Comparative analysis of cost and efficacy for mono and dual therapy of antiepileptics among children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Easwaran Vigneshwaran

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Developing countries contribute to major number of patients living with epilepsy, around five million people are living with epilepsy in India alone. Most of the epileptic children may require multiple antiepileptic therapy due to the failure of monotherapy. Basic research evidence suggest that sodium valproate and carbamazepine (CBZ may have synergistic anticonvulsant effects when they are used together. In addition to that, chronic disorders make the patients economically weak and produce more burden. Aim and Objective: Therefore, this study was designed to compare the efficacy of valproate monotherapy with valproate and CBZ dual therapy. Methodology: It is a prospective, comparative study conducted at a secondary care referral hospital and private clinic. A nonprobabilistic convenient sampling was done to recruit the study subjects. A total of fifty subjects were recruited into the present study, and they were divided into two groups, i.e., monotherapy group (CBZ and dual therapy group (CBZ and valproate. After providing appropriate counseling, subjects were interviewed to estimate the quality of life (QOL using child version of TNO-AZL Children's Quality of Life questionnaire. Hospital patient records, prescription data from the pharmacy were also used to obtain the direct and indirect cost of treatment. Results: Our study results showed that monotherapy has a potential to produce a higher level of QOL than dual therapy. It also involved with decreased seizure frequency. Although there was no statistically significant difference in terms of cost for both the treatment groups, still dual therapy is associated with higher cost burden. The average costs per QOL and changes in the frequency of seizure are also identified to produce higher economic burden to the patients.Conclusion: Thus, the present study has concluded that monotherapy may be considered as better cost-effective treatment in partial seizures than dual therapy

Behavioral interventions for improving dual-method contraceptive use.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Laureen M; Stockton, Laurie L; Chen, Mario; Steiner, Markus J; Gallo, Maria F

2014-03-30

Dual-method contraception refers to using condoms as well as another modern method of contraception. The latter (usually non-barrier) method is commonly hormonal (e.g., oral contraceptives) or a non-hormonal intrauterine device. Use of two methods can better prevent pregnancy and the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared to single-method use. Unprotected sex increases risk for disease, disability, and mortality in many areas due to the prevalence and incidence of HIV/STI. Millions of women, especially in lower-resource areas, also have an unmet need for protection against unintended pregnancy. We examined comparative studies of behavioral interventions for improving use of dual methods of contraception. Dual-method use refers to using condoms as well as another modern contraceptive method. Our intent was to identify effective interventions for preventing pregnancy as well as HIV/STI transmission. Through January 2014, we searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, POPLINE, EMBASE, COPAC, and Open Grey. In addition, we searched ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP for current trials and trials with relevant data or reports. We examined reference lists of pertinent papers, including review articles, for additional reports. Studies could be either randomized or non-randomized. They examined a behavioral intervention with an educational or counseling component to encourage or improve the use of dual methods, i.e., condoms and another modern contraceptive. The intervention had to address preventing pregnancy as well as the transmission of HIV/STI. The program or service could be targeted to individuals, couples, or communities. The comparison condition could be another behavioral intervention to improve contraceptive use, usual care, other health education, or no intervention.Studies had to report use of dual methods, i.e., condoms plus another modern contraceptive method. We focused on the investigator's assessment of consistent dual-method use or use at

Dual cusped protostylid: Case report and clinical significance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preeti Bhattacharya

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Protostylids are superstructures on maxillary or mandibular molars, which have rarely been reported in literature, and the significance of their presence has also been underestimated. The dental practitioners may easily misdiagnose a tooth, with such conical tubercles as malformed tooth. Interestingly, this is neither a malformation nor an anomaly but rather an important morphological trait of an individual. Once in a while, one may come across such a distinct morphological trait without being able to diagnose. To the authors' best knowledge, only one similar case has been reported previously, and the second such case internationally. Bearing all such facts in mind, the authors attempt to educate the readers towards the existence of such a trait so that it can be identified and studied in larger numbers. Hence, it is the authors' endeavor to report an unusual case of dual cusped maxillary protostylid along with its clinical significance.

