland, Robin O; Peyrin, Francoise; Laugier, Pascal

2006-01-01

200 MHz acoustic impedance maps and site-matched synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography (SR-μCT) maps of tissue degree of mineralization of bone (DMB) were used to derive the elastic coefficient c 33 in cross sections of human cortical bone. To accomplish this goal, a model was developed to relate the DMB accessible with SR-μCT to mass density. The formulation incorporates the volume fractions and densities of the major bone tissue components (collagen, mineral and water), and accounts for tissue porosity. We found that the mass density can be well modelled by a second-order polynomial fit to DMB (R 2 = 0.999) and appears to be consistent with measurements of many different types of mineralized tissues. The derived elastic coefficient c 33 correlated more strongly with the acoustic impedance (R 2 = 0.996) than with mass density (R 2 = 0.310). This finding suggests that estimates of c 33 made from measurements of the acoustic impedance are more reliable than those made from density measurements. Mass density and elastic coefficient were in the range between 1.66 and 2.00 g cm -3 and 14.8 and 75.4 GPa, respectively. Although SAM inspection is limited to the evaluation of carefully prepared sample surfaces, it provides a two-dimensional quantitative estimate of elastic tissue properties at the tissue level

Field mapping measurements to determine spatial and field dependence of critical current density in YBCO tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leclerc, J.; Berger, K.; Douine, B.; Lévêque, J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A method for characterizing superconducting tapes from field mapping is presented. • A new and efficient field mapping apparatus has been setup. • This method allows the spatial characterization of superconducting tapes. • The critical current density is obtained as a function of the flux density. • This method has been experimentally tested on an YBCO tape. -- Abstract: In this paper a measurement method that allows the determination of the critical current density of superconducting tape from field mapping measurements is presented. This contact-free method allows obtaining characteristics of the superconductor as a function of the position and of the applied flux density. With some modifications, this technique can be used for reel-to-reel measurements. The determination of the critical current density is based on an inverse calculation. This involves calculating the current distribution in the tape from magnetic measurements. An YBaCuO tape has been characterized at 77 K. A defect in this superconductor has been identified. Various tests were carried out to check the efficiency of the method. The inverse calculation was tested theoretically and experimentally. Comparison with a transport current measurement was also performed

Mapping low- and high-density clouds in astrophysical nebulae by imaging forbidden line emission

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, J. E.; Menezes, R. B.; Ricci, T. V.; Oliveira, A. S.

2009-06-01

Emission line ratios have been essential for determining physical parameters such as gas temperature and density in astrophysical gaseous nebulae. With the advent of panoramic spectroscopic devices, images of regions with emission lines related to these physical parameters can, in principle, also be produced. We show that, with observations from modern instruments, it is possible to transform images taken from density-sensitive forbidden lines into images of emission from high- and low-density clouds by applying a transformation matrix. In order to achieve this, images of the pairs of density-sensitive lines as well as the adjacent continuum have to be observed and combined. We have computed the critical densities for a series of pairs of lines in the infrared, optical, ultraviolet and X-rays bands, and calculated the pair line intensity ratios in the high- and low-density limit using a four- and five-level atom approximation. In order to illustrate the method, we applied it to Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) Integral Field Unit (GMOS-IFU) data of two galactic nuclei. We conclude that this method provides new information of astrophysical interest, especially for mapping low- and high-density clouds; for this reason, we call it `the ld/hd imaging method'. Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States); the Science and Technology Facilities Council (United Kingdom); the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile); the Australian Research Council (Australia); Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia (Brazil) and Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnologia (Argentina). E-mail: steiner@astro.iag.usp.br

Construction of the High-Density Genetic Linkage Map and Chromosome Map of Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea

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Jingqun Ao

2015-11-01

Full Text Available High-density genetic maps are essential for genome assembly, comparative genomic analysis and fine mapping of complex traits. In this study, 31,191 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs evenly distributed across the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea genome were identified using restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq. Among them, 10,150 high-confidence SNPs were assigned to 24 consensus linkage groups (LGs. The total length of the genetic linkage map was 5451.3 cM with an average distance of 0.54 cM between loci. This represents the densest genetic map currently reported for large yellow croaker. Using 2889 SNPs to target specific scaffolds, we assigned 533 scaffolds, comprising 421.44 Mb (62.04% of the large yellow croaker assembled sequence, to the 24 linkage groups. The mapped assembly scaffolds in large yellow croaker were used for genome synteny analyses against the stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus and medaka (Oryzias latipes. Greater synteny was observed between large yellow croaker and stickleback. This supports the hypothesis that large yellow croaker is more closely related to stickleback than to medaka. Moreover, 1274 immunity-related genes and 195 hypoxia-related genes were mapped to the 24 chromosomes of large yellow croaker. The integration of the high-resolution genetic map and the assembled sequence provides a valuable resource for fine mapping and positional cloning of quantitative trait loci associated with economically important traits in large yellow croaker.

Interfield dysbalances in research input and output benchmarking: Visualisation by density equalizing procedures

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Fischer Axel

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Historical, social and economic reasons can lead to major differences in the allocation of health system resources and research funding. These differences might endanger the progress in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of socio-economic important diseases. The present study aimed to assess different benchmarking approaches that might be used to analyse these disproportions. Research in two categories was analysed for various output parameters and compared to input parameters. Germany was used as a high income model country. For the areas of cardiovascular and respiratory medicine density equalizing mapping procedures visualized major geographical differences in both input and output markers. Results An imbalance in the state financial input was present with 36 cardiovascular versus 8 respiratory medicine state-financed full clinical university departments at the C4/W3 salary level. The imbalance in financial input is paralleled by an imbalance in overall quantitative output figures: The 36 cardiology chairs published 2708 articles in comparison to 453 articles published by the 8 respiratory medicine chairs in the period between 2002 and 2006. This is a ratio of 75.2 articles per cardiology chair and 56.63 articles per respiratory medicine chair. A similar trend is also present in the qualitative measures. Here, the 2708 cardiology publications were cited 48337 times (7290 times for respiratory medicine which is an average citation of 17.85 per publication vs. 16.09 for respiratory medicine. The average number of citations per cardiology chair was 1342.69 in contrast to 911.25 citations per respiratory medicine chair. Further comparison of the contribution of the 16 different German states revealed major geographical differences concerning numbers of chairs, published items, total number of citations and average citations. Conclusion Despite similar significances of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases for the global

Equal gain combining for cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks

KAUST Repository

Hamza, Doha R.

2014-08-01

Sensing with equal gain combining (SEGC), a novel cooperative spectrum sensing technique for cognitive radio networks, is proposed. Cognitive radios simultaneously transmit their sensing results to the fusion center (FC) over multipath fading reporting channels. The cognitive radios estimate the phases of the reporting channels and use those estimates for coherent combining of the sensing results at the FC. A global decision is made at the FC by comparing the received signal with a threshold. We obtain the global detection probabilities and secondary throughput exactly through a moment generating function approach. We verify our solution via system simulation and demonstrate that the Chernoff bound and central limit theory approximation are not tight. The cases of hard sensing and soft sensing are considered and we provide examples in which hard sensing is advantageous to soft sensing. We contrast the performance of SEGC with maximum ratio combining of the sensors\\' results and provide examples where the former is superior. Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of SEGC against existing orthogonal reporting techniques such as time division multiple access (TDMA). SEGC performance always dominates that of TDMA in terms of secondary throughput. We also study the impact of phase and synchronization errors and demonstrate the robustness of the SEGC technique against such imperfections. © 2002-2012 IEEE.

A proposal for combining mapping, localization and target recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Grönwall, Christina; Hendeby, Gustaf; Sinivaara, Kristian

2015-10-01

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is a well-known positioning approach in GPS-denied environments such as urban canyons and inside buildings. Autonomous/aided target detection and recognition (ATR) is commonly used in military application to detect threats and targets in outdoor environments. This papers present approaches to combine SLAM with ATR in ways that compensate for the drawbacks in each method. The methods use physical objects that are recognizable by ATR as unambiguous features in SLAM, while SLAM provides the ATR with better position estimates. Landmarks in the form of 3D point features based on normal aligned radial features (NARF) are used in conjunction with identified objects and 3D object models that replace landmarks when possible. This leads to a more compact map representation with fewer landmarks, which partly compensates for the introduced cost of the ATR. We analyze three approaches to combine SLAM and 3D-data; point-point matching ignoring NARF features, point-point matching using the set of points that are selected by NARF feature analysis, and matching of NARF features using nearest neighbor analysis. The first two approaches are is similar to the common iterative closest point (ICP). We propose an algorithm that combines EKF-SLAM and ATR based on rectangle estimation. The intended application is to improve the positioning of a first responder moving through an indoor environment, where the map offers localization and simultaneously helps locate people, furniture and potentially dangerous objects such as gas canisters.

Terrestrial gamma radiation baseline mapping using ultra low density sampling methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleinschmidt, R.; Watson, D.

2016-01-01

Baseline terrestrial gamma radiation maps are indispensable for providing basic reference information that may be used in assessing the impact of a radiation related incident, performing epidemiological studies, remediating land contaminated with radioactive materials, assessment of land use applications and resource prospectivity. For a large land mass, such as Queensland, Australia (over 1.7 million km 2 ), it is prohibitively expensive and practically difficult to undertake detailed in-situ radiometric surveys of this scale. It is proposed that an existing, ultra-low density sampling program already undertaken for the purpose of a nationwide soil survey project be utilised to develop a baseline terrestrial gamma radiation map. Geoelement data derived from the National Geochemistry Survey of Australia (NGSA) was used to construct a baseline terrestrial gamma air kerma rate map, delineated by major drainage catchments, for Queensland. Three drainage catchments (sampled at the catchment outlet) spanning low, medium and high radioelement concentrations were selected for validation of the methodology using radiometric techniques including in-situ measurements and soil sampling for high resolution gamma spectrometry, and comparative non-radiometric analysis. A Queensland mean terrestrial air kerma rate, as calculated from the NGSA outlet sediment uranium, thorium and potassium concentrations, of 49 ± 69 nGy h −1 (n = 311, 3σ 99% confidence level) is proposed as being suitable for use as a generic terrestrial air kerma rate background range. Validation results indicate that catchment outlet measurements are representative of the range of results obtained across the catchment and that the NGSA geoelement data is suitable for calculation and mapping of terrestrial air kerma rate. - Highlights: • A baseline terrestrial air kerma map of Queensland, Australia was developed using geochemical data from a major drainage catchment ultra-low density sampling program

Reliability of different sampling densities for estimating and mapping lichen diversity in biomonitoring studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferretti, M.; Brambilla, E.; Brunialti, G.; Fornasier, F.; Mazzali, C.; Giordani, P.; Nimis, P.L.

2004-01-01

Sampling requirements related to lichen biomonitoring include optimal sampling density for obtaining precise and unbiased estimates of population parameters and maps of known reliability. Two available datasets on a sub-national scale in Italy were used to determine a cost-effective sampling density to be adopted in medium-to-large-scale biomonitoring studies. As expected, the relative error in the mean Lichen Biodiversity (Italian acronym: BL) values and the error associated with the interpolation of BL values for (unmeasured) grid cells increased as the sampling density decreased. However, the increase in size of the error was not linear and even a considerable reduction (up to 50%) in the original sampling effort led to a far smaller increase in errors in the mean estimates (<6%) and in mapping (<18%) as compared with the original sampling densities. A reduction in the sampling effort can result in considerable savings of resources, which can then be used for a more detailed investigation of potentially problematic areas. It is, however, necessary to decide the acceptable level of precision at the design stage of the investigation, so as to select the proper sampling density. - An acceptable level of precision must be decided before determining a sampling design

SU-G-JeP2-02: A Unifying Multi-Atlas Approach to Electron Density Mapping Using Multi-Parametric MRI for Radiation Treatment Planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, S [Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States); Tianjin University, Tianjin (China); Hara, W; Le, Q; Wang, L; Xing, L; Li, R [Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: MRI has a number of advantages over CT as a primary modality for radiation treatment planning (RTP). However, one key bottleneck problem still remains, which is the lack of electron density information in MRI. In the work, a reliable method to map electron density is developed by leveraging the differential contrast of multi-parametric MRI. Methods: We propose a probabilistic Bayesian approach for electron density mapping based on T1 and T2-weighted MRI, using multiple patients as atlases. For each voxel, we compute two conditional probabilities: (1) electron density given its image intensity on T1 and T2-weighted MR images, and (2) electron density given its geometric location in a reference anatomy. The two sources of information (image intensity and spatial location) are combined into a unifying posterior probability density function using the Bayesian formalism. The mean value of the posterior probability density function provides the estimated electron density. Results: We evaluated the method on 10 head and neck patients and performed leave-one-out cross validation (9 patients as atlases and remaining 1 as test). The proposed method significantly reduced the errors in electron density estimation, with a mean absolute HU error of 138, compared with 193 for the T1-weighted intensity approach and 261 without density correction. For bone detection (HU>200), the proposed method had an accuracy of 84% and a sensitivity of 73% at specificity of 90% (AUC = 87%). In comparison, the AUC for bone detection is 73% and 50% using the intensity approach and without density correction, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed unifying method provides accurate electron density estimation and bone detection based on multi-parametric MRI of the head with highly heterogeneous anatomy. This could allow for accurate dose calculation and reference image generation for patient setup in MRI-based radiation treatment planning.

SU-G-JeP2-02: A Unifying Multi-Atlas Approach to Electron Density Mapping Using Multi-Parametric MRI for Radiation Treatment Planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, S; Hara, W; Le, Q; Wang, L; Xing, L; Li, R

2016-01-01

Purpose: MRI has a number of advantages over CT as a primary modality for radiation treatment planning (RTP). However, one key bottleneck problem still remains, which is the lack of electron density information in MRI. In the work, a reliable method to map electron density is developed by leveraging the differential contrast of multi-parametric MRI. Methods: We propose a probabilistic Bayesian approach for electron density mapping based on T1 and T2-weighted MRI, using multiple patients as atlases. For each voxel, we compute two conditional probabilities: (1) electron density given its image intensity on T1 and T2-weighted MR images, and (2) electron density given its geometric location in a reference anatomy. The two sources of information (image intensity and spatial location) are combined into a unifying posterior probability density function using the Bayesian formalism. The mean value of the posterior probability density function provides the estimated electron density. Results: We evaluated the method on 10 head and neck patients and performed leave-one-out cross validation (9 patients as atlases and remaining 1 as test). The proposed method significantly reduced the errors in electron density estimation, with a mean absolute HU error of 138, compared with 193 for the T1-weighted intensity approach and 261 without density correction. For bone detection (HU>200), the proposed method had an accuracy of 84% and a sensitivity of 73% at specificity of 90% (AUC = 87%). In comparison, the AUC for bone detection is 73% and 50% using the intensity approach and without density correction, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed unifying method provides accurate electron density estimation and bone detection based on multi-parametric MRI of the head with highly heterogeneous anatomy. This could allow for accurate dose calculation and reference image generation for patient setup in MRI-based radiation treatment planning.

Mapping the ‘End Austerity Now’ protest day in Central London using a 3D Twitter density grid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seungho Yoo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The mapping and spatial analysis of social media data can show the dynamics of activities in urban space, such as protest events. This work focuses on the spatial relationship between the density of geo-tagged tweets and a large anti-government protest in London on 20 June 2015. The tweets are aggregated to hexagonal grid cells to visualize activity density in different Central London areas. The results of the mapping illustrate very high densities at the beginning and endpoints of the protest (the Bank of England and Parliament Square. Additionally, there are high tweet densities in the West End and Bank than in other neighbouring areas.

An MGF-based capacity analysis of equal gain combining over fading channels

KAUST Repository

Yilmaz, Ferkan; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2010-01-01

Exact average capacity results for L-branch coherent equal-gain combining (EGC) in correlated and uncorrelated fading channels are not known. This paper develops a novel framework (approach) for capacity analysis of L-branch EGC in generalized fading channels. In addition, Gamma shadowed generalized Nakagami-m fading model is proposed in order to statistically model the fading environments in high frequencies such as 60 GHz and above. Some simulations are carried out and then the obtained results are accentuated by means of numerical analysis based on the proposed framework. Numerical and simulation results, performed to verify the correctness of the proposed framework, are in perfect agreement. ©2010 IEEE.

An MGF-based capacity analysis of equal gain combining over fading channels

KAUST Repository

Yilmaz, Ferkan

2010-09-01

Exact average capacity results for L-branch coherent equal-gain combining (EGC) in correlated and uncorrelated fading channels are not known. This paper develops a novel framework (approach) for capacity analysis of L-branch EGC in generalized fading channels. In addition, Gamma shadowed generalized Nakagami-m fading model is proposed in order to statistically model the fading environments in high frequencies such as 60 GHz and above. Some simulations are carried out and then the obtained results are accentuated by means of numerical analysis based on the proposed framework. Numerical and simulation results, performed to verify the correctness of the proposed framework, are in perfect agreement. ©2010 IEEE.

The development of a high density linkage map for black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon based on cSNPs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Baranski

Full Text Available Transcriptome sequencing using Illumina RNA-seq was performed on populations of black tiger shrimp from India. Samples were collected from (i four landing centres around the east coastline (EC of India, (ii survivors of a severe WSSV infection during pond culture (SUR and (iii the Andaman Islands (AI in the Bay of Bengal. Equal quantities of purified total RNA from homogenates of hepatopancreas, muscle, nervous tissue, intestinal tract, heart, gonad, gills, pleopod and lymphoid organs were combined to create AI, EC and SUR pools for RNA sequencing. De novo transcriptome assembly resulted in 136,223 contigs (minimum size 100 base pairs, bp with a total length 61 Mb, an average length of 446 bp and an average coverage of 163× across all pools. Approximately 16% of contigs were annotated with BLAST hit information and gene ontology annotations. A total of 473,620 putative SNPs/indels were identified. An Illumina iSelect genotyping array containing 6,000 SNPs was developed and used to genotype 1024 offspring belonging to seven full-sibling families. A total of 3959 SNPs were mapped to 44 linkage groups. The linkage groups consisted of between 16-129 and 13-130 markers, of length between 139-10.8 and 109.1-10.5 cM and with intervals averaging between 1.2 and 0.9 cM for the female and male maps respectively. The female map was 28% longer than the male map (4060 and 2917 cM respectively with a 1.6 higher recombination rate observed for female compared to male meioses. This approach has substantially increased expressed sequence and DNA marker resources for tiger shrimp and is a useful resource for QTL mapping and association studies for evolutionarily and commercially important traits.

Loudspeaker Equalization with Post-Processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ser Wee

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Loudspeaker equalization is an essential technique in audio system design. A well-known equalization scheme is based on the deconvolution of the desired equalized response with the measured impulse response of the loudspeaker. In this paper, a post-processing scheme is combined with the deconvolution-based algorithm to provide a better equalization effect. Computer simulation results are given to demonstrate the significant improvement that can be achieved using this method.

MAPS OF THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS FROM COMBINED SOUTH POLE TELESCOPE AND PLANCK DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crawford, T. M.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Crites, A. T.; Hou, Z.; Keisler, R. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Chown, R.; Holder, G. P.; Haan, T. de; Dobbs, M. A. [Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8 (Canada); Aird, K. A.; Hrubes, J. D. [University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Cho, H-M. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); George, E. M.; Harrington, N. L.; Holzapfel, W. L. [Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Halverson, N. W. [Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); Knox, L., E-mail: tcrawfor@kicp.uchicago.edu [Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); and others

2016-12-01

We present maps of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds from combined South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck data. The Planck satellite observes in nine bands, while the SPT data used in this work were taken with the three-band SPT-SZ camera, The SPT-SZ bands correspond closely to three of the nine Planck bands, namely those centered at 1.4, 2.1, and 3.0 mm. The angular resolution of the Planck data ranges from 5 to 10 arcmin, while the SPT resolution ranges from 1.0 to 1.7 arcmin. The combined maps take advantage of the high resolution of the SPT data and the long-timescale stability of the space-based Planck observations to deliver robust brightness measurements on scales from the size of the maps down to ∼1 arcmin. In each band, we first calibrate and color-correct the SPT data to match the Planck data, then we use noise estimates from each instrument and knowledge of each instrument’s beam to make the inverse-variance-weighted combination of the two instruments’ data as a function of angular scale. We create maps assuming a range of underlying emission spectra and at a range of final resolutions. We perform several consistency tests on the combined maps and estimate the expected noise in measurements of features in them. We compare maps from this work to those from the Herschel HERITAGE survey, finding general consistency between the data sets. All data products described in this paper are available for download from the NASA Legacy Archive for Microwave Background Data Analysis server.

High-density Integrated Linkage Map Based on SSR Markers in Soybean

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Tae-Young; Sayama, Takashi; Takahashi, Masakazu; Takada, Yoshitake; Nakamoto, Yumi; Funatsuki, Hideyuki; Hisano, Hiroshi; Sasamoto, Shigemi; Sato, Shusei; Tabata, Satoshi; Kono, Izumi; Hoshi, Masako; Hanawa, Masayoshi; Yano, Chizuru; Xia, Zhengjun; Harada, Kyuya; Kitamura, Keisuke; Ishimoto, Masao

2009-01-01

A well-saturated molecular linkage map is a prerequisite for modern plant breeding. Several genetic maps have been developed for soybean with various types of molecular markers. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are single-locus markers with high allelic variation and are widely applicable to different genotypes. We have now mapped 1810 SSR or sequence-tagged site markers in one or more of three recombinant inbred populations of soybean (the US cultivar ‘Jack’ × the Japanese cultivar ‘Fukuyutaka’, the Chinese cultivar ‘Peking’ × the Japanese cultivar ‘Akita’, and the Japanese cultivar ‘Misuzudaizu’ × the Chinese breeding line ‘Moshidou Gong 503’) and have aligned these markers with the 20 consensus linkage groups (LGs). The total length of the integrated linkage map was 2442.9 cM, and the average number of molecular markers was 90.5 (range of 70–114) for the 20 LGs. We examined allelic diversity for 1238 of the SSR markers among 23 soybean cultivars or lines and a wild accession. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 7, with an average of 2.8. Our high-density linkage map should facilitate ongoing and future genomic research such as analysis of quantitative trait loci and positional cloning in addition to marker-assisted selection in soybean breeding. PMID:19531560

Transforming equality logic to propositional logic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zantema, H.; Groote, J.F.

2003-01-01

Abstract We investigate and compare various ways of transforming equality formulas to propositional formulas, in order to be able to solve satisfiability in equality logic by means of satisfiability in propositional logic. We propose equality substitution as a new approach combining desirable

A novel matrix approach for controlling the invariant densities of chaotic maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, Alan; Shorten, Robert; Heffernan, Daniel M.

2008-01-01

Recent work on positive matrices has resulted in a new matrix method for generating chaotic maps with arbitrary piecewise constant invariant densities, sometimes known as the inverse Frobenius-Perron problem (IFPP). In this paper, we give an extensive introduction to the IFPP, describing existing methods for solving it, and we describe our new matrix approach for solving the IFPP

A High-Density Genetic Linkage Map and QTL Fine Mapping for Body Weight in Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus Using 2b-RAD Sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haiyang Liu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available A high-resolution genetic linkage map is essential for a wide range of genetics and genomics studies such as comparative genomics analysis and QTL fine mapping. Crucian carp (Carassius auratus is widely distributed in Eurasia, and is an important aquaculture fish worldwide. In this study, a high-density genetic linkage map was constructed for crucian carp using 2b-RAD technology. The consensus map contains 8487 SNP markers, assigning to 50 linkage groups (LGs and spanning 3762.88 cM, with an average marker interval of 0.44 cM and genome coverage of 98.8%. The female map had 4410 SNPs, and spanned 3500.42 cM (0.79 cM/marker, while the male map had 4625 SNPs and spanned 3346.33 cM (0.72 cM/marker. The average recombination ratio of female to male was 2.13:1, and significant male-biased recombination suppressions were observed in LG47 and LG49. Comparative genomics analysis revealed a clear 2:1 syntenic relationship between crucian carp LGs and chromosomes of zebrafish and grass carp, and a 1:1 correspondence, but extensive chromosomal rearrangement, between crucian carp and common carp, providing evidence that crucian carp has experienced a fourth round of whole genome duplication (4R-WGD. Eight chromosome-wide QTL for body weight at 2 months after hatch were detected on five LGs, explaining 10.1–13.2% of the phenotypic variations. Potential candidate growth-related genes, such as an EGF-like domain and TGF-β, were identified within the QTL intervals. This high-density genetic map and QTL analysis supplies a basis for genome evolutionary studies in cyprinid fishes, genome assembly, and QTL fine mapping for complex traits in crucian carp.

Magnetic resonance fiber density mapping of age-related white matter changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stadlbauer, Andreas; Ganslandt, Oliver; Salomonowitz, Erich; Buchfelder, Michael; Hammen, Thilo; Bachmair, Johanna; Eberhardt, Knut

2012-01-01

Objectives: To introduce fiber density mapping (FDM) for investigation of age-related white matter (WM) changes and to compare its capabilities with conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) post-processing. Methods: DTI data with 1.9 mm 3 isotropic voxels were acquired from 44 healthy volunteers (18–88 years) at 3 T. FDM is a 3-step approach which includes diagonalization of the diffusion tensor, fiber reconstruction for the whole brain, and calculation of fiber density (FD) values. Maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were additionally calculated. Voxel-based analyses were performed to determine volume clusters of significant correlation with age. Bivariate linear regression models and Hotelling–Williams tests were used to detect significant differences between correlations. Results: FDM detected a larger WM volume affected by age-related changes concomitant with fewer significant clusters compared to FA and MD. This indicates that WM alterations due to normal aging occur rather globally than locally. FD values showed a significant stronger correlation with age in frontal lobes (prefrontal and precentral gyrus), limbic lobes (cingulate and parahippocampal gyrus), the corpus callosum (genu) and temporal lobes. Conclusions: FDM shows higher sensitivity for detection of age-related WM changes because it includes all surrounding fiber structures into the evaluation of each DTI data voxel.

Magnetic resonance fiber density mapping of age-related white matter changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stadlbauer, Andreas, E-mail: andi@nmr.at [MR Physics Group, Department of Radiology, Landesklinikum St. Poelten, Propst Fuehrer Strasse 4, A-3100 St. Poelten (Austria); Department of Neurosurgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Ganslandt, Oliver [Department of Neurosurgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Salomonowitz, Erich [MR Physics Group, Department of Radiology, Landesklinikum St. Poelten, Propst Fuehrer Strasse 4, A-3100 St. Poelten (Austria); Buchfelder, Michael [Department of Neurosurgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Hammen, Thilo [Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, D-90429 Erlangen (Germany); Bachmair, Johanna [MR Physics Group, Department of Radiology, Landesklinikum St. Poelten, Propst Fuehrer Strasse 4, A-3100 St. Poelten (Austria); Eberhardt, Knut [Krankenhaus Schloss Werneck, MRT-Kompetenzzentrum, Balthasar-Neumann-Platz 1, D-97440 Werneck (Germany)

2012-12-15

Objectives: To introduce fiber density mapping (FDM) for investigation of age-related white matter (WM) changes and to compare its capabilities with conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) post-processing. Methods: DTI data with 1.9 mm{sup 3} isotropic voxels were acquired from 44 healthy volunteers (18–88 years) at 3 T. FDM is a 3-step approach which includes diagonalization of the diffusion tensor, fiber reconstruction for the whole brain, and calculation of fiber density (FD) values. Maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were additionally calculated. Voxel-based analyses were performed to determine volume clusters of significant correlation with age. Bivariate linear regression models and Hotelling–Williams tests were used to detect significant differences between correlations. Results: FDM detected a larger WM volume affected by age-related changes concomitant with fewer significant clusters compared to FA and MD. This indicates that WM alterations due to normal aging occur rather globally than locally. FD values showed a significant stronger correlation with age in frontal lobes (prefrontal and precentral gyrus), limbic lobes (cingulate and parahippocampal gyrus), the corpus callosum (genu) and temporal lobes. Conclusions: FDM shows higher sensitivity for detection of age-related WM changes because it includes all surrounding fiber structures into the evaluation of each DTI data voxel.

The Effect of Combined Exercise on Bone Mineral Density of Premenopausal Females

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safoura Ghasemi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: The best way to prevent osteoporosis, at old age is to prevent bone loss and at young age is trying to keep bones healthy, therefore the aim of this study was to determine the effect of combined exercise on bone mineral density of premenopausal females. Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted among 20 premenopausal females between 40 and 45 years old, which were randomly assigned to two groups (experimental and control groups in Hamadan city, during year 2016. The experimental group completed a 12-week combined exercise-training program (6 weeks in water and 6 weeks on land, three times a week and 70 minutes per session. Before and after the 12 weeks, femoral bone mineral density in all samples was measured by DEXA bone mineral densitometry. Data were analyzed with the SPSS 21 software using descriptive and inferential statistics, such as independent and paired t-test, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA. Results: Bone mineral density of femoral neck and total hip of the experimental group, had significant differences with corresponding areas of the control group (P <0.05. In other words, the results revealed that 12 weeks of combined exercise increases femoral bone mineral density in the experimental group with a significant decrease in the control group. Conclusions: According to the results, to prevent a decrease in bone mineral density during the menopausal period, combined exercises are recommended for females at this age.

Reduction of density-modification bias by β correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skubák, Pavol; Pannu, Navraj S.

2011-01-01

A cross-validation-based method for bias reduction in ‘classical’ iterative density modification of experimental X-ray crystallography maps provides significantly more accurate phase-quality estimates and leads to improved automated model building. Density modification often suffers from an overestimation of phase quality, as seen by escalated figures of merit. A new cross-validation-based method to address this estimation bias by applying a bias-correction parameter ‘β’ to maximum-likelihood phase-combination functions is proposed. In tests on over 100 single-wavelength anomalous diffraction data sets, the method is shown to produce much more reliable figures of merit and improved electron-density maps. Furthermore, significantly better results are obtained in automated model building iterated with phased refinement using the more accurate phase probability parameters from density modification

High precision measurement of fuel density profiles in nuclear fusion plasmas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Svensson, J.; von Hellermann, M.; Konig, R.

2002-01-01

This paper presents a method for deducing fuel density profiles of nuclear fusion plasmas in realtime during an experiment. A Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP) neural network is used to create a mapping between plasma radiation spectra and indirectly deduced hydrogen isotope densities. By combining

Construction of an ultrahigh-density genetic linkage map for Jatropha curcas L. and identification of QTL for fruit yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Shengkui; Wen, Mingfu; Lu, Cheng; Sun, Yufang; Zou, Meiling; Wang, Wenquan

2018-01-01

As an important biofuel plant, the demand for higher yield Jatropha curcas L. is rapidly increasing. However, genetic analysis of Jatropha and molecular breeding for higher yield have been hampered by the limited number of molecular markers available. An ultrahigh-density linkage map for a Jatropha mapping population of 153 individuals was constructed and covered 1380.58 cM of the Jatropha genome, with average marker density of 0.403 cM. The genetic linkage map consisted of 3422 SNP and indel markers, which clustered into 11 linkage groups. With this map, 13 repeatable QTLs (reQTLs) for fruit yield traits were identified. Ten reQTLs, qNF - 1 , qNF - 2a , qNF - 2b , qNF - 2c , qNF - 3 , qNF - 4 , qNF - 6 , qNF - 7a , qNF - 7b and qNF - 8, that control the number of fruits (NF) mapped to LGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8, whereas three reQTLs, qTWF - 1 , qTWF - 2 and qTWF - 3, that control the total weight of fruits (TWF) mapped to LGs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. It is interesting that there are two candidate critical genes, which may regulate Jatropha fruit yield. We also identified three pleiotropic reQTL pairs associated with both the NF and TWF traits. This study is the first to report an ultrahigh-density Jatropha genetic linkage map construction, and the markers used in this study showed great potential for QTL mapping. Thirteen fruit-yield reQTLs and two important candidate genes were identified based on this linkage map. This genetic linkage map will be a useful tool for the localization of other economically important QTLs and candidate genes for Jatropha .

Density estimation in tiger populations: combining information for strong inference

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalaswamy, Arjun M.; Royle, J. Andrew; Delampady, Mohan; Nichols, James D.; Karanth, K. Ullas; Macdonald, David W.

2012-01-01

A productive way forward in studies of animal populations is to efficiently make use of all the information available, either as raw data or as published sources, on critical parameters of interest. In this study, we demonstrate two approaches to the use of multiple sources of information on a parameter of fundamental interest to ecologists: animal density. The first approach produces estimates simultaneously from two different sources of data. The second approach was developed for situations in which initial data collection and analysis are followed up by subsequent data collection and prior knowledge is updated with new data using a stepwise process. Both approaches are used to estimate density of a rare and elusive predator, the tiger, by combining photographic and fecal DNA spatial capture–recapture data. The model, which combined information, provided the most precise estimate of density (8.5 ± 1.95 tigers/100 km2 [posterior mean ± SD]) relative to a model that utilized only one data source (photographic, 12.02 ± 3.02 tigers/100 km2 and fecal DNA, 6.65 ± 2.37 tigers/100 km2). Our study demonstrates that, by accounting for multiple sources of available information, estimates of animal density can be significantly improved.

Combining land use data acquired from Landsat with soil map data

Science.gov (United States)

Westin, F. C.; Brandner, T. M.

1981-01-01

A method currently used to derive agrophysical units (APUs), i.e., geographical areas having definable/comparable agronomic and physical parameters which reflect a range in agricultural use and management, is discussed with reference to results obtained for South Dakota and an area in China. The method consists of combining agricultural land use data acquired from Landsat with soil map data. The resulting map units are soil associations characterized by cropland use intensity, and they can be used to identify major cropland areas and to develop a rating reflecting the relative potential of the soils in the delineated area for crop production, as well as to update small-scale soil maps.

Whole brain analysis of postmortem density changes of grey and white matter on computed tomography by statistical parametric mapping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishiyama, Yuichi; Mori, Hiroshi; Katsube, Takashi; Kitagaki, Hajime [Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Izumo-shi, Shimane (Japan); Kanayama, Hidekazu; Tada, Keiji; Yamamoto, Yasushi [Shimane University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Izumo-shi, Shimane (Japan); Takeshita, Haruo [Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Legal Medicine, Izumo-shi, Shimane (Japan); Kawakami, Kazunori [Fujifilm RI Pharma, Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

2017-06-15

This study examined the usefulness of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for investigating postmortem changes on brain computed tomography (CT). This retrospective study included 128 patients (23 - 100 years old) without cerebral abnormalities who underwent unenhanced brain CT before and after death. The antemortem CT (AMCT) scans and postmortem CT (PMCT) scans were spatially normalized using our original brain CT template, and postmortem changes of CT values (in Hounsfield units; HU) were analysed by the SPM technique. Compared with AMCT scans, 58.6 % and 98.4 % of PMCT scans showed loss of the cerebral sulci and an unclear grey matter (GM)-white matter (WM) interface, respectively. SPM analysis revealed a significant decrease in cortical GM density within 70 min after death on PMCT scans, suggesting cytotoxic brain oedema. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the density of the WM, lenticular nucleus and thalamus more than 120 min after death. The SPM technique demonstrated typical postmortem changes on brain CT scans, and revealed that the unclear GM-WM interface on early PMCT scans is caused by a rapid decrease in cortical GM density combined with a delayed increase in WM density. SPM may be useful for assessment of whole brain postmortem changes. (orig.)

Whole brain analysis of postmortem density changes of grey and white matter on computed tomography by statistical parametric mapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiyama, Yuichi; Mori, Hiroshi; Katsube, Takashi; Kitagaki, Hajime; Kanayama, Hidekazu; Tada, Keiji; Yamamoto, Yasushi; Takeshita, Haruo; Kawakami, Kazunori

2017-01-01

This study examined the usefulness of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for investigating postmortem changes on brain computed tomography (CT). This retrospective study included 128 patients (23 - 100 years old) without cerebral abnormalities who underwent unenhanced brain CT before and after death. The antemortem CT (AMCT) scans and postmortem CT (PMCT) scans were spatially normalized using our original brain CT template, and postmortem changes of CT values (in Hounsfield units; HU) were analysed by the SPM technique. Compared with AMCT scans, 58.6 % and 98.4 % of PMCT scans showed loss of the cerebral sulci and an unclear grey matter (GM)-white matter (WM) interface, respectively. SPM analysis revealed a significant decrease in cortical GM density within 70 min after death on PMCT scans, suggesting cytotoxic brain oedema. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the density of the WM, lenticular nucleus and thalamus more than 120 min after death. The SPM technique demonstrated typical postmortem changes on brain CT scans, and revealed that the unclear GM-WM interface on early PMCT scans is caused by a rapid decrease in cortical GM density combined with a delayed increase in WM density. SPM may be useful for assessment of whole brain postmortem changes. (orig.)

Construction of radioelement and dose rate baseline maps by combining ground and airborne radiometric data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rybach, L.; Medici, F.; Schwarz, G.F.

1997-01-01

For emergency situations like nuclear accidents, lost isotopic sources, debris of reactor-powered satellites etc. well-documented baseline information is indispensable. Maps of cosmic, terrestrial natural and artificial radiation can be constructed by assembling different datasets such as ground and airborne gamma spectrometry, direct dose rate measurements, and soil/rock samples. The in situ measurements were calibrated using the soil samples taken at/around the field measurement sites, the airborne measurements by a combination of in situ, and soil/rock sample data. The radioelement concentrations (Bq/kg) were in turn converted to dose-rate (nSv/h). First, the cosmic radiation map was constructed from a digital terrain model, averaging topographic heights within cells of 2 km X 2 km size. For the terrestrial radiation a total of 1615 ground data points were available, in addition to the airborne data. The artificial radiation map (Chernobyl and earlier fallout) has the smallest data base (184 data points from airborne and ground measurements). The dose rate map was constructed by summing up the above-mentioned contributions. It relies on a data base which corresponds to a density of about 1 point per 25 km 2 . The cosmic radiation map shows elevated dose rates in the high parts of the Swiss Alps. The cosmic dose rate ranges from 40 to 190 nSv/h, depending on altitude. The terrestrial dose rate maps show general agreement with lithology: elevated dose rates (100 to 200 nSv/h) characterize the Central Massifs of the Alps where crystalline rocks give a maximum of 370 nSv/h, whereas the sedimentary northern Alpine Foreland (Jura, Molasse basin) shows consistently lower dose rates (40-100 nSv/h). The artificial radiation map has its maximum value in the southern part of Switzerland (90 nSv/h). The map of total dose rate exhibits values from 55 to 570 nSv/h. These values are considerably higher than reported in the Radiation Atlas (''Natural Sources of Ionising

The Implementation of Physics Problem Solving Strategy Combined with Concept Map in General Physics Course

Science.gov (United States)

Hidayati, H.; Ramli, R.

2018-04-01

This paper aims to provide a description of the implementation of Physic Problem Solving strategy combined with concept maps in General Physics learning at Department of Physics, Universitas Negeri Padang. Action research has been conducted in two cycles where each end of the cycle is reflected and improved for the next cycle. Implementation of Physics Problem Solving strategy combined with concept map can increase student activity in solving general physics problem with an average increase of 15% and can improve student learning outcomes from 42,7 in the cycle I become 62,7 in cycle II in general physics at the Universitas Negeri Padang. In the future, the implementation of Physic Problem Solving strategy combined with concept maps will need to be considered in Physics courses.

A high-density genetic map of Arachis duranensis, a diploid ancestor of cultivated peanut

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagy Ervin D

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea is an allotetraploid species whose ancestral genomes are most likely derived from the A-genome species, A. duranensis, and the B-genome species, A. ipaensis. The very recent (several millennia evolutionary origin of A. hypogaea has imposed a bottleneck for allelic and phenotypic diversity within the cultigen. However, wild diploid relatives are a rich source of alleles that could be used for crop improvement and their simpler genomes can be more easily analyzed while providing insight into the structure of the allotetraploid peanut genome. The objective of this research was to establish a high-density genetic map of the diploid species A. duranensis based on de novo generated EST databases. Arachis duranensis was chosen for mapping because it is the A-genome progenitor of cultivated peanut and also in order to circumvent the confounding effects of gene duplication associated with allopolyploidy in A. hypogaea. Results More than one million expressed sequence tag (EST sequences generated from normalized cDNA libraries of A. duranensis were assembled into 81,116 unique transcripts. Mining this dataset, 1236 EST-SNP markers were developed between two A. duranensis accessions, PI 475887 and Grif 15036. An additional 300 SNP markers also were developed from genomic sequences representing conserved legume orthologs. Of the 1536 SNP markers, 1054 were placed on a genetic map. In addition, 598 EST-SSR markers identified in A. hypogaea assemblies were included in the map along with 37 disease resistance gene candidate (RGC and 35 other previously published markers. In total, 1724 markers spanning 1081.3 cM over 10 linkage groups were mapped. Gene sequences that provided mapped markers were annotated using similarity searches in three different databases, and gene ontology descriptions were determined using the Medicago Gene Atlas and TAIR databases. Synteny analysis between A. duranensis, Medicago

Toward allotetraploid cotton genome assembly: integration of a high-density molecular genetic linkage map with DNA sequence information

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Cotton is the world’s most important natural textile fiber and a significant oilseed crop. Decoding cotton genomes will provide the ultimate reference and resource for research and utilization of the species. Integration of high-density genetic maps with genomic sequence information will largely accelerate the process of whole-genome assembly in cotton. Results In this paper, we update a high-density interspecific genetic linkage map of allotetraploid cultivated cotton. An additional 1,167 marker loci have been added to our previously published map of 2,247 loci. Three new marker types, InDel (insertion-deletion) and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) developed from gene information, and REMAP (retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphism), were used to increase map density. The updated map consists of 3,414 loci in 26 linkage groups covering 3,667.62 cM with an average inter-locus distance of 1.08 cM. Furthermore, genome-wide sequence analysis was finished using 3,324 informative sequence-based markers and publicly-available Gossypium DNA sequence information. A total of 413,113 EST and 195 BAC sequences were physically anchored and clustered by 3,324 sequence-based markers. Of these, 14,243 ESTs and 188 BACs from different species of Gossypium were clustered and specifically anchored to the high-density genetic map. A total of 2,748 candidate unigenes from 2,111 ESTs clusters and 63 BACs were mined for functional annotation and classification. The 337 ESTs/genes related to fiber quality traits were integrated with 132 previously reported cotton fiber quality quantitative trait loci, which demonstrated the important roles in fiber quality of these genes. Higher-level sequence conservation between different cotton species and between the A- and D-subgenomes in tetraploid cotton was found, indicating a common evolutionary origin for orthologous and paralogous loci in Gossypium. Conclusion This study will serve as a valuable genomic resource

Muographic mapping of the subsurface density structures in Miura, Boso and Izu peninsulas, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Hiroyuki K M

2015-02-09

While the benefits of determining the bulk density distribution of a landmass are evident, established experimental techniques reliant on gravity measurements cannot uniquely determine the underground density distribution. We address this problem by taking advantage of traffic tunnels densely distributed throughout the country. Cosmic ray muon flux is measured in the tunnels to determine the average density of each rock overburden. After analyzing the data collected from 146 observation points in Miura, South-Boso and South-Izu Peninsula, Japan as an example, we mapped out the shallow density distribution of an area of 1340 km(2). We find a good agreement between muographically determined density distribution and geologic features as described in existing geological studies. The average shallow density distribution below each peninsula was determined with a great accuracy (less than ±0.8%). We also observed a significant reduction in density along fault lines and interpreted that as due to the presence of multiple cracks caused by mechanical stress during recurrent seismic events. We show that this new type of muography technique can be applied to estimate the terrain density and porosity distribution, thus determining more precise Bouguer reduction densities.