Dual-Readout Calorimetry for High-Quality Energy Measurements. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wigmans, Richard; Nural, Akchurin

2013-01-01

This document constitutes the final report on the project Dual-Readout Calorimetry for High-Quality Energy Measurements. The project was carried out by a consortium of US and Italian physicists, led by Dr. Richard Wigmans (Texas tech University). This consortium built several particle detectors and tested these at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland. The idea arose to use scintillating crystals as dual-readout calorimeters. Such crystals were of course already known to provide excellent energy resolution for the detection of particles developing electromagnetic (em) showers. The efforts to separate the signals from scintillating crystals into scintillation and Cerenkov components led to four different methods by which this could be accomplished. These methods are based on a) the directionality, b) spectral differences, c) the time structure, and d) the polarization of the signals

Establishment of a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line expressing dual reporter genes: sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwak, Won Jung; Koo, Bon Chul; Kwon, Mo Sun

2007-01-01

Dual reporter gene imaging has several advantages for more sophisticated molecular imaging studies such as gene therapy monitoring. Herein, we have constructed hepatoma cell line expressing dual reporter genes of sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP), and the functionalities of the genes were evaluated in vivo by nuclear and optical imaging. A pRetro-PN vector was constructed after separating NIS gene from pcDNA-NIS. RSV-EGFP-WPRE fragment separated from pLNRGW was cloned into pRetro-PN vector. The final vector expressing dual reporter genes was named pRetro-PNRGW. A human hepatoma (HepG2) cells were transfected by the retrovirus containing NIS and EGFP gene (HepG2-NE). Expression of NIS gene was confirmed by RT-PCR, radioiodine uptake and efflux studies. Expression of EGFP was confirmed by RT-PCR and fluorescence microscope. The HepG2 and HepG2-NE cells were implanted in shoulder and hindlimb of nude mice, then fluorescence image, gamma camera image and I-124 microPET image were undertaken. The HepG2-NE cell was successfully constructed. RT-PCR showed NIS and EGFP mRNA expression. About 50% of cells showed fluorescence. The iodine uptake of NIS-expressed cells was about 9 times higher than control. In efflux study, T 1/2 of HepG2-NE cells was 9 min. HepG2-NE xenograft showed high signal-to-background fluorescent spots and higher iodine-uptake compared to those of HepG2 xenograft. A hepatoma cell line expressing NIS and EGFP dual reporter genes was successfully constructed and could be used as a potential either by therapeutic gene or imaging reporter gene

E-cigarette Dual Users, Exclusive Users and Perceptions of Tobacco Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Maria; Case, Kathleen R; Loukas, Alexandra; Creamer, Melisa R; Perry, Cheryl L

2016-01-01

We examined differences in the characteristics of youth non-users, cigarette-only, e-cigarette-only, and dual e-cigarette and cigarette users. Using weighted, representative data, logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine differences in demographic characteristics and tobacco use behaviors across tobacco usage groups. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine differences in harm perceptions of various tobacco products and perceived peer use of e-cigarettes by tobacco usage group. Compared to non-users, dual users were more likely to be white, male, and high school students. Dual users had significantly higher prevalence of current use of all products (except hookah) than e-cigarette-only users, and higher prevalence of current use of snus and hookah than the cigarette-only group. Dual users had significantly lower harm perceptions for all tobacco products except for e-cigarettes and hookah as compared to e-cigarette-only users. Dual users reported higher peer use of cigarettes as compared to both exclusive user groups. Findings highlight dual users' higher prevalence of use of most other tobacco products, their lower harm perceptions of most tobacco products compared to e-cigarette-only users, and their higher perceived peer use of cigarettes compared to exclusive users.

Dual-layer spectral detector CT: non-inferiority assessment compared to dual-source dual-energy CT in discriminating uric acid from non-uric acid renal stones ex vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Ananthakrishnan, Lakshmi; Duan, Xinhui; Xi, Yin; Lewis, Matthew A; Pearle, Margaret S; Antonelli, Jodi A; Goerne, Harold; Kolitz, Elysha M; Abbara, Suhny; Lenkinski, Robert E; Fielding, Julia R; Leyendecker, John R

2018-04-07

To assess the non-inferiority of dual-layer spectral detector CT (SDCT) compared to dual-source dual-energy CT (dsDECT) in discriminating uric acid (UA) from non-UA stones. Fifty-seven extracted urinary calculi were placed in a cylindrical phantom in a water bath and scanned on a SDCT scanner (IQon, Philips Healthcare) and second- and third-generation dsDECT scanners (Somatom Flash and Force, Siemens Healthcare) under matched scan parameters. For SDCT data, conventional images and virtual monoenergetic reconstructions were created. A customized 3D growing region segmentation tool was used to segment each stone on a pixel-by-pixel basis for statistical analysis. Median virtual monoenergetic ratios (VMRs) of 40/200, 62/92, and 62/100 for each stone were recorded. For dsDECT data, dual-energy ratio (DER) for each stone was recorded from vendor-specific postprocessing software (Syngo Via) using the Kidney Stones Application. The clinical reference standard of X-ray diffraction analysis was used to assess non-inferiority. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess diagnostic performance of detecting UA stones. Six pure UA, 47 pure calcium-based, 1 pure cystine, and 3 mixed struvite stones were scanned. All pure UA stones were correctly separated from non-UA stones using SDCT and dsDECT (AUC = 1). For UA stones, median VMR was 0.95-0.99 and DER 1.00-1.02. For non-UA stones, median VMR was 1.4-4.1 and DER 1.39-1.69. SDCT spectral reconstructions demonstrate similar performance to those of dsDECT in discriminating UA from non-UA stones in a phantom model.

Dual recombinant Lactococcus lactis for enhanced delivery of DNA vaccine reporter plasmid pPERDBY.

Science.gov (United States)

Yagnik, Bhrugu; Sharma, Drashya; Padh, Harish; Desai, Priti

2017-04-01

Food grade Lactococcus lactis has been widely used as an antigen and DNA delivery vehicle. We have previously reported the use of non-invasive L. lactis to deliver the newly constructed immunostimulatory DNA vaccine reporter plasmid, pPERDBY. In the present report, construction of dual recombinant L. lactis expressing internalin A of Listeria monocytogenes and harboring pPERDBY (LL InlA + pPERDBY) to enhance the efficiency of delivery of DNA by L. lactis is outlined. After confirmation and validation of LL InlA + pPERDBY, its DNA delivery potential was compared with previously developed non-invasive r- L. lactis::pPERDBY. The use of invasive L. lactis resulted in around threefold increases in the number of enhanced green fluorescent protein-expressing Caco-2 cells. These findings reinforce the prospective application of invasive strain of L. lactis for delivery of DNA/RNA and antigens. © 2017 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Dual thyroid ectopia with Graves' disease: a Case Report and a review of the literature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Teik Hin; Lee, Boon Nang; Hassan, Siti Zarina Amir [Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Lumpur (Malaysia); Ch' ng, Ewe Seng [Univ. Sains Malaysia, Kerian (Malaysia); Hussein, Zanariah [Putrajaya Hospital, Putrajaya (Malaysia)

2012-12-15

Ectopic thyroid of thyroid ectopia is a rare developmental anomaly with the prevalence of 1 per 100,000 300,000 population. Even rarer, such an anomaly manifests as dual thyroid ectopia. To our best knowledge, only one case has been reported on dual thyroid ectopia with graves' disease in the Eglish literature. We present here a case of dual thyroid ectopia complicated by graves' disease, where by the diagnosis was rendered through judicious use of various diagnostic modalities coupled with a close clinical follow up. In this case, therapeutic consideration should be personalized with proper informed consent of the patient.

Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility mitigation action plan. Annual report for 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haagenstad, T.

1999-01-01

This Mitigation Action Plan Annual Report (MAPAR) has been prepared as part of implementing the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility (DARHT) Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) to protect workers, soils, water, and biotic and cultural resources in and around the facility

Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility mitigation action plan. Annual report for 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haagenstad, T.

1999-01-15

This Mitigation Action Plan Annual Report (MAPAR) has been prepared as part of implementing the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility (DARHT) Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) to protect workers, soils, water, and biotic and cultural resources in and around the facility.