Mapping QTL for Seed Germinability under Low Temperature Using a New High-Density Genetic Map of Rice

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Ningfei Jiang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Mapping major quantitative trait loci (QTL responsible for rice seed germinability under low temperature (GULT can provide valuable genetic source for improving cold tolerance in rice breeding. In this study, 124 rice backcross recombinant inbred lines (BRILs derived from a cross indica cv. Changhui 891 and japonica cv. 02428 were genotyped through re-sequencing technology. A bin map was generated which includes 3057 bins covering distance of 1266.5 cM with an average of 0.41 cM between markers. On the basis of newly constructed high-density genetic map, six QTL were detected ranging from 40 to 140 kb on Nipponbare genome. Among these, two QTL qCGR8 and qGRR11 alleles shared by 02428 could increase GULT and seed germination recovery rate after cold stress, respectively. However, qNGR1 and qNGR4 may be two major QTL affecting indica Changhui 891germination under normal condition. QTL qGRR1 and qGRR8 affected the seed germination recovery rate after cold stress and the alleles with increasing effects were shared by the Changhui 891 could improve seed germination rate after cold stress dramatically. These QTL could be a highly valuable genetic factors for cold tolerance improvement in rice lines. Moreover, the BRILs developed in this study will serve as an appropriate choice for mapping and studying genetic basis of rice complex traits.

Parallel Sequential Monte Carlo for Efficient Density Combination: The Deco Matlab Toolbox

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casarin, Roberto; Grassi, Stefano; Ravazzolo, Francesco

This paper presents the Matlab package DeCo (Density Combination) which is based on the paper by Billio et al. (2013) where a constructive Bayesian approach is presented for combining predictive densities originating from different models or other sources of information. The combination weights...... for standard CPU computing and for Graphical Process Unit (GPU) parallel computing. For the GPU implementation we use the Matlab parallel computing toolbox and show how to use General Purposes GPU computing almost effortless. This GPU implementation comes with a speed up of the execution time up to seventy...... times compared to a standard CPU Matlab implementation on a multicore CPU. We show the use of the package and the computational gain of the GPU version, through some simulation experiments and empirical applications....

Fast and sensitive rigid-body fitting into cryo-EM density maps with PowerFit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.p.van Zundert, Gydo; M.j.j. Bonvin, Alexandre

2015-01-01

Cryo-EM is a rapidly developing method to investigate the three dimensional structure of large macromolecular complexes. In spite of all the advances in the field, the resolution of most cryo-EM density maps is too low for de novo model building. Therefore, the data are often complemented by fitting

SU-E-J-233: Effect of Brachytherapy Seed Artifacts in T2 and Proton Density Maps in MR Images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mashouf, S [Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); University of Toronto, Dept of Radiation Oncology, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Fatemi-Ardekani, A [Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Song, W [Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); University of Toronto, Dept of Radiation Oncology, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2015-06-15

Purpose: This study aims at investigating the influence of brachytherapy seeds on T2 and proton density (PD) maps generated from MR images. Proton density maps can be used to extract water content. Since dose absorbed in tissue surrounding low energy brachytherapy seeds are highly influenced by tissue composition, knowing the water content is a first step towards implementing a heterogeneity correction algorithm using MR images. Methods: An LDR brachytherapy (IsoAid Advantage Pd-103) seed was placed in the middle of an agar-based gel phantom and imaged using a 3T Philips MR scanner with a 168-channel head coil. A multiple echo sequence with TE=20, 40, 60, 80, 100 (ms) with large repetition time (TR=6259ms) was used to extract T2 and PD maps. Results: Seed artifacts were considerably reduced on T2 maps compared to PD maps. The variation of PD around the mean was obtained as −97% to 125% (±1%) while for T2 it was recorded as −71% to 24% (±1%). Conclusion: PD maps which are required for heterogeneity corrections are susceptible to artifacts from seeds. Seed artifacts on T2 maps, however, are significantly reduced due to not being sensitive to B0 field variation.

Diffusion-Based Density-Equalizing Maps: an Interdisciplinary Approach to Visualizing Homicide Rates and Other Georeferenced Statistical Data

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzitello, Karina I.; Candia, Julián

2012-12-01

In every country, public and private agencies allocate extensive funding to collect large-scale statistical data, which in turn are studied and analyzed in order to determine local, regional, national, and international policies regarding all aspects relevant to the welfare of society. One important aspect of that process is the visualization of statistical data with embedded geographical information, which most often relies on archaic methods such as maps colored according to graded scales. In this work, we apply nonstandard visualization techniques based on physical principles. We illustrate the method with recent statistics on homicide rates in Brazil and their correlation to other publicly available data. This physics-based approach provides a novel tool that can be used by interdisciplinary teams investigating statistics and model projections in a variety of fields such as economics and gross domestic product research, public health and epidemiology, sociodemographics, political science, business and marketing, and many others.

Gains in QTL detection using an ultra-high density SNP map based on population sequencing relative to traditional RFLP/SSR markers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huihui Yu

Full Text Available Huge efforts have been invested in the last two decades to dissect the genetic bases of complex traits including yields of many crop plants, through quantitative trait locus (QTL analyses. However, almost all the studies were based on linkage maps constructed using low-throughput molecular markers, e.g. restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs and simple sequence repeats (SSRs, thus are mostly of low density and not able to provide precise and complete information about the numbers and locations of the genes or QTLs controlling the traits. In this study, we constructed an ultra-high density genetic map based on high quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs from low-coverage sequences of a recombinant inbred line (RIL population of rice, generated using new sequencing technology. The quality of the map was assessed by validating the positions of several cloned genes including GS3 and GW5/qSW5, two major QTLs for grain length and grain width respectively, and OsC1, a qualitative trait locus for pigmentation. In all the cases the loci could be precisely resolved to the bins where the genes are located, indicating high quality and accuracy of the map. The SNP map was used to perform QTL analysis for yield and three yield-component traits, number of tillers per plant, number of grains per panicle and grain weight, using data from field trials conducted over years, in comparison to QTL mapping based on RFLPs/SSRs. The SNP map detected more QTLs especially for grain weight, with precise map locations, demonstrating advantages in detecting power and resolution relative to the RFLP/SSR map. Thus this study provided an example for ultra-high density map construction using sequencing technology. Moreover, the results obtained are helpful for understanding the genetic bases of the yield traits and for fine mapping and cloning of QTLs.

A high-density genetic map for anchoring genome sequences and identifying QTLs associated with dwarf vine in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guoyu; Ren, Yi; Sun, Honghe; Guo, Shaogui; Zhang, Fan; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Haiying; Jia, Zhangcai; Fei, Zhangjun; Xu, Yong; Li, Haizhen

2015-12-24

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) is an economically important crop belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. However, very few genomic and genetic resources are available for this species. As part of our ongoing efforts to sequence the pumpkin genome, high-density genetic map is essential for anchoring and orienting the assembled scaffolds. In addition, a saturated genetic map can facilitate quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. A set of 186 F2 plants derived from the cross of pumpkin inbred lines Rimu and SQ026 were genotyped using the genotyping-by-sequencing approach. Using the SNPs we identified, a high-density genetic map containing 458 bin-markers was constructed, spanning a total genetic distance of 2,566.8 cM across the 20 linkage groups of C. maxima with a mean marker density of 5.60 cM. Using this map we were able to anchor 58 assembled scaffolds that covered about 194.5 Mb (71.7%) of the 271.4 Mb assembled pumpkin genome, of which 44 (183.0 Mb; 67.4%) were oriented. Furthermore, the high-density genetic map was used to identify genomic regions highly associated with an important agronomic trait, dwarf vine. Three QTLs on linkage groups (LGs) 1, 3 and 4, respectively, were recovered. One QTL, qCmB2, which was located in an interval of 0.42 Mb on LG 3, explained 21.4% phenotypic variations. Within qCmB2, one gene, Cma_004516, encoding the gibberellin (GA) 20-oxidase in the GA biosynthesis pathway, had a 1249-bp deletion in its promoter in bush type lines, and its expression level was significantly increased during the vine growth and higher in vine type lines than bush type lines, supporting Cma_004516 as a possible candidate gene controlling vine growth in pumpkin. A high-density pumpkin genetic map was constructed, which was used to successfully anchor and orient the assembled genome scaffolds, and to identify QTLs highly associated with pumpkin vine length. The map provided a valuable resource for gene cloning and marker assisted breeding in pumpkin and

CAD-DRASTIC: chloride application density combined with DRASTIC for assessing groundwater vulnerability to road salt application

Science.gov (United States)

Salek, Mansour; Levison, Jana; Parker, Beth; Gharabaghi, Bahram

2018-06-01

Road salt is pervasively used throughout Canada and in other cold regions during winter. For cities relying exclusively on groundwater, it is important to plan and minimize the application of salt accordingly to mitigate the adverse effects of high chloride concentrations in water supply aquifers. The use of geospatial data (road network, land use, Quaternary and bedrock geology, average annual recharge, water-table depth, soil distribution, topography) in the DRASTIC methodology provides an efficient way of distinguishing salt-vulnerable areas associated with groundwater supply wells, to aid in the implementation of appropriate management practices for road salt application in urban areas. This research presents a GIS-based methodology to accomplish a vulnerability analysis for 12 municipal water supply wells within the City of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The chloride application density (CAD) value at each supply well is calculated and related to the measured groundwater chloride concentrations and further combined with soil media and aquifer vadose- and saturated-zone properties used in DRASTIC. This combined approach, CAD-DRASTIC, is more accurate than existing groundwater vulnerability mapping methods and can be used by municipalities and other water managers to further improve groundwater protection related to road salt application.

Mapping of trap densities and hotspots in pentacene thin-film transistors by frequency-resolved scanning photoresponse microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Westermeier, Christian; Fiebig, Matthias; Nickel, Bert

2013-10-25

Frequency-resolved scanning photoresponse microscopy of pentacene thin-film transistors is reported. The photoresponse pattern maps the in-plane distribution of trap states which is superimposed by the level of trap filling adjusted by the gate voltage of the transistor. Local hotspots in the photoresponse map thus indicate areas of high trap densities within the pentacene thin film. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH 8 Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Combined linkage and association mapping of flowering time in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Cadic, Elena; Coque, Marie; Vear, Felicity; Grezes-Besset, Bruno; Pauquet, Jerôme; Piquemal, Joël; Lippi, Yannick; Blanchard, Philippe; Romestant, Michel; Pouilly, Nicolas; Rengel, David; Gouzy, Jerôme; Langlade, Nicolas; Mangin, Brigitte; Vincourt, Patrick

2013-05-01

Association mapping and linkage mapping were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and/or causative mutations involved in the control of flowering time in cultivated sunflower Helianthus annuus. A panel of 384 inbred lines was phenotyped through testcrosses with two tester inbred lines across 15 location × year combinations. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population comprising 273 lines was phenotyped both per se and through testcrosses with one or two testers in 16 location × year combinations. In the association mapping approach, kinship estimation using 5,923 single nucleotide polymorphisms was found to be the best covariate to correct for effects of panel structure. Linkage disequilibrium decay ranged from 0.08 to 0.26 cM for a threshold of 0.20, after correcting for structure effects, depending on the linkage group (LG) and the ancestry of inbred lines. A possible hitchhiking effect is hypothesized for LG10 and LG08. A total of 11 regions across 10 LGs were found to be associated with flowering time, and QTLs were mapped on 11 LGs in the RIL population. Whereas eight regions were demonstrated to be common between the two approaches, the linkage disequilibrium approach did not detect a documented QTL that was confirmed using the linkage mapping approach.

Joint Mapping of Mobility and Trap Density in Colloidal Quantum Dot Solids

KAUST Repository

Stadler, Philipp

2013-07-23

Field-effect transistors have been widely used to study electronic transport and doping in colloidal quantum dot solids to great effect. However, the full power of these devices to elucidate the electronic structure of materials has yet to be harnessed. Here, we deploy nanodielectric field-effect transistors to map the energy landscape within the band gap of a colloidal quantum dot solid. We exploit the self-limiting nature of the potentiostatic anodization growth mode to produce the thinnest usable gate dielectric, subject to our voltage breakdown requirements defined by the Fermi sweep range of interest. Lead sulfide colloidal quantum dots are applied as the active region and are treated with varying solvents and ligands. In an analysis complementary to the mobility trends commonly extracted from field-effect transistor studies, we focus instead on the subthreshold regime and map out the density of trap states in these nanocrystal films. The findings point to the importance of comprehensively mapping the electronic band- and gap-structure within real quantum solids, and they suggest a new focus in investigating quantum dot solids with an aim toward improving optoelectronic device performance. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Anharmonic thermal vibrations of be metal found in the MEM nuclear density map

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takata, Masaki; Sakata, Makoto; Larsen, F.K.; Kumazawa, Shintaro; Iversen, B.B.

1993-01-01

A direct observation of the thermal vibrations of Be metal was performed by the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) using neutron single crystal data. In the previous study, the existence of the small but significant cubic anharmonicity of Be has been found by the conventional least squares refinement of the observed structure factors [Larsen, Lehmann and Merisalo (1980) Acta Cryst. A36, 159-163]. In the present study, the same data were used for the MEM analysis which are comprised of 48 reflections up to sinθ/λ = 1.41A -1 in order to obtain the high resolution nuclear density of Be without using any thermal vibrational model. It was directly visible in the MEM map that not only the cubic terms but also quartic anharmonicities exist in the thermal vibrations of Be nuclei. In order to evaluate thermal parameters of Be including anharmonic terms quantitatively, the least squares refinement of the effective one-particle potential (OPP) parameters up to quartic term was carried out by using the MEM nuclear densities around atomic sites as the data set to be fitted. It was found that the present treatment has a great advantage to decide the most appropriate model of OPP by visually comparing the model with MEM density map. As a result of the least squares refinement, the anharmonic thermal parameters are obtained as α 33 = -0.340(5)[eV/A 3 ], α 40 = 0, β 20 = 9.89(1)[eV/A 4 ] and γ 00 = 0. No other anharmonic term was significant. (author)

Construction of High Density Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L. Linkage Maps Using Microsatellite Markers and SNPs Detected by Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verónica Guajardo

Full Text Available Linkage maps are valuable tools in genetic and genomic studies. For sweet cherry, linkage maps have been constructed using mainly microsatellite markers (SSRs and, recently, using single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs from a cherry 6K SNP array. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS, a new methodology based on high-throughput sequencing, holds great promise for identification of high number of SNPs and construction of high density linkage maps. In this study, GBS was used to identify SNPs from an intra-specific sweet cherry cross. A total of 8,476 high quality SNPs were selected for mapping. The physical position for each SNP was determined using the peach genome, Peach v1.0, as reference, and a homogeneous distribution of markers along the eight peach scaffolds was obtained. On average, 65.6% of the SNPs were present in genic regions and 49.8% were located in exonic regions. In addition to the SNPs, a group of SSRs was also used for construction of linkage maps. Parental and consensus high density maps were constructed by genotyping 166 siblings from a 'Rainier' x 'Rivedel' (Ra x Ri cross. Using Ra x Ri population, 462, 489 and 985 markers were mapped into eight linkage groups in 'Rainier', 'Rivedel' and the Ra x Ri map, respectively, with 80% of mapped SNPs located in genic regions. Obtained maps spanned 549.5, 582.6 and 731.3 cM for 'Rainier', 'Rivedel' and consensus maps, respectively, with an average distance of 1.2 cM between adjacent markers for both 'Rainier' and 'Rivedel' maps and of 0.7 cM for Ra x Ri map. High synteny and co-linearity was observed between obtained maps and with Peach v1.0. These new high density linkage maps provide valuable information on the sweet cherry genome, and serve as the basis for identification of QTLs and genes relevant for the breeding of the species.

Landslides density map of S. Miguel Island, Azores archipelago

Science.gov (United States)

Valadão, P.; Gaspar, J. L.; Queiroz, G.; Ferreira, T.

The Azores archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean and is composed of nine volcanic islands. S. Miguel, the largest one, is formed by three active, E-W trending, trachytic central volcanoes with caldera (Sete Cidades, Fogo and Furnas). Chains of basaltic cinder cones link those major volcanic structures. An inactive trachytic central volcano (Povoação) and an old basaltic volcanic complex (Nordeste) comprise the easternmost part of the island. Since the settlement of the island early in the 15th century, several destructive landslides triggered by catastrophic rainfall episodes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occurred in different areas of S. Miguel. One unique event killed thousands of people in 1522. Houses and bridges were destroyed, roads were cut, communications, water and energy supply systems became frequently disrupted and areas of fertile land were often buried by mud. Based on (1) historical documents, (2) aerial photographs and (3) field observations, landslide sites were plotted on a topographic map, in order to establish a landslide density map for the island. Data obtained showed that landslide hazard is higher on (1) the main central volcanoes where the thickness of unconsolidated pyroclastic deposits is considerable high and (2) the old basaltic volcanic complex, marked by deep gullies developed on thick sequences of lava flows. In these areas, caldera walls, fault scarps, steep valley margins and sea cliffs are potentially hazardous.

Mapping the Local Density of Optical States of a Photonic Crystal with Single Quantum Dots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Qin; Stobbe, Søren; Lodahl, Peter

2011-01-01

We use single self-assembled InGaAs quantum dots as internal probes to map the local density of optical states of photonic crystal membranes. The employed technique separates contributions from nonradiative recombination and spin-flip processes by properly accounting for the role of the exciton...... fine structure. We observe inhibition factors as high as 70 and compare our results to local density of optical states calculations available from the literature, thereby establishing a quantitative understanding of photon emission in photonic crystal membranes. © 2011 American Physical Society....

Geostatistical analysis of disease data: accounting for spatial support and population density in the isopleth mapping of cancer mortality risk using area-to-point Poisson kriging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goovaerts Pierre

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Geostatistical techniques that account for spatially varying population sizes and spatial patterns in the filtering of choropleth maps of cancer mortality were recently developed. Their implementation was facilitated by the initial assumption that all geographical units are the same size and shape, which allowed the use of geographic centroids in semivariogram estimation and kriging. Another implicit assumption was that the population at risk is uniformly distributed within each unit. This paper presents a generalization of Poisson kriging whereby the size and shape of administrative units, as well as the population density, is incorporated into the filtering of noisy mortality rates and the creation of isopleth risk maps. An innovative procedure to infer the point-support semivariogram of the risk from aggregated rates (i.e. areal data is also proposed. Results The novel methodology is applied to age-adjusted lung and cervix cancer mortality rates recorded for white females in two contrasted county geographies: 1 state of Indiana that consists of 92 counties of fairly similar size and shape, and 2 four states in the Western US (Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah forming a set of 118 counties that are vastly different geographical units. Area-to-point (ATP Poisson kriging produces risk surfaces that are less smooth than the maps created by a naïve point kriging of empirical Bayesian smoothed rates. The coherence constraint of ATP kriging also ensures that the population-weighted average of risk estimates within each geographical unit equals the areal data for this unit. Simulation studies showed that the new approach yields more accurate predictions and confidence intervals than point kriging of areal data where all counties are simply collapsed into their respective polygon centroids. Its benefit over point kriging increases as the county geography becomes more heterogeneous. Conclusion A major limitation of choropleth

Geostatistical analysis of disease data: accounting for spatial support and population density in the isopleth mapping of cancer mortality risk using area-to-point Poisson kriging

Science.gov (United States)

Goovaerts, Pierre

2006-01-01

Background Geostatistical techniques that account for spatially varying population sizes and spatial patterns in the filtering of choropleth maps of cancer mortality were recently developed. Their implementation was facilitated by the initial assumption that all geographical units are the same size and shape, which allowed the use of geographic centroids in semivariogram estimation and kriging. Another implicit assumption was that the population at risk is uniformly distributed within each unit. This paper presents a generalization of Poisson kriging whereby the size and shape of administrative units, as well as the population density, is incorporated into the filtering of noisy mortality rates and the creation of isopleth risk maps. An innovative procedure to infer the point-support semivariogram of the risk from aggregated rates (i.e. areal data) is also proposed. Results The novel methodology is applied to age-adjusted lung and cervix cancer mortality rates recorded for white females in two contrasted county geographies: 1) state of Indiana that consists of 92 counties of fairly similar size and shape, and 2) four states in the Western US (Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah) forming a set of 118 counties that are vastly different geographical units. Area-to-point (ATP) Poisson kriging produces risk surfaces that are less smooth than the maps created by a naïve point kriging of empirical Bayesian smoothed rates. The coherence constraint of ATP kriging also ensures that the population-weighted average of risk estimates within each geographical unit equals the areal data for this unit. Simulation studies showed that the new approach yields more accurate predictions and confidence intervals than point kriging of areal data where all counties are simply collapsed into their respective polygon centroids. Its benefit over point kriging increases as the county geography becomes more heterogeneous. Conclusion A major limitation of choropleth maps is the common biased

Synchronization of conference presentation sequence using delay equalization approach

Science.gov (United States)

Godavari, Rakesh K.; Celenk, Mehmet

2001-11-01

In this paper, a delay equalization approach is proposed for cohesive conference presentation with minimal screen- freezing effect. The underlying screen-freezing effect is due to varying delays in the communication channels involved in broadcasting. In turn, this poses a threat to the goal of uniform delay distribution among data packets for synchronized presentation broadcast. We wish to achieve uniformity among packet arrival times to the recipients. This objective is achieved by transforming a given input delay distribution (D) to the desired output density through a delay equalization process. Considering a general case of between packet and frame delay distributions for a given input, the desired output is obtained through a delay equalization process. In case of a specific normal delay distribution, a memory-less system g(D) is determined as an approximation to the delay equalizer such that the equalizer output O(t)equalsg[D(t)] is uniformly distributed in the allowable delay limits of (a,b) assuring the specified quality of service (QoS) parameters. The corresponding delay is added at each recipient workstation, which acts as the wait period required before it begins its designated presentation.For a zero mean normal delay density case, the equalizer transfer function can be given in a closed from solution as O(t)equalsg[D(t)[equals(b-a)]0.5+eft(-D/$RO OTR(0)))[+a, where erf(x) is the standard error function. The histogram approximation is adopted as an asymptotically delay equalization means for general cases. This technique provides a means for modifying the dynamic range of data acquired by altering it into a desired distribution. In experimentation, equalizer characteristic functions are derived for a set of selected input delays to obtain the desired output. The delay equalizer system developed here is suited for deployment in a distributed hierarchical conferencing environment. To accommodate a broadcast continuity, the multimedia presentation is

Some Equalities Are More Equal Than Others: Quality Equality Emerges Later Than Numerical Equality.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheskin, Mark; Nadal, Amber; Croom, Adam; Mayer, Tanya; Nissel, Jenny; Bloom, Paul

2016-09-01

By age 6, children typically share an equal number of resources between themselves and others. However, fairness involves not merely that each person receive an equal number of resources ("numerical equality") but also that each person receive equal quality resources ("quality equality"). In Study 1, children (N = 87, 3-10 years) typically split four resources "two each" by age 6, but typically monopolized the better two resources until age 10. In Study 2, a new group of 6- to 8-year-olds (N = 32) allocated resources to third parties according to quality equality, indicating that children in this age group understand that fairness requires both types of equality. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

REJUVENATING THE MATTER POWER SPECTRUM: RESTORING INFORMATION WITH A LOGARITHMIC DENSITY MAPPING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neyrinck, Mark C.; Szalay, Alexander S.; Szapudi, Istvan

2009-01-01

We find that nonlinearities in the dark matter power spectrum are dramatically smaller if the density field first undergoes a logarithmic mapping. In the Millennium simulation, this procedure gives a power spectrum with a shape hardly departing from the linear power spectrum for k ∼ -1 at all redshifts. Also, this procedure unveils pristine Fisher information on a range of scales reaching a factor of 2-3 smaller than in the standard power spectrum, yielding 10 times more cumulative signal to noise at z = 0.

Entrepreneurship and Gender Equality in Academia – a Complex Combination in Practice

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Britt-Inger Keisu

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This article takes as its starting point two current trends in academia – the promotion of academic entrepreneurship and innovation and the promotion of gender equality – and discusses how different gender equality perspectives are interwoven, or not, into academia’s transformation processes towards entrepreneurial universities. On the basis of an analysis of 26 interviews conducted with personnel at two Swedish universities, the article investigates how concepts of academic entrepreneurship and innovation on the one hand and gender equality on the other hand are constructed and filled with meaning as well as how they are entangled and what effects are produced by this way of thinking and acting. Our analysis reveals tensions between the two policy goals, together with tensions within each goal. An overall conclusion is that articulations and ways of speaking about the policy goal of academic entrepreneurship and innovation were to some extent interwoven with the policy goal of gender equality, especially in the broader perspectives on academic entrepreneurship. However, the articulations of strategies and practice of the two policy goals essentially ran parallel, and were not entangled with one another. This is because strategies or substantial initiatives for merging gender equality into the agenda of academic entrepreneurship and innovation were lacking.

Gender Equality, Citizenship and Human Rights

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

reflect upon challenges to gender equality, citizenship, and human rights in their respective societies; it combines theoretical insights with empirically grounded studies. The volume contextualises feminist political theory in China and the Nordic countries and subsequently puts it into a global......This comparative volume examines the ways in which current controversies and political, legal, and social struggles for gender equality raise conceptual questions and challenge our thinking on political theories of equality, citizenship and human rights. Bringing together scholars and activists who...

Terrestrial gamma radiation baseline mapping using ultra low density sampling methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinschmidt, R; Watson, D

2016-01-01

Baseline terrestrial gamma radiation maps are indispensable for providing basic reference information that may be used in assessing the impact of a radiation related incident, performing epidemiological studies, remediating land contaminated with radioactive materials, assessment of land use applications and resource prospectivity. For a large land mass, such as Queensland, Australia (over 1.7 million km(2)), it is prohibitively expensive and practically difficult to undertake detailed in-situ radiometric surveys of this scale. It is proposed that an existing, ultra-low density sampling program already undertaken for the purpose of a nationwide soil survey project be utilised to develop a baseline terrestrial gamma radiation map. Geoelement data derived from the National Geochemistry Survey of Australia (NGSA) was used to construct a baseline terrestrial gamma air kerma rate map, delineated by major drainage catchments, for Queensland. Three drainage catchments (sampled at the catchment outlet) spanning low, medium and high radioelement concentrations were selected for validation of the methodology using radiometric techniques including in-situ measurements and soil sampling for high resolution gamma spectrometry, and comparative non-radiometric analysis. A Queensland mean terrestrial air kerma rate, as calculated from the NGSA outlet sediment uranium, thorium and potassium concentrations, of 49 ± 69 nGy h(-1) (n = 311, 3σ 99% confidence level) is proposed as being suitable for use as a generic terrestrial air kerma rate background range. Validation results indicate that catchment outlet measurements are representative of the range of results obtained across the catchment and that the NGSA geoelement data is suitable for calculation and mapping of terrestrial air kerma rate. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal Built-up Land Density Mapping Using Various Spectral Indices in Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS (Case Study: Surakarta City)

Science.gov (United States)

Risky, Yanuar S.; Aulia, Yogi H.; Widayani, Prima

2017-12-01

Spectral indices variations support for rapid and accurate extracting information such as built-up density. However, the exact determination of spectral waves for built-up density extraction is lacking. This study explains and compares the capabilities of 5 variations of spectral indices in spatiotemporal built-up density mapping using Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS in Surakarta City on 2002 and 2015. The spectral indices variations used are 3 mid-infrared (MIR) based indices such as the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Urban Index (UI) and Built-up and 2 visible based indices such as VrNIR-BI (visible red) and VgNIR-BI (visible green). Linear regression statistics between ground value samples from Google Earth image in 2002 and 2015 and spectral indices for determining built-up land density. Ground value used amounted to 27 samples for model and 7 samples for accuracy test. The classification of built-up density mapping is divided into 9 classes: unclassified, 0-12.5%, 12.5-25%, 25-37.5%, 37.5-50%, 50-62.5%, 62.5-75%, 75-87.5% and 87.5-100 %. Accuracy of built-up land density mapping in 2002 and 2015 using VrNIR-BI (81,823% and 73.235%), VgNIR-BI (78.934% and 69.028%), NDBI (34.870% and 74.365%), UI (43.273% and 64.398%) and Built-up (59.755% and 72.664%). Based all spectral indices, Surakarta City on 2000-2015 has increased of built-up land density. VgNIR-BI has better capabilities for built-up land density mapping on Landsat-7 ETM + and Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS.

FOLD-EM: automated fold recognition in medium- and low-resolution (4-15 Å) electron density maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Mitul; Morais, Marc C

2012-12-15

Owing to the size and complexity of large multi-component biological assemblies, the most tractable approach to determining their atomic structure is often to fit high-resolution radiographic or nuclear magnetic resonance structures of isolated components into lower resolution electron density maps of the larger assembly obtained using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This hybrid approach to structure determination requires that an atomic resolution structure of each component, or a suitable homolog, is available. If neither is available, then the amount of structural information regarding that component is limited by the resolution of the cryo-EM map. However, even if a suitable homolog cannot be identified using sequence analysis, a search for structural homologs should still be performed because structural homology often persists throughout evolution even when sequence homology is undetectable, As macromolecules can often be described as a collection of independently folded domains, one way of searching for structural homologs would be to systematically fit representative domain structures from a protein domain database into the medium/low resolution cryo-EM map and return the best fits. Taken together, the best fitting non-overlapping structures would constitute a 'mosaic' backbone model of the assembly that could aid map interpretation and illuminate biological function. Using the computational principles of the Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT), we have developed FOLD-EM-a computational tool that can identify folded macromolecular domains in medium to low resolution (4-15 Å) electron density maps and return a model of the constituent polypeptides in a fully automated fashion. As a by-product, FOLD-EM can also do flexible multi-domain fitting that may provide insight into conformational changes that occur in macromolecular assemblies.

Integration of linkage maps for the Amphidiploid Brassica napus and comparative mapping with Arabidopsis and Brassica rapa

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Delourme Régine

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The large number of genetic linkage maps representing Brassica chromosomes constitute a potential platform for studying crop traits and genome evolution within Brassicaceae. However, the alignment of existing maps remains a major challenge. The integration of these genetic maps will enhance genetic resolution, and provide a means to navigate between sequence-tagged loci, and with contiguous genome sequences as these become available. Results We report the first genome-wide integration of Brassica maps based on an automated pipeline which involved collation of genome-wide genotype data for sequence-tagged markers scored on three extensively used amphidiploid Brassica napus (2n = 38 populations. Representative markers were selected from consolidated maps for each population, and skeleton bin maps were generated. The skeleton maps for the three populations were then combined to generate an integrated map for each LG, comparing two different approaches, one encapsulated in JoinMap and the other in MergeMap. The BnaWAIT_01_2010a integrated genetic map was generated using JoinMap, and includes 5,162 genetic markers mapped onto 2,196 loci, with a total genetic length of 1,792 cM. The map density of one locus every 0.82 cM, corresponding to 515 Kbp, increases by at least three-fold the locus and marker density within the original maps. Within the B. napus integrated map we identified 103 conserved collinearity blocks relative to Arabidopsis, including five previously unreported blocks. The BnaWAIT_01_2010a map was used to investigate the integrity and conservation of order proposed for genome sequence scaffolds generated from the constituent A genome of Brassica rapa. Conclusions Our results provide a comprehensive genetic integration of the B. napus genome from a range of sources, which we anticipate will provide valuable information for rapeseed and Canola research.

A High Density Genetic Map Derived from RAD Sequencing and Its Application in QTL Analysis of Yield-Related Traits in Vigna unguiculata

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Lei Pan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp.] is an annual legume of economic importance and widely grown in the semi-arid tropics. However, high-density genetic maps of cowpea are still lacking. Here, we identified 34,868 SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms that were distributed in the cowpea genome based on the RAD sequencing (restriction-site associated DNA sequencing technique using a population of 170 individuals (two cowpea parents and 168 F2:3 progenies. Of these, 17,996 reliable SNPs were allotted to 11 consensus linkage groups (LGs. The length of the genetic map was 1,194.25 cM in total with a mean distance of 0.066 cM/SNP marker locus. Using this map and the F2:3 population, combined with the CIM (composite interval mapping method, eleven quantitative trait loci (QTL of yield-related trait were detected on seven LGs (LG4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 in cowpea. These QTL explained 0.05–17.32% of the total phenotypic variation. Among these, four QTL were for pod length, four QTL for thousand-grain weight (TGW, two QTL for grain number per pod, and one QTL for carpopodium length. Our results will provide a foundation for understanding genes related to grain yield in the cowpea and genus Vigna.

A 2500 deg2 CMB Lensing Map from Combined South Pole Telescope and Planck Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omori, Y.; Chown, R.; Simard, G.; Story, K. T.; University of Chicago, IL

2017-01-01

Here, we present a cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing map produced from a linear combination of South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck temperature data. The 150 GHz temperature data from the 2500 deg 2 SPT-SZ survey is combined with the Planck 143 GHz data in harmonic space to obtain a temperature map that has a broader ℓ coverage and less noise than either individual map. Using a quadratic estimator technique on this combined temperature map, we produce a map of the gravitational lensing potential projected along the line of sight. We measure the auto-spectrum of the lensing potential C L ϕϕ , and compare it to the theoretical prediction for a ΛCDM cosmology consistent with the Planck 2015 data set, finding a best-fit amplitude of 0.95 −0.06 +0.06 (stat.) −0.01 +0.01 (sys.). The null hypothesis of no lensing is rejected at a significance of 24σ. One important use of such a lensing potential map is in cross-correlations with other dark matter tracers. We demonstrate this cross-correlation in practice by calculating the cross-spectrum, C L ϕG , between the SPT+Planck lensing map and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) galaxies. We fit C L ϕG to a power law of the form p L =a(L/L 0 ) −b with a, L 0, and b fixed, and find η ϕG =C L ϕG /p L =0.94 −0.04 +0.04 , which is marginally lower, but in good agreement with η ϕG =1.00 −0.01 +0.02 , the best-fit amplitude for the cross-correlation of Planck-2015 CMB lensing and WISE galaxies over ~67% of the sky. Finally, the lensing potential map presented here will be used for cross-correlation studies with the Dark Energy Survey, whose footprint nearly completely covers the SPT 2500 deg 2 field.

Public hospital care: equal for all or equal for some? Evidence from the Philippines.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Chris D; Peabody, John; Hanson, Kara; Solon, Orville

2015-03-01

In low- and middle-income countries, government budgets are rarely sufficient to cover a public hospital's operating costs. Shortfalls are typically financed through a combination of health insurance contributions and user charges. The mixed nature of this financing arrangement potentially creates financial incentives to treat patients with equal health need unequally. Using data from the Philippines, the authors analyzed whether doctors respond to such incentives. After controlling for a patient's condition, they found that patients using insurance, paying more for hospital accommodation, and being treated in externally monitored hospitals were likely to receive more care. This highlights the worrying possibility that public hospital patients with equal health needs are not always equally treated. © 2011 APJPH.

Case studies combined with or without concept maps improve critical thinking in hospital-based nurses: a randomized-controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yu-Chuan; Chen, Hsing-Hsia; Yeh, Mei-Ling; Chung, Yu-Chu

2012-06-01

Critical thinking (CT) is essential to the exercise of professional judgment. As nurses face increasingly complex health-care situations, critical thinking can promote appropriate clinical decision-making and improve the quality of nursing care. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a program of case studies, alone (CS) or combined with concept maps (CSCM), on improving CT in clinical nurses. The study was a randomized controlled trial. The experimental group participated in a 16-week CSCM program, whereas the control group participated in a CS program of equal duration. A randomized-controlled trial with a multistage randomization process was used to select and to assign participants, ultimately resulting in 67 nurses in each group. Data were collected before and after the program using the California Critical Thinking Skill Test (CCTST) and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). After the programs, there were significant differences between the two groups in the critical thinking skills of analysis, evaluation, inference, deduction, and induction. There was also an overall significant difference, and a significant difference in the specific disposition of open-mindedness. This study supports the application of case studies combined with concept maps as a hospital-based teaching strategy to promote development of critical thinking skills and encourage dispositions for nurses. The CSCM resulted in greater improvements in all critical thinking skills of as well as the overall and open-minded affective dispositions toward critical thinking, compared with the case studies alone. An obvious improvement in the CSCM participants was the analytic skill and disposition. Further longitudinal studies and data collection from multisite evaluations in a range of geographic locales are warranted. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Searching for primordial non-Gaussianity in Planck CMB maps using a combined estimator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novaes, C.P.; Wuensche, C.A. [Divisão de Astrofísica, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Av. dos Astronautas 1758, São José dos Campos 12227-010, SP (Brazil); Bernui, A. [Observatório Nacional, Rua General José Cristino 77, São Cristóvão, 20921-400, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Ferreira, I.S., E-mail: camilapnovaes@gmail.com, E-mail: bernui@on.br, E-mail: ivan@fis.unb.br, E-mail: ca.wuensche@inpe.br [Instituto de Física, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70919-970, Brasília, DF (Brazil)

2014-01-01

The extensive search for deviations from Gaussianity in cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) data is very important due to the information about the very early moments of the universe encoded there. Recent analyses from Planck CMB data do not exclude the presence of non-Gaussianity of small amplitude, although they are consistent with the Gaussian hypothesis. The use of different techniques is essential to provide information about types and amplitudes of non-Gaussianities in the CMB data. In particular, we find interesting to construct an estimator based upon the combination of two powerful statistical tools that appears to be sensitive enough to detect tiny deviations from Gaussianity in CMB maps. This estimator combines the Minkowski functionals with a Neural Network, maximizing a tool widely used to study non-Gaussian signals with a reinforcement of another tool designed to identify patterns in a data set. We test our estimator by analyzing simulated CMB maps contaminated with different amounts of local primordial non-Gaussianity quantified by the dimensionless parameter f{sub  NL}. We apply it to these sets of CMB maps and find ∼> 98% of chance of positive detection, even for small intensity local non-Gaussianity like f{sub  NL} = 38±18, the current limit from Planck data for large angular scales. Additionally, we test the suitability to distinguish between primary and secondary non-Gaussianities: first we train the Neural Network with two sets, one of nearly Gaussian CMB maps (|f{sub  NL}| ≤ 10) but contaminated with realistic inhomogeneous Planck noise (i.e., secondary non-Gaussianity) and the other of non-Gaussian CMB maps, that is, maps endowed with weak primordial non-Gaussianity (28 ≤ f{sub  NL} ≤ 48); after that we test an ensemble composed of CMB maps either with one of these non-Gaussian contaminations, and find out that our method successfully classifies ∼ 95% of the tested maps as being CMB maps containing primordial or

Mapping wood density globally using remote sensing and climatological data

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, A.; Camps-Valls, G.; Carvalhais, N.; Kattge, J.; Robinson, N.; Reichstein, M.; Allred, B. W.; Running, S. W.

2017-12-01

Wood density (WD) is defined as the oven-dry mass divided by fresh volume, varies between individuals, and describes the carbon investment per unit volume of stem. WD has been proven to be a key functional trait in carbon cycle research and correlates with numerous morphological, mechanical, physiological, and ecological properties. In spite of the utility and importance of this trait, there is a lack of an operational framework to spatialize plant WD measurements at a global scale. In this work, we present a consistent modular processing chain to derive global maps (500 m) of WD using modern machine learning techniques along with optical remote sensing data (MODIS/Landsat) and climate data using the Google Earth Engine platform. The developed approach uses a hierarchical Bayesian approach to fill in gaps in the plant measured WD data set to maximize its global representativeness. WD plant species are then aggregated to Plant Functional Types (PFT). The spatial abundance of PFT at 500 m spatial resolution (MODIS) is calculated using a high resolution (30 m) PFT map developed using Landsat data. Based on these PFT abundances, representative WD values are estimated for each MODIS pixel with nearby measured data. Finally, random forests are used to globally estimate WD from these MODIS pixels using remote sensing and climate. The validation and assessment of the applied methods indicate that the model explains more than 72% of the spatial variance of the calculated community aggregated WD estimates with virtually unbiased estimates and low RMSE (<15%). The maps thus offer new opportunities to study and analyze the global patterns of variation of WD at an unprecedented spatial coverage and spatial resolution.

Landslide susceptibility map: from research to application

Science.gov (United States)

Fiorucci, Federica; Reichenbach, Paola; Ardizzone, Francesca; Rossi, Mauro; Felicioni, Giulia; Antonini, Guendalina

2014-05-01

qualitatively classifying the territory according to slope classes. For the Perugia Municipality the susceptibility map was obtained combining results of statistical multivariate models and landslide density map. In particular, in the first phase a susceptibility zonation was prepared using different single and combined probability statistical multivariate techniques. The zonation was then combined and compared with the landslide density map in order to reclassify the false negative (portion of the territory classified by the model as stable affected by slope failures). The semi-quantitative resulting map was classified in five susceptibility classes. For each class a set of technical regulation was established to manage the territory.

Combining Semantic and Lexical Methods for Mapping MedDRA to VCM Icons.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamy, Jean-Baptiste; Tsopra, Rosy

2018-01-01

VCM (Visualization of Concept in Medicine) is an iconic language that represents medical concepts, such as disorders, by icons. VCM has a formal semantics described by an ontology. The icons can be used in medical software for providing a visual summary or enriching texts. However, the use of VCM icons in user interfaces requires to map standard medical terminologies to VCM. Here, we present a method combining semantic and lexical approaches for mapping MedDRA to VCM. The method takes advantage of the hierarchical relations in MedDRA. It also analyzes the groups of lemmas in the term's labels, and relies on a manual mapping of these groups to the concepts in the VCM ontology. We evaluate the method on 50 terms. Finally, we discuss the method and suggest perspectives.

An Optimization Approach to Improving Collections of Shape Maps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Andy; Ben‐Chen, Mirela; Welnicka, Katarzyna

2011-01-01

pairwise map independently does not take full advantage of all existing information. For example, a notorious problem with computing shape maps is the ambiguity introduced by the symmetry problem — for two similar shapes which have reflectional symmetry there exist two maps which are equally favorable...... shape maps connecting our collection, we propose to add the constraint of global map consistency, requiring that any composition of maps between two shapes should be independent of the path chosen in the network. This requirement can help us choose among the equally good symmetric alternatives, or help...

Passive language mapping combining real-time oscillation analysis with cortico-cortical evoked potentials for awake craniotomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamura, Yukie; Ogawa, Hiroshi; Kapeller, Christoph; Prueckl, Robert; Takeuchi, Fumiya; Anei, Ryogo; Ritaccio, Anthony; Guger, Christoph; Kamada, Kyousuke

2016-12-01

OBJECTIVE Electrocortical stimulation (ECS) is the gold standard for functional brain mapping; however, precise functional mapping is still difficult in patients with language deficits. High gamma activity (HGA) between 80 and 140 Hz on electrocorticography is assumed to reflect localized cortical processing, whereas the cortico-cortical evoked potential (CCEP) can reflect bidirectional responses evoked by monophasic pulse stimuli to the language cortices when there is no patient cooperation. The authors propose the use of "passive" mapping by combining HGA mapping and CCEP recording without active tasks during conscious resections of brain tumors. METHODS Five patients, each with an intraaxial tumor in their dominant hemisphere, underwent conscious resection of their lesion with passive mapping. The authors performed functional localization for the receptive language area, using real-time HGA mapping, by listening passively to linguistic sounds. Furthermore, single electrical pulses were delivered to the identified receptive temporal language area to detect CCEPs in the frontal lobe. All mapping results were validated by ECS, and the sensitivity and specificity were evaluated. RESULTS Linguistic HGA mapping quickly identified the language area in the temporal lobe. Electrical stimulation by linguistic HGA mapping to the identified temporal receptive language area evoked CCEPs on the frontal lobe. The combination of linguistic HGA and frontal CCEPs needed no patient cooperation or effort. In this small case series, the sensitivity and specificity were 93.8% and 89%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The described technique allows for simple and quick functional brain mapping with higher sensitivity and specificity than ECS mapping. The authors believe that this could improve the reliability of functional brain mapping and facilitate rational and objective operations. Passive mapping also sheds light on the underlying physiological mechanisms of language in the human brain.

Geological Mapping of Sabah, Malaysia, Using Airborne Gravity Survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fauzi Nordin, Ahmad; Jamil, Hassan; Noor Isa, Mohd

2016-01-01

Airborne gravimetry is an effective tool for mapping local gravity fields using a combination of airborne sensors, aircraft and positioning systems. It is suitable for gravity surveys over difficult terrains and areas mixed with land and ocean. This paper describes the geological mapping of Sabah...... using airborne gravity surveys. Airborne gravity data over land areas of Sabah has been combined with the marine airborne gravity data to provide a seamless land-to-sea gravity field coverage in order to produce the geological mapping. Free-air and Bouguer anomaly maps (density 2.67 g/cm3) have been...... derived from the airborne data both as simple ad-hoc plots (at aircraft altitude), and as final plots from the downward continued airborne data, processed as part of the geoids determination. Data are gridded at 0.025 degree spacing which is about 2.7 km and the data resolution of the filtered airborne...

High-density surface EMG maps from upper-arm and forearm muscles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rojas-Martínez Monica

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background sEMG signal has been widely used in different applications in kinesiology and rehabilitation as well as in the control of human-machine interfaces. In general, the signals are recorded with bipolar electrodes located in different muscles. However, such configuration may disregard some aspects of the spatial distribution of the potentials like location of innervation zones and the manifestation of inhomogineties in the control of the muscular fibers. On the other hand, the spatial distribution of motor unit action potentials has recently been assessed with activation maps obtained from High Density EMG signals (HD-EMG, these lasts recorded with arrays of closely spaced electrodes. The main objective of this work is to analyze patterns in the activation maps, associating them with four movement directions at the elbow joint and with different strengths of those tasks. Although the activation pattern can be assessed with bipolar electrodes, HD-EMG maps could enable the extraction of features that depend on the spatial distribution of the potentials and on the load-sharing between muscles, in order to have a better differentiation between tasks and effort levels. Methods An experimental protocol consisting of isometric contractions at three levels of effort during flexion, extension, supination and pronation at the elbow joint was designed and HD-EMG signals were recorded with 2D electrode arrays on different upper-limb muscles. Techniques for the identification and interpolation of artifacts are explained, as well as a method for the segmentation of the activation areas. In addition, variables related to the intensity and spatial distribution of the maps were obtained, as well as variables associated to signal power of traditional single bipolar recordings. Finally, statistical tests were applied in order to assess differences between information extracted from single bipolar signals or from HD-EMG maps and to analyze

Investigations of effective porosity of till by means of a combined soil-moisture/density gauge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordberg, L.; Modig, S.

1974-01-01

Effective porosity and processes of saturation and dewatering in till have been investigated. The study was performed in undisturbed till columns, surrounded by ring-shaped excavations filled with sand. The procedure allowed for a raising and lowering of an artificial groundwater level in the till under controlled conditions, which in turn made possible controlled processes of saturation and dewatering. A combined gamma-neutron soil moisture /density gauge was used. The water content was recorded during a period in which water was added to a specially prepared, undisturbed in-situ soil column until a state of saturation was reached. This was followed by a period of induced dewatering by gravity drainage. The drainage was recorded until a steady state> approximately equalling field capacity, was approached (5-16 d). Water contents at saturation are assumed approximately to equal total porosity, having a range of 17.9-32.0% in the investigated till. The intensity of drainage was highest on the first day of dewatering and then diminished with time. A perfectly steady state was never reached. Therefore field capacity is used with indices, indicating the length of time of drainage. Consequently, effective porosity is qualified by the corresponding indices. After 15-16 days of gravity drainage, effective porosity was calculated to be on the average 7.4% at one test plot and 3.4% at another. The difference has been attributed to a corresponding difference in depth to the natural groundwater level; because of the method used a higher groundwater level and capillary fringe may have hampered the complete drainage, resulting in a relatively low value of effective porosity. The investigation is most likely to be applicable in water balance studies, groundwater discharge predictions and various construction and waste-water projects in moraine terrain. (author)

Intrinsic-density functionals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engel, J.

2007-01-01

The Hohenberg-Kohn theorem and Kohn-Sham procedure are extended to functionals of the localized intrinsic density of a self-bound system such as a nucleus. After defining the intrinsic-density functional, we modify the usual Kohn-Sham procedure slightly to evaluate the mean-field approximation to the functional, and carefully describe the construction of the leading corrections for a system of fermions in one dimension with a spin-degeneracy equal to the number of particles N. Despite the fact that the corrections are complicated and nonlocal, we are able to construct a local Skyrme-like intrinsic-density functional that, while different from the exact functional, shares with it a minimum value equal to the exact ground-state energy at the exact ground-state intrinsic density, to next-to-leading order in 1/N. We briefly discuss implications for real Skyrme functionals

High resolution population maps for low income nations: combining land cover and census in East Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew J Tatem

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Between 2005 and 2050, the human population is forecast to grow by 2.7 billion, with the vast majority of this growth occurring in low income countries. This growth is likely to have significant social, economic and environmental impacts, and make the achievement of international development goals more difficult. The measurement, monitoring and potential mitigation of these impacts require high resolution, contemporary data on human population distributions. In low income countries, however, where the changes will be concentrated, the least information on the distribution of population exists. In this paper we investigate whether satellite imagery in combination with land cover information and census data can be used to create inexpensive, high resolution and easily-updatable settlement and population distribution maps over large areas.We examine various approaches for the production of maps of the East African region (Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania and where fine resolution census data exists, test the accuracies of map production approaches and existing population distribution products. The results show that combining high resolution census, settlement and land cover information is important in producing accurate population distribution maps.We find that this semi-automated population distribution mapping at unprecedented spatial resolution produces more accurate results than existing products and can be undertaken for as little as $0.01 per km(2. The resulting population maps are a product of the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP: http://www.map.ox.ac.uk and are freely available.

High Resolution Population Maps for Low Income Nations: Combining Land Cover and Census in East Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Tatem, Andrew J.; Noor, Abdisalan M.; von Hagen, Craig; Di Gregorio, Antonio; Hay, Simon I.

2007-01-01

Background Between 2005 and 2050, the human population is forecast to grow by 2.7 billion, with the vast majority of this growth occurring in low income countries. This growth is likely to have significant social, economic and environmental impacts, and make the achievement of international development goals more difficult. The measurement, monitoring and potential mitigation of these impacts require high resolution, contemporary data on human population distributions. In low income countries, however, where the changes will be concentrated, the least information on the distribution of population exists. In this paper we investigate whether satellite imagery in combination with land cover information and census data can be used to create inexpensive, high resolution and easily-updatable settlement and population distribution maps over large areas. Methodology/Principal Findings We examine various approaches for the production of maps of the East African region (Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania) and where fine resolution census data exists, test the accuracies of map production approaches and existing population distribution products. The results show that combining high resolution census, settlement and land cover information is important in producing accurate population distribution maps. Conclusions We find that this semi-automated population distribution mapping at unprecedented spatial resolution produces more accurate results than existing products and can be undertaken for as little as $0.01 per km2. The resulting population maps are a product of the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP: http://www.map.ox.ac.uk) and are freely available. PMID:18074022

Construction of an SNP-based high-density linkage map for flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) using specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Liuxi; Gao, Fengyun; Siqin, Bateer; Zhou, Yu; Li, Qiang; Zhao, Xiaoqing; Jia, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Hui

2017-01-01

Flax is an important crop for oil and fiber, however, no high-density genetic maps have been reported for this species. Specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) is a high-resolution strategy for large scale de novo discovery and genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms. In this study, SLAF-seq was employed to develop SNP markers in an F2 population to construct a high-density genetic map for flax. In total, 196.29 million paired-end reads were obtained. The average sequencing depth was 25.08 in male parent, 32.17 in the female parent, and 9.64 in each F2 progeny. In total, 389,288 polymorphic SLAFs were detected, from which 260,380 polymorphic SNPs were developed. After filtering, 4,638 SNPs were found suitable for genetic map construction. The final genetic map included 4,145 SNP markers on 15 linkage groups and was 2,632.94 cM in length, with an average distance of 0.64 cM between adjacent markers. To our knowledge, this map is the densest SNP-based genetic map for flax. The SNP markers and genetic map reported in here will serve as a foundation for the fine mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), map-based gene cloning and marker assisted selection (MAS) for flax.

Strain Mapping and Nanocrystallite Size Determination by Neutron Diffraction in an Aluminum Alloy (AA5083 Severely Plastically Deformed through Equal Channel Angular Pressing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. A. González Crespo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Six specimens of an aluminum alloy (AA-5083 extruded by Equal Channel Angular Pressing following two different routes plus a blank sample were examined with a neutron radiation of 1.5448 Å. Macrostrain maps from the (311 reflection were obtained. A clear difference about accumulated macrostrain with the extrusion cycles between the two routes is shown. The diffraction data of annealed specimens did permit to estimate crystallite sizes that range between 89 nm and 115 nm depending on the routes.

Insights Into Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Genetic Recombination Based on 3 High-Density Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism and a Consensus Map Developed Independently With Common Parents. Genomics Insights

Science.gov (United States)

High-density linkage maps are vital to supporting the correct placement of scaffolds and gene sequences on chromosomes and fundamental to contemporary organismal research and scientific approaches to genetic improvement; high-density linkage maps are especially important in paleopolyploids with exce...

Geodesy- and geology-based slip-rate models for the Western United States (excluding California) national seismic hazard maps

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Mark D.; Zeng, Yuehua; Haller, Kathleen M.; McCaffrey, Robert; Hammond, William C.; Bird, Peter; Moschetti, Morgan; Shen, Zhengkang; Bormann, Jayne; Thatcher, Wayne

2014-01-01

The 2014 National Seismic Hazard Maps for the conterminous United States incorporate additional uncertainty in fault slip-rate parameter that controls the earthquake-activity rates than was applied in previous versions of the hazard maps. This additional uncertainty is accounted for by new geodesy- and geology-based slip-rate models for the Western United States. Models that were considered include an updated geologic model based on expert opinion and four combined inversion models informed by both geologic and geodetic input. The two block models considered indicate significantly higher slip rates than the expert opinion and the two fault-based combined inversion models. For the hazard maps, we apply 20 percent weight with equal weighting for the two fault-based models. Off-fault geodetic-based models were not considered in this version of the maps. Resulting changes to the hazard maps are generally less than 0.05 g (acceleration of gravity). Future research will improve the maps and interpret differences between the new models.

Transport maps and dimension reduction for Bayesian computation

KAUST Repository

Marzouk, Youssef

2015-01-01

We introduce a new framework for efficient sampling from complex probability distributions, using a combination of optimal transport maps and the Metropolis-Hastings rule. The core idea is to use continuous transportation to transform typical Metropolis proposal mechanisms (e.g., random walks, Langevin methods) into non-Gaussian proposal distributions that can more effectively explore the target density. Our approach adaptively constructs a lower triangular transport map—an approximation of the Knothe-Rosenblatt rearrangement—using information from previous MCMC states, via the solution of an optimization problem. This optimization problem is convex regardless of the form of the target distribution. It is solved efficiently using a Newton method that requires no gradient information from the target probability distribution; the target distribution is instead represented via samples. Sequential updates enable efficient and parallelizable adaptation of the map even for large numbers of samples. We show that this approach uses inexact or truncated maps to produce an adaptive MCMC algorithm that is ergodic for the exact target distribution. Numerical demonstrations on a range of parameter inference problems show order-of-magnitude speedups over standard MCMC techniques, measured by the number of effectively independent samples produced per target density evaluation and per unit of wallclock time. We will also discuss adaptive methods for the construction of transport maps in high dimensions, where use of a non-adapted basis (e.g., a total order polynomial expansion) can become computationally prohibitive. If only samples of the target distribution, rather than density evaluations, are available, then we can construct high-dimensional transformations by composing sparsely parameterized transport maps with rotations of the parameter space. If evaluations of the target density and its gradients are available, then one can exploit the structure of the variational

Transport maps and dimension reduction for Bayesian computation

KAUST Repository

Marzouk, Youssef

2015-01-07

We introduce a new framework for efficient sampling from complex probability distributions, using a combination of optimal transport maps and the Metropolis-Hastings rule. The core idea is to use continuous transportation to transform typical Metropolis proposal mechanisms (e.g., random walks, Langevin methods) into non-Gaussian proposal distributions that can more effectively explore the target density. Our approach adaptively constructs a lower triangular transport map—an approximation of the Knothe-Rosenblatt rearrangement—using information from previous MCMC states, via the solution of an optimization problem. This optimization problem is convex regardless of the form of the target distribution. It is solved efficiently using a Newton method that requires no gradient information from the target probability distribution; the target distribution is instead represented via samples. Sequential updates enable efficient and parallelizable adaptation of the map even for large numbers of samples. We show that this approach uses inexact or truncated maps to produce an adaptive MCMC algorithm that is ergodic for the exact target distribution. Numerical demonstrations on a range of parameter inference problems show order-of-magnitude speedups over standard MCMC techniques, measured by the number of effectively independent samples produced per target density evaluation and per unit of wallclock time. We will also discuss adaptive methods for the construction of transport maps in high dimensions, where use of a non-adapted basis (e.g., a total order polynomial expansion) can become computationally prohibitive. If only samples of the target distribution, rather than density evaluations, are available, then we can construct high-dimensional transformations by composing sparsely parameterized transport maps with rotations of the parameter space. If evaluations of the target density and its gradients are available, then one can exploit the structure of the variational

Combining Predictive Densities using Nonlinear Filtering with Applications to US Economics Data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Billio (Monica); R. Casarin (Roberto); F. Ravazzolo (Francesco); H.K. van Dijk (Herman)

2011-01-01

textabstractWe propose a multivariate combination approach to prediction based on a distributional state space representation of the weights belonging to a set of Bayesian predictive densities which have been obtained from alternative models. Several specifications of multivariate time-varying

DAWN GRAND MAP CERES HYDROGEN MAP V1.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A global map of the concentration of hydrogen within the regolith of asteroid 1 Ceres on twenty-degree quasi-equal-area pixels is provided. Hydrogen concentrations...

On Combining High and Low Q2 Information on the Polarized Parton Densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leader, Elliot; Stamenov, Dimiter B.

2000-01-01

We draw attention to some problems in the combined use of high-Q 2 deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data and low-Q 2 hyperon β-decay data in the determination of the polarized parton densities. We explain why factorization schemes like the JET or AB schemes are the simplest in which to study the implications of the DIS parton densities for the physics of the low-Q 2 region. (author)

Boundary maps for C*-crossed products with R with an application to the quantum Hall effect

CERN Document Server

Kellendonk, J

2003-01-01

The boundary map in K-theory arising from the Wiener-Hopf extension of a crossed product algebra with $\\RR$ is the Connes-Thom isomorphism. In this article, the Wiener Hopf extension is combined with the Heisenberg group algebra to provide an elementary construction of a corresponding map in cyclic cohomology. It then follows directly from a non-commutative Stokes theorem that this map is dual w.r.t. Connes' pairing of cyclic cohomology with K-theory. As an application, we prove equality of quantized bulk and edge conductivities for the integer quantum Hall effect described by continuous magnetic Schrödinger operators.

Calculation of solar irradiation prediction intervals combining volatility and kernel density estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trapero, Juan R.

2016-01-01

In order to integrate solar energy into the grid it is important to predict the solar radiation accurately, where forecast errors can lead to significant costs. Recently, the increasing statistical approaches that cope with this problem is yielding a prolific literature. In general terms, the main research discussion is centred on selecting the “best” forecasting technique in accuracy terms. However, the need of the users of such forecasts require, apart from point forecasts, information about the variability of such forecast to compute prediction intervals. In this work, we will analyze kernel density estimation approaches, volatility forecasting models and combination of both of them in order to improve the prediction intervals performance. The results show that an optimal combination in terms of prediction interval statistical tests can achieve the desired confidence level with a lower average interval width. Data from a facility located in Spain are used to illustrate our methodology. - Highlights: • This work explores uncertainty forecasting models to build prediction intervals. • Kernel density estimators, exponential smoothing and GARCH models are compared. • An optimal combination of methods provides the best results. • A good compromise between coverage and average interval width is shown.

Momentum density maps for molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, J.P.D.; Brion, C.E.

1982-01-01

Momentum-space and position-space molecular orbital density functions computed from LCAO-MO-SCF wavefunctions are used to rationalize the shapes of some momentum distributions measured by binary (e,2e) spectroscopy. A set of simple rules is presented which enable one to sketch the momentum density function and the momentum distribution from a knowledge of the position-space wavefunction and the properties and effects of the Fourier Transform and the spherical average. Selected molecular orbitals of H 2 , N 2 and CO 2 are used to illustrate this work

Reconstructing Regional Ionospheric Electron Density: A Combined Spherical Slepian Function and Empirical Orthogonal Function Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Farzaneh, Saeed; Forootan, Ehsan

2018-03-01

The computerized ionospheric tomography is a method for imaging the Earth's ionosphere using a sounding technique and computing the slant total electron content (STEC) values from data of the global positioning system (GPS). The most common approach for ionospheric tomography is the voxel-based model, in which (1) the ionosphere is divided into voxels, (2) the STEC is then measured along (many) satellite signal paths, and finally (3) an inversion procedure is applied to reconstruct the electron density distribution of the ionosphere. In this study, a computationally efficient approach is introduced, which improves the inversion procedure of step 3. Our proposed method combines the empirical orthogonal function and the spherical Slepian base functions to describe the vertical and horizontal distribution of electron density, respectively. Thus, it can be applied on regional and global case studies. Numerical application is demonstrated using the ground-based GPS data over South America. Our results are validated against ionospheric tomography obtained from the constellation observing system for meteorology, ionosphere, and climate (COSMIC) observations and the global ionosphere map estimated by international centers, as well as by comparison with STEC derived from independent GPS stations. Using the proposed approach, we find that while using 30 GPS measurements in South America, one can achieve comparable accuracy with those from COSMIC data within the reported accuracy (1 × 1011 el/cm3) of the product. Comparisons with real observations of two GPS stations indicate an absolute difference is less than 2 TECU (where 1 total electron content unit, TECU, is 1016 electrons/m2).

Assessment of the densities of local anesthetics and their combination with adjuvants: an experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Imbelloni, Luiz Eduardo; Moreira, Adriano Dias; Gaspar, Flávia Cunha; Gouveia, Marildo A; Cordeiro, José Antônio

2009-01-01

The relative density of a local anesthetic in relation to that of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at 37 degrees C is one of the most important physical properties that affect the level of analgesia obtained after the subarachnoid administration of the drug. The objective of this study was to determine the density of local anesthetic solutions, with and without glucose, and the combination of the local anesthetic with adjuvants at 20 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 37 degrees C. The density (g.mL(-1)) was determined by using a DMA 450 densimeter with a sensitivity of +/- 0.00001 g.mL(-1). The densities, and variations, according to the temperature were obtained for all local anesthetics and their combination with opioids at 20 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 37 degrees C. The solution is hyperbaric if its density exceeds 1.00099, hypobaric when its density is lower than 1.00019, and isobaric when its density is greater than 1.00019 and lower than 1.00099. The densities of both local anesthetics and adjuvants decrease with the increase in temperature. At 37 degrees C, all glucose-containing solutions are hyperbaric. In the absence of glucose, all solutions are hypobaric. At 37 degrees C, morphine, fentanyl, sufentanil, and clonidine are hypobaric. The densities of local anesthetics and adjuvants decrease with the increase in temperature and increase when glucose is added. The knowledge of the relative density helps select the most adequate local anesthetic to be administered in the subarachnoid space.

Combined chemical shift changes and amino acid specific chemical shift mapping of protein-protein interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumann, Frank H.; Riepl, Hubert [University of Regensburg, Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry (Germany); Maurer, Till [Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH and Co. KG, Analytical Sciences Department (Germany); Gronwald, Wolfram [University of Regensburg, Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry (Germany); Neidig, Klaus-Peter [Bruker BioSpin GmbH, Software Department (Germany); Kalbitzer, Hans Robert [University of Regensburg, Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry (Germany)], E-mail: hans-robert.kalbitzer@biologie.uni-regensburg.de

2007-12-15

Protein-protein interactions are often studied by chemical shift mapping using solution NMR spectroscopy. When heteronuclear data are available the interaction interface is usually predicted by combining the chemical shift changes of different nuclei to a single quantity, the combined chemical shift perturbation {delta}{delta}{sub comb}. In this paper different procedures (published and non-published) to calculate {delta}{delta}{sub comb} are examined that include a variety of different functional forms and weighting factors for each nucleus. The predictive power of all shift mapping methods depends on the magnitude of the overlap of the chemical shift distributions of interacting and non-interacting residues and the cut-off criterion used. In general, the quality of the prediction on the basis of chemical shift changes alone is rather unsatisfactory but the combination of chemical shift changes on the basis of the Hamming or the Euclidian distance can improve the result. The corrected standard deviation to zero of the combined chemical shift changes can provide a reasonable cut-off criterion. As we show combined chemical shifts can also be applied for a more reliable quantitative evaluation of titration data.

Sensing Traffic Density Combining V2V and V2I Wireless Communications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio A. Sanguesa

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Wireless technologies are making the development of new applications and services in vehicular environments possible since they enable mobile communication between vehicles (V2V, as well as communication between vehicles and infrastructure nodes (V2I. Usually, V2V communications are dedicated to the transmission of small messages mainly focused on improving traffic safety. Instead, V2I communications allow users to access the Internet and benefit from higher level applications. The combination of both V2V and V2I, known as V2X communications, can increase the benefits even further, thereby making intelligent transportation systems (ITS a reality. In this paper, we introduce V2X-d, a novel architecture specially designed to estimate traffic density on the road. In particular, V2X-d exploits the combination of V2V and V2I communications. Our approach is based on the information gathered by sensors (i.e., vehicles and road side units (RSUs and the characteristics of the roadmap topology to accurately make an estimation of the instant vehicle density. The combination of both mechanisms improves the accuracy and coverage area of the data gathered, while increasing the robustness and fault tolerance of the overall approach, e.g., using the information offered by V2V communications to provide additional density information in areas where RSUs are scarce or malfunctioning. By using our collaborative sensing scheme, future ITS solutions will be able to establish adequate dissemination protocols or to apply more efficient traffic congestion reduction policies, since they will be aware of the instantaneous density of vehicles.

Sensing Traffic Density Combining V2V and V2I Wireless Communications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanguesa, Julio A; Barrachina, Javier; Fogue, Manuel; Garrido, Piedad; Martinez, Francisco J; Cano, Juan-Carlos; Calafate, Carlos T; Manzoni, Pietro

2015-12-16

Wireless technologies are making the development of new applications and services in vehicular environments possible since they enable mobile communication between vehicles (V2V), as well as communication between vehicles and infrastructure nodes (V2I). Usually, V2V communications are dedicated to the transmission of small messages mainly focused on improving traffic safety. Instead, V2I communications allow users to access the Internet and benefit from higher level applications. The combination of both V2V and V2I, known as V2X communications, can increase the benefits even further, thereby making intelligent transportation systems (ITS) a reality. In this paper, we introduce V2X-d, a novel architecture specially designed to estimate traffic density on the road. In particular, V2X-d exploits the combination of V2V and V2I communications. Our approach is based on the information gathered by sensors (i.e., vehicles and road side units (RSUs)) and the characteristics of the roadmap topology to accurately make an estimation of the instant vehicle density. The combination of both mechanisms improves the accuracy and coverage area of the data gathered, while increasing the robustness and fault tolerance of the overall approach, e.g., using the information offered by V2V communications to provide additional density information in areas where RSUs are scarce or malfunctioning. By using our collaborative sensing scheme, future ITS solutions will be able to establish adequate dissemination protocols or to apply more efficient traffic congestion reduction policies, since they will be aware of the instantaneous density of vehicles.

Spatial and Global Sensory Suppression Mapping Encompassing the Central 10° Field in Anisometropic Amblyopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingjing; Li, Jinrong; Chen, Zidong; Liu, Jing; Yuan, Junpeng; Cai, Xiaoxiao; Deng, Daming; Yu, Minbin

2017-01-01

We investigate the efficacy of a novel dichoptic mapping paradigm in evaluating visual function of anisometropic amblyopes. Using standard clinical measures of visual function (visual acuity, stereo acuity, Bagolini lenses, and neutral density filters) and a novel quantitative mapping technique, 26 patients with anisometropic amblyopia (mean age = 19.15 ± 4.42 years) were assessed. Two additional psychophysical interocular suppression measurements were tested with dichoptic global motion coherence and binocular phase combination tasks. Luminance reduction was achieved by placing neutral density filters in front of the normal eye. Our study revealed that suppression changes across the central 10° visual field by mean luminance modulation in amblyopes as well as normal controls. Using simulation and an elimination of interocular suppression, we identified a novel method to effectively reflect the distribution of suppression in anisometropic amblyopia. Additionally, the new quantitative mapping technique was in good agreement with conventional clinical measures, such as interocular acuity difference (P suppression with dichoptic mapping paradigm and the results of the other two psychophysical methods (suppression mapping versus binocular phase combination, P suppression mapping versus global motion coherence, P = 0.005). The dichoptic suppression mapping technique is an effective method to represent impaired visual function in patients with anisometropic amblyopia. It offers a potential in "micro-"antisuppression mapping tests and therapies for amblyopia.

Portable cosmic particle detectors for subsurface density mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Oláh, László; Gábor Barnaföldi, Gergely; Hamar, Gergö; Surányi, Gergely; Varga, Dezsö

2016-04-01

Muography deduces the density length in the interior of the investigated geological object, such as a mountain or volcano by the measurement of the cosmic muon absorption along different paths through the object. If path lengths (average densities) are measured, the average density (path length) can be deduced along the muon paths. A portable, low power consumption cosmic particle tracking detector based on Close Cathode multi-wire proportional chambers [1,2] has been developed for muography based on our earlier developments and experiences at the Wigner RCP of the HAS in Budapest [3,4,5]. The newly developed tracking system consists of six layers with the sensitive area of 0.25 m2 [6]. The spatial resolution of 2 mm provides an angular resolution of 15 mrad. This instrument has been optimized for underground and outdoor measurements: it has a Raspberry pi controlled data acquisition system which includes a custom designed board with a coincidence unit and allows high level remote control, data management and analysis. The individual trigger signals, number of missed triggers, analogue signals from chambers and the temperature are recorded. The duration of data readout (dead time) is 100 microsec. The DAQ software runs on the Raspberry Pi. For standard operation, a graphical user interface has been developed, running on any remote computer with Internet connection (both of wired and wireless) to the Raspberry Pi. A temperature-controlled high-voltage power supply provides a stable and reasonable (> 95 %) tracking performance for the measurements. With total power consumption of 5W, a portable tracking detector can operate for 5 days with a standard 50 Ah battery and with gas (non flammable Ar-CO2 mixture) consumption of 0.5 liter per hour, a 10 l bottle at pressure of 150 bar is enough for four month. The portability (total weight of less than 30 kg) allowed that our tracking detectors have been applied in underground caverns for subsurface density mapping. The

Determination of contact maps in proteins: A combination of structural and chemical approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wołek, Karol; Cieplak, Marek, E-mail: mc@ifpan.edu.pl [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Science, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Gómez-Sicilia, Àngel [Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Av. Doctor Arce, 37, 28002 Madrid (Spain); Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA-Nanociencia), C/Faraday 9, 28049 Cantoblanco (Madrid) (Spain)

2015-12-28

Contact map selection is a crucial step in structure-based molecular dynamics modelling of proteins. The map can be determined in many different ways. We focus on the methods in which residues are represented as clusters of effective spheres. One contact map, denoted as overlap (OV), is based on the overlap of such spheres. Another contact map, named Contacts of Structural Units (CSU), involves the geometry in a different way and, in addition, brings chemical considerations into account. We develop a variant of the CSU approach in which we also incorporate Coulombic effects such as formation of the ionic bridges and destabilization of possible links through repulsion. In this way, the most essential and well defined contacts are identified. The resulting residue-residue contact map, dubbed repulsive CSU (rCSU), is more sound in its physico-chemical justification than CSU. It also provides a clear prescription for validity of an inter-residual contact: the number of attractive atomic contacts should be larger than the number of repulsive ones — a feature that is not present in CSU. However, both of these maps do not correlate well with the experimental data on protein stretching. Thus, we propose to use rCSU together with the OV map. We find that the combined map, denoted as OV+rCSU, performs better than OV. In most situations, OV and OV+rCSU yield comparable folding properties but for some proteins rCSU provides contacts which improve folding in a substantial way. We discuss the likely residue-specificity of the rCSU contacts. Finally, we make comparisons to the recently proposed shadow contact map, which is derived from different principles.

Mapping equality in access : the case of Bogota's sustainable transport initiatives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teunissen, Thijs; Sarmiento, Olga; Zuidgeest (Former Assistant Professor), Mark; Brussel, M.J.G.

2015-01-01

To enhance social equity, three important sustainable transportation initiatives have been introduced in Bogotá. Spatial information and GIS have been used to analyze levels of inequality in access to these initiatives. The results show that the TransMilenio BRT offers equal access for all

DAWN GRAND MAP CERES SMOOTHED HYDROGEN MAP V1.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A smoothed, global map of the concentration of hydrogen within the regolith of asteroid 1 Ceres on two-degree equal-angle pixels is provided. Hydrogen concentrations...

Teamwork: improved eQTL mapping using combinations of machine learning methods.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marit Ackermann

Full Text Available Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL mapping is a widely used technique to uncover regulatory relationships between genes. A range of methodologies have been developed to map links between expression traits and genotypes. The DREAM (Dialogue on Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods initiative is a community project to objectively assess the relative performance of different computational approaches for solving specific systems biology problems. The goal of one of the DREAM5 challenges was to reverse-engineer genetic interaction networks from synthetic genetic variation and gene expression data, which simulates the problem of eQTL mapping. In this framework, we proposed an approach whose originality resides in the use of a combination of existing machine learning algorithms (committee. Although it was not the best performer, this method was by far the most precise on average. After the competition, we continued in this direction by evaluating other committees using the DREAM5 data and developed a method that relies on Random Forests and LASSO. It achieved a much higher average precision than the DREAM best performer at the cost of slightly lower average sensitivity.

Combined noninvasive language mapping by navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional MRI and its comparison with direct cortical stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ille, Sebastian; Sollmann, Nico; Hauck, Theresa; Maurer, Stefanie; Tanigawa, Noriko; Obermueller, Thomas; Negwer, Chiara; Droese, Doris; Zimmer, Claus; Meyer, Bernhard; Ringel, Florian; Krieg, Sandro M

2015-07-01

Repetitive navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is now increasingly used for preoperative language mapping in patients with lesions in language-related areas of the brain. Yet its correlation with intraoperative direct cortical stimulation (DCS) has to be improved. To increase rTMS's specificity and positive predictive value, the authors aim to provide thresholds for rTMS's positive language areas. Moreover, they propose a protocol for combining rTMS with functional MRI (fMRI) to combine the strength of both methods. The authors performed multimodal language mapping in 35 patients with left-sided perisylvian lesions by using rTMS, fMRI, and DCS. The rTMS mappings were conducted with a picture-to-trigger interval (PTI, time between stimulus presentation and stimulation onset) of either 0 or 300 msec. The error rates (ERs; that is, the number of errors per number of stimulations) were calculated for each region of the cortical parcellation system (CPS). Subsequently, the rTMS mappings were analyzed through different error rate thresholds (ERT; that is, the ER at which a CPS region was defined as language positive in terms of rTMS), and the 2-out-of-3 rule (a stimulation site was defined as language positive in terms of rTMS if at least 2 out of 3 stimulations caused an error). As a second step, the authors combined the results of fMRI and rTMS in a predefined protocol of combined noninvasive mapping. To validate this noninvasive protocol, they correlated its results to DCS during awake surgery. The analysis by different rTMS ERTs obtained the highest correlation regarding sensitivity and a low rate of false positives for the ERTs of 15%, 20%, 25%, and the 2-out-of-3 rule. However, when comparing the combined fMRI and rTMS results with DCS, the authors observed an overall specificity of 83%, a positive predictive value of 51%, a sensitivity of 98%, and a negative predictive value of 95%. In comparison with fMRI, rTMS is a more sensitive but less specific

Maps of the Southern Millimeter-wave Sky from Combined 2500 deg$^2$ SPT-SZ and Planck Temperature Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chown, R.; et al.

2018-03-28

We present three maps of the millimeter-wave sky created by combining data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the Planck satellite. We use data from the SPT-SZ survey, a survey of 2540 deg$^2$ of the the sky with arcminute resolution in three bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, and the full-mission Planck temperature data in the 100, 143, and 217 GHz bands. A linear combination of the SPT-SZ and Planck data is computed in spherical harmonic space, with weights derived from the noise of both instruments. This weighting scheme results in Planck data providing most of the large-angular-scale information in the combined maps, with the smaller-scale information coming from SPT-SZ data. A number of tests have been done on the maps. We find their angular power spectra to agree very well with theoretically predicted spectra and previously published results.

Ethanol induces MAP2 changes in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Noraberg, J; Zimmer, J

1998-01-01

loss of CA3 pyramidal cells and moderate loss of dentate granule cells, as seen in vivo. The results indicate that brain slice cultures combined with immunostaining for cytoskeleton and neuronal markers can be used for studies of ethanol and organic solvent neurotoxicity.......Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and neuron-specific protein (NeuN) immunostains were used to demonstrate neurotoxic effects in mature hippocampal slice cultures exposed to ethanol (50, 100, 200 mM) for 4 weeks. At the low dose the density of MAP2 immunostaining in the dentate molecular...... layer was 118% of the control cultures, with no detectable changes in CA1 and CA3. At 100 mM no changes were detected, while 200 mM ethanol significantly reduced the MAP2 density in both dentate (19%) and hippocampal dendritic fields (CA3, 52%; CA1, 55%). At this dose NeuN staining showed considerable...

Fine mapping of multiple QTL using combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium mapping – A comparison of single QTL and multi QTL methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meuwissen Theo HE

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Two previously described QTL mapping methods, which combine linkage analysis (LA and linkage disequilibrium analysis (LD, were compared for their ability to detect and map multiple QTL. The methods were tested on five different simulated data sets in which the exact QTL positions were known. Every simulated data set contained two QTL, but the distances between these QTL were varied from 15 to 150 cM. The results show that the single QTL mapping method (LDLA gave good results as long as the distance between the QTL was large (> 90 cM. When the distance between the QTL was reduced, the single QTL method had problems positioning the two QTL and tended to position only one QTL, i.e. a "ghost" QTL, in between the two real QTL positions. The multi QTL mapping method (MP-LDLA gave good results for all evaluated distances between the QTL. For the large distances between the QTL (> 90 cM the single QTL method more often positioned the QTL in the correct marker bracket, but considering the broader likelihood peaks of the single point method it could be argued that the multi QTL method was more precise. Since the distances were reduced the multi QTL method was clearly more accurate than the single QTL method. The two methods combine well, and together provide a good tool to position single or multiple QTL in practical situations, where the number of QTL and their positions are unknown.

Generating a Danish raster-based topsoil property map combining choropleth maps and point information

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greve, Mogens H.; Greve, Mette B.; Bøcher, Peder K.

2007-01-01

The Danish environmental authorities have posed a soil type dependent restriction on the application of nitrogen. The official Danish soil map is a choropleth topsoil map classifying the agricultural land into eight classes. The use of the soil map has shown that the maps have serious...... classification flaws. The objective of this work is to compile a continuous national topsoil texture map to replace the old topsoil map. Approximately 45,000 point samples were interpolated using ordinary kriging in 250 m x 250 m cells. To reduce variability and to obtain more homogeneous strata, the samples...... were stratified according to landscape types. Five new soil texture maps were compiled; one for each of the five textural classes, and a new categorical soil type map was compiled using the old classification system. Both the old choropleth map and the new continuous soil maps were compared to 354...

Investigating the Capability of IRS-P6-LISS IV Satellite Image for Pistachio Forests Density Mapping (case Study: Northeast of Iran)

Science.gov (United States)

Hoseini, F.; Darvishsefat, A. A.; Zargham, N.

2012-07-01

In order to investigate the capability of satellite images for Pistachio forests density mapping, IRS-P6-LISS IV data were analyzed in an area of 500 ha in Iran. After geometric correction, suitable training areas were determined based on fieldwork. Suitable spectral transformations like NDVI, PVI and PCA were performed. A ground truth map included of 34 plots (each plot 1 ha) were prepared. Hard and soft supervised classifications were performed with 5 density classes (0-5%, 5-10%, 10-15%, 15-20% and > 20%). Because of low separability of classes, some classes were merged and classifications were repeated with 3 classes. Finally, the highest overall accuracy and kappa coefficient of 70% and 0.44, respectively, were obtained with three classes (0-5%, 5-20%, and > 20%) by fuzzy classifier. Considering the low kappa value obtained, it could be concluded that the result of the classification was not desirable. Therefore, this approach is not appropriate for operational mapping of these valuable Pistachio forests.

First Volcanological-Probabilistic Pyroclastic Density Current and Fallout Hazard Map for Campi Flegrei and Somma Vesuvius Volcanoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mastrolorenzo, G.; Pappalardo, L.; Troise, C.; Panizza, A.; de Natale, G.

2005-05-01

Integrated volcanological-probabilistic approaches has been used in order to simulate pyroclastic density currents and fallout and produce hazard maps for Campi Flegrei and Somma Vesuvius areas. On the basis of the analyses of all types of pyroclastic flows, surges, secondary pyroclastic density currents and fallout events occurred in the volcanological history of the two volcanic areas and the evaluation of probability for each type of events, matrixs of input parameters for a numerical simulation have been performed. The multi-dimensional input matrixs include the main controlling parameters of the pyroclasts transport and deposition dispersion, as well as the set of possible eruptive vents used in the simulation program. Probabilistic hazard maps provide of each points of campanian area, the yearly probability to be interested by a given event with a given intensity and resulting demage. Probability of a few events in one thousand years are typical of most areas around the volcanoes whitin a range of ca 10 km, including Neaples. Results provide constrains for the emergency plans in Neapolitan area.