Dual malignancy in adolescence: A rare case report of metachronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid following dysgerminoma of ovary

OpenAIRE

Chakrabarti, Suvadip; Desai, Sanjay M.; Mehta, Dharmendra Y.; Somanath, Shreyas

2016-01-01

Dual malignancy is rare in adolescents. Dual malignancy with the second malignancy of thyroid is rare. No association has been reported between dysgerminoma of ovary and carcinoma thyroid in medical literature. Despite a thorough PubMed search (key words - Papillary carcinoma of thyroid, metachronous, dysgerminoma ovary), we were unable to find a previous reported case of metachronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid (PTC) following dysgerminoma of the ovary. After surgery, the patient is being...

Demonstration and evaluation of dual-fuel technology; Demonstration och utvaerdering av dual-fuel-tekniken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staalhammar, Per; Erlandsson, Lennart; Willner, Kristina (AVL MTC Motortestcenter AB (Sweden)); Johannesson, Staffan (Ecoplan AB (Sweden))

2011-06-15

There is an increased interest for Dual Fuel (methane-Diesel) applications in Sweden since this technology is seen as one of the more interesting options for a fast and cost effective introduction of biomethane as fuel for HD engines. The Dual Fuel technology has been used for many years, mainly for stationary purpose (generators, pumps and ships) while the Spark Ignited (SI) 'Otto' technology has been used for trucks and busses. One obstacle for introducing Dual Fuel technology for busses and trucks is the EU legislation that don't allow for HD on road certification of Dual Fuel applications. Challenges with the Dual Fuel technology is to develop cost effective applications that is capable of reaching low emissions (especially CH{sub 4} and NO{sub x}) in combination with high Diesel replacement in the test cycles used for on road applications. AVL MTC Motortestcenter AB (hereinafter called AVL) has on commission by SGC (Swedish Gas technical Centre) carried out this project with the objectives to analyze the Dual Fuel (Diesel-methane) technology with focus on emissions, fuel consumption and technical challenges. One important part of this project was to carry out emission tests on selected Dual Fuel applications in Sweden and to compile experiences from existing Dual Fuel technology. This report also summarizes other commonly used technologies for methane engines and compares the Dual Fuel with conventional Diesel and Otto technologies. The major challenges with Dual Fuel applications for on road vehicles will be to develop robust and cost effective solutions that meet the emission legislations (with aged catalysts) and to increase the Diesel replacement to achieve reasonable reduction of green house gases (GHG). This is especially important when biomethane is available as fuel but not Bio-Diesel. It will probably be possible to reach EURO V emission limits with advanced Dual Fuel systems but none of the tested systems reached EURO V emission levels

Pull out Strength of Dual Outer Diameter Pedicle Screws Compared to Uncemented and Cemented Standard Pedicle Screws: A Biomechanical in vitro Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenz, Andrea; Leichtle, Carmen I; Frantz, Sandra; Bumann, Marte; Tsiflikas, Ilias; Shiozawa, Thomas; Leichtle, Ulf G

2017-05-01

To analyze the potential of the dual outer diameter screw and systematically evaluate the pull-out force of the dual outer diameter screw compared to the uncemented and cemented standard pedicle screws with special regard to the pedicle diameter and the vertebra level. Sixty vertebrae of five human spines (T 6 -L 5 ) were sorted into three study groups for pairwise comparison of the uncemented dual outer diameter screw, the uncemented standard screw, and the cemented standard screw, and randomized with respect to bone mineral density (BMD) and vertebra level. The vertebrae were instrumented, insertion torque was determined, and pull-out testing was performed using a material testing machine. Failure load was evaluated in pairwise comparison within each study group. The screw-to-pedicle diameter ratio was determined and the uncemented dual outer diameter and standard screws were compared for different ratios as well as vertebra levels. Significantly increased pull-out forces were measured for the cemented standard screw compared to the uncemented standard screw (+689 N, P dual outer diameter screw (+403 N, P dual outer diameter screw to the uncemented standard screw in the total study group, a distinct but not significant increase was measured (+149 N, P = 0.114). Further analysis of these two screws, however, revealed a significant increase of pull-out force for the dual outer diameter screw in the lumbar region (+247 N, P = 0.040), as well as for a screw-to-pedicle diameter ratio between 0.6 and 1 (+ 488 N, P = 0.028). For clinical application, cement augmentation remains the gold standard for increasing screw stability. According to our results, the use of a dual outer diameter screw is an interesting option to increase screw stability in the lumbar region without cement augmentation. For the thoracic region, however, the screw-to-pedicle diameter should be checked and attention should be paid to screw cut out, if the dual outer diameter screw is considered. �

Dual stimuli responsive self-reporting material for chemical reservoir coating

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Tae Hee; Song, Young Kyu; Park, Sun Hee; Park, Young Il; Noh, Seung Man; Kim, Jin Chul

2018-03-01

In this study, we introduce a novel dual stimuli responsive self-reporting thiol-epoxy thermoset (DSRTET) coatings which can detect both crack occurrence and pH variation. For crack detection, microcapsule containing tetraphenylethylene (TPE) which exhibits aggregation induced emission (AIE) effect was prepared via multi-step emulsion polymerization and dispersed in DSRTET coatings. For pH variation detection, commercial thymol blue as a pH indicator was added into the polymer matrix. The effect of microcapsule contents in DSRTET on their curing behavior, material properties, and crack sensitivity was characterized using an oscillatory rheology, rigid body pendulum test (RPT), nano-indentation test (NST), universal test machine (UTM) and scratch tester. It was revealed that crack sensitivity of DSRTET coatings was greatly influenced by material properties as well as microcapsule content. The color transition of DSRTET coatings in response to acid or base solution were quantitatively investigated using a multi-angle spectrophotometer after simple acid and base solution drop tests. The color of DSRTET coatings changed from a pale green to red for acidic solution and to blue for basic solution. Finally, The DSRTET used in this study was applied to laboratory scale chemical reservoirs in order to verify the potential as a dual stimuli response self-reporting coating which can detect both crack in coating material and chemical spill caused by the leakage or breakage of the reservoir part.

Dual malignancy in adolescence: A rare case report of metachronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid following dysgerminoma of ovary

Science.gov (United States)

Chakrabarti, Suvadip; Desai, Sanjay M.; Mehta, Dharmendra Y.; Somanath, Shreyas

2016-01-01

Dual malignancy is rare in adolescents. Dual malignancy with the second malignancy of thyroid is rare. No association has been reported between dysgerminoma of ovary and carcinoma thyroid in medical literature. Despite a thorough PubMed search (key words — Papillary carcinoma of thyroid, metachronous, dysgerminoma ovary), we were unable to find a previous reported case of metachronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid (PTC) following dysgerminoma of the ovary. After surgery, the patient is being regularly followed up for recurrence/development of new primary. We report this unusual and rare case in a 17-year-old female patient. PMID:27904567

Dual malignancy in adolescence: A rare case report of metachronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid following dysgerminoma of ovary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suvadip Chakrabarti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dual malignancy is rare in adolescents. Dual malignancy with the second malignancy of thyroid is rare. No association has been reported between dysgerminoma of ovary and carcinoma thyroid in medical literature. Despite a thorough PubMed search (key words - Papillary carcinoma of thyroid, metachronous, dysgerminoma ovary, we were unable to find a previous reported case of metachronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid (PTC following dysgerminoma of the ovary. After surgery, the patient is being regularly followed up for recurrence/development of new primary. We report this unusual and rare case in a 17-year-old female patient.