High-resolution mapping of linear antibody epitopes using ultrahigh-density peptide microarrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buus, Søren; Rockberg, Johan; Forsström, Björn

2012-01-01

Antibodies empower numerous important scientific, clinical, diagnostic, and industrial applications. Ideally, the epitope(s) targeted by an antibody should be identified and characterized, thereby establishing antibody reactivity, highlighting possible cross-reactivities, and perhaps even warning...... against unwanted (e.g. autoimmune) reactivities. Antibodies target proteins as either conformational or linear epitopes. The latter are typically probed with peptides, but the cost of peptide screening programs tends to prohibit comprehensive specificity analysis. To perform high-throughput, high......-resolution mapping of linear antibody epitopes, we have used ultrahigh-density peptide microarrays generating several hundred thousand different peptides per array. Using exhaustive length and substitution analysis, we have successfully examined the specificity of a panel of polyclonal antibodies raised against...

Choosing Silence for Equality in and through Schooling

Science.gov (United States)

Lees, Helen E.

2016-01-01

This article considers silences and equality as combined from a theoretical perspective. Equality in and through chosen, deliberate and regular silence experience is seen as an equaliser: if no one is speaking no one can dominate. The article uses a bifurcated concept of silence: weak, negative forms and strong, positive forms. Only the strong…

Combination of Wavefunction and Density Functional Approximations for Describing Electronic Correlation

Science.gov (United States)

Garza, Alejandro J.

Perhaps the most important approximations to the electronic structure problem in quantum chemistry are those based on coupled cluster and density functional theories. Coupled cluster theory has been called the ``gold standard'' of quantum chemistry due to the high accuracy that it achieves for weakly correlated systems. Kohn-Sham density functionals based on semilocal approximations are, without a doubt, the most widely used methods in chemistry and material science because of their high accuracy/cost ratio. The root of the success of coupled cluster and density functionals is their ability to efficiently describe the dynamic part of the electron correlation. However, both traditional coupled cluster and density functional approximations may fail catastrophically when substantial static correlation is present. This severely limits the applicability of these methods to a plethora of important chemical and physical problems such as, e.g., the description of bond breaking, transition states, transition metal-, lanthanide- and actinide-containing compounds, and superconductivity. In an attempt to tackle this problem, nonstandard (single-reference) coupled cluster-based techniques that aim to describe static correlation have been recently developed: pair coupled cluster doubles (pCCD) and singlet-paired coupled cluster doubles (CCD0). The ability to describe static correlation in pCCD and CCD0 comes, however, at the expense of important amounts of dynamic correlation so that the high accuracy of standard coupled cluster becomes unattainable. Thus, the reliable and efficient description of static and dynamic correlation in a simultaneous manner remains an open problem for quantum chemistry and many-body theory in general. In this thesis, different ways to combine pCCD and CCD0 with density functionals in order to describe static and dynamic correlation simultaneously (and efficiently) are explored. The combination of wavefunction and density functional methods has a long

Combining hyperspectral imagery and legacy measured soil profiles to map subsurface soil properties in a Mediterranean area (Cap-Bon, Tunisia)

Science.gov (United States)

Lagacherie, Philippe; Sneep, Anne-Ruth; Gomez, Cécile

2013-04-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that Visible Near InfraRed (Vis-NIR) Hyperspectral imagery is a cost-efficient way for mapping soil properties at fine resolutions (~5m) over large areas. However, such mapping is only feasible for soil surface since the effective penetration depths of optical sensors do not exceed several millimetres. This study aimed to extend the use of Vis-NIR hyperspectral imagery to the mapping of subsurface properties at three intervals of depth (15-30 cm, 30-60 cm and 60-100 cm) as specified by the GlobalSoilMap project. To avoid additional data collection, our basic idea was to develop an original Digital Soil Mapping approach that combines the digital maps of surface soil properties obtained from Vis-NIR hyperspectral imagery with legacy soil profiles of the region and with easily available images of DEM-derived parameters. The study was conducted in a pedologically-contrasted 300km² cultivated area located in the Cap Bon region (Northern Tunisia). AISA-Dual Vis-NIR hyperspectral airborne data were acquired over the studied area with a fine spatial resolution (5 m) and fine spectral resolution (260 spectral bands from 450 to 2500nm). Vegetated surfaces were masked to conserve only bare soil surface which represented around 50% of the study area. Three soil surface properties (clay and sand contents, Cation Exchange Capacity) were successfully mapped over the bare soils, from these data using Partial Least Square Regression models (R2 > 0.7). We used as additional data a set of images of landscape covariates derived from a 30 meter DEM and a local database of 152 legacy soil profiles from which soil properties values at the required intervals of depths were computed using an equal-area-spline algorithm. Our Digital Soil Mapping approach followed two steps: i) the development of surface-subsurface functions - linear models and random forests - that estimates subsurface property values from surface ones and landscape covariates and that

Predicting Intra-Urban Population Densities in Africa using SAR and Optical Remote Sensing Data

Science.gov (United States)

Linard, C.; Steele, J.; Forget, Y.; Lopez, J.; Shimoni, M.

2017-12-01

The population of Africa is predicted to double over the next 40 years, driving profound social, environmental and epidemiological changes within rapidly growing cities. Estimations of within-city variations in population density must be improved in order to take urban heterogeneities into account and better help urban research and decision making, especially for vulnerability and health assessments. Satellite remote sensing offers an effective solution for mapping settlements and monitoring urbanization at different spatial and temporal scales. In Africa, the urban landscape is covered by slums and small houses, where the heterogeneity is high and where the man-made materials are natural. Innovative methods that combine optical and SAR data are therefore necessary for improving settlement mapping and population density predictions. An automatic method was developed to estimate built-up densities using recent and archived optical and SAR data and a multi-temporal database of built-up densities was produced for 48 African cities. Geo-statistical methods were then used to study the relationships between census-derived population densities and satellite-derived built-up attributes. Best predictors were combined in a Random Forest framework in order to predict intra-urban variations in population density in any large African city. Models show significant improvement of our spatial understanding of urbanization and urban population distribution in Africa in comparison to the state of the art.

Combined Effects of Light and Temperature on Product Quality of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carvalho, S.M.P.; Wuillai, S.E.; Heuvelink, E.

2006-01-01

A study with a comprehensive range of four constant photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD = 60, 90, 140 and 200 ¿mol m-2s-1) combined with four constant temperatures (18, 21, 23 and 26°C; equal day and night temperature) was conducted in growth chambers using the pot plant Kalanchoe

Assessment of Above-Ground Biomass of Borneo Forests through a New Data-Fusion Approach Combining Two Pan-Tropical Biomass Maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Langner

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study investigates how two existing pan-tropical above-ground biomass (AGB maps (Saatchi 2011, Baccini 2012 can be combined to derive forest ecosystem specific carbon estimates. Several data-fusion models which combine these AGB maps according to their local correlations with independent datasets such as the spectral bands of SPOT VEGETATION imagery are analyzed. Indeed these spectral bands convey information about vegetation type and structure which can be related to biomass values. Our study area is the island of Borneo. The data-fusion models are evaluated against a reference AGB map available for two forest concessions in Sabah. The highest accuracy was achieved by a model which combines the AGB maps according to the mean of the local correlation coefficients calculated over different kernel sizes. Combining the resulting AGB map with a new Borneo land cover map (whose overall accuracy has been estimated at 86.5% leads to average AGB estimates of 279.8 t/ha and 233.1 t/ha for forests and degraded forests respectively. Lowland dipterocarp and mangrove forests have the highest and lowest AGB values (305.8 t/ha and 136.5 t/ha respectively. The AGB of all natural forests amounts to 10.8 Gt mainly stemming from lowland dipterocarp (66.4%, upper dipterocarp (10.9% and peat swamp forests (10.2%. Degraded forests account for another 2.1 Gt of AGB. One main advantage of our approach is that, once the best fitting data-fusion model is selected, no further AGB reference dataset is required for implementing the data-fusion process. Furthermore, the local harmonization of AGB datasets leads to more spatially precise maps. This approach can easily be extended to other areas in Southeast Asia which are dominated by lowland dipterocarp forest, and can be repeated when newer or more accurate AGB maps become available.

A novel method to create high density stratification with matching refractive index for optical flow investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Krohn, Benedikt; Manera, Annalisa; Petrov, Victor

2018-04-01

Turbulent mixing in stratified environments represents a challenging task in experimental turbulence research, especially when large density gradients are desired. When optical measurement techniques like particle image velocimetry (PIV) are applied to stratified liquids, it is common practice to combine two aqueous solutions with different density but equal refractive index, to suppress particle image deflections. While refractive image matching (RIM) has been developed in the late 1970s, the achieved limit of 4% density ratio was not rivalled up to day. In the present work, we report a methodology, based on the behavior of excess properties and their change in a multicomponent system while mixing, that allows RIM for solutions with higher density differences. The methodology is then successfully demonstrated using a ternary combination of water, isopropanol and glycerol, for which RIM in presence of a density ratio of 8.6% has been achieved. Qualitative PIV results of a turbulent buoyant jet with 8.6% density ratio are shown.

Spinstand demonstration of areal density enhancement using two-dimensional magnetic recording (invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Lippman, Thomas; Brockie, Richard; Coker, Jon; Contreras, John; Galbraith, Rick; Garzon, Samir; Hanson, Weldon; Leong, Tom; Marley, Arley; Wood, Roger; Zakai, Rehan; Zolla, Howard; Duquette, Paul; Petrizzi, Joe

2015-05-01

Exponential growth of the areal density has driven the magnetic recording industry for almost sixty years. But now areal density growth is slowing down, suggesting that current technologies are reaching their fundamental limit. The next generation of recording technologies, namely, energy-assisted writing and bit-patterned media, remains just over the horizon. Two-Dimensional Magnetic Recording (TDMR) is a promising new approach, enabling continued areal density growth with only modest changes to the heads and recording electronics. We demonstrate a first generation implementation of TDMR by using a dual-element read sensor to improve the recovery of data encoded by a conventional low-density parity-check (LDPC) channel. The signals are combined with a 2D equalizer into a single modified waveform that is decoded by a standard LDPC channel. Our detection hardware can perform simultaneous measurement of the pre- and post-combined error rate information, allowing one set of measurements to assess the absolute areal density capability of the TDMR system as well as the gain over a conventional shingled magnetic recording system with identical components. We discuss areal density measurements using this hardware and demonstrate gains exceeding five percent based on experimental dual reader components.

Spinstand demonstration of areal density enhancement using two-dimensional magnetic recording (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lippman, Thomas; Brockie, Richard; Contreras, John; Garzon, Samir; Leong, Tom; Marley, Arley; Wood, Roger; Zakai, Rehan; Zolla, Howard; Coker, Jon; Galbraith, Rick; Hanson, Weldon; Duquette, Paul; Petrizzi, Joe

2015-01-01

Exponential growth of the areal density has driven the magnetic recording industry for almost sixty years. But now areal density growth is slowing down, suggesting that current technologies are reaching their fundamental limit. The next generation of recording technologies, namely, energy-assisted writing and bit-patterned media, remains just over the horizon. Two-Dimensional Magnetic Recording (TDMR) is a promising new approach, enabling continued areal density growth with only modest changes to the heads and recording electronics. We demonstrate a first generation implementation of TDMR by using a dual-element read sensor to improve the recovery of data encoded by a conventional low-density parity-check (LDPC) channel. The signals are combined with a 2D equalizer into a single modified waveform that is decoded by a standard LDPC channel. Our detection hardware can perform simultaneous measurement of the pre- and post-combined error rate information, allowing one set of measurements to assess the absolute areal density capability of the TDMR system as well as the gain over a conventional shingled magnetic recording system with identical components. We discuss areal density measurements using this hardware and demonstrate gains exceeding five percent based on experimental dual reader components

Spinstand demonstration of areal density enhancement using two-dimensional magnetic recording (invited)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lippman, Thomas, E-mail: Thomas.Lippman@hgst.com; Brockie, Richard; Contreras, John; Garzon, Samir; Leong, Tom; Marley, Arley; Wood, Roger; Zakai, Rehan; Zolla, Howard [HGST, a Western Digital Company, San Jose, California 95119 (United States); Coker, Jon; Galbraith, Rick; Hanson, Weldon [HGST, a Western Digital Company, Rochester, Minnesota 55901 (United States); Duquette, Paul; Petrizzi, Joe [Avago Technologies, San Jose, California 95131 (United States)

2015-05-07

Exponential growth of the areal density has driven the magnetic recording industry for almost sixty years. But now areal density growth is slowing down, suggesting that current technologies are reaching their fundamental limit. The next generation of recording technologies, namely, energy-assisted writing and bit-patterned media, remains just over the horizon. Two-Dimensional Magnetic Recording (TDMR) is a promising new approach, enabling continued areal density growth with only modest changes to the heads and recording electronics. We demonstrate a first generation implementation of TDMR by using a dual-element read sensor to improve the recovery of data encoded by a conventional low-density parity-check (LDPC) channel. The signals are combined with a 2D equalizer into a single modified waveform that is decoded by a standard LDPC channel. Our detection hardware can perform simultaneous measurement of the pre- and post-combined error rate information, allowing one set of measurements to assess the absolute areal density capability of the TDMR system as well as the gain over a conventional shingled magnetic recording system with identical components. We discuss areal density measurements using this hardware and demonstrate gains exceeding five percent based on experimental dual reader components.

A microwave interferometer for density measurement and stabilization in process plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, D.I.C.; Campbell, G.A.; Domier, C.W.

1988-01-01

A low-cost heterodyne microwave interferometer system capable of measuring and/or controlling the plasma density over a dynamic range covering two orders of magnitude is demonstrated. The microwave frequency is chosen to match the size and density of plasma to be monitored. Large amplitude, high frequency fluctuations can be quantitatively followed and the longer-time-scale density can be held constant over hours of operation, for example during an inline production process to maintain uniformity and stoichiometry of films. A linear relationship is shown between plasma density and discharge current in a specific plasma device. This simple relationship makes control of the plasma straightforward using the interferometer as a density monitor. Other plasma processes could equally well benefit from such density control capability. By combining the interferometer measurement with diagnostics such as probes or optical spectroscopy, the total density profile and the constituent proportions of the various species in the plasma could be determined

The Challenge of Recognizing Diversity from the Perspective of Gender Equality:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siim, Birte

2007-01-01

The objective of this article is to analyse the tension between diversity and gender equality, looking at problems and potentials for inclusion of minority women in the Danish citizenship model. It addresses the intersection of gender and ethnicity focusing on two main themes: One is the gender......-political challenge of combining the discourse and politics of gender equality with respect for diversity in cultural values, family forms and gender equality norms. This theme explores the extent to which the dominant understanding of gender equality in public and private life is a potential or barrier...... for recognising diversities among women, and it discusses how to empower minority women in their daily lives. The other is the democratic challenge of including the voices of minority women in politics and combine equal rights of ethnic minorities with respect for cultural diversity. This theme explores...

Iterative-build OMIT maps: map improvement by iterative model building and refinement without model bias

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terwilliger, Thomas C.; Grosse-Kunstleve, Ralf W.; Afonine, Pavel V.; Moriarty, Nigel W.; Adams, Paul D.; Read, Randy J.; Zwart, Peter H.; Hung, Li-Wei

2008-01-01

An OMIT procedure is presented that has the benefits of iterative model building density modification and refinement yet is essentially unbiased by the atomic model that is built. A procedure for carrying out iterative model building, density modification and refinement is presented in which the density in an OMIT region is essentially unbiased by an atomic model. Density from a set of overlapping OMIT regions can be combined to create a composite ‘iterative-build’ OMIT map that is everywhere unbiased by an atomic model but also everywhere benefiting from the model-based information present elsewhere in the unit cell. The procedure may have applications in the validation of specific features in atomic models as well as in overall model validation. The procedure is demonstrated with a molecular-replacement structure and with an experimentally phased structure and a variation on the method is demonstrated by removing model bias from a structure from the Protein Data Bank

Marriage equality is a mental health issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Kealy-Bateman, Warren; Pryor, Lisa

2015-10-01

We aim to review marriage equality in New Zealand and Australia and critically evaluate the health impact of such a legal change. We undertook a review of the literature using the search terms "marriage equality", "same sex marriage" and "gay marriage" in combination with "health", "wellbeing", "psych*", "mental illness" and "distress". This search included medical literature, legal literature and mass media. This review indicates that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people disproportionately face negative health stressors and negative health events compared with the general population and this is related to the stress of being a stigmatised minority group. The evidence strongly supports the proposition that marriage equality is related to improved health outcomes. A diverse range of professional health groups advocate for the legislative progression to marriage equality. The authors found no evidence that marriage equality harms opposite-sex marriage. Marriage equality is still lacking in Australia and as a positive correlate of health should be strongly supported. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Inter-track interference mitigation with two-dimensional variable equalizer for bit patterned media recording

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao Wang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The increased track density in bit patterned media recording (BPMR causes increased inter-track interference (ITI, which degrades the bit error rate (BER performance. In order to mitigate the effect of the ITI, signals from multiple tracks can be equalized by a 2D equalizer with 1D target. Usually, the 2D fixed equalizer coefficients are obtained by using a pseudo-random bit sequence (PRBS for training. In this study, a 2D variable equalizer is proposed, where various sets of 2D equalizer coefficients are predetermined and stored for different ITI patterns besides the usual PRBS training. For data detection, as the ITI patterns are unknown in the first global iteration, the main and adjacent tracks are equalized with the conventional 2D fixed equalizer, detected with Bahl-Cocke-Jelinek-Raviv (BCJR detector and decoded with low-density parity-check (LDPC decoder. Then using the estimated bit information from main and adjacent tracks, the ITI pattern for each island of the main track can be estimated and the corresponding 2D variable equalizers are used to better equalize the bits on the main track. This process is executed iteratively by feeding back the main track information. Simulation results indicate that for both single-track and two-track detection, the proposed 2D variable equalizer can achieve better BER and frame error rate (FER compared to that with the 2D fixed equalizer.

Solvation Mechanism of Task-Specific Ionic Liquids in Water: A Combined Investigation Using Classical Molecular Dynamics and Density Functional Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuvaraj, Surya V J; Zhdanov, Ravil K; Belosludov, Rodion V; Belosludov, Vladimir R; Subbotin, Oleg S; Kanie, Kiyoshi; Funaki, Kenji; Muramatsu, Atsushi; Nakamura, Takashi; Kawazoe, Yoshiyuki

2015-10-08

The solvation behavior of task-specific ionic liquids (TSILs) containing a common, L-histidine derived imidazolium cation [C20H28N3O3](+) and different anions, bromide-[Br](-) and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide-[NTF2](-), in water is examined, computationally. These amino acid functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) are taken into account because of their ability to react with rare earth metal salts. It has been noted that the TSIL with [Br](-) is more soluble than its counterpart TSIL with [NTF2](-), experimentally. In this theoretical work, the combined classical molecular dynamics (CMD) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to study the behavior of the bulk phase of these two TSILs in the vicinity of water (H2O) molecules with different concentrations. Initially, all the constructed systems are equilibrated using the CMD method. The final structures of the equilibrated systems are extracted for DFT calculations. Under CMD operation, the radial distribution function (RDF) plots and viscosity of TSILs are analyzed to understand the effect of water on TSILs. In the DFT regime, binding energy per H2O, charge transfer, charge density mapping, and electronic density of states (EDOS) analyses are done. The CMD results along with the DFT results are consolidated to support the hydrophilic and hydrophobic nature of the TSILs. Interestingly, we have found a strong correlation between the viscosity and the EDOS results that leads to an understanding of the hydration properties of the TSILs.

MODELING THE ANOMALY OF SURFACE NUMBER DENSITIES OF GALAXIES ON THE GALACTIC EXTINCTION MAP DUE TO THEIR FIR EMISSION CONTAMINATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kashiwagi, Toshiya; Suto, Yasushi; Taruya, Atsushi; Yahata, Kazuhiro [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Kayo, Issha [Department of Physics, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510 (Japan); Nishimichi, Takahiro, E-mail: kashiwagi@utap.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8568 (Japan)

2015-02-01

The most widely used Galactic extinction map is constructed assuming that the observed far-infrared (FIR) fluxes come entirely from Galactic dust. According to the earlier suggestion by Yahata et al., we consider how FIR emission of galaxies affects the SFD map. We first compute the surface number density of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 galaxies as a function of the r-band extinction, A {sub r,} {sub SFD}. We confirm that the surface densities of those galaxies positively correlate with A {sub r,} {sub SFD} for A {sub r,} {sub SFD} < 0.1, as first discovered by Yahata et al. for SDSS DR4 galaxies. Next we construct an analytical model to compute the surface density of galaxies, taking into account the contamination of their FIR emission. We adopt a log-normal probability distribution for the ratio of 100 μm and r-band luminosities of each galaxy, y ≡ (νL){sub 100} {sub μm}/(νL) {sub r}. Then we search for the mean and rms values of y that fit the observed anomaly, using the analytical model. The required values to reproduce the anomaly are roughly consistent with those measured from the stacking analysis of SDSS galaxies. Due to the limitation of our statistical modeling, we are not yet able to remove the FIR contamination of galaxies from the extinction map. Nevertheless, the agreement with the model prediction suggests that the FIR emission of galaxies is mainly responsible for the observed anomaly. Whereas the corresponding systematic error in the Galactic extinction map is 0.1-1 mmag, it is directly correlated with galaxy clustering and thus needs to be carefully examined in precision cosmology.

Contribution of Equal-Sign Instruction beyond Word-Problem Tutoring for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Sarah R; Fuchs, Lynn S

2010-05-01

Elementary school students often misinterpret the equal sign (=) as an operational rather than a relational symbol. Such misunderstanding is problematic because solving equations with missing numbers may be important for higher-order mathematics skills including word problems. Research indicates equal-sign instruction can alter how typically-developing students use the equal sign, but no study has examined effects for students with mathematics difficulty (MD) or how equal-sign instruction contributes to word-problem skill for students with or without MD. The present study assessed the efficacy of equal-sign instruction within word-problem tutoring. Third-grade students with MD (n = 80) were assigned to word-problem tutoring, word-problem tutoring plus equal-sign instruction (combined) tutoring, or no-tutoring control. Combined tutoring produced better improvement on equal sign tasks and open equations compared to the other 2 conditions. On certain forms of word problems, combined tutoring but not word-problem tutoring alone produced better improvement than control. When compared at posttest to 3(rd)-grade students without MD on equal sign tasks and open equations, only combined tutoring students with MD performed comparably.

Combining voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging to detect age-related brain changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmbeck, Jan T; Brassen, Stefanie; Weber-Fahr, Wolfgang; Braus, Dieter F

2006-04-03

The present study combined optimized voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging to detect age-related brain changes. We compared grey matter density maps (grey matter voxel-based morphometry) and white matter fractional anisotropy maps (diffusion tensor imaging-voxel-based morphometry) between two groups of 17 younger and 17 older women. Older women exhibited reduced white matter fractional anisotropy as well as decreased grey matter density most prominently in the frontal, limbic, parietal and temporal lobes. A discriminant analysis identified four frontal and limbic grey and white matter areas that separated the two groups most effectively. We conclude that grey matter voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging voxel-based morphometry are well suited for the detection of age-related changes and their combination provides high accuracy when detecting the neural correlates of aging.

Dimensions of Fractals Generated by Bi-Lipschitz Maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qi-Rong Deng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available On the class of iterated function systems of bi-Lipschitz mappings that are contractions with respect to some metrics, we introduce a logarithmic distortion property, which is weaker than the well-known bounded distortion property. By assuming this property, we prove the equality of the Hausdorff and box dimensions of the attractor. We also obtain a formula for the dimension of the attractor in terms of certain modified topological pressure functions, without imposing any separation condition. As an application, we prove the equality of Hausdorff and box dimensions for certain iterated function systems consisting of affine maps and nonsmooth maps.

Improving Situational Awareness in camera surveillance by combining top-view maps with camera images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooi, F.L.; Zeeders, R.

2009-01-01

The goal of the experiment described is to improve today's camera surveillance in public spaces. Three designs with the camera images combined on a top-view map were compared to each other and to the current situation in camera surveillance. The goal was to test which design makes spatial

On thermodynamic limits of entropy densities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moriya, H; Van Enter, A

We give some sufficient conditions which guarantee that the entropy density in the thermodynamic limit is equal to the thermodynamic limit of the entropy densities of finite-volume (local) Gibbs states.

Evaluation of realistic layouts for next generation on-scalp MEG: spatial information density maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Riaz, Bushra; Pfeiffer, Christoph; Schneiderman, Justin F

2017-08-01

While commercial magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems are the functional neuroimaging state-of-the-art in terms of spatio-temporal resolution, MEG sensors have not changed significantly since the 1990s. Interest in newer sensors that operate at less extreme temperatures, e.g., high critical temperature (high-T c ) SQUIDs, optically-pumped magnetometers, etc., is growing because they enable significant reductions in head-to-sensor standoff (on-scalp MEG). Various metrics quantify the advantages of on-scalp MEG, but a single straightforward one is lacking. Previous works have furthermore been limited to arbitrary and/or unrealistic sensor layouts. We introduce spatial information density (SID) maps for quantitative and qualitative evaluations of sensor arrays. SID-maps present the spatial distribution of information a sensor array extracts from a source space while accounting for relevant source and sensor parameters. We use it in a systematic comparison of three practical on-scalp MEG sensor array layouts (based on high-T c SQUIDs) and the standard Elekta Neuromag TRIUX magnetometer array. Results strengthen the case for on-scalp and specifically high-T c SQUID-based MEG while providing a path for the practical design of future MEG systems. SID-maps are furthermore general to arbitrary magnetic sensor technologies and source spaces and can thus be used for design and evaluation of sensor arrays for magnetocardiography, magnetic particle imaging, etc.

Pitfalls of using the geometric-mean combining rule in the density gradient theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liang, Xiaodong; Michelsen, Michael Locht; Kontogeorgis, Georgios

2016-01-01

It is popular and attractive to model the interfacial tension using the density gradient theory with the geometric-mean combining rule, in which the same equation of state is used for the interface and bulk phases. The computational efficiency is the most important advantage of this theory. In th...

An Efficient Strategy Combining SSR Markers- and Advanced QTL-seq-driven QTL Mapping Unravels Candidate Genes Regulating Grain Weight in Rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Daware, Anurag; Das, Sweta; Srivastava, Rishi; Badoni, Saurabh; Singh, Ashok K; Agarwal, Pinky; Parida, Swarup K; Tyagi, Akhilesh K

2016-01-01

Development and use of genome-wide informative simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and novel integrated genomic strategies are vital to drive genomics-assisted breeding applications and for efficient dissection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying complex traits in rice. The present study developed 6244 genome-wide informative SSR markers exhibiting in silico fragment length polymorphism based on repeat-unit variations among genomic sequences of 11 indica, japonica, aus , and wild rice accessions. These markers were mapped on diverse coding and non-coding sequence components of known cloned/candidate genes annotated from 12 chromosomes and revealed a much higher amplification (97%) and polymorphic potential (88%) along with wider genetic/functional diversity level (16-74% with a mean 53%) especially among accessions belonging to indica cultivar group, suggesting their utility in large-scale genomics-assisted breeding applications in rice. A high-density 3791 SSR markers-anchored genetic linkage map (IR 64 × Sonasal) spanning 2060 cM total map-length with an average inter-marker distance of 0.54 cM was generated. This reference genetic map identified six major genomic regions harboring robust QTLs (31% combined phenotypic variation explained with a 5.7-8.7 LOD) governing grain weight on six rice chromosomes. One strong grain weight major QTL region ( OsqGW5.1 ) was narrowed-down by integrating traditional QTL mapping with high-resolution QTL region-specific integrated SSR and single nucleotide polymorphism markers-based QTL-seq analysis and differential expression profiling. This led us to delineate two natural allelic variants in two known cis -regulatory elements (RAV1AAT and CARGCW8GAT) of glycosyl hydrolase and serine carboxypeptidase genes exhibiting pronounced seed-specific differential regulation in low (Sonasal) and high (IR 64) grain weight mapping parental accessions. Our genome-wide SSR marker resource (polymorphic within/between diverse

A combination of selected mapping and clipping to increase energy efficiency of OFDM systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Byung Moo; Rim, You Seung

2017-01-01

We propose an energy efficient combination design for OFDM systems based on selected mapping (SLM) and clipping peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction techniques, and show the related energy efficiency (EE) performance analysis. The combination of two different PAPR reduction techniques can provide a significant benefit in increasing EE, because it can take advantages of both techniques. For the combination, we choose the clipping and SLM techniques, since the former technique is quite simple and effective, and the latter technique does not cause any signal distortion. We provide the structure and the systematic operating method, and show the various analyzes to derive the EE gain based on the combined technique. Our analysis show that the combined technique increases the EE by 69% compared to no PAPR reduction, and by 19.34% compared to only using SLM technique. PMID:29023591

An automated land-use mapping comparison of the Bayesian maximum likelihood and linear discriminant analysis algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Tom, C. H.; Miller, L. D.

1984-01-01

The Bayesian maximum likelihood parametric classifier has been tested against the data-based formulation designated 'linear discrimination analysis', using the 'GLIKE' decision and "CLASSIFY' classification algorithms in the Landsat Mapping System. Identical supervised training sets, USGS land use/land cover classes, and various combinations of Landsat image and ancilliary geodata variables, were used to compare the algorithms' thematic mapping accuracy on a single-date summer subscene, with a cellularized USGS land use map of the same time frame furnishing the ground truth reference. CLASSIFY, which accepts a priori class probabilities, is found to be more accurate than GLIKE, which assumes equal class occurrences, for all three mapping variable sets and both levels of detail. These results may be generalized to direct accuracy, time, cost, and flexibility advantages of linear discriminant analysis over Bayesian methods.

Genome wide SSR high density genetic map construction from an interspecific cross of Gossypium hirsutum × Gossypium tomentosum

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Muhammad Kashif Riaz eKhan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A high density genetic map was constructed using F2 population derived from an interspecific cross of G. hirsutum x G. tomentosum. The map consisted of 3,093 marker loci distributed across all the 26 chromosomes and covered 4,365.3 cM of cotton genome with an average inter-marker distance of 1.48 cM. The maximum length of chromosome was 218.38 cM and the minimum was 122.09 cM with an average length of 167.90 cM. A sub-genome covers more genetic distance (2,189.01 cM with an average inter loci distance of 1.53 cM than D sub-genome which covers a length of 2,176.29 cM with an average distance of 1.43 cM. There were 716 distorted loci in the map accounting for 23.14% and most distorted loci were distributed on D sub-genome (25.06%, which were more than on A sub-genome (21.23%. In our map 49 segregation hotspots (SDR were distributed across the genome with more on D sub-genome as compared to A genome. Two post-polyploidization reciprocal translocations of A2/A3 and A4/A5 were suggested by 7 pairs of duplicate loci. The map constructed through these studies is one of the three densest genetic maps in cotton however; this is the first dense genome wide SSR interspecific genetic map between G. hirsutum and G. tomentosum.

Density wave oscillations of a boiling natural circulation loop induced by flashing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furuya, Masahiro; Inada, Fumio; Yasuo, Akira [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tokyo (Japan)

1995-09-01

Experiments are conducted to investigate two-phase flow instabilities in a boiling natural circulation loop with a chimney due to flashing in the chimney at lower pressure. The test facility used in this experiment is designed to have non-dimensional values which are nearly equal to those of natural circulation BWR. Stability maps in reference to the heat flux, the inlet subcooling, the system pressure are presented. This instability is suggested to be density wave oscillations due to flashing in the chimney, and the differences from other phenomena such as flow pattern oscillations and geysering phenomena are discussed by investigating the dynamic characteristics, the oscillation period, and the transient flow pattern.

USGS Topo Base Map from The National Map

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior — The USGS Topographic Base Map from The National Map. This tile cached web map service combines the most current data services (Boundaries, Names, Transportation,...

High Resolution Decision Maps for Urban Planning: A Combined Analysis of Urban Flooding and Thermal Stress Potential In Asia and Europe

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Boogaard Floris

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Urban flooding and thermal stress have become key issues for many cities around the world. With the continuing effects of climate change, these two issues will become more acute and will add to the serious problems already experienced in dense urban areas. Therefore, the sectors of public health and disaster management are in the need of tools that can assess the vulnerability to floods and thermal stress. The present paper deals with the combination of innovative tools to address this challenge. Three cities in different climatic regions with various urban contexts have been selected as the pilot areas to demonstrate these tools. These cities are Tainan (Taiwan, Ayutthaya (Thailand and Groningen (Netherlands. For these cities, flood maps and heat stress maps were developed and used for the comparison analysis. The flood maps produced indicate vulnerable low-lying areas, whereas thermal stress maps indicate open, unshaded areas where high Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET values (thermal comfort can be expected. The work to date indicates the potential of combining two different kinds of maps to identify and analyse the problem areas. These maps could be further improved and used by urban planners and other stakeholders to assess the resilience and well-being of cities. The work presented shows that the combined analysis of such maps also has a strong potential to be used for the analysis of other challenges in urban dense areas such as air and water pollution, immobility and noise disturbance.

A 2500 deg ² CMB Lensing Map from Combined South Pole Telescope and Planck Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omori, Y.; Chown, R.; Simard, G.; Story, K. T.; Aylor, K.; Baxter, E. J.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Cho, H-M.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; Haan, T. de; Dobbs, M. A.; Everett, W. B.; George, E. M.; Halverson, N. W.; Harrington, N. L.; Holder, G. P.; Hou, Z.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hrubes, J. D.; Knox, L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; Luong-Van, D.; Manzotti, A.; Marrone, D. P.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Natoli, T.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Reichardt, C. L.; Ruhl, J. E.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Shirokoff, E.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Williamson, R.; Zahn, O.

2017-11-07

We present a cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing map produced from a linear combination of South Pole Telescope (SPT) and \\emph{Planck} temperature data. The 150 GHz temperature data from the $2500\\ {\\rm deg}^{2}$ SPT-SZ survey is combined with the \\emph{Planck} 143 GHz data in harmonic space, to obtain a temperature map that has a broader $\\ell$ coverage and less noise than either individual map. Using a quadratic estimator technique on this combined temperature map, we produce a map of the gravitational lensing potential projected along the line of sight. We measure the auto-spectrum of the lensing potential $C_{L}^{\\phi\\phi}$, and compare it to the theoretical prediction for a $\\Lambda$CDM cosmology consistent with the \\emph{Planck} 2015 data set, finding a best-fit amplitude of $0.95_{-0.06}^{+0.06}({\\rm Stat.})\\! _{-0.01}^{+0.01}({\\rm Sys.})$. The null hypothesis of no lensing is rejected at a significance of $24\\,\\sigma$. One important use of such a lensing potential map is in cross-correlations with other dark matter tracers. We demonstrate this cross-correlation in practice by calculating the cross-spectrum, $C_{L}^{\\phi G}$, between the SPT+\\emph{Planck} lensing map and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (\\emph{WISE}) galaxies. We fit $C_{L}^{\\phi G}$ to a power law of the form $p_{L}=a(L/L_{0})^{-b}$ with $a=2.15 \\times 10^{-8}$, $b=1.35$, $L_{0}=490$, and find $\\eta^{\\phi G}=0.94^{+0.04}_{-0.04}$, which is marginally lower, but in good agreement with $\\eta^{\\phi G}=1.00^{+0.02}_{-0.01}$, the best-fit amplitude for the cross-correlation of \\emph{Planck}-2015 CMB lensing and \\emph{WISE} galaxies over $\\sim67\\%$ of the sky. The lensing potential map presented here will be used for cross-correlation studies with the Dark Energy Survey (DES), whose footprint nearly completely covers the SPT $2500\\ {\\rm deg}^2$ field.

Dynamical Mapping of Anopheles darlingi Densities in a Residual Malaria Transmission Area of French Guiana by Using Remote Sensing and Meteorological Data.

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Antoine Adde

Full Text Available Local variation in the density of Anopheles mosquitoes and the risk of exposure to bites are essential to explain the spatial and temporal heterogeneities in the transmission of malaria. Vector distribution is driven by environmental factors. Based on variables derived from satellite imagery and meteorological observations, this study aimed to dynamically model and map the densities of Anopheles darlingi in the municipality of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock (French Guiana. Longitudinal sampling sessions of An. darlingi densities were conducted between September 2012 and October 2014. Landscape and meteorological data were collected and processed to extract a panel of variables that were potentially related to An. darlingi ecology. Based on these data, a robust methodology was formed to estimate a statistical predictive model of the spatial-temporal variations in the densities of An. darlingi in Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock. The final cross-validated model integrated two landscape variables-dense forest surface and built surface-together with four meteorological variables related to rainfall, evapotranspiration, and the minimal and maximal temperatures. Extrapolation of the model allowed the generation of predictive weekly maps of An. darlingi densities at a resolution of 10-m. Our results supported the use of satellite imagery and meteorological data to predict malaria vector densities. Such fine-scale modeling approach might be a useful tool for health authorities to plan control strategies and social communication in a cost-effective, targeted, and timely manner.

Dynamical Mapping of Anopheles darlingi Densities in a Residual Malaria Transmission Area of French Guiana by Using Remote Sensing and Meteorological Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Adde, Antoine; Roux, Emmanuel; Mangeas, Morgan; Dessay, Nadine; Nacher, Mathieu; Dusfour, Isabelle; Girod, Romain; Briolant, Sébastien

2016-01-01

Local variation in the density of Anopheles mosquitoes and the risk of exposure to bites are essential to explain the spatial and temporal heterogeneities in the transmission of malaria. Vector distribution is driven by environmental factors. Based on variables derived from satellite imagery and meteorological observations, this study aimed to dynamically model and map the densities of Anopheles darlingi in the municipality of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock (French Guiana). Longitudinal sampling sessions of An. darlingi densities were conducted between September 2012 and October 2014. Landscape and meteorological data were collected and processed to extract a panel of variables that were potentially related to An. darlingi ecology. Based on these data, a robust methodology was formed to estimate a statistical predictive model of the spatial-temporal variations in the densities of An. darlingi in Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock. The final cross-validated model integrated two landscape variables-dense forest surface and built surface-together with four meteorological variables related to rainfall, evapotranspiration, and the minimal and maximal temperatures. Extrapolation of the model allowed the generation of predictive weekly maps of An. darlingi densities at a resolution of 10-m. Our results supported the use of satellite imagery and meteorological data to predict malaria vector densities. Such fine-scale modeling approach might be a useful tool for health authorities to plan control strategies and social communication in a cost-effective, targeted, and timely manner.

MIMIC: An Innovative Methodology for Determining Mobile Laser Scanning System Point Density

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Conor Cahalane

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Understanding how various Mobile Mapping System (MMS laser hardware configurations and operating parameters exercise different influence on point density is important for assessing system performance, which in turn facilitates system design and MMS benchmarking. Point density also influences data processing, as objects that can be recognised using automated algorithms generally require a minimum point density. Although obtaining the necessary point density impacts on hardware costs, survey time and data storage requirements, a method for accurately and rapidly assessing MMS performance is lacking for generic MMSs. We have developed a method for quantifying point clouds collected by an MMS with respect to known objects at specified distances using 3D surface normals, 2D geometric formulae and line drawing algorithms. These algorithms were combined in a system called the Mobile Mapping Point Density Calculator (MIMIC and were validated using point clouds captured by both a single scanner and a dual scanner MMS. Results from MIMIC were promising: when considering the number of scan profiles striking the target, the average error equated to less than 1 point per scan profile. These tests highlight that MIMIC is capable of accurately calculating point density for both single and dual scanner MMSs.

ADN* Density log estimation Using Rockcell*

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuku, C.; Iloghalu, Emeka. M.; Omotayo, O.

2003-01-01

This work is intended to inform on the possibilities of estimating good density data in zones associated with sliding in a reservoir with ADN* tool with or without ADOS in string in cases where repeat sections were not done, possibly due to hole stability or directional concerns. This procedure has been equally used to obtain a better density data in corkscrew holes. Density data (ROBB) was recomputed using neural network in RockCell* to estimate the density over zones of interest. RockCell* is a Schlumberger software that has neural network functionally which can be used to estimate missing logs using the combination of the responses of other log curves and intervals that are not affected by sliding. In this work, an interval was selected and within this interval twelve litho zones were defined using the unsupervised neural network. From this a training set was selected based on intervals of very good log responses outside the sliding zones. This training set was used to train and run the neural network for a specific lithostratigraphic interval. The results matched the known good density curve. Then after this, an estimation of the density curve was done using the supervised neural network. The output from this estimation matched very closely in the good portions of the log, thus providing some density measurements in the sliding zone. This methodology provides a scientific solution to missing data during the process of Formation evaluation

Selecting Map Projections in Minimizing Area Distortions in GIS Applications

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Ahmet Kaya

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Varioussoftware for Geographical Information Systems (GISs have been developed and used in many different engineering projects. In GIS applications, map coverage is important in terms of performing reliable and meaningful queries. Map projections can be conformal, equal-area and equidistant. The goal of an application plays an important role in choosing one of those projections. Choosing the equal-area projection for an application in which area information is used (forestry, agriculture, ecosystem etc reduces the amount of distortion on the area, but many users using GIS ignore this fact and continue to use applications with present map sheets no matter in what map projection it is. For example, extracting area information from data whose country system’s map sheet is in conformal projection is relatively more distorted, compared to an equal-area projection one. The goal of this study is to make the best decision in choosing the most proper equal-area projection among the choices provided by ArcGIS 9.0, which is a popular GIS software package, and making a comparison on area errors when conformal projection is used. In this study, the area of parcels chosen in three different regions and geographic coordinates and whose sizes vary between 0.01 to 1,000,000 ha are calculated according to Transversal Mercator (TM, 3°, Universal Transversal Mercator (UTM, 6° and 14 different equal-area projections existing in the ArcGIS 9.0 GIS software package. The parcel areas calculated with geographical coordinates are accepted as definite. The difference between the sizes calculated according to projection coordinates and real sizes of the parcels are determined. Consequently, the appropriate projections are decided for the areas smaller and equal than 1,000 ha and greater than 1,000 ha in the GIS software package.

Regression modeling and mapping of coniferous forest basal area and tree density from discrete-return lidar and multispectral data

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew T. Hudak; Nicholas L. Crookston; Jeffrey S. Evans; Michael K. Falkowski; Alistair M. S. Smith; Paul E. Gessler; Penelope Morgan

2006-01-01

We compared the utility of discrete-return light detection and ranging (lidar) data and multispectral satellite imagery, and their integration, for modeling and mapping basal area and tree density across two diverse coniferous forest landscapes in north-central Idaho. We applied multiple linear regression models subset from a suite of 26 predictor variables derived...

Histogram specification as a method of density modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, R.W.

1988-01-01

A new method for improving the quality and extending the resolution of Fourier maps is described. The method is based on a histogram analysis of the electron density. The distribution of electron density values in the map is forced to be 'ideal'. The 'ideal' distribution is assumed to be Gaussian. The application of the method to improve the electron density map for the protein Acinetobacter asparaginase, which is a tetrameric enzyme of molecular weight 140000 daltons, is described. (orig.)

Standardized mappings--a framework to combine different semantic mappers into a standardized web-API.

Science.gov (United States)

Neuhaus, Philipp; Doods, Justin; Dugas, Martin

2015-01-01

Automatic coding of medical terms is an important, but highly complicated and laborious task. To compare and evaluate different strategies a framework with a standardized web-interface was created. Two UMLS mapping strategies are compared to demonstrate the interface. The framework is a Java Spring application running on a Tomcat application server. It accepts different parameters and returns results in JSON format. To demonstrate the framework, a list of medical data items was mapped by two different methods: similarity search in a large table of terminology codes versus search in a manually curated repository. These mappings were reviewed by a specialist. The evaluation shows that the framework is flexible (due to standardized interfaces like HTTP and JSON), performant and reliable. Accuracy of automatically assigned codes is limited (up to 40%). Combining different semantic mappers into a standardized Web-API is feasible. This framework can be easily enhanced due to its modular design.

MAP user's manual copyright

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pillsbury, R.D. Jr.

1991-12-01

The program MITMAP represents a set of general purpose, two- dimensional, finite element programs for the calculation of magnetic fields. It consists of the program MAP and MAP2DJ. The two programs are used to solve different electromagnetic problems, but they have a common set of subrountines for pre- and postprocessing. Originally separate programs, they have been combined to make modification easier. The manuals, however, will remain separate. The program MAP is described in this manual. MAP is applicable to the class of problems with two-dimensional-planar or axisymmetric - geometries, in which the current density and the magnetic vector potential have only a single nonvanishing component. The single component is associated with the direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the problem and is invariant with respect to that direction. Maxwell's equations can be reduced to a solver diffusion equation in terms of the single, nonvanishing component of the magnetic vector potential for planar problems and to a single component of a vector potential for planar problems and to a single component of a vector diffusion equation for axisymmetric problems. The magnetic permeability appears in the governing equation. The permeability may be a function of the magnetic flux density. In addition, any electrically conducting material present will have eddy currents induced by a time varying magnetic field. These eddy currents must be included in the solution process. This manual provides a description of the structure of the input data and output for the program. There are several example problems presented that illustrate the major program features. Appendices are included that contain a derivation of the governing equations and the application of the finite element method to the solution of the equations

Saturation of an intra-gene pool linkage map: towards a unified consensus linkage map for fine mapping and synteny analysis in common bean.

Science.gov (United States)

Galeano, Carlos H; Fernandez, Andrea C; Franco-Herrera, Natalia; Cichy, Karen A; McClean, Phillip E; Vanderleyden, Jos; Blair, Matthew W

2011-01-01

Map-based cloning and fine mapping to find genes of interest and marker assisted selection (MAS) requires good genetic maps with reproducible markers. In this study, we saturated the linkage map of the intra-gene pool population of common bean DOR364 × BAT477 (DB) by evaluating 2,706 molecular markers including SSR, SNP, and gene-based markers. On average the polymorphism rate was 7.7% due to the narrow genetic base between the parents. The DB linkage map consisted of 291 markers with a total map length of 1,788 cM. A consensus map was built using the core mapping populations derived from inter-gene pool crosses: DOR364 × G19833 (DG) and BAT93 × JALO EEP558 (BJ). The consensus map consisted of a total of 1,010 markers mapped, with a total map length of 2,041 cM across 11 linkage groups. On average, each linkage group on the consensus map contained 91 markers of which 83% were single copy markers. Finally, a synteny analysis was carried out using our highly saturated consensus maps compared with the soybean pseudo-chromosome assembly. A total of 772 marker sequences were compared with the soybean genome. A total of 44 syntenic blocks were identified. The linkage group Pv6 presented the most diverse pattern of synteny with seven syntenic blocks, and Pv9 showed the most consistent relations with soybean with just two syntenic blocks. Additionally, a co-linear analysis using common bean transcript map information against soybean coding sequences (CDS) revealed the relationship with 787 soybean genes. The common bean consensus map has allowed us to map a larger number of markers, to obtain a more complete coverage of the common bean genome. Our results, combined with synteny relationships provide tools to increase marker density in selected genomic regions to identify closely linked polymorphic markers for indirect selection, fine mapping or for positional cloning.

High-resolution comparative mapping among man, cattle and mouse suggests a role for repeat sequences in mammalian genome evolution

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Rodolphe François

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Comparative mapping provides new insights into the evolutionary history of genomes. In particular, recent studies in mammals have suggested a role for segmental duplication in genome evolution. In some species such as Drosophila or maize, transposable elements (TEs have been shown to be involved in chromosomal rearrangements. In this work, we have explored the presence of interspersed repeats in regions of chromosomal rearrangements, using an updated high-resolution integrated comparative map among cattle, man and mouse. Results The bovine, human and mouse comparative autosomal map has been constructed using data from bovine genetic and physical maps and from FISH-mapping studies. We confirm most previous results but also reveal some discrepancies. A total of 211 conserved segments have been identified between cattle and man, of which 33 are new segments and 72 correspond to extended, previously known segments. The resulting map covers 91% and 90% of the human and bovine genomes, respectively. Analysis of breakpoint regions revealed a high density of species-specific interspersed repeats in the human and mouse genomes. Conclusion Analysis of the breakpoint regions has revealed specific repeat density patterns, suggesting that TEs may have played a significant role in chromosome evolution and genome plasticity. However, we cannot rule out that repeats and breakpoints accumulate independently in the few same regions where modifications are better tolerated. Likewise, we cannot ascertain whether increased TE density is the cause or the consequence of chromosome rearrangements. Nevertheless, the identification of high density repeat clusters combined with a well-documented repeat phylogeny should highlight probable breakpoints, and permit their precise dating. Combining new statistical models taking the present information into account should help reconstruct ancestral karyotypes.

High-Density LiDAR Mapping of the Ancient City of Mayapán

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Timothy Hare

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A 2013 survey of a 40 square kilometer area surrounding Mayapán, Yucatan, Mexico used high-density LiDAR data to map prehispanic architecture and related natural features. Most of the area is covered by low canopy dense forest vegetation over karstic hilly terrain that impedes full coverage archaeological survey. We used LiDAR at 40 laser points per square meter to generate a bare earth digital elevation model (DEM. Results were evaluated with comparisons to previously mapped areas and with traditional archaeological survey methods for 38 settlement clusters outside of the city wall. Ground checking employed full coverage survey of selected 500 m grid squares, as well as documentation of the chronology and detail of new public and domestic settlement features and cenotes. Results identify the full extent of continued, contemporary Postclassic settlement (A.D. 1150–1450 outside of the city wall to at least 500 meters to the east, north, and west. New data also reveal an extensive modified landscape of terraformed residential hills, rejolladas, and dense settlement dating from Preclassic through Classic Periods. The LiDAR data also allow for the identification of rooms, benches, and stone property walls and lanes within the city.

Visualization of research activity using density-equalizing mapping and scientometric benchmarking procedures

OpenAIRE

Zell, Hanna

2011-01-01

Ever since the first purposeful utilization of fire by humankind, anthropogenic air pollution has been an issue. At least by the beginning of the industrialization it has become a severe problem. Today, the main causes of anthropogenic air pollution are road traffic (a “mobile” source), and processes in energy production and industry (“stationary” sources). Efforts to improve air quality are mainly aimed at anthropogenic air pollution, as it is the only susceptible factor. Polluted air ...

A SNP based high-density linkage map of Apis cerana reveals a high recombination rate similar to Apis mellifera.

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Yuan Yuan Shi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Eastern honey bee, Apis cerana Fabricius, is distributed in southern and eastern Asia, from India and China to Korea and Japan and southeast to the Moluccas. This species is also widely kept for honey production besides Apis mellifera. Apis cerana is also a model organism for studying social behavior, caste determination, mating biology, sexual selection, and host-parasite interactions. Few resources are available for molecular research in this species, and a linkage map was never constructed. A linkage map is a prerequisite for quantitative trait loci mapping and for analyzing genome structure. We used the Chinese honey bee, Apis cerana cerana to construct the first linkage map in the Eastern honey bee. RESULTS: F2 workers (N = 103 were genotyped for 126,990 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. After filtering low quality and those not passing the Mendel test, we obtained 3,000 SNPs, 1,535 of these were informative and used to construct a linkage map. The preliminary map contains 19 linkage groups, we then mapped the 19 linkage groups to 16 chromosomes by comparing the markers to the genome of A. mellfiera. The final map contains 16 linkage groups with a total of 1,535 markers. The total genetic distance is 3,942.7 centimorgans (cM with the largest linkage group (180 loci measuring 574.5 cM. Average marker interval for all markers across the 16 linkage groups is 2.6 cM. CONCLUSION: We constructed a high density linkage map for A. c. cerana with 1,535 markers. Because the map is based on SNP markers, it will enable easier and faster genotyping assays than randomly amplified polymorphic DNA or microsatellite based maps used in A. mellifera.

Histogram specification as a method of density modification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harrison, R.W.

1988-12-01

A new method for improving the quality and extending the resolution of Fourier maps is described. The method is based on a histogram analysis of the electron density. The distribution of electron density values in the map is forced to be 'ideal'. The 'ideal' distribution is assumed to be Gaussian. The application of the method to improve the electron density map for the protein Acinetobacter asparaginase, which is a tetrameric enzyme of molecular weight 140000 daltons, is described.

Malaria in Africa: vector species' niche models and relative risk maps.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Moffett

2007-09-01

Full Text Available A central theoretical goal of epidemiology is the construction of spatial models of disease prevalence and risk, including maps for the potential spread of infectious disease. We provide three continent-wide maps representing the relative risk of malaria in Africa based on ecological niche models of vector species and risk analysis at a spatial resolution of 1 arc-minute (9 185 275 cells of approximately 4 sq km. Using a maximum entropy method we construct niche models for 10 malaria vector species based on species occurrence records since 1980, 19 climatic variables, altitude, and land cover data (in 14 classes. For seven vectors (Anopheles coustani, A. funestus, A. melas, A. merus, A. moucheti, A. nili, and A. paludis these are the first published niche models. We predict that Central Africa has poor habitat for both A. arabiensis and A. gambiae, and that A. quadriannulatus and A. arabiensis have restricted habitats in Southern Africa as claimed by field experts in criticism of previous models. The results of the niche models are incorporated into three relative risk models which assume different ecological interactions between vector species. The "additive" model assumes no interaction; the "minimax" model assumes maximum relative risk due to any vector in a cell; and the "competitive exclusion" model assumes the relative risk that arises from the most suitable vector for a cell. All models include variable anthrophilicity of vectors and spatial variation in human population density. Relative risk maps are produced from these models. All models predict that human population density is the critical factor determining malaria risk. Our method of constructing relative risk maps is equally general. We discuss the limits of the relative risk maps reported here, and the additional data that are required for their improvement. The protocol developed here can be used for any other vector-borne disease.

The development of audiovisual multisensory integration across childhood and early adolescence: a high-density electrical mapping study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandwein, Alice B; Foxe, John J; Russo, Natalie N; Altschuler, Ted S; Gomes, Hilary; Molholm, Sophie

2011-05-01

The integration of multisensory information is essential to forming meaningful representations of the environment. Adults benefit from related multisensory stimuli but the extent to which the ability to optimally integrate multisensory inputs for functional purposes is present in children has not been extensively examined. Using a cross-sectional approach, high-density electrical mapping of event-related potentials (ERPs) was combined with behavioral measures to characterize neurodevelopmental changes in basic audiovisual (AV) integration from middle childhood through early adulthood. The data indicated a gradual fine-tuning of multisensory facilitation of performance on an AV simple reaction time task (as indexed by race model violation), which reaches mature levels by about 14 years of age. They also revealed a systematic relationship between age and the brain processes underlying multisensory integration (MSI) in the time frame of the auditory N1 ERP component (∼ 120 ms). A significant positive correlation between behavioral and neurophysiological measures of MSI suggested that the underlying brain processes contributed to the fine-tuning of multisensory facilitation of behavior that was observed over middle childhood. These findings are consistent with protracted plasticity in a dynamic system and provide a starting point from which future studies can begin to examine the developmental course of multisensory processing in clinical populations.

Earth mapping - aerial or satellite imagery comparative analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Fotev, Svetlin; Jordanov, Dimitar; Lukarski, Hristo

Nowadays, solving the tasks for revision of existing map products and creation of new maps requires making a choice of the land cover image source. The issue of the effectiveness and cost of the usage of aerial mapping systems versus the efficiency and cost of very-high resolution satellite imagery is topical [1, 2, 3, 4]. The price of any remotely sensed image depends on the product (panchromatic or multispectral), resolution, processing level, scale, urgency of task and on whether the needed image is available in the archive or has to be requested. The purpose of the present work is: to make a comparative analysis between the two approaches for mapping the Earth having in mind two parameters: quality and cost. To suggest an approach for selection of the map information sources - airplane-based or spacecraft-based imaging systems with very-high spatial resolution. Two cases are considered: area that equals approximately one satellite scene and area that equals approximately the territory of Bulgaria.

Implementation of digital equality comparator circuit on memristive memory crossbar array using material implication logic

Science.gov (United States)

Haron, Adib; Mahdzair, Fazren; Luqman, Anas; Osman, Nazmie; Junid, Syed Abdul Mutalib Al

2018-03-01

One of the most significant constraints of Von Neumann architecture is the limited bandwidth between memory and processor. The cost to move data back and forth between memory and processor is considerably higher than the computation in the processor itself. This architecture significantly impacts the Big Data and data-intensive application such as DNA analysis comparison which spend most of the processing time to move data. Recently, the in-memory processing concept was proposed, which is based on the capability to perform the logic operation on the physical memory structure using a crossbar topology and non-volatile resistive-switching memristor technology. This paper proposes a scheme to map digital equality comparator circuit on memristive memory crossbar array. The 2-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit of equality comparator circuit are mapped on memristive memory crossbar array by using material implication logic in a sequential and parallel method. The simulation results show that, for the 64-bit word size, the parallel mapping exhibits 2.8× better performance in total execution time than sequential mapping but has a trade-off in terms of energy consumption and area utilization. Meanwhile, the total crossbar area can be reduced by 1.2× for sequential mapping and 1.5× for parallel mapping both by using the overlapping technique.

Spatiotemporal norepinephrine mapping using a high-density CMOS microelectrode array.

Science.gov (United States)

Wydallis, John B; Feeny, Rachel M; Wilson, William; Kern, Tucker; Chen, Tom; Tobet, Stuart; Reynolds, Melissa M; Henry, Charles S

2015-10-21

A high-density amperometric electrode array containing 8192 individually addressable platinum working electrodes with an integrated potentiostat fabricated using Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) processes is reported. The array was designed to enable electrochemical imaging of chemical gradients with high spatiotemporal resolution. Electrodes are arranged over a 2 mm × 2 mm surface area into 64 subarrays consisting of 128 individual Pt working electrodes as well as Pt pseudo-reference and auxiliary electrodes. Amperometric measurements of norepinephrine in tissue culture media were used to demonstrate the ability of the array to measure concentration gradients in complex media. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidics were incorporated to control the chemical concentrations in time and space, and the electrochemical response at each electrode was monitored to generate electrochemical heat maps, demonstrating the array's imaging capabilities. A temporal resolution of 10 ms can be achieved by simultaneously monitoring a single subarray of 128 electrodes. The entire 2 mm × 2 mm area can be electrochemically imaged in 64 seconds by cycling through all subarrays at a rate of 1 Hz per subarray. Monitoring diffusional transport of norepinephrine is used to demonstrate the spatiotemporal resolution capabilities of the system.

Using Adaptive Tone Mapping to Enhance Edge-Preserving Color Image Automatically

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Min-Yao

2010-01-01

Full Text Available One common characteristic of most high-contrast images is the coexistence of dark shadows and bright light source in one scene. It is very difficult to present details in both dark and bright areas simultaneously on most display devices. In order to resolve this problem, a new method utilizing bilateral filter combined with adaptive tone-mapping method is proposed to improve image quality. First of all, bilateral filter is used to decompose image into two layers: large-scale layer and detail layer. Then, the large-scale layer image is divided into three regions: bright, mid-tone, and dark region. Finally, an appropriate tone-mapping method is chosen to process each region according to its individual property. Only large-scale layer image is enhanced by using adaptive tone mapping; therefore, the details of the original image can be preserved. The experiment results demonstrate the success of proposed method. Furthermore, the proposed method can also avoid posterization produced by methods using histogram equalization.

Towards a fresh start in measuring gender equality: A contribution to the debate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.G. Dijkstra (Geske)

2006-01-01

textabstractBoth the Gender-related Development Index (GDI) and the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) represent a ‘‘false start’’ in measuring gender equality. This is because they do not measure gender (in)equality as such, but an odd combination of absolute welfare levels and gender equality that

Estimation of dislocations density and distribution of dislocations during ECAP-Conform process

Science.gov (United States)

Derakhshan, Jaber Fakhimi; Parsa, Mohammad Habibi; Ayati, Vahid; Jafarian, Hamidreza

2018-01-01

Dislocation density of coarse grain aluminum AA1100 alloy (140 µm) that was severely deformed by Equal Channel Angular Pressing-Conform (ECAP-Conform) are studied at various stages of the process by electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) method. The geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) density and statistically stored dislocations (SSDs) densities were estimate. Then the total dislocations densities are calculated and the dislocation distributions are presented as the contour maps. Estimated average dislocations density for annealed of about 2×1012 m-2 increases to 4×1013 m-2 at the middle of the groove (135° from the entrance), and they reach to 6.4×1013 m-2 at the end of groove just before ECAP region. Calculated average dislocations density for one pass severely deformed Al sample reached to 6.2×1014 m-2. At micrometer scale the behavior of metals especially mechanical properties largely depend on the dislocation density and dislocation distribution. So, yield stresses at different conditions were estimated based on the calculated dislocation densities. Then estimated yield stresses were compared with experimental results and good agreements were found. Although grain size of material did not clearly change, yield stress shown intensive increase due to the development of cell structure. A considerable increase in dislocations density in this process is a good justification for forming subgrains and cell structures during process which it can be reason of increasing in yield stress.

Combined oral contraceptives' influence on weight, body composition, height, and bone mineral density in girls younger than 18 years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warholm, Lina; Petersen, Kresten R; Ravn, Pernille

2012-01-01

Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are increasingly used by adolescents. The aim of this review is to investigate the evidence regarding COCs' influence on weight, height and bone mineral density (BMD) in girls younger than 18 years.......Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are increasingly used by adolescents. The aim of this review is to investigate the evidence regarding COCs' influence on weight, height and bone mineral density (BMD) in girls younger than 18 years....

Scanning micro-Hall probe mapping of magnetic flux distributions and current densities in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xing, W.; Heinrich, B. [Simon Fraser Univ., British Columbia (Canada); Zhou, H. [CTF Systems, Inc., British Columbia (Canada)] [and others

1994-12-31

Mapping of the magnetic flux density B{sub z} (perpendicular to the film plane) for a YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} thin-film sample was carried out using a scanning micro-Hall probe. The sheet magnetization and sheet current densities were calculated from the B{sub z} distributions. From the known sheet magnetization, the tangential (B{sub x,y}) and normal components of the flux density B were calculated in the vicinity of the film. It was found that the sheet current density was mostly determined by 2B{sub x,y}/d, where d is the film thickness. The evolution of flux penetration as a function of applied field will be shown.

Construction of a dense genetic linkage map and mapping quantitative trait loci for economic traits of a doubled haploid population of Pyropia haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta).

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yan; Huang, Long; Ji, Dehua; Chen, Changsheng; Zheng, Hongkun; Xie, Chaotian

2015-09-21

Pyropia haitanensis is one of the most economically important mariculture crops in China. A high-density genetic map has not been published yet and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping has not been undertaken for P. haitanensis because of a lack of sufficient molecular markers. Specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) was developed recently for large-scale, high resolution de novo marker discovery and genotyping. In this study, SLAF-seq was used to obtain mass length polymorphic markers to construct a high-density genetic map for P. haitanensis. In total, 120.33 Gb of data containing 75.21 M pair-end reads was obtained after sequencing. The average coverage for each SLAF marker was 75.50-fold in the male parent, 74.02-fold in the female parent, and 6.14-fold average in each double haploid individual. In total, 188,982 SLAFs were detected, of which 6731 were length polymorphic SLAFs that could be used to construct a genetic map. The final map included 4550 length polymorphic markers that were combined into 740 bins on five linkage groups, with a length of 874.33 cM and an average distance of 1.18 cM between adjacent bins. This map was used for QTL mapping to identify chromosomal regions associated with six economically important traits: frond length, width, thickness, fresh weight, growth rates of frond length and growth rates of fresh weight. Fifteen QTLs were identified for these traits. The value of phenotypic variance explained by an individual QTL ranged from 9.59 to 16.61 %, and the confidence interval of each QTL ranged from 0.97 cM to 16.51 cM. The first high-density genetic linkage map for P. haitanensis was constructed, and fifteen QTLs associated with six economically important traits were identified. The results of this study not only provide a platform for gene and QTL fine mapping, map-based gene isolation, and molecular breeding for P. haitanensis, but will also serve as a reference for positioning sequence scaffolds on a physical

Combining quantitative and qualitative breast density measures to assess breast cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerlikowske, Karla; Ma, Lin; Scott, Christopher G; Mahmoudzadeh, Amir P; Jensen, Matthew R; Sprague, Brian L; Henderson, Louise M; Pankratz, V Shane; Cummings, Steven R; Miglioretti, Diana L; Vachon, Celine M; Shepherd, John A

2017-08-22

Accurately identifying women with dense breasts (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System [BI-RADS] heterogeneously or extremely dense) who are at high breast cancer risk will facilitate discussions of supplemental imaging and primary prevention. We examined the independent contribution of dense breast volume and BI-RADS breast density to predict invasive breast cancer and whether dense breast volume combined with Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) risk model factors (age, race/ethnicity, family history of breast cancer, history of breast biopsy, and BI-RADS breast density) improves identifying women with dense breasts at high breast cancer risk. We conducted a case-control study of 1720 women with invasive cancer and 3686 control subjects. We calculated ORs and 95% CIs for the effect of BI-RADS breast density and Volpara™ automated dense breast volume on invasive cancer risk, adjusting for other BCSC risk model factors plus body mass index (BMI), and we compared C-statistics between models. We calculated BCSC 5-year breast cancer risk, incorporating the adjusted ORs associated with dense breast volume. Compared with women with BI-RADS scattered fibroglandular densities and second-quartile dense breast volume, women with BI-RADS extremely dense breasts and third- or fourth-quartile dense breast volume (75% of women with extremely dense breasts) had high breast cancer risk (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.84-4.47, and OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.87-3.52, respectively), whereas women with extremely dense breasts and first- or second-quartile dense breast volume were not at significantly increased breast cancer risk (OR 1.53, 95% CI 0.75-3.09, and OR 1.50, 95% CI 0.82-2.73, respectively). Adding continuous dense breast volume to a model with BCSC risk model factors and BMI increased discriminatory accuracy compared with a model with only BCSC risk model factors (C-statistic 0.639, 95% CI 0.623-0.654, vs. C-statistic 0.614, 95% CI 0.598-0.630, respectively; P breasts and fourth

Performance analysis of a pre-FFT equalizer design for DVB-T

OpenAIRE

Armour, SMD; Nix, AR; Bull, David

1999-01-01

Conventional OFDM employs a guard interval to combat delay spread distortion of transmitted data. This reduces the efficiency of the OFDM transmission. The combined OFDM-Equalization strategy described here employs an Adaptive Equalizer to combat delay spread distortion and thereby facilitates the use of very short guard intervals and thus a more efficient OFDM modulation scheme. The OFDM receiver and the equalizer are described and performance is simulated for transmission in a multipath rad...

Gender equality and equal opportunity mechanisms in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mršević Zorica

2007-01-01

Full Text Available As a country of Southern European mentality Italy may be taken as the nearest-to-the-Balkans model of the gender equality mechanisms and necessity of their existence. Italy also might be taken as a model of domain and methods of functioning of the gender equality mechanisms as well as their connections with the EU development funds. Besides the Italian Ministry for Rights and Equal opportunities and the National Committee, the attention was paid to the whole range of local mechanisms and legal regulations dealing with advancement of women’s employment and counteracting discrimination on the labor market. In the text are analyzed through the five chapters the Italian mechanisms/institutions for gender equality as located within the European institutional environment but also within the context of Italian recent history of struggle against gender based discrimination. It was stressed that the essence of the accumulated European institutional wisdom is in diversity of the gender equality bodies rather then in their uniformity. Although the Italian mechanisms for gender equality are part of the European institutional environment their aim is to meet the internal needs for advancement of gender equality. Besides, the mechanisms also meet the demands of the international standards comprised in the documents issued by the UN and the EU. In European countries these mechanisms are frequently established and function in the domains of the labor and employment regulations, but also are located within the human rights portfolios while somewhere are connected with the minority rights and equal opportunity implementation.

A high-density genetic map and QTL analysis of agronomic traits in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.] using RAD-seq.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Wang, Zhilan; Du, Xiaofen; Yang, Huiqing; Han, Fang; Han, Yuanhuai; Yuan, Feng; Zhang, Linyi; Peng, Shuzhong; Guo, Erhu

2017-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a very important grain crop in China, has become a new model plant for cereal crops and biofuel grasses. Although its reference genome sequence was released recently, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling complex agronomic traits remains limited. The development of massively parallel genotyping methods and next-generation sequencing technologies provides an excellent opportunity for developing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for linkage map construction and QTL analysis of complex quantitative traits. In this study, a high-throughput and cost-effective RAD-seq approach was employed to generate a high-density genetic map for foxtail millet. A total of 2,668,587 SNP loci were detected according to the reference genome sequence; meanwhile, 9,968 SNP markers were used to genotype 124 F2 progenies derived from the cross between Hongmiaozhangu and Changnong35; a high-density genetic map spanning 1648.8 cM, with an average distance of 0.17 cM between adjacent markers was constructed; 11 major QTLs for eight agronomic traits were identified; five co-dominant DNA markers were developed. These findings will be of value for the identification of candidate genes and marker-assisted selection in foxtail millet.

A Semiotic Analysis of the Gender Equality Paradigm. Case study: the Gender Pay Gap Campaign

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mădălina Manolache

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Within the new European space of identity, attitude and action challenges, syntagms such as “unity in diversity” or “equal pay for work of equal value” have become identitarian brands for social groups with a high-level of self-awareness. Having the social semiotics (Kress, van Leeuwen [1996] 2006 as theoretical background, we focused our analysis on the gender equality paradigm. The empirical data were provided by four visual texts of the Gender Pay Gap campaign, initiated by the European Commission in March 2009, in order to map the new European “puzzle-space” . The analysis showed the importance of compositional, representational and interactive meanings within the European discourse on equality of chances and gender.

Variants for HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides identified from admixture mapping and fine-mapping analysis in African American families.

Science.gov (United States)

Shetty, Priya B; Tang, Hua; Feng, Tao; Tayo, Bamidele; Morrison, Alanna C; Kardia, Sharon L R; Hanis, Craig L; Arnett, Donna K; Hunt, Steven C; Boerwinkle, Eric; Rao, Dabeeru C; Cooper, Richard S; Risch, Neil; Zhu, Xiaofeng

2015-02-01

Admixture mapping of lipids was followed-up by family-based association analysis to identify variants for cardiovascular disease in African Americans. The present study conducted admixture mapping analysis for total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. The analysis was performed in 1905 unrelated African American subjects from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Family Blood Pressure Program (FBPP). Regions showing admixture evidence were followed-up with family-based association analysis in 3556 African American subjects from the FBPP. The admixture mapping and family-based association analyses were adjusted for age, age(2), sex, body mass index, and genome-wide mean ancestry to minimize the confounding caused by population stratification. Regions that were suggestive of local ancestry association evidence were found on chromosomes 7 (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), 8 (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), 14 (triglycerides), and 19 (total cholesterol and triglycerides). In the fine-mapping analysis, 52 939 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested and 11 SNPs (8 independent SNPs) showed nominal significant association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2 SNPs), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (4 SNPs), and triglycerides (5 SNPs). The family data were used in the fine-mapping to identify SNPs that showed novel associations with lipids and regions, including genes with known associations for cardiovascular disease. This study identified regions on chromosomes 7, 8, 14, and 19 and 11 SNPs from the fine-mapping analysis that were associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides for further studies of cardiovascular disease in African Americans. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

The Effects of Vent Location, Event Scale, and Time Forecasts on Pyroclastic Density Current Hazard Maps at Campi Flegrei Caldera (Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Bevilacqua

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study presents a new method for producing long-term hazard maps for pyroclastic density currents (PDC originating at Campi Flegrei caldera. Such method is based on a doubly stochastic approach and is able to combine the uncertainty assessments on the spatial location of the volcanic vent, the size of the flow and the expected time of such an event. The results are obtained by using a Monte Carlo approach and adopting a simplified invasion model based on the box model integral approximation. Temporal assessments are modeled through a Cox-type process including self-excitement effects, based on the eruptive record of the last 15 kyr. Mean and percentile maps of PDC invasion probability are produced, exploring their sensitivity to some sources of uncertainty and to the effects of the dependence between PDC scales and the caldera sector where they originated. Conditional maps representative of PDC originating inside limited zones of the caldera, or of PDC with a limited range of scales are also produced. Finally, the effect of assuming different time windows for the hazard estimates is explored, also including the potential occurrence of a sequence of multiple events. Assuming that the last eruption of Monte Nuovo (A.D. 1538 marked the beginning of a new epoch of activity similar to the previous ones, results of the statistical analysis indicate a mean probability of PDC invasion above 5% in the next 50 years on almost the entire caldera (with a probability peak of ~25% in the central part of the caldera. In contrast, probability values reduce by a factor of about 3 if the entire eruptive record is considered over the last 15 kyr, i.e., including both eruptive epochs and quiescent periods.

A high-density SNP genetic linkage map for the silver-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima: a valuable resource for gene localisation and marker-assisted selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, David B; Jerry, Dean R; Khatkar, Mehar S; Raadsma, Herman W; Zenger, Kyall R

2013-11-20

The silver-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima, is an important tropical aquaculture species extensively farmed for the highly sought "South Sea" pearls. Traditional breeding programs have been initiated for this species in order to select for improved pearl quality, but many economic traits under selection are complex, polygenic and confounded with environmental factors, limiting the accuracy of selection. The incorporation of a marker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding approach would greatly benefit pearl breeding programs by allowing the direct selection of genes responsible for pearl quality. However, before MAS can be incorporated, substantial genomic resources such as genetic linkage maps need to be generated. The construction of a high-density genetic linkage map for P. maxima is not only essential for unravelling the genomic architecture of complex pearl quality traits, but also provides indispensable information on the genome structure of pearl oysters. A total of 1,189 informative genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were incorporated into linkage map construction. The final linkage map consisted of 887 SNPs in 14 linkage groups, spans a total genetic distance of 831.7 centimorgans (cM), and covers an estimated 96% of the P. maxima genome. Assessment of sex-specific recombination across all linkage groups revealed limited overall heterochiasmy between the sexes (i.e. 1.15:1 F/M map length ratio). However, there were pronounced localised differences throughout the linkage groups, whereby male recombination was suppressed near the centromeres compared to female recombination, but inflated towards telomeric regions. Mean values of LD for adjacent SNP pairs suggest that a higher density of markers will be required for powerful genome-wide association studies. Finally, numerous nacre biomineralization genes were localised providing novel positional information for these genes. This high-density SNP genetic map is the first comprehensive linkage

Correlation of transmissive fractures in pilot holes ONK-PH8 - PH12 and fracture traces mapped in ONKALO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmen, J.; Nummela, J.; Ahokas, H.

2014-05-01

In a preceding study Posiva flow logging (PFL) with a 0.5 m test interval and 0.1 m steps has been used together with optical drillhole images and core logging fracture data for the exact determination of the depth of hydraulically conductive fractures in pilot holes. The fracture traces have been mapped from the ONKALO tunnel walls as a part of the systematic mapping. The mapping results has been digitized to a 3D tunnel layout in Surpac programme. The data integrity and fracture trace uniqueness has been verified by Datactica Oy and further collected to a database (RakokantaDatacticaPosiva20100607.mdb). Fractures mapped with leakage attribute have been defined as flowing, dripping, wet, or damp where the attribute is recorded. The fractures with no leakage attribute value appear to be non leaking. The water leaking surfaces on the ONKALO tunnel walls have been mapped sequentially and conclusively (once or twice a year) as a part of the Olkiluoto monitoring program (OMO) using an equal five step measure as used with fracture traces in systematic mapping. The PFL results correlated with core logging fracture data from the pilot holes ONK-PH8 - ONK-PH12 were in this work further correlated with the fractures mapped from the ONKALO tunnel walls. Each hydraulically conductive fracture of ONK-PH8 - ONK-PH12 was investigated and linked to ONKALO fracture of a coherent orientation and matching location, where such fracture trace was available. Also tunnel crosscutting fracture (TCF) data was used in combining, since the systematic mapping data was not yet available for the pilot holes ONK-PH11 and ONK-PH12 at the time of the evaluation. The main objective of the work was to identify the ONKALO fractures which correspond to the flow from fracture(s) identified with the PFL method in pilot holes and to collect basic information about the occurrence, frequency and orientation of water bearing fractures along the ONKALO tunnel. The correlated hydraulically conductive

Correlation of transmissive fractures in pilot holes ONK-PH8 - PH12 and fracture traces mapped in ONKALO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palmen, J.; Nummela, J.; Ahokas, H. [Poeyry Finland Oy, Vantaa (Finland)

2014-05-15

In a preceding study Posiva flow logging (PFL) with a 0.5 m test interval and 0.1 m steps has been used together with optical drillhole images and core logging fracture data for the exact determination of the depth of hydraulically conductive fractures in pilot holes. The fracture traces have been mapped from the ONKALO tunnel walls as a part of the systematic mapping. The mapping results has been digitized to a 3D tunnel layout in Surpac programme. The data integrity and fracture trace uniqueness has been verified by Datactica Oy and further collected to a database (RakokantaDatacticaPosiva20100607.mdb). Fractures mapped with leakage attribute have been defined as flowing, dripping, wet, or damp where the attribute is recorded. The fractures with no leakage attribute value appear to be non leaking. The water leaking surfaces on the ONKALO tunnel walls have been mapped sequentially and conclusively (once or twice a year) as a part of the Olkiluoto monitoring program (OMO) using an equal five step measure as used with fracture traces in systematic mapping. The PFL results correlated with core logging fracture data from the pilot holes ONK-PH8 - ONK-PH12 were in this work further correlated with the fractures mapped from the ONKALO tunnel walls. Each hydraulically conductive fracture of ONK-PH8 - ONK-PH12 was investigated and linked to ONKALO fracture of a coherent orientation and matching location, where such fracture trace was available. Also tunnel crosscutting fracture (TCF) data was used in combining, since the systematic mapping data was not yet available for the pilot holes ONK-PH11 and ONK-PH12 at the time of the evaluation. The main objective of the work was to identify the ONKALO fractures which correspond to the flow from fracture(s) identified with the PFL method in pilot holes and to collect basic information about the occurrence, frequency and orientation of water bearing fractures along the ONKALO tunnel. The correlated hydraulically conductive

Combining task-evoked and spontaneous activity to improve pre-operative brain mapping with fMRI

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Michael D.; Qian, Tianyi; Madsen, Joseph R.; Wang, Danhong; Li, Meiling; Ge, Manling; Zuo, Huan-cong; Groppe, David M.; Mehta, Ashesh D.; Hong, Bo; Liu, Hesheng

2016-01-01

Noninvasive localization of brain function is used to understand and treat neurological disease, exemplified by pre-operative fMRI mapping prior to neurosurgical intervention. The principal approach for generating these maps relies on brain responses evoked by a task and, despite known limitations, has dominated clinical practice for over 20 years. Recently, pre-operative fMRI mapping based on correlations in spontaneous brain activity has been demonstrated, however this approach has its own limitations and has not seen widespread clinical use. Here we show that spontaneous and task-based mapping can be performed together using the same pre-operative fMRI data, provide complimentary information relevant for functional localization, and can be combined to improve identification of eloquent motor cortex. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of our approach are quantified through comparison with electrical cortical stimulation mapping in eight patients with intractable epilepsy. Broad applicability and reproducibility of our approach is demonstrated through prospective replication in an independent dataset of six patients from a different center. In both cohorts and every individual patient, we see a significant improvement in signal to noise and mapping accuracy independent of threshold, quantified using receiver operating characteristic curves. Collectively, our results suggest that modifying the processing of fMRI data to incorporate both task-based and spontaneous activity significantly improves functional localization in pre-operative patients. Because this method requires no additional scan time or modification to conventional pre-operative data acquisition protocols it could have widespread utility. PMID:26408860

Landslide Susceptibility Mapping Based on Selected Optimal Combination of Landslide Predisposing Factors in a Large Catchment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qianqian Wang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Landslides are usually initiated under complex geological conditions. It is of great significance to find out the optimal combination of predisposing factors and create an accurate landslide susceptibility map based on them. In this paper, the Information Value Model was modified to make the Modified Information Value (MIV Model, and together with GIS (Geographical Information System and AUC (Area Under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve test, 32 factor combinations were evaluated separately, and factor combination group with members Slope, Lithology, Drainage network, Annual precipitation, Faults, Road and Vegetation was selected as the optimal combination group with an accuracy of 95.0%. Based on this group, a landslide susceptibility zonation map was drawn, where the study area was reclassified into five classes, presenting an accurate description of different levels of landslide susceptibility, with 79.41% and 13.67% of the validating field survey landslides falling in the Very High and High zones, respectively, mainly distributed in the south and southeast of the catchment. It showed that MIV model can tackle the problem of “no data in subclass” well, generate the true information value and show real running trend, which performs well in showing the relationship between predisposing factors and landslide occurrence and can be used for preliminary landslide susceptibility assessment in the study area.

Measurement of carbon nanotube microstructure relative density by optical attenuation and observation of size-dependent variations.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sei Jin; Schmidt, Aaron J; Bedewy, Mostafa; Hart, A John

2013-07-21

Engineering the density of carbon nanotube (CNT) forest microstructures is vital to applications such as electrical interconnects, micro-contact probes, and thermal interface materials. For CNT forests on centimeter-scale substrates, weight and volume can be used to calculate density. However, this is not suitable for smaller samples, including individual microstructures, and moreover does not enable mapping of spatial density variations within the forest. We demonstrate that the relative mass density of individual CNT microstructures can be measured by optical attenuation, with spatial resolution equaling the size of the focused spot. For this, a custom optical setup was built to measure the transmission of a focused laser beam through CNT microstructures. The transmittance was correlated with the thickness of the CNT microstructures by Beer-Lambert-Bouguer law to calculate the attenuation coefficient. We reveal that the density of CNT microstructures grown by CVD can depend on their size, and that the overall density of arrays of microstructures is affected significantly by run-to-run process variations. Further, we use the technique to quantify the change in CNT microstructure density due to capillary densification. This is a useful and accessible metrology technique for CNTs in future microfabrication processes, and will enable direct correlation of density to important properties such as stiffness and electrical conductivity.

Multitracer CMB delensing maps from Planck and WISE data

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Byeonghee; Hill, J. Colin; Sherwin, Blake D.

2017-12-01

Delensing, the removal of the limiting lensing B -mode background, is crucial for the success of future cosmic microwave background (CMB) surveys in constraining inflationary gravitational waves (IGWs). In recent work, delensing with large-scale structure tracers has emerged as a promising method both for improving constraints on IGWs and for testing delensing methods for future use. However, the delensing fractions (i.e., the fraction of the lensing-B mode power removed) achieved by recent efforts have been only 20%-30%. In this work, we provide a detailed characterization of a full-sky, dust-cleaned cosmic infrared background (CIB) map for delensing and construct a further-improved delensing template by adding additional tracers to increase delensing performance. In particular, we build a multitracer delensing template by combining the dust-cleaned Planck CIB map with a reconstructed CMB lensing map from Planck and a galaxy number density map from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) satellite. For this combination, we calculate the relevant weightings by fitting smooth templates to measurements of all the cross-spectra and autospectra of these maps. On a large fraction of the sky (fsky=0.43 ), we demonstrate that our maps are capable of providing a delensing factor of 43 ±1 % ; using a more restrictive mask (fsky=0.11 ), the delensing factor reaches 48 ±1 % . For low-noise surveys, our delensing maps, which cover much of the sky, can thus improve constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio (r ) by nearly a factor of 2. The delensing tracer maps are made publicly available, and we encourage their use in ongoing and upcoming B -mode surveys.

High-density genetic mapping of a major QTL for resistance to multiple races of loose smut in a tetraploid wheat cross

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sachin; Knox, Ron E.; Singh, Asheesh K.; DePauw, Ron M.; Campbell, Heather L.; Isidro-Sanchez, Julio; Clarke, Fran R.; Pozniak, Curtis J.; N’Daye, Amidou; Meyer, Brad; Sharpe, Andrew; Ruan, Yuefeng; Cuthbert, Richard D.; Somers, Daryl; Fedak, George

2018-01-01

Loose smut, caused by Ustilago tritici (Pers.) Rostr., is a systemic disease of tetraploid durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.). Loose smut can be economically controlled by growing resistant varieties, making it important to find and deploy new sources of resistance. Blackbird, a variety of T. turgidum L. subsp. carthlicum (Nevski) A. Love & D. Love, carries a high level of resistance to loose smut. Blackbird was crossed with the loose smut susceptible durum cultivar Strongfield to produce a doubled haploid (DH) mapping population. The parents and progenies were inoculated with U. tritici races T26, T32 and T33 individually and as a mixture at Swift Current, Canada in 2011 and 2012 and loose smut incidence (LSI) was assessed. Genotyping of the DH population and parents using an Infinium iSelect 90K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array identified 12,952 polymorphic SNPs. The SNPs and 426 SSRs (previously genotyped in the same population) were mapped to 16 linkage groups spanning 3008.4 cM at an average inter-marker space of 0.2 cM in a high-density genetic map. Composite interval mapping analysis revealed three significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for loose smut resistance on chromosomes 3A, 6B and 7A. The loose smut resistance QTL on 6B (QUt.spa-6B.2) and 7A (QUt.spa-7A.2) were derived from Blackbird. Strongfield contributed the minor QTL on 3A (QUt.spa-3A.2). The resistance on 6B was a stable major QTL effective against all individual races and the mixture of the three races; it explained up to 74% of the phenotypic variation. This study is the first attempt in durum wheat to identify and map loose smut resistance QTL using a high-density genetic map. The QTL QUt.spa-6B.2 would be an effective source for breeding resistance to multiple races of the loose smut pathogen because it provides near-complete broad resistance to the predominant virulence on the Canadian prairies. PMID:29485999

High-density genetic mapping of a major QTL for resistance to multiple races of loose smut in a tetraploid wheat cross.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sachin Kumar

Full Text Available Loose smut, caused by Ustilago tritici (Pers. Rostr., is a systemic disease of tetraploid durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.. Loose smut can be economically controlled by growing resistant varieties, making it important to find and deploy new sources of resistance. Blackbird, a variety of T. turgidum L. subsp. carthlicum (Nevski A. Love & D. Love, carries a high level of resistance to loose smut. Blackbird was crossed with the loose smut susceptible durum cultivar Strongfield to produce a doubled haploid (DH mapping population. The parents and progenies were inoculated with U. tritici races T26, T32 and T33 individually and as a mixture at Swift Current, Canada in 2011 and 2012 and loose smut incidence (LSI was assessed. Genotyping of the DH population and parents using an Infinium iSelect 90K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP array identified 12,952 polymorphic SNPs. The SNPs and 426 SSRs (previously genotyped in the same population were mapped to 16 linkage groups spanning 3008.4 cM at an average inter-marker space of 0.2 cM in a high-density genetic map. Composite interval mapping analysis revealed three significant quantitative trait loci (QTL for loose smut resistance on chromosomes 3A, 6B and 7A. The loose smut resistance QTL on 6B (QUt.spa-6B.2 and 7A (QUt.spa-7A.2 were derived from Blackbird. Strongfield contributed the minor QTL on 3A (QUt.spa-3A.2. The resistance on 6B was a stable major QTL effective against all individual races and the mixture of the three races; it explained up to 74% of the phenotypic variation. This study is the first attempt in durum wheat to identify and map loose smut resistance QTL using a high-density genetic map. The QTL QUt.spa-6B.2 would be an effective source for breeding resistance to multiple races of the loose smut pathogen because it provides near-complete broad resistance to the predominant virulence on the Canadian prairies.

A Ranking Analysis/An Interlinking Approach of New Triangular Fuzzy Cognitive Maps and Combined Effective Time Dependent Matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Adiga, Shreemathi; Saraswathi, A.; Praveen Prakash, A.

2018-04-01

This paper aims an interlinking approach of new Triangular Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (TrFCM) and Combined Effective Time Dependent (CETD) matrix to find the ranking of the problems of Transgenders. Section one begins with an introduction that briefly describes the scope of Triangular Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (TrFCM) and CETD Matrix. Section two provides the process of causes of problems faced by Transgenders using Fuzzy Triangular Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (TrFCM) method and performs the calculations using the collected data among the Transgender. In Section 3, the reasons for the main causes for the problems of the Transgenders. Section 4 describes the Charles Spearmans coefficients of rank correlation method by interlinking of Triangular Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (TrFCM) Method and CETD Matrix. Section 5 shows the results based on our study.

36 CFR 254.12 - Value equalization; cash equalization waiver.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Value equalization; cash... AGRICULTURE LANDOWNERSHIP ADJUSTMENTS Land Exchanges § 254.12 Value equalization; cash equalization waiver. (a..., either with or without adjustments of relative values as compensation for various costs, the parties to...

MO-F-CAMPUS-J-04: Tissue Segmentation-Based MR Electron Density Mapping Method for MR-Only Radiation Treatment Planning of Brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, H [Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Lee, Y [Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Ruschin, M [Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON (Canada); Karam, I [Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Center, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Sahgal, A [University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2015-06-15

Purpose: Automatically derive electron density of tissues using MR images and generate a pseudo-CT for MR-only treatment planning of brain tumours. Methods: 20 stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) patients’ T1-weighted MR images and CT images were retrospectively acquired. First, a semi-automated tissue segmentation algorithm was developed to differentiate tissues with similar MR intensities and large differences in electron densities. The method started with approximately 12 slices of manually contoured spatial regions containing sinuses and airways, then air, bone, brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and eyes were automatically segmented using edge detection and anatomical information including location, shape, tissue uniformity and relative intensity distribution. Next, soft tissues - muscle and fat were segmented based on their relative intensity histogram. Finally, intensities of voxels in each segmented tissue were mapped into their electron density range to generate pseudo-CT by linearly fitting their relative intensity histograms. Co-registered CT was used as a ground truth. The bone segmentations of pseudo-CT were compared with those of co-registered CT obtained by using a 300HU threshold. The average distances between voxels on external edges of the skull of pseudo-CT and CT in three axial, coronal and sagittal slices with the largest width of skull were calculated. The mean absolute electron density (in Hounsfield unit) difference of voxels in each segmented tissues was calculated. Results: The average of distances between voxels on external skull from pseudo-CT and CT were 0.6±1.1mm (mean±1SD). The mean absolute electron density differences for bone, brain, CSF, muscle and fat are 78±114 HU, and 21±8 HU, 14±29 HU, 57±37 HU, and 31±63 HU, respectively. Conclusion: The semi-automated MR electron density mapping technique was developed using T1-weighted MR images. The generated pseudo-CT is comparable to that of CT in terms of anatomical position of

Principal component analysis of the CT density histogram to generate parametric response maps of COPD

Science.gov (United States)

Zha, N.; Capaldi, D. P. I.; Pike, D.; McCormack, D. G.; Cunningham, I. A.; Parraga, G.

2015-03-01

Pulmonary x-ray computed tomography (CT) may be used to characterize emphysema and airways disease in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One analysis approach - parametric response mapping (PMR) utilizes registered inspiratory and expiratory CT image volumes and CT-density-histogram thresholds, but there is no consensus regarding the threshold values used, or their clinical meaning. Principal-component-analysis (PCA) of the CT density histogram can be exploited to quantify emphysema using data-driven CT-density-histogram thresholds. Thus, the objective of this proof-of-concept demonstration was to develop a PRM approach using PCA-derived thresholds in COPD patients and ex-smokers without airflow limitation. Methods: Fifteen COPD ex-smokers and 5 normal ex-smokers were evaluated. Thoracic CT images were also acquired at full inspiration and full expiration and these images were non-rigidly co-registered. PCA was performed for the CT density histograms, from which the components with the highest eigenvalues greater than one were summed. Since the values of the principal component curve correlate directly with the variability in the sample, the maximum and minimum points on the curve were used as threshold values for the PCA-adjusted PRM technique. Results: A significant correlation was determined between conventional and PCA-adjusted PRM with 3He MRI apparent diffusion coefficient (p<0.001), with CT RA950 (p<0.0001), as well as with 3He MRI ventilation defect percent, a measurement of both small airways disease (p=0.049 and p=0.06, respectively) and emphysema (p=0.02). Conclusions: PRM generated using PCA thresholds of the CT density histogram showed significant correlations with CT and 3He MRI measurements of emphysema, but not airways disease.

Land use, forest density, soil mapping, erosion, drainage, salinity limitations

Science.gov (United States)

Yassoglou, N. J. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The results of analyses show that it is possible to obtain information of practical significance as follows: (1) A quick and accurate estimate of the proper use of the valuable land can be made on the basis of temporal and spectral characteristics of the land features. (2) A rather accurate delineation of the major forest formations in the test areas was achieved on the basis of spatial and spectral characteristics of the studied areas. The forest stands were separated into two density classes; dense forest, and broken forest. On the basis of ERTS-1 data and the existing ground truth information a rather accurate mapping of the major vegetational forms of the mountain ranges can be made. (3) Major soil formations are mapable from ERTS-1 data: recent alluvial soils; soil on quarternary deposits; severely eroded soil and lithosol; and wet soils. (4) An estimation of cost benefits cannot be made accurately at this stage of the investigation. However, a rough estimate of the ratio of the cost for obtaining the same amount information from ERTS-1 data and from conventional operations would be approximately 1:6 to 1:10, in favor of the ERTS-1.

Uncertainties in mapping forest carbon in urban ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gang; Ozelkan, Emre; Singh, Kunwar K; Zhou, Jun; Brown, Marilyn R; Meentemeyer, Ross K

2017-02-01

Spatially explicit urban forest carbon estimation provides a baseline map for understanding the variation in forest vertical structure, informing sustainable forest management and urban planning. While high-resolution remote sensing has proven promising for carbon mapping in highly fragmented urban landscapes, data cost and availability are the major obstacle prohibiting accurate, consistent, and repeated measurement of forest carbon pools in cities. This study aims to evaluate the uncertainties of forest carbon estimation in response to the combined impacts of remote sensing data resolution and neighborhood spatial patterns in Charlotte, North Carolina. The remote sensing data for carbon mapping were resampled to a range of resolutions, i.e., LiDAR point cloud density - 5.8, 4.6, 2.3, and 1.2 pt s/m 2 , aerial optical NAIP (National Agricultural Imagery Program) imagery - 1, 5, 10, and 20 m. Urban spatial patterns were extracted to represent area, shape complexity, dispersion/interspersion, diversity, and connectivity of landscape patches across the residential neighborhoods with built-up densities from low, medium-low, medium-high, to high. Through statistical analyses, we found that changing remote sensing data resolution introduced noticeable uncertainties (variation) in forest carbon estimation at the neighborhood level. Higher uncertainties were caused by the change of LiDAR point density (causing 8.7-11.0% of variation) than changing NAIP image resolution (causing 6.2-8.6% of variation). For both LiDAR and NAIP, urban neighborhoods with a higher degree of anthropogenic disturbance unveiled a higher level of uncertainty in carbon mapping. However, LiDAR-based results were more likely to be affected by landscape patch connectivity, and the NAIP-based estimation was found to be significantly influenced by the complexity of patch shape. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combining µXANES and µXRD mapping to analyse the heterogeneity in calcium carbonate granules excreted by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brinza, Loredana; Schofield, Paul F.; Hodson, Mark E.; Weller, Sophie; Ignatyev, Konstantin; Geraki, Kalotina; Quinn, Paul D.; Mosselmans, J. Frederick W.

2014-01-01

A new experimental set-up enabling microfocus fluorescence XANES mapping and microfocus XRD mapping on the same sample at beamline I18 at Diamond Light Source is described. To demonstrate this set-up the heterogeneous mineralogy in calcium carbonate granules excreted by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris has been analysed. Data analysis methods have been developed which enable µXRD and µXANES two-dimensional maps to be compared. The use of fluorescence full spectral micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (µXANES) mapping is becoming more widespread in the hard energy regime. This experimental method using the Ca K-edge combined with micro-X-ray diffraction (µXRD) mapping of the same sample has been enabled on beamline I18 at Diamond Light Source. This combined approach has been used to probe both long- and short-range order in calcium carbonate granules produced by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris. In granules produced by earthworms cultured in a control artificial soil, calcite and vaterite are observed in the granules. However, granules produced by earthworms cultivated in the same artificial soil amended with 500 p.p.m. Mg also contain an aragonite. The two techniques, µXRD and µXANES, probe different sample volumes but there is good agreement in the phase maps produced

Combining µXANES and µXRD mapping to analyse the heterogeneity in calcium carbonate granules excreted by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brinza, Loredana [Diamond Light Source, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0DE (United Kingdom); Schofield, Paul F. [Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD (United Kingdom); Hodson, Mark E. [University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); Weller, Sophie [University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR (United Kingdom); Ignatyev, Konstantin; Geraki, Kalotina; Quinn, Paul D.; Mosselmans, J. Frederick W., E-mail: fred.mosselmans@diamond.ac.uk [Diamond Light Source, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0DE (United Kingdom)

2014-01-01

A new experimental set-up enabling microfocus fluorescence XANES mapping and microfocus XRD mapping on the same sample at beamline I18 at Diamond Light Source is described. To demonstrate this set-up the heterogeneous mineralogy in calcium carbonate granules excreted by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris has been analysed. Data analysis methods have been developed which enable µXRD and µXANES two-dimensional maps to be compared. The use of fluorescence full spectral micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (µXANES) mapping is becoming more widespread in the hard energy regime. This experimental method using the Ca K-edge combined with micro-X-ray diffraction (µXRD) mapping of the same sample has been enabled on beamline I18 at Diamond Light Source. This combined approach has been used to probe both long- and short-range order in calcium carbonate granules produced by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris. In granules produced by earthworms cultured in a control artificial soil, calcite and vaterite are observed in the granules. However, granules produced by earthworms cultivated in the same artificial soil amended with 500 p.p.m. Mg also contain an aragonite. The two techniques, µXRD and µXANES, probe different sample volumes but there is good agreement in the phase maps produced.

Spatial relationship between bone formation and mechanical stimulus within cortical bone: Combining 3D fluorochrome mapping and poroelastic finite element modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrieroa, A; Pereirab, A F; Wilson, A J; Castagno, S; Javaheri, B; Pitsillides, A A; Marenzana, M; Shefelbine, S J

2018-06-01

Bone is a dynamic tissue and adapts its architecture in response to biological and mechanical factors. Here we investigate how cortical bone formation is spatially controlled by the local mechanical environment in the murine tibia axial loading model (C57BL/6). We obtained 3D locations of new bone formation by performing 'slice and view' 3D fluorochrome mapping of the entire bone and compared these sites with the regions of high fluid velocity or strain energy density estimated using a finite element model, validated with ex-vivo bone surface strain map acquired ex-vivo using digital image correlation. For the comparison, 2D maps of the average bone formation and peak mechanical stimulus on the tibial endosteal and periosteal surface across the entire cortical surface were created. Results showed that bone formed on the periosteal and endosteal surface in regions of high fluid flow. Peak strain energy density predicted only the formation of bone periosteally. Understanding how the mechanical stimuli spatially relates with regions of cortical bone formation in response to loading will eventually guide loading regime therapies to maintain or restore bone mass in specific sites in skeletal pathologies.

DAWN GRAND MAP CERES TPE NEUTRON COUNTS V1.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A global map thermal+epithermal neutron counting rates binned on twenty-degree quasi-equal-area pixels is provided. The map was determined from a time series of the...

From equality to 'equality'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panov Slobodan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Pursuant to lucid statement of a Serbian academician that the ideals of mankind have always been justice, freedom, virtues and that life was less noble, the work analyses whether there is both 'equality', as morosofo exist (stupid wise men, profitable altruists and evil humanists and admirers of freedom of monistic thinking. Is there a dialectics: from equality to 'equality'? At the time of profitable altruists, evil humanists and excellent actors of virtues, it is worthwhile to remember Nietzsche's attitude about the pose of morality: subordination to morality may be slavish, proud, sordid, and resigned. In theological literature it is said that both patriarchate and matriarchate are the same denial of thankful supplemental gifts to a man and a woman. There is no love and sacrifice in government. There is no fortune in slavery, but there is no happiness in mastery either. Can a 'hymn' of individualism, with empty concepts and legal formulations that encourage and sharpen the conflict of family members be an introductory tact of the dictatorship ballade? Is the projection of conflicts into a family and micro-environment a project against emotional solidarity, strength, independence, courage and will for freedom? If we cannot rely upon family are we strong enough to confront totalitarian in democratic?.

Combining task-evoked and spontaneous activity to improve pre-operative brain mapping with fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Michael D; Qian, Tianyi; Madsen, Joseph R; Wang, Danhong; Li, Meiling; Ge, Manling; Zuo, Huan-Cong; Groppe, David M; Mehta, Ashesh D; Hong, Bo; Liu, Hesheng

2016-01-01

Noninvasive localization of brain function is used to understand and treat neurological disease, exemplified by pre-operative fMRI mapping prior to neurosurgical intervention. The principal approach for generating these maps relies on brain responses evoked by a task and, despite known limitations, has dominated clinical practice for over 20years. Recently, pre-operative fMRI mapping based on correlations in spontaneous brain activity has been demonstrated, however this approach has its own limitations and has not seen widespread clinical use. Here we show that spontaneous and task-based mapping can be performed together using the same pre-operative fMRI data, provide complimentary information relevant for functional localization, and can be combined to improve identification of eloquent motor cortex. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of our approach are quantified through comparison with electrical cortical stimulation mapping in eight patients with intractable epilepsy. Broad applicability and reproducibility of our approach are demonstrated through prospective replication in an independent dataset of six patients from a different center. In both cohorts and every individual patient, we see a significant improvement in signal to noise and mapping accuracy independent of threshold, quantified using receiver operating characteristic curves. Collectively, our results suggest that modifying the processing of fMRI data to incorporate both task-based and spontaneous activity significantly improves functional localization in pre-operative patients. Because this method requires no additional scan time or modification to conventional pre-operative data acquisition protocols it could have widespread utility. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mapping radon-prone areas using γ-radiation dose rate and geological information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García-Talavera, M; Rey, C; Ramos, L; García-Pérez, A

2013-01-01

Identifying radon-prone areas is key to policies on the control of this environmental carcinogen. In the current paper, we present the methodology followed to delineate radon-prone areas in Spain. It combines information from indoor radon measurements with γ-radiation and geological maps. The advantage of the proposed approach is that it lessens the requirement for a high density of measurements by making use of commonly available information. It can be applied for an initial definition of radon-prone areas in countries committed to introducing a national radon policy or to improving existing radon maps in low population regions. (paper)

Gender Summit 2011: Equality Research and Innovation Through Equality

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tenglerová, Hana

2011-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 2 (2011), s. 72-74 ISSN 1210-6658. [European Gender Summit 2011: Equality Research and Innovation Through Equality . Brusel, 07.11.2011-08.11.2011] R&D Projects: GA MŠk OK08007 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70280505 Keywords : gender equality * science * policy Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography

Equal Opportunities Questionnaire

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

The initiative to promote Equal Opportunities at CERN started in 1993. The first Equal Opportunities Officer was appointed in 1996 followed by the creation of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Panel in 1998. Initially the concern was mainly the fair treatment of women in the work-place. Today the emphasis has evolved to ensuring that diversity is used to increase creativity and productivity in the work-place. In order to ensure that all aspects of Equal Opportunities and Diversity are covered, CERN’s Equal Opportunities team has prepared a survey to obtain your input. Your answers are confidential and will only be used for generating statistics. The questionnaire is on-line and can be accessed via: https://espace.cern.ch/EOQ. We hope that you will take a few minutes of your time to give your input and would be grateful if you could reply before 15/10/07. For further information about Equal Opportunities at CERN see: http://cern.ch/equal-opportunities The Equal Opportuni...

Getting to Equal : Promoting Gender Equality through Human Development

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2011-01-01

To achieve gender equality and empower women, it is essential to invest in human development. The World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development (hereafter WDR 2012) brings the best global evidence to bear on the relationship between gender equality and development. A central theme running through the report is how investments and outcomes in human development namely health...

Domestic gender equality and childbearing in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frances Goldscheider

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Sweden, which is among the most gender-equal societies in the world, combines 'modern' family patterns such as unmarried cohabitation, delayed parenthood, high maternal labor force participation, and high break-up rates - all usually linked with low birth rates - with relatively high fertility. Sweden also has a high level of shared parental responsibility for home and children. Objective: After decades of late 20th century research showing that increasing gender equality in the workplace was linked with lower fertility, might gender equality in the home increase fertility? Methods: Using data from the Swedish Young Adult Panel Study (YAPS, we use Cox regression to examine the effects on first, second, and third births of 1 holding attitudes about sharing equally in the care of the home and children, and 2 actual sharing in these domestic tasks. Results: Our analysis shows that, measuring attitudes before the transition to parenthood and actual practice four years later, it is inconsistency between sharing attitudes and the actual division of housework that reduces the likelihood of continued childbearing, especially on second births among women. Conclusions: As women are most likely to confront an inconsistent situation, with egalitarian ideals in a household without equal sharing, it is clear that having a partner who does not share housework is depressing Swedish fertility.

Visualizing the Logistic Map with a Microcontroller

Science.gov (United States)

Serna, Juan D.; Joshi, Amitabh

2012-01-01

The logistic map is one of the simplest nonlinear dynamical systems that clearly exhibits the route to chaos. In this paper, we explore the evolution of the logistic map using an open-source microcontroller connected to an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). We divide the one-dimensional domain interval [0,1] into ten equal parts, an associate…

High-resolution mapping of forest carbon stocks in the Colombian Amazon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. P. Asner

2012-07-01

Full Text Available High-resolution mapping of tropical forest carbon stocks can assist forest management and improve implementation of large-scale carbon retention and enhancement programs. Previous high-resolution approaches have relied on field plot and/or light detection and ranging (LiDAR samples of aboveground carbon density, which are typically upscaled to larger geographic areas using stratification maps. Such efforts often rely on detailed vegetation maps to stratify the region for sampling, but existing tropical forest maps are often too coarse and field plots too sparse for high-resolution carbon assessments. We developed a top-down approach for high-resolution carbon mapping in a 16.5 million ha region (> 40% of the Colombian Amazon – a remote landscape seldom documented. We report on three advances for large-scale carbon mapping: (i employing a universal approach to airborne LiDAR-calibration with limited field data; (ii quantifying environmental controls over carbon densities; and (iii developing stratification- and regression-based approaches for scaling up to regions outside of LiDAR coverage. We found that carbon stocks are predicted by a combination of satellite-derived elevation, fractional canopy cover and terrain ruggedness, allowing upscaling of the LiDAR samples to the full 16.5 million ha region. LiDAR-derived carbon maps have 14% uncertainty at 1 ha resolution, and the regional map based on stratification has 28% uncertainty in any given hectare. High-resolution approaches with quantifiable pixel-scale uncertainties will provide the most confidence for monitoring changes in tropical forest carbon stocks. Improved confidence will allow resource managers and decision makers to more rapidly and effectively implement actions that better conserve and utilize forests in tropical regions.

Combining ambiguous chemical shift mapping with structure-based backbone and NOE assignment from 15N-NOESY

KAUST Repository

Jang, Richard

2011-01-01

Chemical shift mapping is an important technique in NMRbased drug screening for identifying the atoms of a target protein that potentially bind to a drug molecule upon the molecule\\'s introduction in increasing concentrations. The goal is to obtain a mapping of peaks with known residue assignment from the reference spectrum of the unbound protein to peaks with unknown assignment in the target spectrum of the bound protein. Although a series of perturbed spectra help to trace a path from reference peaks to target peaks, a one-to-one mapping generally is not possible, especially for large proteins, due to errors, such as noise peaks, missing peaks, missing but then reappearing, overlapped, and new peaks not associated with any peaks in the reference. Due to these difficulties, the mapping is typically done manually or semi-automatically. However, automated methods are necessary for high-throughput drug screening. We present PeakWalker, a novel peak walking algorithm for fast-exchange systems that models the errors explicitly and performs many-to-one mapping. On the proteins: hBclXL, UbcH5B, and histone H1, it achieves an average accuracy of over 95% with less than 1.5 residues predicted per target peak. Given these mappings as input, we present PeakAssigner, a novel combined structure-based backbone resonance and NOE assignment algorithm that uses just 15N-NOESY, while avoiding TOCSY experiments and 13C- labeling, to resolve the ambiguities for a one-toone mapping. On the three proteins, it achieves an average accuracy of 94% or better. Copyright © 2011 ACM.

Summation on the basis of combinatorial representation of equal powers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander I. Nikonov

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In the paper the conclusion of combinatorial expressions for the sums of members of several sequences is considered. Conclusion is made on the basis of combinatorial representation of the sum of the weighted equal powers. The weighted members of a geometrical progression, the simple arithmetic-geometrical and combined progressions are subject to summation. One of principal places in the given conclusion occupies representation of members of each of the specified progressions in the form of matrix elements. The row of this matrix is formed with use of a gang of equal powers with the set weight factor. Besides, in work formulas of combinatorial identities with participation of free components of the sums of equal powers, and also separate power-member of sequence of equal powers or a geometrical progression are presented. All presented formulas have the general basis-components of the sums of equal powers.

High-Density Genetic Map Construction and Stem Total Polysaccharide Content-Related QTL Exploration for Chinese Endemic Dendrobium (Orchidaceae)

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jiangjie; Liu, Yuyang; Xu, Jing; Mei, Ziwei; Shi, Yujun; Liu, Pengli; He, Jianbo; Wang, Xiaotong; Meng, Yijun; Feng, Shangguo; Shen, Chenjia; Wang, Huizhong

2018-01-01

Plants of the Dendrobium genus are orchids with not only ornamental value but also high medicinal value. To understand the genetic basis of variations in active ingredients of the stem total polysaccharide contents (STPCs) among different Dendrobium species, it is of paramount importance to understand the mechanism of STPC formation and identify genes affecting its process at the whole genome level. Here, we report the first high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) integrated genetic map with a good genome coverage of Dendrobium. The specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology led to identification of 7,013,400 SNPs from 1,503,626 high-quality SLAF markers from two parents (Dendrobium moniliforme ♀ × Dendrobium officinale ♂) and their interspecific F1 hybrid population. The final genetic map contained 8, 573 SLAF markers, covering 19 linkage groups (LGs). This genetic map spanned a length of 2,737.49 cM, where the average distance between markers is 0.32 cM. In total, 5 quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to STPC were identified, 3 of which have candidate genes within the confidence intervals of these stable QTLs based on the D. officinale genome sequence. This study will build a foundation up for the mapping of other medicinal-related traits and provide an important reference for the molecular breeding of these Chinese herb. PMID:29636767

A high density barley microsatellite consensus map with 775 SSR loci

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Varshney, R.K.; Marcel, T.C.; Ramsay, L.; Russell, J.; Roder, M.S.; Stein, N.; Waugh, R.; Langridge, P.; Niks, R.E.; Graner, A.

2007-01-01

A microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) consensus map of barley was constructed by joining six independent genetic maps based on the mapping populations 'Igri x Franka', 'Steptoe x Morex', 'OWBRec x OWBDom', 'Lina x Canada Park', 'L94 x Vada' and 'SusPtrit x Vada'. Segregation data for

Integrating population dynamics into mapping human exposure to seismic hazard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Freire

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Disaster risk is not fully characterized without taking into account vulnerability and population exposure. Assessment of earthquake risk in urban areas would benefit from considering the variation of population distribution at more detailed spatial and temporal scales, and from a more explicit integration of this improved demographic data with existing seismic hazard maps. In the present work, "intelligent" dasymetric mapping is used to model population dynamics at high spatial resolution in order to benefit the analysis of spatio-temporal exposure to earthquake hazard in a metropolitan area. These night- and daytime-specific population densities are then classified and combined with seismic intensity levels to derive new spatially-explicit four-class-composite maps of human exposure. The presented approach enables a more thorough assessment of population exposure to earthquake hazard. Results show that there are significantly more people potentially at risk in the daytime period, demonstrating the shifting nature of population exposure in the daily cycle and the need to move beyond conventional residence-based demographic data sources to improve risk analyses. The proposed fine-scale maps of human exposure to seismic intensity are mainly aimed at benefiting visualization and communication of earthquake risk, but can be valuable in all phases of the disaster management process where knowledge of population densities is relevant for decision-making.

Effects of hydrogen peroxide, modified atmosphere and their combination on quality of minimally processed cluster beans.

Science.gov (United States)

Waghmare, Roji B; Annapure, Uday S

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the potential of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on quality of fresh-cut cluster beans. Fresh-cut cluster beans were dipped in a solution of 2% H 2 O 2 for 2 min, packed in an atmosphere of (5% O 2 , 10% CO 2 , 85% N 2 ) and stored in polypropylene bags at 5 °C for 35 days. Passive MAP was created by consuming O 2 and producing CO 2 by fresh-cut cluster beans. The combined effect of H 2 O 2 and MAP on physico-chemical analysis (Headspace gas, weight loss, chlorophyll, hardness and color), microbial quality (mesophilic aerobics and yeasts and molds) and sensory analysis were studied. Chemical treatment and MAP both are equally effective in extending the shelf life at 5 °C for 28 days. Hence, MAP can be an alternative for chemical treatment to achieve a shelf life of 28 days for fresh-cut cluster beans. Control samples, without chemical treatment and modified atmosphere, stored at 5 °C were spoiled after 14 days. Chemical treatment followed by MAP underwent minimum changes in weight, chlorophyll, hardness and color of fresh-cut cluster beans. Combination treatment gives a storage life of 35 days.

CLUMPING AND THE INTERPRETATION OF kpc-SCALE MAPS OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM: SMOOTH H I AND CLUMPY, VARIABLE H{sub 2} SURFACE DENSITY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leroy, Adam K. [National Radio Astronomy Observtory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Lee, Cheoljong [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, 530 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Schruba, Andreas [California Institute for Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bolatto, Alberto [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Hughes, Annie; Sandstrom, Karin; Schinnerer, Eva; Walter, Fabian [Max Planck Institute fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Pety, Jerome [Institut de Radioastronomie Millimetrique, 300 Rue de la Piscine, F-38406 Saint Martin d' Heres (France)

2013-05-20

Many recent models consider the structure of individual interstellar medium (ISM) clouds as a way to explain observations of large parts of galaxies. To compare such models to observations, one must understand how to translate between surface densities observed averaging over large ({approx}kpc) scales and surface densities on the scale of individual clouds ({approx}pc scale), which are treated by models. We define a ''clumping factor'' that captures this translation as the ratio of the mass-weighted surface density, which is often the quantity of physical interest, to the area-weighted surface density, which is observed. We use high spatial resolution (sub-kpc) maps of CO and H I emission from nearby galaxies to measure the clumping factor of both atomic and molecular gas. The molecular and atomic ISM exhibit dramatically different degrees of clumping. As a result, the ratio H{sub 2}/H I measured at {approx}kpc resolution cannot be trivially interpreted as a cloud-scale ratio of surface densities. H I emission appears very smooth, with a clumping factor of only {approx}1.3. Based on the scarce and heterogeneous high-resolution data available, CO emission is far more clumped with a widely variable clumping factor, median {approx}7 for our heterogeneous data. Our measurements do not provide evidence for a universal mass-weighted surface density of molecular gas, but also cannot conclusively rule out such a scenario. We suggest that a more sophisticated treatment of molecular ISM structure, one informed by high spatial resolution CO maps, is needed to link cloud-scale models to kpc-scale observations of galaxies.

QTL mapping of combining ability and heterosis of agronomic traits in rice backcross recombinant inbred lines and hybrid crosses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen Qu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Combining ability effects are very effective genetic parameters in deciding the next phase of breeding programs. Although some breeding strategies on the basis of evaluating combining ability have been utilized extensively in hybrid breeding, little is known about the genetic basis of combining ability. Combining ability is a complex trait that is controlled by polygenes. With the advent and development of molecular markers, it is feasible to evaluate the genetic bases of combining ability and heterosis of elite rice hybrids through QTL analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study, we first developed a QTL-mapping method for dissecting combining ability and heterosis of agronomic traits. With three testcross populations and a BCRIL population in rice, biometric and QTL analyses were conducted for ten agronomic traits. The significance of general combining ability and special combining ability for most of the traits indicated the importance of both additive and non-additive effects on expression levels. A large number of additive effect QTLs associated with performance per se of BCRIL and general combining ability, and dominant effect QTLs associated with special combining ability and heterosis were identified for the ten traits. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The combining ability of agronomic traits could be analyzed by the QTL mapping method. The characteristics revealed by the QTLs for combining ability of agronomic traits were similar with those by multitudinous QTLs for agronomic traits with performance per se of BCRIL. Several QTLs (1-6 in this study were identified for each trait for combining ability. It demonstrated that some of the QTLs were pleiotropic or linked tightly with each other. The identification of QTLs responsible for combining ability and heterosis in the present study provides valuable information for dissecting genetic basis of combining ability.

AGM2015: Antineutrino Global Map 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Usman, S M; Jocher, G R; Dye, S T; McDonough, W F; Learned, J G

2015-09-01

Every second greater than 10(25) antineutrinos radiate to space from Earth, shining like a faint antineutrino star. Underground antineutrino detectors have revealed the rapidly decaying fission products inside nuclear reactors, verified the long-lived radioactivity inside our planet, and informed sensitive experiments for probing fundamental physics. Mapping the anisotropic antineutrino flux and energy spectrum advance geoscience by defining the amount and distribution of radioactive power within Earth while critically evaluating competing compositional models of the planet. We present the Antineutrino Global Map 2015 (AGM2015), an experimentally informed model of Earth's surface antineutrino flux over the 0 to 11 MeV energy spectrum, along with an assessment of systematic errors. The open source AGM2015 provides fundamental predictions for experiments, assists in strategic detector placement to determine neutrino mass hierarchy, and aids in identifying undeclared nuclear reactors. We use cosmochemically and seismologically informed models of the radiogenic lithosphere/mantle combined with the estimated antineutrino flux, as measured by KamLAND and Borexino, to determine the Earth's total antineutrino luminosity at . We find a dominant flux of geo-neutrinos, predict sub-equal crust and mantle contributions, with ~1% of the total flux from man-made nuclear reactors.

Microstructural characteristics of pure gold processed by equal-channel angular pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gubicza, J.; Chinh, N.Q.; Szommer, P.; Vinogradov, A.; Langdon, T.G.

2007-01-01

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the microstructural characteristics of pure (4N) gold processed by equal-channel angular pressing using routes A or B c . Using atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction, it is shown that, although these two routes lead to similar dislocation densities of ∼1.5-1.7 x 10 15 m -2 and similar average grain sizes of ∼460-490 nm, there are significant differences in the shearing patterns and in the densities of planar faults

Current density distribution mapping in PEM fuel cells as an instrument for operational measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geske, M.; Heuer, M.; Heideck, G.; Styczynski, Z. A. [Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Chair Electric Power Networks and Renewable Energy Sources, Magdeburg (Germany)

2010-07-01

A newly developed measurement system for current density distribution mapping has enabled a new approach for operational measurements in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Taking into account previously constructed measurement systems, a method based on a multi layer printed circuit board was chosen for the development of the new system. This type of system consists of a sensor, a special electronic device and the control and visualization PC. For the acquisition of the current density distribution values, a sensor device was designed and installed within a multilayer printed circuit board with integrated shunt resistors. Varying shunt values can be taken into consideration with a newly developed and evaluated calibration method. The sensor device was integrated in a PEM fuel cell stack to prove the functionality of the whole measurement system. A software application was implemented to visualize and save the measurement values. Its functionality was verified by operational measurements within a PEMFC system. Measurement accuracy and possible negative reactions of the sensor device during PEMFC operation are discussed in detail in this paper. The developed system enables operational measurements for different operating phases of PEM fuel cells. Additionally, this can be seen as a basis for new opportunities of optimization for fuel cell design and operation modes. (author)

Current Density Distribution Mapping in PEM Fuel Cells as An Instrument for Operational Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Geske

2010-04-01

Full Text Available A newly developed measurement system for current density distribution mapping has enabled a new approach for operational measurements in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC. Taking into account previously constructed measurement systems, a method based on a multi layer printed circuit board was chosen for the development of the new system. This type of system consists of a sensor, a special electronic device and the control and visualization PC. For the acquisition of the current density distribution values, a sensor device was designed and installed within a multilayer printed circuit board with integrated shunt resistors. Varying shunt values can be taken into consideration with a newly developed and evaluated calibration method. The sensor device was integrated in a PEM fuel cell stack to prove the functionality of the whole measurement system. A software application was implemented to visualize and save the measurement values. Its functionality was verified by operational measurements within a PEMFC system. Measurement accuracy and possible negative reactions of the sensor device during PEMFC operation are discussed in detail in this paper. The developed system enables operational measurements for different operating phases of PEM fuel cells. Additionally, this can be seen as a basis for new opportunities of optimization for fuel cell design and operation modes.

Low-amplitude clustering in low-redshift 21-cm intensity maps cross-correlated with 2dF galaxy densities

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, C. J.; Luciw, N. J.; Li, Y.-C.; Kuo, C. Y.; Yadav, J.; Masui, K. W.; Chang, T.-C.; Chen, X.; Oppermann, N.; Liao, Y.-W.; Pen, U.-L.; Price, D. C.; Staveley-Smith, L.; Switzer, E. R.; Timbie, P. T.; Wolz, L.

2018-05-01

We report results from 21-cm intensity maps acquired from the Parkes radio telescope and cross-correlated with galaxy maps from the 2dF galaxy survey. The data span the redshift range 0.057 clustering of neutral hydrogen (H I), a small correlation coefficient between optical galaxies and H I, or some combination of the two. Separating 2dF into red and blue galaxies, we find that red galaxies are much more weakly correlated with H I on k ˜ 1.5 h Mpc-1 scales, suggesting that H I is more associated with blue star-forming galaxies and tends to avoid red galaxies.

Combined high-power ultrasound and high-pressure homogenization nanoemulsification: The effect of energy density, oil content and emulsifier type and content.

Science.gov (United States)

Calligaris, Sonia; Plazzotta, Stella; Valoppi, Fabio; Anese, Monica

2018-05-01

Combinations of ultrasound (US) and high-pressure homogenization (HPH) at low-medium energy densities were studied as alternative processes to individual US and HPH to produce Tween 80 and whey protein stabilized nanoemulsions, while reducing the energy input. To this aim, preliminary trials were performed to compare emulsification efficacy of single and combined HPH and US treatments delivering low-medium energy densities. Results highlighted the efficacy of US-HPH combined process in reducing the energy required to produce nanoemulsions stabilized with both Tween 80 and whey protein isolate. Subsequently, the effect of emulsifier content (1-3% w/w), oil amount (10-20% w/w) and energy density (47-175 MJ/m 3 ) on emulsion mean particle diameter was evaluated by means of a central composite design. Particles of 140-190 nm were obtained by delivering 175 MJ/m 3 energy density at emulsions containing 3% (w/w) Tween 80 and 10% (w/w) oil. In the case of whey protein isolate stabilized emulsions, a reduced emulsifier amount (1% w/w) and intermediate energy density (120 MJ/m 3 ) allowed a minimum droplet size around 220-250 nm to be achieved. Results showed that, in both cases, at least 50% of the energy density should be delivered by HPH to obtain the minimum particle diameter. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Discovery and High-Density Genetic Map Construction in Cauliflower Using Specific-Locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhenqing; Gu, Honghui; Sheng, Xiaoguang; Yu, Huifang; Wang, Jiansheng; Huang, Long; Wang, Dan

2016-01-01

Molecular markers and genetic maps play an important role in plant genomics and breeding studies. Cauliflower is an important and distinctive vegetable; however, very few molecular resources have been reported for this species. In this study, a novel, specific-locus amplified fragment (SLAF) sequencing strategy was employed for large-scale single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery and high-density genetic map construction in a double-haploid, segregating population of cauliflower. A total of 12.47 Gb raw data containing 77.92 M pair-end reads were obtained after processing and 6815 polymorphic SLAFs between the two parents were detected. The average sequencing depths reached 52.66-fold for the female parent and 49.35-fold for the male parent. Subsequently, these polymorphic SLAFs were used to genotype the population and further filtered based on several criteria to construct a genetic linkage map of cauliflower. Finally, 1776 high-quality SLAF markers, including 2741 SNPs, constituted the linkage map with average data integrity of 95.68%. The final map spanned a total genetic length of 890.01 cM with an average marker interval of 0.50 cM, and covered 364.9 Mb of the reference genome. The markers and genetic map developed in this study could provide an important foundation not only for comparative genomics studies within Brassica oleracea species but also for quantitative trait loci identification and molecular breeding of cauliflower. PMID:27047515

Effects of Initial Stand Density and Climate on Red Pine Productivity within Huron National Forest, Michigan, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph O'Brien

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Changes in climate are predicted to significantly affect the productivity of trees in the Great Lakes region over the next century. Forest management decisions, such as initial stand density, can promote climatic resiliency and moderate decreased productivity through the reduction of tree competition. The influences of climate (temperature and precipitation and forest management (initial stand density on the productivity of red pine (Pinus resinosa across multiple sites within Huron National Forest, Michigan, were examined using dendrochronological methods. Two common planting regimes were compared in this analysis; low initial density (1977 trees per hectare. Low initial density stands were found to have a higher climatic resilience by combining equal or greater measures of productivity, while having a reduced sensitivity to monthly and seasonal climate, particularly to summer drought.

An Importance Sampling Simulation Method for Bayesian Decision Feedback Equalizers

OpenAIRE

Chen, S.; Hanzo, L.

2000-01-01

An importance sampling (IS) simulation technique is presented for evaluating the lower-bound bit error rate (BER) of the Bayesian decision feedback equalizer (DFE) under the assumption of correct decisions being fed back. A design procedure is developed, which chooses appropriate bias vectors for the simulation density to ensure asymptotic efficiency of the IS simulation.

A multi-resolution HEALPix data structure for spherically mapped point data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert W. Youngren

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Data describing entities with locations that are points on a sphere are described as spherically mapped. Several data structures designed for spherically mapped data have been developed. One of them, known as Hierarchical Equal Area iso-Latitude Pixelization (HEALPix, partitions the sphere into twelve diamond-shaped equal-area base cells and then recursively subdivides each cell into four diamond-shaped subcells, continuing to the desired level of resolution. Twelve quadtrees, one associated with each base cell, store the data records associated with that cell and its subcells.HEALPix has been used successfully for numerous applications, notably including cosmic microwave background data analysis. However, for applications involving sparse point data HEALPix has possible drawbacks, including inefficient memory utilization, overwriting of proximate points, and return of spurious points for certain queries.A multi-resolution variant of HEALPix specifically optimized for sparse point data was developed. The new data structure allows different areas of the sphere to be subdivided at different levels of resolution. It combines HEALPix positive features with the advantages of multi-resolution, including reduced memory requirements and improved query performance.An implementation of the new Multi-Resolution HEALPix (MRH data structure was tested using spherically mapped data from four different scientific applications (warhead fragmentation trajectories, weather station locations, galaxy locations, and synthetic locations. Four types of range queries were applied to each data structure for each dataset. Compared to HEALPix, MRH used two to four orders of magnitude less memory for the same data, and on average its queries executed 72% faster. Keywords: Computer science

A 5 Gb/s CMOS adaptive equalizer for serial link

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hongbing; Wang, Jingyu; Liu, Hongxia

2018-04-01

A 5 Gb/s adaptive equalizer with a new adaptation scheme is presented here by using 0.13 μm CMOS process. The circuit consists of the combination of equalizer amplifier, limiter amplifier and adaptation loop. The adaptive algorithm exploits both the low frequency gain loop and the equalizer loop to minimize the inter-symbol interference (ISI) for a variety of cable characteristics. In addition, an offset cancellation loop is used to alleviate the offset influence of the signal path. The adaptive equalizer core occupies an area of 0.3567 mm2 and consumes a power consumption of 81.7 mW with 1.8 V power supply. Experiment results demonstrate that the equalizer could compensate for a designed cable loss with 0.23 UI peak-to-peak jitter. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61376099), the Foundation for Fundamental Research of China (No. JSZL2016110B003), and the Major Fundamental Research Program of Shaanxi (No. 2017ZDJC-26).

Are consistent equal-weight particle filters possible?

Science.gov (United States)

van Leeuwen, P. J.

2017-12-01

Particle filters are fully nonlinear data-assimilation methods that could potentially change the way we do data-assimilation in highly nonlinear high-dimensional geophysical systems. However, the standard particle filter in which the observations come in by changing the relative weights of the particles is degenerate. This means that one particle obtains weight one, and all other particles obtain a very small weight, effectively meaning that the ensemble of particles reduces to that one particle. For over 10 years now scientists have searched for solutions to this problem. One obvious solution seems to be localisation, in which each part of the state only sees a limited number of observations. However, for a realistic localisation radius based on physical arguments, the number of observations is typically too large, and the filter is still degenerate. Another route taken is trying to find proposal densities that lead to more similar particle weights. There is a simple proof, however, that shows that there is an optimum, the so-called optimal proposal density, and that optimum will lead to a degenerate filter. On the other hand, it is easy to come up with a counter example of a particle filter that is not degenerate in high-dimensional systems. Furthermore, several particle filters have been developed recently that claim to have equal or equivalent weights. In this presentation I will show how to construct a particle filter that is never degenerate in high-dimensional systems, and how that is still consistent with the proof that one cannot do better than the optimal proposal density. Furthermore, it will be shown how equal- and equivalent-weights particle filters fit within this framework. This insight will then lead to new ways to generate particle filters that are non-degenerate, opening up the field of nonlinear filtering in high-dimensional systems.

Equal Opportunities Questionnaire

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

The initiative to promote Equal Opportunities at CERN started in 1993. The first Equal Opportunities Officer was appointed in 1996, which was followed by the creation of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Panel in 1998. Initially the concern was mainly the fair treatment of women in the work-place. Today the emphasis has evolved to ensuring that diversity is used to increase creativity and productivity in the work-place. In order to ensure that all aspects of Equal Opportunities and Diversity are covered, CERN’s Equal Opportunities team has prepared a survey to obtain your input. Your answers are confidential and will only be used for generating statistics. The questionnaire is on-line and can be accessed via: https://espace.cern.ch/EOQ. We hope that you will take a few minutes of your time to give your input and would be grateful if you could reply before 15/10/07. For further information about Equal Opportunities at CERN see: http://cern.ch/equal-opportunities The Equa...

Improving experimental phases for strong reflections prior to density modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uervirojnangkoorn, Monarin; Hilgenfeld, Rolf; Terwilliger, Thomas C.; Read, Randy J.

2013-01-01

A genetic algorithm has been developed to optimize the phases of the strongest reflections in SIR/SAD data. This is shown to facilitate density modification and model building in several test cases. Experimental phasing of diffraction data from macromolecular crystals involves deriving phase probability distributions. These distributions are often bimodal, making their weighted average, the centroid phase, improbable, so that electron-density maps computed using centroid phases are often non-interpretable. Density modification brings in information about the characteristics of electron density in protein crystals. In successful cases, this allows a choice between the modes in the phase probability distributions, and the maps can cross the borderline between non-interpretable and interpretable. Based on the suggestions by Vekhter [Vekhter (2005 ▶), Acta Cryst. D61, 899–902], the impact of identifying optimized phases for a small number of strong reflections prior to the density-modification process was investigated while using the centroid phase as a starting point for the remaining reflections. A genetic algorithm was developed that optimizes the quality of such phases using the skewness of the density map as a target function. Phases optimized in this way are then used in density modification. In most of the tests, the resulting maps were of higher quality than maps generated from the original centroid phases. In one of the test cases, the new method sufficiently improved a marginal set of experimental SAD phases to enable successful map interpretation. A computer program, SISA, has been developed to apply this method for phase improvement in macromolecular crystallography

Three-dimensional glacier surface motion maps at the Gjalp eruption site, Iceland, inferred from combining InSAR and other ice-displacement data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudmundsson, S.; Gudmundsson, M. T.; Bjornsson, H.

2002-01-01

be assumed. The 3-D motion maps are created by an optimization process that combines the complementary datasets. The optimization is based on a Markov random-field regularization and a simulated annealing algorithm. The 3-D motion maps show the pattern of gradually diminishing ice flow into the depression...

Equal pay for work of equal value in terms of the Employment Equity ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Lastly, this article seeks to ascertain whether the EEA (including the Employment Equity Regulations) provides an adequate legal framework for determining an equal pay for work of equal value claim. Keywords: Equal pay; Employment Equity Act; Equality Act; International Labour Organisation; Equal Pay Guide; Equal ...

Dis-Equality: Exploring the Juxtaposition of Disability and Equality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bronagh Byrne

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The (inequality issues facing disabled people are extensive and long-enduring. The way(s in which equality is conceptualised has important consequences for understandings of disability. The ambiguity of what I call dis-equality theory is two-fold; the apparent failure of mainstream equality theorising in, firstly, embracing disability concepts at all, and secondly, in fully incorporating the logistics of disability, particularly in relation to the social construction of such. Practices of institutional and more complex forms of discrimination are part of those deeper structures of domination and oppression which maintain disabled people in positions of disadvantage. Everyday practices, in the ‘ordinary order of things’ (Bourdieu, 2000, continue to be misrecognised as natural and taken for granted. This article critically explores the complexity of dis-equality theorising utilising a Bourdieusian lens which explicitly incorporates complex and subtle forms of discrimination, and by examining the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ approach to equality. I argue that the way forward for dis-equality theorising in today’s rights based era must be one that considers the nuances of the ‘rules of the game’ (Young, 1990 if it is to be effective in challenging the inequalities to which disabled people have long been subject.

High density genetic mapping identifies new susceptibility loci for rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Eyre, Steve; Bowes, John; Diogo, Dorothée; Lee, Annette; Barton, Anne; Martin, Paul; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Stahl, Eli; Viatte, Sebastien; McAllister, Kate; Amos, Christopher I.; Padyukov, Leonid; Toes, Rene E.M.; Huizinga, Tom W.J.; Wijmenga, Cisca; Trynka, Gosia; Franke, Lude; Westra, Harm-Jan; Alfredsson, Lars; Hu, Xinli; Sandor, Cynthia; de Bakker, Paul I.W.; Davila, Sonia; Khor, Chiea Chuen; Heng, Khai Koon; Andrews, Robert; Edkins, Sarah; Hunt, Sarah E; Langford, Cordelia; Symmons, Deborah; Concannon, Pat; Onengut-Gumuscu, Suna; Rich, Stephen S; Deloukas, Panos; Gonzalez-Gay, Miguel A.; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Luis; Ärlsetig, Lisbeth; Martin, Javier; Rantapää-Dahlqvist, Solbritt; Plenge, Robert; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Klareskog, Lars; Gregersen, Peter K; Worthington, Jane

2012-01-01

Summary Using the Immunochip custom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, designed for dense genotyping of 186 genome wide association study (GWAS) confirmed loci we analysed 11,475 rheumatoid arthritis cases of European ancestry and 15,870 controls for 129,464 markers. The data were combined in meta-analysis with GWAS data from additional independent cases (n=2,363) and controls (n=17,872). We identified fourteen novel loci; nine were associated with rheumatoid arthritis overall and 5 specifically in anti-citrillunated peptide antibody positive disease, bringing the number of confirmed European ancestry rheumatoid arthritis loci to 46. We refined the peak of association to a single gene for 19 loci, identified secondary independent effects at six loci and association to low frequency variants (minor allele frequency <0.05) at 4 loci. Bioinformatic analysis of the data generated strong hypotheses for the causal SNP at seven loci. This study illustrates the advantages of dense SNP mapping analysis to inform subsequent functional investigations. PMID:23143596

The outbreak of SARS mirrored by bibliometric mapping: Combining bibliographic coupling with the complete link cluster method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Jarneving

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In this study a novel method of science mapping is presented which combines bibliographic coupling, as a measure of document-document similarity, with an agglomerative hierarchical cluster method. The focus in this study is on the mapping of so called ‘core documents’, a concept presented first in 1995 by Glänzel and Czerwon. The term ‘core document’ denote documents that have a central position in the research front in terms of many and strong bibliographic coupling links. The identification and mapping of core documents usually requires a large multidisciplinary research setting and in this study the 2003 volume of the Science Citation Index was applied. From this database, a sub-set of core documents reporting on the outbreak of SARS in 2002 was chosen for the demonstration of the application of this mapping method. It was demonstrated that the method, in this case, successfully identified interpretable research themes and that iterative clustering on two subsequent levels of cluster agglomeration may provide with useful and current information.

Brickworx builds recurrent RNA and DNA structural motifs into medium- and low-resolution electron-density maps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chojnowski, Grzegorz, E-mail: gchojnowski@genesilico.pl [International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw (Poland); Waleń, Tomasz [International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw (Poland); University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw (Poland); Piątkowski, Paweł; Potrzebowski, Wojciech [International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw (Poland); Bujnicki, Janusz M. [International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw (Poland); Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznan (Poland)

2015-03-01

A computer program that builds crystal structure models of nucleic acid molecules is presented. Brickworx is a computer program that builds crystal structure models of nucleic acid molecules using recurrent motifs including double-stranded helices. In a first step, the program searches for electron-density peaks that may correspond to phosphate groups; it may also take into account phosphate-group positions provided by the user. Subsequently, comparing the three-dimensional patterns of the P atoms with a database of nucleic acid fragments, it finds the matching positions of the double-stranded helical motifs (A-RNA or B-DNA) in the unit cell. If the target structure is RNA, the helical fragments are further extended with recurrent RNA motifs from a fragment library that contains single-stranded segments. Finally, the matched motifs are merged and refined in real space to find the most likely conformations, including a fit of the sequence to the electron-density map. The Brickworx program is available for download and as a web server at http://iimcb.genesilico.pl/brickworx.

Brickworx builds recurrent RNA and DNA structural motifs into medium- and low-resolution electron-density maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chojnowski, Grzegorz; Waleń, Tomasz; Piątkowski, Paweł; Potrzebowski, Wojciech; Bujnicki, Janusz M.

2015-01-01

A computer program that builds crystal structure models of nucleic acid molecules is presented. Brickworx is a computer program that builds crystal structure models of nucleic acid molecules using recurrent motifs including double-stranded helices. In a first step, the program searches for electron-density peaks that may correspond to phosphate groups; it may also take into account phosphate-group positions provided by the user. Subsequently, comparing the three-dimensional patterns of the P atoms with a database of nucleic acid fragments, it finds the matching positions of the double-stranded helical motifs (A-RNA or B-DNA) in the unit cell. If the target structure is RNA, the helical fragments are further extended with recurrent RNA motifs from a fragment library that contains single-stranded segments. Finally, the matched motifs are merged and refined in real space to find the most likely conformations, including a fit of the sequence to the electron-density map. The Brickworx program is available for download and as a web server at http://iimcb.genesilico.pl/brickworx

Resolution and Probabilistic Models of Components in CryoEM Maps of Mature P22 Bacteriophage

Science.gov (United States)

Pintilie, Grigore; Chen, Dong-Hua; Haase-Pettingell, Cameron A.; King, Jonathan A.; Chiu, Wah

2016-01-01

CryoEM continues to produce density maps of larger and more complex assemblies with multiple protein components of mixed symmetries. Resolution is not always uniform throughout a cryoEM map, and it can be useful to estimate the resolution in specific molecular components of a large assembly. In this study, we present procedures to 1) estimate the resolution in subcomponents by gold-standard Fourier shell correlation (FSC); 2) validate modeling procedures, particularly at medium resolutions, which can include loop modeling and flexible fitting; and 3) build probabilistic models that combine high-accuracy priors (such as crystallographic structures) with medium-resolution cryoEM densities. As an example, we apply these methods to new cryoEM maps of the mature bacteriophage P22, reconstructed without imposing icosahedral symmetry. Resolution estimates based on gold-standard FSC show the highest resolution in the coat region (7.6 Å), whereas other components are at slightly lower resolutions: portal (9.2 Å), hub (8.5 Å), tailspike (10.9 Å), and needle (10.5 Å). These differences are indicative of inherent structural heterogeneity and/or reconstruction accuracy in different subcomponents of the map. Probabilistic models for these subcomponents provide new insights, to our knowledge, and structural information when taking into account uncertainty given the limitations of the observed density. PMID:26743049

Cross-correlation cosmography with intensity mapping of the neutral hydrogen 21 cm emission

Science.gov (United States)

Pourtsidou, A.; Bacon, D.; Crittenden, R.

2015-11-01

The cross-correlation of a foreground density field with two different background convergence fields can be used to measure cosmographic distance ratios and constrain dark energy parameters. We investigate the possibility of performing such measurements using a combination of optical galaxy surveys and neutral hydrogen (HI) intensity mapping surveys, with emphasis on the performance of the planned Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Using HI intensity mapping to probe the foreground density tracer field and/or the background source fields has the advantage of excellent redshift resolution and a longer lever arm achieved by using the lensing signal from high redshift background sources. Our results show that, for our best SKA-optical configuration of surveys, a constant equation of state for dark energy can be constrained to ≃8 % for a sky coverage fsky=0.5 and assuming a σ (ΩDE)=0.03 prior for the dark energy density parameter. We also show that using the cosmic microwave background as the second source plane is not competitive, even when considering a COrE-like satellite.

Social Attitudes on Gender Equality and Firms' Discriminatory Pay-Setting

OpenAIRE

Janssen, Simon; Tuor Sartore, Simone N.; Backes-Gellner, Uschi

2014-01-01

We analyze the relationship between social attitudes on gender equality and firms' pay-setting behavior by combining information about regional votes relative to gender equality laws with a large data set of multi-branch firms and workers. The results show that multi-branch firms pay more discriminatory wages in branches located in regions with a higher social acceptance of gender inequality than in branches located in regions with a lower acceptance. The results are similar for different sub...

Predicting and mapping soil available water capacity in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Suk Young; Minasny, Budiman; Han, Kyung Hwa; Kim, Yihyun; Lee, Kyungdo

2013-01-01

The knowledge on the spatial distribution of soil available water capacity at a regional or national extent is essential, as soil water capacity is a component of the water and energy balances in the terrestrial ecosystem. It controls the evapotranspiration rate, and has a major impact on climate. This paper demonstrates a protocol for mapping soil available water capacity in South Korea at a fine scale using data available from surveys. The procedures combined digital soil mapping technology with the available soil map of 1:25,000. We used the modal profile data from the Taxonomical Classification of Korean Soils. The data consist of profile description along with physical and chemical analysis for the modal profiles of the 380 soil series. However not all soil samples have measured bulk density and water content at -10 and -1500 kPa. Thus they need to be predicted using pedotransfer functions. Furthermore, water content at -10 kPa was measured using ground samples. Thus a correction factor is derived to take into account the effect of bulk density. Results showed that Andisols has the highest mean water storage capacity, followed by Entisols and Inceptisols which have loamy texture. The lowest water retention is Entisols which are dominated by sandy materials. Profile available water capacity to a depth of 1 m was calculated and mapped for Korea. The western part of the country shows higher available water capacity than the eastern part which is mountainous and has shallower soils. The highest water storage capacity soils are the Ultisols and Alfisols (mean of 206 and 205 mm, respectively). Validation of the maps showed promising results. The map produced can be used as an indication of soil physical quality of Korean soils.

Predicting and mapping soil available water capacity in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suk Young Hong

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The knowledge on the spatial distribution of soil available water capacity at a regional or national extent is essential, as soil water capacity is a component of the water and energy balances in the terrestrial ecosystem. It controls the evapotranspiration rate, and has a major impact on climate. This paper demonstrates a protocol for mapping soil available water capacity in South Korea at a fine scale using data available from surveys. The procedures combined digital soil mapping technology with the available soil map of 1:25,000. We used the modal profile data from the Taxonomical Classification of Korean Soils. The data consist of profile description along with physical and chemical analysis for the modal profiles of the 380 soil series. However not all soil samples have measured bulk density and water content at −10 and −1500 kPa. Thus they need to be predicted using pedotransfer functions. Furthermore, water content at −10 kPa was measured using ground samples. Thus a correction factor is derived to take into account the effect of bulk density. Results showed that Andisols has the highest mean water storage capacity, followed by Entisols and Inceptisols which have loamy texture. The lowest water retention is Entisols which are dominated by sandy materials. Profile available water capacity to a depth of 1 m was calculated and mapped for Korea. The western part of the country shows higher available water capacity than the eastern part which is mountainous and has shallower soils. The highest water storage capacity soils are the Ultisols and Alfisols (mean of 206 and 205 mm, respectively. Validation of the maps showed promising results. The map produced can be used as an indication of soil physical quality of Korean soils.

First High-Density Linkage Map and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Significantly Associated With Traits of Economic Importance in Yellowtail Kingfish Seriola lalandi

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Nguyen H. Nguyen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The genetic resources available for the commercially important fish species Yellowtail kingfish (YTK (Seriola lalandi are relative sparse. To overcome this, we aimed (1 to develop a linkage map for this species, and (2 to identify markers/variants associated with economically important traits in kingfish (with an emphasis on body weight. Genetic and genomic analyses were conducted using 13,898 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs generated from a new high-throughput genotyping by sequencing platform, Diversity Arrays Technology (DArTseqTM in a pedigreed population comprising 752 animals. The linkage analysis enabled to map about 4,000 markers to 24 linkage groups (LGs, with an average density of 3.4 SNPs per cM. The linkage map was integrated into a genome-wide association study (GWAS and identified six variants/SNPs associated with body weight (P < 5e-8 when a multi-locus mixed model was used. Two out of the six significant markers were mapped to LGs 17 and 23, and collectively they explained 5.8% of the total genetic variance. It is concluded that the newly developed linkage map and the significantly associated markers with body weight provide fundamental information to characterize genetic architecture of growth-related traits in this population of YTK S. lalandi.

First High-Density Linkage Map and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Significantly Associated With Traits of Economic Importance in Yellowtail Kingfish Seriola lalandi.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Nguyen H; Rastas, Pasi M A; Premachandra, H K A; Knibb, Wayne

2018-01-01

The genetic resources available for the commercially important fish species Yellowtail kingfish (YTK) ( Seriola lalandi) are relative sparse. To overcome this, we aimed (1) to develop a linkage map for this species, and (2) to identify markers/variants associated with economically important traits in kingfish (with an emphasis on body weight). Genetic and genomic analyses were conducted using 13,898 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated from a new high-throughput genotyping by sequencing platform, Diversity Arrays Technology (DArTseq TM ) in a pedigreed population comprising 752 animals. The linkage analysis enabled to map about 4,000 markers to 24 linkage groups (LGs), with an average density of 3.4 SNPs per cM. The linkage map was integrated into a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and identified six variants/SNPs associated with body weight ( P 5e -8 ) when a multi-locus mixed model was used. Two out of the six significant markers were mapped to LGs 17 and 23, and collectively they explained 5.8% of the total genetic variance. It is concluded that the newly developed linkage map and the significantly associated markers with body weight provide fundamental information to characterize genetic architecture of growth-related traits in this population of YTK S. lalandi .

Combining µXANES and µXRD mapping to analyse the heterogeneity in calcium carbonate granules excreted by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris.

Science.gov (United States)

Brinza, Loredana; Schofield, Paul F; Hodson, Mark E; Weller, Sophie; Ignatyev, Konstantin; Geraki, Kalotina; Quinn, Paul D; Mosselmans, J Frederick W

2014-01-01

The use of fluorescence full spectral micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (µXANES) mapping is becoming more widespread in the hard energy regime. This experimental method using the Ca K-edge combined with micro-X-ray diffraction (µXRD) mapping of the same sample has been enabled on beamline I18 at Diamond Light Source. This combined approach has been used to probe both long- and short-range order in calcium carbonate granules produced by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris. In granules produced by earthworms cultured in a control artificial soil, calcite and vaterite are observed in the granules. However, granules produced by earthworms cultivated in the same artificial soil amended with 500 p.p.m. Mg also contain an aragonite. The two techniques, µXRD and µXANES, probe different sample volumes but there is good agreement in the phase maps produced.

Reframing Inclusive Education: Educational Equality as Capability Equality

Science.gov (United States)

Terzi, Lorella

2014-01-01

In this paper, I argue that rethinking questions of inclusive education in the light of the value of educational equality--specifically conceived as capability equality, or genuine opportunities to achieve educational functionings--adds some important insights to the current debate on inclusive education. First, it provides a cohesive value…

PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY TROUGH EQUAL LIFE STANDARD IN EU COUNTRIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandar Dashtevski

2018-06-01

Full Text Available After the World War II, especially in the early fifties there is an expansion of gender rights. Women are massively employed all over the world in all sectors of social life, contributing to an increase in both their own standard of living and the standard in their own countries. As the importance and role of women grows, this is achieved with increasing respect for its rights. Gender means elimination of inequality and promote equality between women and men in all areas of social life. If we want to achieve gender equality as a whole, it is inevitable to achieve an economic consolidation of the two sexes. Economic strengthening is possible trough equal pay. Experience shows that payments are not equal when it comes to wages for men and women. Therefore, the EU is constantly working to regulate this area, with special regulations, which are mandatory for the member states, but should also be respected by countries that would like to join the union. This led to the promotion of gender equality through an equal life.

Periodic Discordance Between Vote Equality and Representational Equality in the United States

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Sarah K. Cowan

2015-08-01

Full Text Available American democracy has two central values that are often in tension: vote equality, that each vote has equal influence, and representational equality, that each elected official represents equal numbers of people. The electoral standard of “one person, one vote” ensures representational equality, and that often ensures vote equality. This relationship fails, however, under certain demographic conditions, namely, when a large, non-enfranchised population resides unevenly across jurisdictions. Then, representational equality is preserved and vote equality is violated. Prior to women’s suffrage, for example, western states had relatively fewer women than the remainder of the country, contributing to gross vote inequality, though rectified through extension of the franchise. Given recent high rates of immigration to some states, I ask whether the two values are in tension. I find that they are, and quantify the electoral consequences of this disjuncture at 13 House seats in 2010.

How Equalization Techniques Affect the TCP Performance of MC-CDMA Systems in Correlated Fading Channels

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Giacomo Leonardi

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the impact of several equalization techniques for multicarrier code division multiple access systems on the performance at both lower and upper layers (i.e., physical and TCP layers. Classical techniques such as maximal ratio combining, equal gain combining, orthogonality restoring combining, minimum mean square error, as well as a partial equalization (PE are investigated in time- and frequency-correlated fading channels with various numbers of interferers. Their impact on the performance at upper level is then studied. The results are obtained through an integrated simulation platform carefully reproducing all main aspects affecting the quality of service perceived by the final user, allowing an investigation of the real gain produced by signal processing techniques at TCP level.

COMBINATION OF DENSITY AND ENERGY MODULATION IN MICROBUNCHING ANALYSIS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsai, Cheng Ying [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States); Li, Rui [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)

2016-05-01

Microbunching instability (MBI) has been one of the most challenging issues in the transport of high-brightness electron beams for modern recirculating or energy recovery linac machines. Recently we have developed and implemented a Vlasov solver [1] to calculate the microbunching gain for an arbitrary beamline lattice, based on the extension of existing theoretical formulation [2-4] for the microbunching amplification from an initial density perturbation to the final density modulation. For more thorough analyses, in addition to the case of (initial) density to (final) density amplification, we extend in this paper the previous formulation to more general cases, including energy to density, density to energy and energy to energy amplifications for a recirculation machine. Such semi-analytical formulae are then incorporated into our Vlasov solver, and qualitative agreement is obtained when the semi-analytical Vlasov results are compared with particle tracking simulation using ELEGANT [5].

Discovery and Fine-Mapping of Glycaemic and Obesity-Related Trait Loci Using High-Density Imputation.

Science.gov (United States)

Horikoshi, Momoko; Mӓgi, Reedik; van de Bunt, Martijn; Surakka, Ida; Sarin, Antti-Pekka; Mahajan, Anubha; Marullo, Letizia; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Hӓgg, Sara; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Ladenvall, Claes; Ried, Janina S; Winkler, Thomas W; Willems, Sara M; Pervjakova, Natalia; Esko, Tõnu; Beekman, Marian; Nelson, Christopher P; Willenborg, Christina; Wiltshire, Steven; Ferreira, Teresa; Fernandez, Juan; Gaulton, Kyle J; Steinthorsdottir, Valgerdur; Hamsten, Anders; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Willemsen, Gonneke; Milaneschi, Yuri; Robertson, Neil R; Groves, Christopher J; Bennett, Amanda J; Lehtimӓki, Terho; Viikari, Jorma S; Rung, Johan; Lyssenko, Valeriya; Perola, Markus; Heid, Iris M; Herder, Christian; Grallert, Harald; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Roden, Michael; Hypponen, Elina; Isaacs, Aaron; van Leeuwen, Elisabeth M; Karssen, Lennart C; Mihailov, Evelin; Houwing-Duistermaat, Jeanine J; de Craen, Anton J M; Deelen, Joris; Havulinna, Aki S; Blades, Matthew; Hengstenberg, Christian; Erdmann, Jeanette; Schunkert, Heribert; Kaprio, Jaakko; Tobin, Martin D; Samani, Nilesh J; Lind, Lars; Salomaa, Veikko; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Slagboom, P Eline; Metspalu, Andres; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Eriksson, Johan G; Peters, Annette; Gieger, Christian; Jula, Antti; Groop, Leif; Raitakari, Olli T; Power, Chris; Penninx, Brenda W J H; de Geus, Eco; Smit, Johannes H; Boomsma, Dorret I; Pedersen, Nancy L; Ingelsson, Erik; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Stefansson, Kari; Ripatti, Samuli; Prokopenko, Inga; McCarthy, Mark I; Morris, Andrew P

2015-07-01

Reference panels from the 1000 Genomes (1000G) Project Consortium provide near complete coverage of common and low-frequency genetic variation with minor allele frequency ≥0.5% across European ancestry populations. Within the European Network for Genetic and Genomic Epidemiology (ENGAGE) Consortium, we have undertaken the first large-scale meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), supplemented by 1000G imputation, for four quantitative glycaemic and obesity-related traits, in up to 87,048 individuals of European ancestry. We identified two loci for body mass index (BMI) at genome-wide significance, and two for fasting glucose (FG), none of which has been previously reported in larger meta-analysis efforts to combine GWAS of European ancestry. Through conditional analysis, we also detected multiple distinct signals of association mapping to established loci for waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (RSPO3) and FG (GCK and G6PC2). The index variant for one association signal at the G6PC2 locus is a low-frequency coding allele, H177Y, which has recently been demonstrated to have a functional role in glucose regulation. Fine-mapping analyses revealed that the non-coding variants most likely to drive association signals at established and novel loci were enriched for overlap with enhancer elements, which for FG mapped to promoter and transcription factor binding sites in pancreatic islets, in particular. Our study demonstrates that 1000G imputation and genetic fine-mapping of common and low-frequency variant association signals at GWAS loci, integrated with genomic annotation in relevant tissues, can provide insight into the functional and regulatory mechanisms through which their effects on glycaemic and obesity-related traits are mediated.

Combining Ratio Estimation for Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) Coding

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoud, Saad; Hi, Jianjun

2012-01-01

The Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) Code decoding algorithm make use of a scaled receive signal derived from maximizing the log-likelihood ratio of the received signal. The scaling factor (often called the combining ratio) in an AWGN channel is a ratio between signal amplitude and noise variance. Accurately estimating this ratio has shown as much as 0.6 dB decoding performance gain. This presentation briefly describes three methods for estimating the combining ratio: a Pilot-Guided estimation method, a Blind estimation method, and a Simulation-Based Look-Up table. The Pilot Guided Estimation method has shown that the maximum likelihood estimates of signal amplitude is the mean inner product of the received sequence and the known sequence, the attached synchronization marker (ASM) , and signal variance is the difference of the mean of the squared received sequence and the square of the signal amplitude. This method has the advantage of simplicity at the expense of latency since several frames worth of ASMs. The Blind estimation method s maximum likelihood estimator is the average of the product of the received signal with the hyperbolic tangent of the product combining ratio and the received signal. The root of this equation can be determined by an iterative binary search between 0 and 1 after normalizing the received sequence. This method has the benefit of requiring one frame of data to estimate the combining ratio which is good for faster changing channels compared to the previous method, however it is computationally expensive. The final method uses a look-up table based on prior simulated results to determine signal amplitude and noise variance. In this method the received mean signal strength is controlled to a constant soft decision value. The magnitude of the deviation is averaged over a predetermined number of samples. This value is referenced in a look up table to determine the combining ratio that prior simulation associated with the average magnitude of

An iso-erodent map Imo state of Nigeria | Madubuike | International ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Among inputs/resources often needed for erosion risk assessment of a region is the iso-erodent map of the region. This is a map showing areas of equal erosion potentials in the region. As Imo and Abia states of Nigeria lie in a high erosion region of the country, it was decided in this work to produce an iso-erodent map of ...

Minimum Probability of Error-Based Equalization Algorithms for Fading Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janos Levendovszky

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Novel channel equalizer algorithms are introduced for wireless communication systems to combat channel distortions resulting from multipath propagation. The novel algorithms are based on newly derived bounds on the probability of error (PE and guarantee better performance than the traditional zero forcing (ZF or minimum mean square error (MMSE algorithms. The new equalization methods require channel state information which is obtained by a fast adaptive channel identification algorithm. As a result, the combined convergence time needed for channel identification and PE minimization still remains smaller than the convergence time of traditional adaptive algorithms, yielding real-time equalization. The performance of the new algorithms is tested by extensive simulations on standard mobile channels.

Image Encryption Technology Based on Fractional Two-Dimensional Triangle Function Combination Discrete Chaotic Map Coupled with Menezes-Vanstone Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeyu Liu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A new fractional two-dimensional triangle function combination discrete chaotic map (2D-TFCDM with the discrete fractional difference is proposed. We observe the bifurcation behaviors and draw the bifurcation diagrams, the largest Lyapunov exponent plot, and the phase portraits of the proposed map, respectively. On the application side, we apply the proposed discrete fractional map into image encryption with the secret keys ciphered by Menezes-Vanstone Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (MVECC. Finally, the image encryption algorithm is analysed in four main aspects that indicate the proposed algorithm is better than others.

Spatial Variability of Geriatric Depression Risk in a High-Density City: A Data-Driven Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Mapping Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Hung Chak; Lau, Kevin Ka-Lun; Yu, Ruby; Wang, Dan; Woo, Jean; Kwok, Timothy Chi Yui; Ng, Edward

2017-08-31

Previous studies found a relationship between geriatric depression and social deprivation. However, most studies did not include environmental factors in the statistical models, introducing a bias to estimate geriatric depression risk because the urban environment was found to have significant associations with mental health. We developed a cross-sectional study with a binomial logistic regression to examine the geriatric depression risk of a high-density city based on five social vulnerability factors and four environmental measures. We constructed a socio-environmental vulnerability index by including the significant variables to map the geriatric depression risk in Hong Kong, a high-density city characterized by compact urban environment and high-rise buildings. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of the variables were significantly different, indicating that both social and environmental variables should be included as confounding factors. For the comprehensive model controlled by all confounding factors, older adults who were of lower education had the highest geriatric depression risks (OR: 1.60 (1.21, 2.12)). Higher percentage of residential area and greater variation in building height within the neighborhood also contributed to geriatric depression risk in Hong Kong, while average building height had negative association with geriatric depression risk. In addition, the socio-environmental vulnerability index showed that higher scores were associated with higher geriatric depression risk at neighborhood scale. The results of mapping and cross-section model suggested that geriatric depression risk was associated with a compact living environment with low socio-economic conditions in historical urban areas in Hong Kong. In conclusion, our study found a significant difference in geriatric depression risk between unadjusted and adjusted models, suggesting the importance of including environmental factors in estimating geriatric depression risk. We also

Collinearity Analysis and High-Density Genetic Mapping of the Wheat Powdery Mildew Resistance Gene Pm40 in PI 672538

Science.gov (United States)

Fatima, Syeda Akash; Yang, Jiezhi; Chen, Wanquan; Liu, Taiguo; Hu, Yuting; Li, Qing; Guo, Jingwei; Zhang, Min; Lei, Li; Li, Xin; Tang, Shengwen; Luo, Peigao

2016-01-01

The wheat powdery mildew resistance gene Pm40, which is located on chromosomal arm 7BS, is effective against nearly all prevalent races of Blumeria graminis f. sp tritici (Bgt) in China and is carried by the common wheat germplasm PI 672538. A set of the F1, F2 and F2:3 populations from the cross of the resistant PI 672538 with the susceptible line L1034 were used to conduct genetic analysis of powdery mildew resistance and construct a high-density linkage map of the Pm40 gene. We constructed a high-density linkage genetic map with a total length of 6.18 cM and average spacing between markers of 0.48 cM.Pm40 is flanked by Xwmc335 and BF291338 at genetic distances of 0.58 cM and 0.26 cM, respectively, in deletion bin C-7BS-1-0.27. Comparative genomic analysis based on EST-STS markers established a high level of collinearity of the Pm40 genomic region with a 1.09-Mbp genomic region on Brachypodium chromosome 3, a 1.16-Mbp genomic region on rice chromosome 8, and a 1.62-Mbp genomic region on sorghum chromosome 7. We further anchored the Pm40 target intervals to the wheat genome sequence. A putative linear index of 85 wheat contigs containing 97 genes on 7BS was constructed. In total, 9 genes could be considered as candidates for the resistances to powdery mildew in the target genomic regions, which encoded proteins that were involved in the plant defense and response to pathogen attack. These results will facilitate the development of new markers for map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection of Pm40 in wheat breeding programs. PMID:27755575

Is Equality Fair?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur Tarasov

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to answer the question whether people consider decisions that lead to equal outcomes fair. I find that this is not always the case. In an experiment where subjects are given equal opportunities to choose how to divide money between each other in a two-player game, any strategy is perceived to be fair more than half the time, including the profit-maximizing strategy. The equal divisions that lead to equal outcomes are sometimes considered unfair by both players. Moreover, players frequently punished the others, whose decisions led to equal outcomes. I hypothesize that such punishments occur because people have different conceptions of what a fair outcome and fair punishment are

Cerebral Metabolic Rate of Oxygen (CMRO2 ) Mapping by Combining Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) and Quantitative Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent Imaging (qBOLD).

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Junghun; Kee, Youngwook; Spincemaille, Pascal; Nguyen, Thanh D; Zhang, Jingwei; Gupta, Ajay; Zhang, Shun; Wang, Yi

2018-03-07

To map the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ) by estimating the oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) from gradient echo imaging (GRE) using phase and magnitude of the GRE data. 3D multi-echo gradient echo imaging and perfusion imaging with arterial spin labeling were performed in 11 healthy subjects. CMRO 2 and OEF maps were reconstructed by joint quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to process GRE phases and quantitative blood oxygen level-dependent (qBOLD) modeling to process GRE magnitudes. Comparisons with QSM and qBOLD alone were performed using ROI analysis, paired t-tests, and Bland-Altman plot. The average CMRO 2 value in cortical gray matter across subjects were 140.4 ± 14.9, 134.1 ± 12.5, and 184.6 ± 17.9 μmol/100 g/min, with corresponding OEFs of 30.9 ± 3.4%, 30.0 ± 1.8%, and 40.9 ± 2.4% for methods based on QSM, qBOLD, and QSM+qBOLD, respectively. QSM+qBOLD provided the highest CMRO 2 contrast between gray and white matter, more uniform OEF than QSM, and less noisy OEF than qBOLD. Quantitative CMRO 2 mapping that fits the entire complex GRE data is feasible by combining QSM analysis of phase and qBOLD analysis of magnitude. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Combination of Micro nutrients for Bone (COMB) Study: Bone Density after Micro nutrient Intervention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genuis, S.J.; Bouchard, Th.P.

2012-01-01

Along with other investigations, patients presenting to an environmental health clinic with various chronic conditions were assessed for bone health status. Individuals with compromised bone strength were educated about skeletal health issues and provided with therapeutic options for potential amelioration of their bone health. Patients who declined pharmacotherapy or who previously experienced failure of drug treatment were offered other options including supplemental micro nutrients identified in the medical literature as sometimes having a positive impact on bone mineral density (BMD). After 12 months of consecutive supplemental micro nutrient therapy with a combination that included vitamin D3, vitamin K2, strontium, magnesium and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), repeat bone densitometry was performed. The results were analyzed in a group of compliant patients and demonstrate improved BMD in patients classified with normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic bone density. According to the results, this combined micro nutrient supplementation regimen appears to be at least as effective as bis phosphonates or strontium ranelate in raising BMD levels in hip, spine, and femoral neck sites. No fractures occurred in the group taking the micro nutrient protocol. This micro nutrient regimen also appears to show efficacy in individuals where bis phosphonate therapy was previously unsuccessful in maintaining or raising BMD. Prospective clinical trials are required to confirm efficacy

Entrainment and high-density three-dimensional mapping in right atrial macroreentry provide critical complementary information: Entrainment may unmask "visual reentry" as passive.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathik, Bhupesh; Lee, Geoffrey; Nalliah, Chrishan; Joseph, Stephen; Morton, Joseph B; Sparks, Paul B; Sanders, Prashanthan; Kistler, Peter M; Kalman, Jonathan M

2017-10-01

With the recent advent of high-density (HD) 3-dimensional (3D) mapping, the utility of entrainment is uncertain. However, the limitations of visual representation and interpretation of these high-resolution 3D maps are unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the strengths and limitations of both HD 3D mapping and entrainment mapping during mapping of right atrial macroreentry. Fifteen patients were studied. The number and type of circuits accounting for ≥90% of the tachycardia cycle length using HD 3D mapping were verified using systematic entrainment mapping. Entrainment sites with an unexpectedly long postpacing interval despite proximity to the active circuit were evaluated. Based on HD 3D mapping, 27 circuits were observed: 12 peritricuspid, 2 upper loop reentry, 10 lower loop reentry, and 3 lateral wall circuits. With entrainment, 17 of the 27 circuits were active: all 12 peritricuspid and 2 upper loop reentry. However, lower loop reentry was confirmed in only 3 of 10, and none of the 3 lateral wall circuits were present. Mean percentage of tachycardia cycle length covered by active circuits was 98% ± 1% vs 97% ± 2% for passive circuits (P = .09). None of the 345 entrainment runs terminated tachycardia or changed tachycardia mechanism. In 8 of 15 patients, 13 examples of unexpectedly long postpacing interval were observed at entrainment sites located distal to localized zones of slow conduction seen on HD 3D mapping. Using HD 3D mapping, "visual reentry" may be due to passive circuitous propagation rather than a critical reentrant circuit. HD 3D mapping provides new insights into regional conduction and helps explain unusual entrainment phenomena. Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computational Prediction of Atomic Structures of Helical Membrane Proteins Aided by EM Maps

Science.gov (United States)

Kovacs, Julio A.; Yeager, Mark; Abagyan, Ruben

2007-01-01

Integral membrane proteins pose a major challenge for protein-structure prediction because only ≈100 high-resolution structures are available currently, thereby impeding the development of rules or empirical potentials to predict the packing of transmembrane α-helices. However, when an intermediate-resolution electron microscopy (EM) map is available, it can be used to provide restraints which, in combination with a suitable computational protocol, make structure prediction feasible. In this work we present such a protocol, which proceeds in three stages: 1), generation of an ensemble of α-helices by flexible fitting into each of the density rods in the low-resolution EM map, spanning a range of rotational angles around the main helical axes and translational shifts along the density rods; 2), fast optimization of side chains and scoring of the resulting conformations; and 3), refinement of the lowest-scoring conformations with internal coordinate mechanics, by optimizing the van der Waals, electrostatics, hydrogen bonding, torsional, and solvation energy contributions. In addition, our method implements a penalty term through a so-called tethering map, derived from the EM map, which restrains the positions of the α-helices. The protocol was validated on three test cases: GpA, KcsA, and MscL. PMID:17496035

In vivo mapping of vascular inflammation using multimodal imaging.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin R Jarrett

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Plaque vulnerability to rupture has emerged as a critical correlate to risk of adverse coronary events but there is as yet no clinical method to assess plaque stability in vivo. In the search to identify biomarkers of vulnerable plaques an association has been found between macrophages and plaque stability--the density and pattern of macrophage localization in lesions is indicative of probability to rupture. In very unstable plaques, macrophages are found in high densities and concentrated in the plaque shoulders. Therefore, the ability to map macrophages in plaques could allow noninvasive assessment of plaque stability. We use a multimodality imaging approach to noninvasively map the distribution of macrophages in vivo. The use of multiple modalities allows us to combine the complementary strengths of each modality to better visualize features of interest. Our combined use of Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET/MRI allows high sensitivity PET screening to identify putative lesions in a whole body view, and high resolution MRI for detailed mapping of biomarker expression in the lesions.Macromolecular and nanoparticle contrast agents targeted to macrophages were developed and tested in three different mouse and rat models of atherosclerosis in which inflamed vascular plaques form spontaneously and/or are induced by injury. For multimodal detection, the probes were designed to contain gadolinium (T1 MRI or iron oxide (T2 MRI, and Cu-64 (PET. PET imaging was utilized to identify regions of macrophage accumulation; these regions were further probed by MRI to visualize macrophage distribution at high resolution. In both PET and MR images the probes enhanced contrast at sites of vascular inflammation, but not in normal vessel walls. MRI was able to identify discrete sites of inflammation that were blurred together at the low resolution of PET. Macrophage content in the lesions was confirmed by histology.The multimodal

Comparison of gemfibrozil versus simvastatin in familial combined hyperlipidemia and effects on apolipoprotein-B-containing lipoproteins, low-density lipoprotein subfraction profile, and low-density lipoprotein oxidizability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bredie, S. J.; de Bruin, T. W.; Demacker, P. N.; Kastelein, J. J.; Stalenhoef, A. F.

1995-01-01

We evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of 45 well-defined patients with familial combined hyperlipidemia, the effect of gemfibrozil (1,200 mg/day) or simvastatin (20 mg/day) on apolipoprotein-B (apo-B)-containing lipoproteins, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subfraction

Mapping earthworm communities in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rutgers, Michiel; Orgiazzi, Alberto; Gardi, Ciro

Existing data sets on earthworm communities in Europe were collected, harmonized, modelled and depicted on a soil biodiversity map of Europe. Digital Soil Mapping was applied using multiple regressions relating relatively low density earthworm community data to soil characteristics, land use...

Mapping earthworm communities in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutgers, M.; Orgiazzi, A.; Gardi, C.; Römbke, J.; Jansch, S.; Keith, A.; Neilson, R.; Boag, B.; Schmidt, O.; Murchie, A.K.; Blackshaw, R.P.; Pérès, G.; Cluzeau, D.; Guernion, M.; Briones, M.J.I.; Rodeiro, J.; Pineiro, R.; Diaz Cosin, D.J.; Sousa, J.P.; Suhadolc, M.; Kos, I.; Krogh, P.H.; Faber, J.H.; Mulder, C.; Bogte, J.J.; Wijnen, van H.J.; Schouten, A.J.; Zwart, de D.

2016-01-01

Existing data sets on earthworm communities in Europe were collected, harmonized, collated, modelled and depicted on a soil biodiversity map. Digital Soil Mapping was applied using multiple regressions relating relatively low density earthworm community data to soil characteristics, land use,

Approaches to vegetation mapping and ecophysiological hypothesis testing using combined information from TIMS, AVIRIS, and AIRSAR

Science.gov (United States)

Oren, R.; Vane, G.; Zimmermann, R.; Carrere, V.; Realmuto, V.; Zebker, Howard A.; Schoeneberger, P.; Schoeneberger, M.

1991-01-01

The Tropical Rainforest Ecology Experiment (TREE) had two primary objectives: (1) to design a method for mapping vegetation in tropical regions using remote sensing and determine whether the result improves on available vegetation maps; and (2) to test a specific hypothesis on plant/water relations. Both objectives were thought achievable with the combined information from the Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS), Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), and Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR). Implicitly, two additional objectives were: (1) to ascertain that the range within each variable potentially measurable with the three instruments is large enough in the site, relative to the sensitivity of the instruments, so that differences between ecological groups may be detectable; and (2) to determine the ability of the three systems to quantify different variables and sensitivities. We found that the ranges in values of foliar nitrogen concentration, water availability, stand structure and species composition, and plant/water relations were large, even within the upland broadleaf vegetation type. The range was larger when other vegetation types were considered. Unfortunately, cloud cover and navigation errors compromised the utility of the TIMS and AVIRIS data. Nevertheless, the AIRSAR data alone appear to have improved on the available vegetation map for the study area. An example from an area converted to a farm is given to demonstrate how the combined information from AIRSAR, TIMS, and AVIRIS can uniquely identify distinct classes of land use. The example alludes to the potential utility of the three instruments for identifying vegetation at an ecological scale finer than vegetation types.

A new all-sky map of Galactic high-velocity clouds from the 21-cm HI4PI survey

Science.gov (United States)

Westmeier, Tobias

2018-02-01

High-velocity clouds (HVCs) are neutral or ionized gas clouds in the vicinity of the Milky Way that are characterized by high radial velocities inconsistent with participation in the regular rotation of the Galactic disc. Previous attempts to create a homogeneous all-sky H I map of HVCs have been hampered by a combination of poor angular resolution, limited surface brightness sensitivity and suboptimal sampling. Here, a new and improved H I map of Galactic HVCs based on the all-sky HI4PI survey is presented. The new map is fully sampled and provides significantly better angular resolution (16.2 versus 36 arcmin) and column density sensitivity (2.3 versus 3.7 × 1018 cm-2 at the native resolution) than the previously available LAB survey. The new HVC map resolves many of the major HVC complexes in the sky into an intricate network of narrow H I filaments and clumps that were not previously resolved by the LAB survey. The resulting sky coverage fraction of high-velocity H I emission above a column density level of 2 × 1018 cm-2 is approximately 15 per cent, which reduces to about 13 per cent when the Magellanic Clouds and other non-HVC emission are removed. The differential sky coverage fraction as a function of column density obeys a truncated power law with an exponent of -0.93 and a turnover point at about 5 × 1019 cm-2. H I column density and velocity maps of the HVC sky are made publicly available as FITS images for scientific use by the community.

A novel active equalization method for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yujie; Zhang, Chenbin; Chen, Zonghai; Xie, Jing; Zhang, Xu

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Build an active equalization method for lithium-ion batteries. • A bidirectional transformer topology is introduced for active equalization. • The PF method is used for cell SOC estimation to eliminate drift noise of current. • The SOC based equalization algorithm is analyzed with different SOC bounds. - Abstract: Cell inconsistency is inevitable due to manufacturing constraint. Therefore, cell equalization is essentially required. In this paper, we propose a novel active equalization method based on the remaining capacity of cells which is feasible for lithium-ion battery packs in electric vehicles (EVs). The cell models are established based on a combined electrochemical model of lithium-ion batteries. The remaining capacity and state-of-charge (SOC) of cells are observed at the beginning of equalization. The particle filter (PF) method is employed to estimate the cell SOCs during equalization in order to eliminate the drift noise of the current sensor. The first high-SOC cell discharge (FHCD) and first low-SOC cell charge (FLCC) equalization algorithms are proposed and compared with 1% and 3% SOC bounds, respectively. The validation experiment results have shown that the proposed algorithm is suitable for equalization of lithium-ion batteries in EVs

NEREC, an effective brain mapping protocol for combined language and long-term memory functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrone-Bertolotti, Marcela; Girard, Cléa; Cousin, Emilie; Vidal, Juan Ricardo; Pichat, Cédric; Kahane, Philippe; Baciu, Monica

2015-12-01

Temporal lobe epilepsy can induce functional plasticity in temporoparietal networks involved in language and long-term memory processing. Previous studies in healthy subjects have revealed the relative difficulty for this network to respond effectively across different experimental designs, as compared to more reactive regions such as frontal lobes. For a protocol to be optimal for clinical use, it has to first show robust effects in a healthy cohort. In this study, we developed a novel experimental paradigm entitled NEREC, which is able to reveal the robust participation of temporoparietal networks in a uniquely combined language and memory task, validated in an fMRI study with healthy subjects. Concretely, NEREC is composed of two runs: (a) an intermixed language-memory task (confrontation naming associated with encoding in nonverbal items, NE) to map language (i.e., word retrieval and lexico-semantic processes) combined with simultaneous long-term verbal memory encoding (NE items named but also explicitly memorized) and (b) a memory retrieval task of items encoded during NE (word recognition, REC) intermixed with new items. Word recognition is based on both perceptual-semantic familiarity (feeling of 'know') and accessing stored memory representations (remembering). In order to maximize the remembering and recruitment of medial temporal lobe structures, we increased REC difficulty by changing the modality of stimulus presentation (from nonverbal during NE to verbal during REC). We report that (a) temporoparietal activation during NE was attributable to both lexico-semantic (language) and memory (episodic encoding and semantic retrieval) processes; that (b) encoding activated the left hippocampus, bilateral fusiform, and bilateral inferior temporal gyri; and that (c) task recognition (recollection) activated the right hippocampus and bilateral but predominant left fusiform gyrus. The novelty of this protocol consists of (a) combining two tasks in one (language

All Hazard Hotspots/Population Density

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

This map shows hotspots of humanitarian risk for floods, cyclones, and drought overlaying a population density gradient. Blue areas with striped overlay represent areas of high population density that are also risk hotspots. These are at higher risk of future population displacement as a result of climate hazards.

High energy density, long life energy storage capacitor dielectric system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nichols, D.H.; Wilson, S.R.

1977-01-01

The evolution of energy storage dielectric systems shows a dramatic improvement in life and joule density, culminating in a 50% to 300% life improvement of polypropylene film-paper-phthalate ester over paper-castor oil depending on service. The physical and electrical drawbacks of castor oil are not present in the new system, allowing the capacitor designer to utilize the superior insulation resistance, dielectric strength, and corona resistance to full advantage. The result is longer life for equal joule density or greater joule density for equal life. Field service proof of the film-Geconol system superiority is based on 5 megajoule in operation and 16 megajoule on order

Equality Matters: The Critical Implications of Precisely Defining Equality

Science.gov (United States)

Faulkner, Valerie; Walkowiak, Temple; Cain, Chris; Lee, Carrie

2016-01-01

Equality is such an important concept for children to develop. In this article it is argued that a precise definition is needed to ensure that students are provided with a consistent "picture" of what it is that equality really means.

An Improved Consensus Linkage Map of Barley Based on Flow-Sorted Chromosomes and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Muñoz-Amatriaín

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in high-throughput genotyping have made it easier to combine information from different mapping populations into consensus genetic maps, which provide increased marker density and genome coverage compared to individual maps. Previously, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP-based genotyping platform was developed and used to genotype 373 individuals in four barley ( L. mapping populations. This led to a 2943 SNP consensus genetic map with 975 unique positions. In this work, we add data from six additional populations and more individuals from one of the original populations to develop an improved consensus map from 1133 individuals. A stringent and systematic analysis of each of the 10 populations was performed to achieve uniformity. This involved reexamination of the four populations included in the previous map. As a consequence, we present a robust consensus genetic map that contains 2994 SNP loci mapped to 1163 unique positions. The map spans 1137.3 cM with an average density of one marker bin per 0.99 cM. A novel application of the genotyping platform for gene detection allowed the assignment of 2930 genes to flow-sorted chromosomes or arms, confirmed the position of 2545 SNP-mapped loci, added chromosome or arm allocations to an additional 370 SNP loci, and delineated pericentromeric regions for chromosomes 2H to 7H. Marker order has been improved and map resolution has been increased by almost 20%. These increased precision outcomes enable more optimized SNP selection for marker-assisted breeding and support association genetic analysis and map-based cloning. It will also improve the anchoring of DNA sequence scaffolds and the barley physical map to the genetic map.

Performance analysis of a pre-FFT equalizer design for DVB-T

OpenAIRE

Armour, SMD; Nix, AR; Bull, David

1999-01-01

Conventional OFDM systems employ a guard interval to combat delay spread distortion of the transmitted data. This reduces the efficiency of the OFDM transmission. A combined OFDM-equalization reception strategy is presented in this paper. This strategy employs an adaptive equalizer to combat delay spread distortion instead of a guard interval. This facilitates the use of very short guard intervals and thus the transmission efficiency of the OFDM modulation scheme is improved. This paper prese...

Towards a fresh start in measuring gender equality: A contribution to the debate

OpenAIRE

Dijkstra, Geske

2006-01-01

textabstractBoth the Gender-related Development Index (GDI) and the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) represent a ‘‘false start’’ in measuring gender equality. This is because they do not measure gender (in)equality as such, but an odd combination of absolute welfare levels and gender equality that is not easy to interpret. This note argues that the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report Office should take the lead in either constructing a new index for measuring gende...

Automated identification of crystallographic ligands using sparse-density representations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carolan, C. G.; Lamzin, V. S.

2014-01-01

A novel procedure for identifying ligands in macromolecular crystallographic electron-density maps is introduced. Density clusters in such maps can be rapidly attributed to one of 82 different ligands in an automated manner. A novel procedure for the automatic identification of ligands in macromolecular crystallographic electron-density maps is introduced. It is based on the sparse parameterization of density clusters and the matching of the pseudo-atomic grids thus created to conformationally variant ligands using mathematical descriptors of molecular shape, size and topology. In large-scale tests on experimental data derived from the Protein Data Bank, the procedure could quickly identify the deposited ligand within the top-ranked compounds from a database of candidates. This indicates the suitability of the method for the identification of binding entities in fragment-based drug screening and in model completion in macromolecular structure determination

Functional materials discovery using energy-structure-function maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Pulido, Angeles; Chen, Linjiang; Kaczorowski, Tomasz; Holden, Daniel; Little, Marc A; Chong, Samantha Y; Slater, Benjamin J; McMahon, David P; Bonillo, Baltasar; Stackhouse, Chloe J; Stephenson, Andrew; Kane, Christopher M; Clowes, Rob; Hasell, Tom; Cooper, Andrew I; Day, Graeme M

2017-03-30

Molecular crystals cannot be designed in the same manner as macroscopic objects, because they do not assemble according to simple, intuitive rules. Their structures result from the balance of many weak interactions, rather than from the strong and predictable bonding patterns found in metal-organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks. Hence, design strategies that assume a topology or other structural blueprint will often fail. Here we combine computational crystal structure prediction and property prediction to build energy-structure-function maps that describe the possible structures and properties that are available to a candidate molecule. Using these maps, we identify a highly porous solid, which has the lowest density reported for a molecular crystal so far. Both the structure of the crystal and its physical properties, such as methane storage capacity and guest-molecule selectivity, are predicted using the molecular structure as the only input. More generally, energy-structure-function maps could be used to guide the experimental discovery of materials with any target function that can be calculated from predicted crystal structures, such as electronic structure or mechanical properties.

Genomic Characterization of DArT Markers Based on High-Density Linkage Analysis and Physical Mapping to the Eucalyptus Genome

Science.gov (United States)

Petroli, César D.; Sansaloni, Carolina P.; Carling, Jason; Steane, Dorothy A.; Vaillancourt, René E.; Myburg, Alexander A.; da Silva, Orzenil Bonfim; Pappas, Georgios Joannis; Kilian, Andrzej; Grattapaglia, Dario

2012-01-01

Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) provides a robust, high throughput, cost-effective method to query thousands of sequence polymorphisms in a single assay. Despite the extensive use of this genotyping platform for numerous plant species, little is known regarding the sequence attributes and genome-wide distribution of DArT markers. We investigated the genomic properties of the 7,680 DArT marker probes of a Eucalyptus array, by sequencing them, constructing a high density linkage map and carrying out detailed physical mapping analyses to the Eucalyptus grandis reference genome. A consensus linkage map with 2,274 DArT markers anchored to 210 microsatellites and a framework map, with improved support for ordering, displayed extensive collinearity with the genome sequence. Only 1.4 Mbp of the 75 Mbp of still unplaced scaffold sequence was captured by 45 linkage mapped but physically unaligned markers to the 11 main Eucalyptus pseudochromosomes, providing compelling evidence for the quality and completeness of the current Eucalyptus genome assembly. A highly significant correspondence was found between the locations of DArT markers and predicted gene models, while most of the 89 DArT probes unaligned to the genome correspond to sequences likely absent in E. grandis, consistent with the pan-genomic feature of this multi-Eucalyptus species DArT array. These comprehensive linkage-to-physical mapping analyses provide novel data regarding the genomic attributes of DArT markers in plant genomes in general and for Eucalyptus in particular. DArT markers preferentially target the gene space and display a largely homogeneous distribution across the genome, thereby providing superb coverage for mapping and genome-wide applications in breeding and diversity studies. Data reported on these ubiquitous properties of DArT markers will be particularly valuable to researchers working on less-studied crop species who already count on DArT genotyping arrays but for which no reference

Genomic characterization of DArT markers based on high-density linkage analysis and physical mapping to the Eucalyptus genome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César D Petroli

Full Text Available Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT provides a robust, high throughput, cost-effective method to query thousands of sequence polymorphisms in a single assay. Despite the extensive use of this genotyping platform for numerous plant species, little is known regarding the sequence attributes and genome-wide distribution of DArT markers. We investigated the genomic properties of the 7,680 DArT marker probes of a Eucalyptus array, by sequencing them, constructing a high density linkage map and carrying out detailed physical mapping analyses to the Eucalyptus grandis reference genome. A consensus linkage map with 2,274 DArT markers anchored to 210 microsatellites and a framework map, with improved support for ordering, displayed extensive collinearity with the genome sequence. Only 1.4 Mbp of the 75 Mbp of still unplaced scaffold sequence was captured by 45 linkage mapped but physically unaligned markers to the 11 main Eucalyptus pseudochromosomes, providing compelling evidence for the quality and completeness of the current Eucalyptus genome assembly. A highly significant correspondence was found between the locations of DArT markers and predicted gene models, while most of the 89 DArT probes unaligned to the genome correspond to sequences likely absent in E. grandis, consistent with the pan-genomic feature of this multi-Eucalyptus species DArT array. These comprehensive linkage-to-physical mapping analyses provide novel data regarding the genomic attributes of DArT markers in plant genomes in general and for Eucalyptus in particular. DArT markers preferentially target the gene space and display a largely homogeneous distribution across the genome, thereby providing superb coverage for mapping and genome-wide applications in breeding and diversity studies. Data reported on these ubiquitous properties of DArT markers will be particularly valuable to researchers working on less-studied crop species who already count on DArT genotyping arrays but for

Discovery and Fine-Mapping of Glycaemic and Obesity-Related Trait Loci Using High-Density Imputation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Momoko Horikoshi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Reference panels from the 1000 Genomes (1000G Project Consortium provide near complete coverage of common and low-frequency genetic variation with minor allele frequency ≥0.5% across European ancestry populations. Within the European Network for Genetic and Genomic Epidemiology (ENGAGE Consortium, we have undertaken the first large-scale meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS, supplemented by 1000G imputation, for four quantitative glycaemic and obesity-related traits, in up to 87,048 individuals of European ancestry. We identified two loci for body mass index (BMI at genome-wide significance, and two for fasting glucose (FG, none of which has been previously reported in larger meta-analysis efforts to combine GWAS of European ancestry. Through conditional analysis, we also detected multiple distinct signals of association mapping to established loci for waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (RSPO3 and FG (GCK and G6PC2. The index variant for one association signal at the G6PC2 locus is a low-frequency coding allele, H177Y, which has recently been demonstrated to have a functional role in glucose regulation. Fine-mapping analyses revealed that the non-coding variants most likely to drive association signals at established and novel loci were enriched for overlap with enhancer elements, which for FG mapped to promoter and transcription factor binding sites in pancreatic islets, in particular. Our study demonstrates that 1000G imputation and genetic fine-mapping of common and low-frequency variant association signals at GWAS loci, integrated with genomic annotation in relevant tissues, can provide insight into the functional and regulatory mechanisms through which their effects on glycaemic and obesity-related traits are mediated.

Soil Carbon Mapping in Low Relief Areas with Combined Land Use Types and Percentages

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y. L.; Wu, Z. H.; Chen, Y. Y.; Wang, B. Z.

2018-05-01

Accurate mapping of soil carbon in low relief areas is of great challenge because of the defect of conventional "soil-landscape" model. Efforts have been made to integrate the land use information in the modelling and mapping of soil organic carbon (SOC), in which the spatial context was ignored. With 256 topsoil samples collected from Jianghan Plain, we aim to (i) explore the land-use dependency of SOC via one-way ANOVA; (ii) investigate the "spillover effect" of land use on SOC content; (iii) examine the feasibility of land use types and percentages (obtained with a 200-meter buffer) for soil mapping via regression Kriging (RK) models. Results showed that the SOC of paddy fields was higher than that of woodlands and irrigated lands. The land use type could explain 20.5 % variation of the SOC, and the value increased to 24.7 % when the land use percentages were considered. SOC was positively correlated with the percentage of water area and irrigation canals. Further research indicated that SOC of irrigated lands was significantly correlated with the percentage of water area and irrigation canals, while paddy fields and woodlands did not show similar trends. RK model that combined land use types and percentages outperformed the other models with the lowest values of RMSEC (5.644 g/kg) and RMSEP (6.229 g/kg), and the highest R2C (0.193) and R2P (0.197). In conclusions, land use types and percentages serve as efficient indicators for the SOC mapping in plain areas. Additionally, irrigation facilities contributed to the farmland SOC sequestration especially in irrigated lands.

An evaluation of the performance of tag SNPs derived from HapMap in a Caucasian population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Montpetit

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The Haplotype Map (HapMap project recently generated genotype data for more than 1 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in four population samples. The main application of the data is in the selection of tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs to use in association studies. The usefulness of this selection process needs to be verified in populations outside those used for the HapMap project. In addition, it is not known how well the data represent the general population, as only 90-120 chromosomes were used for each population and since the genotyped SNPs were selected so as to have high frequencies. In this study, we analyzed more than 1,000 individuals from Estonia. The population of this northern European country has been influenced by many different waves of migrations from Europe and Russia. We genotyped 1,536 randomly selected SNPs from two 500-kbp ENCODE regions on Chromosome 2. We observed that the tSNPs selected from the CEPH (Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain from Utah (CEU HapMap samples (derived from US residents with northern and western European ancestry captured most of the variation in the Estonia sample. (Between 90% and 95% of the SNPs with a minor allele frequency of more than 5% have an r2 of at least 0.8 with one of the CEU tSNPs. Using the reverse approach, tags selected from the Estonia sample could almost equally well describe the CEU sample. Finally, we observed that the sample size, the allelic frequency, and the SNP density in the dataset used to select the tags each have important effects on the tagging performance. Overall, our study supports the use of HapMap data in other Caucasian populations, but the SNP density and the bias towards high-frequency SNPs have to be taken into account when designing association studies.

Probabilistic atlas-based segmentation of combined T1-weighted and DUTE MRI for calculation of head attenuation maps in integrated PET/MRI scanners.

Science.gov (United States)

Poynton, Clare B; Chen, Kevin T; Chonde, Daniel B; Izquierdo-Garcia, David; Gollub, Randy L; Gerstner, Elizabeth R; Batchelor, Tracy T; Catana, Ciprian

2014-01-01

We present a new MRI-based attenuation correction (AC) approach for integrated PET/MRI systems that combines both segmentation- and atlas-based methods by incorporating dual-echo ultra-short echo-time (DUTE) and T1-weighted (T1w) MRI data and a probabilistic atlas. Segmented atlases were constructed from CT training data using a leave-one-out framework and combined with T1w, DUTE, and CT data to train a classifier that computes the probability of air/soft tissue/bone at each voxel. This classifier was applied to segment the MRI of the subject of interest and attenuation maps (μ-maps) were generated by assigning specific linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) to each tissue class. The μ-maps generated with this "Atlas-T1w-DUTE" approach were compared to those obtained from DUTE data using a previously proposed method. For validation of the segmentation results, segmented CT μ-maps were considered to the "silver standard"; the segmentation accuracy was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively through calculation of the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Relative change (RC) maps between the CT and MRI-based attenuation corrected PET volumes were also calculated for a global voxel-wise assessment of the reconstruction results. The μ-maps obtained using the Atlas-T1w-DUTE classifier agreed well with those derived from CT; the mean DSCs for the Atlas-T1w-DUTE-based μ-maps across all subjects were higher than those for DUTE-based μ-maps; the atlas-based μ-maps also showed a lower percentage of misclassified voxels across all subjects. RC maps from the atlas-based technique also demonstrated improvement in the PET data compared to the DUTE method, both globally as well as regionally.

Volume and density changes of biological fluids with temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Hinghofer-Szalkay, H.

1985-01-01

The thermal expansion of human blood, plasma, ultrafiltrate, and erythrocycte concentration at temperatures in the range of 4-48 C is studied. The mechanical oscillator technique which has an accuracy of 1 x 10 to the -5 th g/ml is utilized to measure fluid density. The relationship between thermal expansion, density, and temperature is analyzed. The study reveals that: (1) thermal expansion increases with increasing temperature; (2) the magnitude of the increase declines with increasing temperature; (3) thermal expansion increases with density at temperatures below 40 C; and (4) the thermal expansion of intracellular fluid is greater than that of extracellular fluid in the temperature range of 4-10 C, but it is equal at temperatures greater than or equal to 40 C.

[Estimation of Hunan forest carbon density based on spectral mixture analysis of MODIS data].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, En-ping; Lin, Hui; Wang, Guang-xing; Chen, Zhen-xiong

2015-11-01

With the fast development of remote sensing technology, combining forest inventory sample plot data and remotely sensed images has become a widely used method to map forest carbon density. However, the existence of mixed pixels often impedes the improvement of forest carbon density mapping, especially when low spatial resolution images such as MODIS are used. In this study, MODIS images and national forest inventory sample plot data were used to conduct the study of estimation for forest carbon density. Linear spectral mixture analysis with and without constraint, and nonlinear spectral mixture analysis were compared to derive the fractions of different land use and land cover (LULC) types. Then sequential Gaussian co-simulation algorithm with and without the fraction images from spectral mixture analyses were employed to estimate forest carbon density of Hunan Province. Results showed that 1) Linear spectral mixture analysis with constraint, leading to a mean RMSE of 0.002, more accurately estimated the fractions of LULC types than linear spectral and nonlinear spectral mixture analyses; 2) Integrating spectral mixture analysis model and sequential Gaussian co-simulation algorithm increased the estimation accuracy of forest carbon density to 81.5% from 74.1%, and decreased the RMSE to 5.18 from 7.26; and 3) The mean value of forest carbon density for the province was 30.06 t · hm(-2), ranging from 0.00 to 67.35 t · hm(-2). This implied that the spectral mixture analysis provided a great potential to increase the estimation accuracy of forest carbon density on regional and global level.

Effect of fiber geometry on macroscale friction of ordered low-density polyethylene nanofiber arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dae Ho; Kim, Yongkwan; Fearing, Ronald S; Maboudian, Roya

2011-09-06

Ordered low-density polyethylene (LDPE) nanofiber arrays are fabricated from silicon nanowire (SiNW) templates synthesized by a simple wet-chemical process based on metal-assisted electroless etching combined with colloidal lithography. The geometrical effect of nanofibrillar structures on their macroscale friction is investigated over a wide range of diameters and lengths under the same fiber density. The optimum geometry for contacting a smooth glass surface is presented with discussions on the compromise between fiber tip-contact area and fiber compliance. A friction design map is developed, which shows that the theoretical optimum design condition agrees well with the LDPE nanofiber geometries exhibiting high measured friction. © 2011 American Chemical Society

STRP Screening Sets for the human genome at 5 cM density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marth Gabor

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Short tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs are powerful tools for gene mapping and other applications. A STRP genome scan of 10 cM is usually adequate for mapping single gene disorders. However mapping studies involving genetically complex disorders and especially association (linkage disequilibrium often require higher STRP density. Results We report the development of two separate 10 cM human STRP Screening Sets (Sets 12 and 52 which span all chromosomes. When combined, the two Sets contain a total of 782 STRPs, with average STRP spacing of 4.8 cM, average heterozygosity of 0.72, and total sex-average coverage of 3535 cM. The current Sets are comprised almost entirely of STRPs based on tri- and tetranucleotide repeats. We also report correction of primer sequences for many STRPs used in previous Screening Sets. Detailed information for the new Screening Sets is available from our web site: http://research.marshfieldclinic.org/genetics. Conclusion Our new human STRP Screening Sets will improve the quality and cost effectiveness of genotyping for gene mapping and other applications.

Construction of a high-density genetic map using specific length amplified fragment markers and identification of a quantitative trait locus for anthracnose resistance in walnut (Juglans regia L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yufeng; Yin, Yanfei; Yang, Keqiang; Li, Jihong; Sang, Yalin; Huang, Long; Fan, Shu

2015-08-18

Walnut (Juglans regia, 2n = 32, approximately 606 Mb per 1C genome) is an economically important tree crop. Resistance to anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is a major objective of walnut genetic improvement in China. The recently developed specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) is an efficient strategy that can obtain large numbers of markers with sufficient sequence information to construct high-density genetic maps and permits detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for molecular breeding. SLAF-seq generated 161.64 M paired-end reads. 153,820 SLAF markers were obtained, of which 49,174 were polymorphic. 13,635 polymorphic markers were sorted into five segregation types and 2,577 markers of them were used to construct genetic linkage maps: 2,395 of these fell into 16 linkage groups (LGs) for the female map, 448 markers for the male map, and 2,577 markers for the integrated map. Taking into account the size of all LGs, the marker coverage was 2,664.36 cM for the female map, 1,305.58 cM for the male map, and 2,457.82 cM for the integrated map. The average intervals between two adjacent mapped markers were 1.11 cM, 2.91 cM and 0.95 cM for three maps, respectively. 'SNP_only' markers accounted for 89.25% of the markers on the integrated map. Mapping markers contained 5,043 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) loci, which corresponded to two SNP loci per SLAF marker. According to the integrated map, we used interval mapping (Logarithm of odds, LOD > 3.0) to detect our quantitative trait. One QTL was detected for anthracnose resistance. The interval of this QTL ranged from 165.51 cM to 176.33 cM on LG14, and ten markers in this interval that were above the threshold value were considered to be linked markers to the anthracnose resistance trait. The phenotypic variance explained by each marker ranged from 16.2 to 19.9%, and their LOD scores varied from 3.22 to 4.04. High-density genetic maps for walnut containing 16

Equal treatment of shareholders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arsić Zoran

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Equal treatment of shareholders is regulated in Art.269 of Company Act (2011 of Republic of Serbia. Equal treatment of shareholders means that all shareholders are to be treated equally under same circumstances. Obligation to treat all shareholders equally rests on all company bodies, predominantly general meeting. The standard whether an action violates the principle of equal treatment of all shareholders regarding the main rights of shareholders (such as voting right etc. is the nominal value of shares, or the equal treatment per person regarding ancillary rights (such as right to speak in shareholders' meeting etc.. Any action deviating from this standard is unlawful if the unequal treatment is not justified on the facts. If the principle of equal treatment is violated by general meeting resolution, such resolution may be annulled by the court.

Time-efficient, high-resolution, whole brain three-dimensional macromolecular proton fraction mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarnykh, Vasily L

2016-05-01

Macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping is a quantitative MRI method that reconstructs parametric maps of a relative amount of macromolecular protons causing the magnetization transfer (MT) effect and provides a biomarker of myelination in neural tissues. This study aimed to develop a high-resolution whole brain MPF mapping technique using a minimal number of source images for scan time reduction. The described technique was based on replacement of an actually acquired reference image without MT saturation by a synthetic one reconstructed from R1 and proton density maps, thus requiring only three source images. This approach enabled whole brain three-dimensional MPF mapping with isotropic 1.25 × 1.25 × 1.25 mm(3) voxel size and a scan time of 20 min. The synthetic reference method was validated against standard MPF mapping with acquired reference images based on data from eight healthy subjects. Mean MPF values in segmented white and gray matter appeared in close agreement with no significant bias and small within-subject coefficients of variation (maps demonstrated sharp white-gray matter contrast and clear visualization of anatomical details, including gray matter structures with high iron content. The proposed synthetic reference method improves resolution of MPF mapping and combines accurate MPF measurements with unique neuroanatomical contrast features. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Equal opportunities in diversity

CERN Multimedia

Laëtitia Pedroso

2010-01-01

Promoting equal opportunities at CERN and advising the Director-General on all related matters is the task of the Equal Opportunities Officer, Doris Chromek-Burckhart, and Tim Smith, chair of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Panel. Changes are being introduced: in future, the focus of their work will be broadened to cover all aspects of diversity promotion.   The term "equal opportunities" has always been broader in scope than the equal treatment of men and women but this is what it has traditionally been confined to in practice. "We wanted to change how people see our mission", explains Doris Chromek-Burckhart. The word "diversity" has much wider connotations than "equal opportunities" and makes it clearer that we are also dealing with differences in nationality, religion, age, culture and physical ability”. Getting away from the old clichés is vital to ensuring equal treatment for everyone. The diversit...

MMSE-NP-RISIC-Based Channel Equalization for MIMO-SC-FDE Troposcatter Communication Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zedong Xie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The impact of intersymbol interference (ISI on single-carrier frequency-domain equalization with multiple input multiple output (MIMO-SC-FDE troposcatter communication systems is severe. Most of the channel equalization methods fail to solve it completely. In this paper, given the disadvantages of the noise-predictive (NP MMSE-based and the residual intersymbol interference cancellation (RISIC equalization in the single input single output (SISO system, we focus on the combination of both equalization schemes mentioned above. After extending both of them into MIMO system for the first time, we introduce a novel MMSE-NP-RISIC equalization method for MIMO-SC-FDE troposcatter communication systems. Analysis and simulation results validate the performance of the proposed method in time-varying frequency-selective troposcatter channel at an acceptable computational complexity cost.

Patterns of gender equality at workplaces and psychological distress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia Elwér

Full Text Available Research in the field of occupational health often uses a risk factor approach which has been criticized by feminist researchers for not considering the combination of many different variables that are at play simultaneously. To overcome this shortcoming this study aims to identify patterns of gender equality at workplaces and to investigate how these patterns are associated with psychological distress. Questionnaire data from the Northern Swedish Cohort (n = 715 have been analysed and supplemented with register data about the participants' workplaces. The register data were used to create gender equality indicators of women/men ratios of number of employees, educational level, salary and parental leave. Cluster analysis was used to identify patterns of gender equality at the workplaces. Differences in psychological distress between the clusters were analysed by chi-square test and logistic regression analyses, adjusting for individual socio-demographics and previous psychological distress. The cluster analysis resulted in six distinctive clusters with different patterns of gender equality at the workplaces that were associated to psychological distress for women but not for men. For women the highest odds of psychological distress was found on traditionally gender unequal workplaces. The lowest overall occurrence of psychological distress as well as same occurrence for women and men was found on the most gender equal workplaces. The results from this study support the convergence hypothesis as gender equality at the workplace does not only relate to better mental health for women, but also more similar occurrence of mental ill-health between women and men. This study highlights the importance of utilizing a multidimensional view of gender equality to understand its association to health outcomes. Health policies need to consider gender equality at the workplace level as a social determinant of health that is of importance for reducing

Patterns of Gender Equality at Workplaces and Psychological Distress

Science.gov (United States)

Bolin, Malin; Hammarström, Anne

2013-01-01

Research in the field of occupational health often uses a risk factor approach which has been criticized by feminist researchers for not considering the combination of many different variables that are at play simultaneously. To overcome this shortcoming this study aims to identify patterns of gender equality at workplaces and to investigate how these patterns are associated with psychological distress. Questionnaire data from the Northern Swedish Cohort (n = 715) have been analysed and supplemented with register data about the participants' workplaces. The register data were used to create gender equality indicators of women/men ratios of number of employees, educational level, salary and parental leave. Cluster analysis was used to identify patterns of gender equality at the workplaces. Differences in psychological distress between the clusters were analysed by chi-square test and logistic regression analyses, adjusting for individual socio-demographics and previous psychological distress. The cluster analysis resulted in six distinctive clusters with different patterns of gender equality at the workplaces that were associated to psychological distress for women but not for men. For women the highest odds of psychological distress was found on traditionally gender unequal workplaces. The lowest overall occurrence of psychological distress as well as same occurrence for women and men was found on the most gender equal workplaces. The results from this study support the convergence hypothesis as gender equality at the workplace does not only relate to better mental health for women, but also more similar occurrence of mental ill-health between women and men. This study highlights the importance of utilizing a multidimensional view of gender equality to understand its association to health outcomes. Health policies need to consider gender equality at the workplace level as a social determinant of health that is of importance for reducing differences in health

Patterns of gender equality at workplaces and psychological distress.

Science.gov (United States)

Elwér, Sofia; Harryson, Lisa; Bolin, Malin; Hammarström, Anne

2013-01-01

Research in the field of occupational health often uses a risk factor approach which has been criticized by feminist researchers for not considering the combination of many different variables that are at play simultaneously. To overcome this shortcoming this study aims to identify patterns of gender equality at workplaces and to investigate how these patterns are associated with psychological distress. Questionnaire data from the Northern Swedish Cohort (n = 715) have been analysed and supplemented with register data about the participants' workplaces. The register data were used to create gender equality indicators of women/men ratios of number of employees, educational level, salary and parental leave. Cluster analysis was used to identify patterns of gender equality at the workplaces. Differences in psychological distress between the clusters were analysed by chi-square test and logistic regression analyses, adjusting for individual socio-demographics and previous psychological distress. The cluster analysis resulted in six distinctive clusters with different patterns of gender equality at the workplaces that were associated to psychological distress for women but not for men. For women the highest odds of psychological distress was found on traditionally gender unequal workplaces. The lowest overall occurrence of psychological distress as well as same occurrence for women and men was found on the most gender equal workplaces. The results from this study support the convergence hypothesis as gender equality at the workplace does not only relate to better mental health for women, but also more similar occurrence of mental ill-health between women and men. This study highlights the importance of utilizing a multidimensional view of gender equality to understand its association to health outcomes. Health policies need to consider gender equality at the workplace level as a social determinant of health that is of importance for reducing differences in health

Abnormal pain processing in chronic tension-type headache: a high-density EEG brain mapping study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchgreitz, L.; Egsgaard, L.L.; Jensen, R.

2008-01-01

Central sensitization caused by prolonged nociceptive input from muscles is considered to play an important role for chronification of tension-type headache. In the present study we used a new high-density EEG brain mapping technique to investigate spatiotemporal aspects of brain activity...... in response to muscle pain in 19 patients with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) and 19 healthy, age- and sex-matched controls. Intramuscular electrical stimuli (single and train of five pulses delivered at 2 Hz) were applied to the trapezius muscle and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded...... with 128-channel EEG both in- and outside a condition with induced tonic neck/shoulder muscle pain (glutamate injection into the trapezius muscle). Significant reduction in magnitude during and after induced tonic muscle pain was found in controls at the P200 dipole in response to both the first (baseline...

Estimation of Chinese surface NO2 concentrations combining satellite data and Land Use Regression

Science.gov (United States)

Anand, J.; Monks, P.

2016-12-01

Monitoring surface-level air quality is often limited by in-situ instrument placement and issues arising from harmonisation over long timescales. Satellite instruments can offer a synoptic view of regional pollution sources, but in many cases only a total or tropospheric column can be measured. In this work a new technique of estimating surface NO2 combining both satellite and in-situ data is presented, in which a Land Use Regression (LUR) model is used to create high resolution pollution maps based on known predictor variables such as population density, road networks, and land cover. By employing a mixed effects approach, it is possible to take advantage of the spatiotemporal variability in the satellite-derived column densities to account for daily and regional variations in surface NO2 caused by factors such as temperature, elevation, and wind advection. In this work, surface NO2 maps are modelled over the North China Plain and Pearl River Delta during high-pollution episodes by combining in-situ measurements and tropospheric columns from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The modelled concentrations show good agreement with in-situ data and surface NO2 concentrations derived from the MACC-II global reanalysis.

Urban local climate zone mapping and apply in urban environment study

Science.gov (United States)

He, Shan; Zhang, Yunwei; Zhang, Jili

2018-02-01

The city’s local climate zone (LCZ) was considered to be a powerful tool for urban climate mapping. But for cities in different countries and regions, the LCZ division methods and results were different, thus targeted researches should be performed. In the current work, a LCZ mapping method was proposed, which is convenient in operation and city planning oriented. In this proposed method, the local climate zoning types were adjusted firstly, according to the characteristics of Chinese city, that more tall buildings and high density. Then the classification method proposed by WUDAPT based on remote sensing data was performed on Xi’an city, as an example, for LCZ mapping. Combined with the city road network, a reasonable expression of the dividing results was provided, to adapt to the characteristics in city planning that land parcels are usually recognized as the basic unit. The proposed method was validated against the actual land use and construction data that surveyed in Xi’an, with results indicating the feasibility of the proposed method for urban LCZ mapping in China.

Forecast combinations

OpenAIRE

Aiolfi, Marco; Capistrán, Carlos; Timmermann, Allan

2010-01-01

We consider combinations of subjective survey forecasts and model-based forecasts from linear and non-linear univariate specifications as well as multivariate factor-augmented models. Empirical results suggest that a simple equal-weighted average of survey forecasts outperform the best model-based forecasts for a majority of macroeconomic variables and forecast horizons. Additional improvements can in some cases be gained by using a simple equal-weighted average of survey and model-based fore...

Adaptive Jamming Suppression in Coherent FFH System Using Weighted Equal Gain Combining Receiver over Fading Channels with Imperfect CSI