Incidental De Garengeot's hernia: A case report of dual pathology to remember.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehead-Clarke, Thomas; Parampalli, Umesh; Bhardwaj, Rakesh

2015-01-01

A De Garengeot's hernia is the very rare dual pathology of a vermiform appendix within a femoral hernia. We discuss the rare case of a 62 year old female who presented as an emergency with a strangulated femoral hernia. Within the hernia sac a partly necrotic vermiform appendix was discovered. The patient successfully underwent an appendicectomy and repair of her femoral hernia. The post-operative period was uneventful, with no further issues at follow-up. Our case report displays the successful treatment of a De Garengeot's hernia as an emergency admission, with a shorter than average admission time, and no post-operative complications. This is a rare case of dual pathology, of which we believe there are few published cases. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Walking modality, but not task difficulty, influences the control of dual-task walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Wrightson, J G; Smeeton, N J

2017-10-01

During dual-task gait, changes in the stride-to-stride variability of stride time (STV) are suggested to represent the allocation of cognitive control to walking [1]. However, contrasting effects have been reported for overground and treadmill walking, which may be due to differences in the relative difficulty of the dual task. Here we compared the effect of overground and treadmill dual-task walking on STV in 18 healthy adults. Participants walked overground and on a treadmill for 120s during single-task (walking only) and dual-task (walking whilst performing serial subtractions in sevens) conditions. Dual-task effects on STV, cognitive task (serial subtraction) performance and perceived task difficulty were compared between walking modalities. STV was increased during overground dual-task walking, but was unchanged during treadmill dual-task walking. There were no differences in cognitive task performance or perceived task difficulty. These results show that gait is controlled differently during overground and treadmill dual-task walking. However, these differences are not solely due to differences in task difficulty, and may instead represent modality dependent control strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dual energy CT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Najami, Issam; Drue, Henrik Christian; Steele, Robert

2017-01-01

and inaccurate with existing methods. Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) enables qualitative tissue differentiation by simultaneous scanning with different levels of energy. We aimed to assess the feasibility of DECT in quantifying tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy in loco-advanced rectal cancer. METHODS...... to determine the average quantitative parameters; effective-Z, water- and iodine-concentration, Dual Energy Index (DEI), and Dual Energy Ratio (DER). These parameters were compared to the regression in the resection specimen as measured by the pathologist. RESULTS: Changes in the quantitative parameters...

Dual-energy CT can detect malignant lymph nodes in rectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Najami, I; Lahaye, M J; Beets-Tan, R G H; Baatrup, G

2017-05-01

There is a need for an accurate and operator independent method to assess the lymph node status to provide the most optimal personalized treatment for rectal cancer patients. This study evaluates whether Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) could contribute to the preoperative lymph node assessment, and compared it to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The objective of this prospective observational feasibility study was to determine the clinical value of the DECT for the detection of metastases in the pelvic lymph nodes of rectal cancer patients and compare the findings to MRI and histopathology. The patients were referred to total mesorectal excision (TME) without any neoadjuvant oncological treatment. After surgery the rectum specimen was scanned, and lymph nodes were matched to the pathology report. Fifty-four histology proven rectal cancer patients received a pelvic DECT scan and a standard MRI. The Dual Energy CT quantitative parameters were analyzed: Water and Iodine concentration, Dual-Energy Ratio, Dual Energy Index, and Effective Z value, for the benign and malignant lymph node differentiation. DECT scanning showed statistical difference between malignant and benign lymph nodes in the measurements of iodine concentration, Dual-Energy Ratio, Dual Energy Index, and Effective Z value. Dual energy CT classified 42% of the cases correctly according to N-stage compared to 40% for MRI. This study showed statistical difference in several quantitative parameters between benign and malignant lymph nodes. There were no difference in the accuracy of lymph node staging between DECT and MRI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Case Report: Dual nebulised antibiotics among adults with cystic fibrosis and chronic Pseudomonas infection [version 2; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Mann

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Pulmonary exacerbations in adults with cystic fibrosis (CF and chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Psae infection are usually treated with dual intravenous antibiotics for 14 days, despite the lack of evidence for best practice. Intravenous antibiotics are commonly associated with various systemic adverse effects, including renal failure and ototoxicity. Inhaled antibiotics are less likely to cause systematic adverse effects, yet can achieve airway concentrations well above conventional minimum inhibitory concentrations. Typically one inhaled antibiotic is used at a time, but dual inhaled antibiotics (i.e. concomitant use of two different inhaled antibiotics may have synergistic effect and achieve better results in the treatment of exacerbations. We presented anecdotal evidence for the use of dual inhaled antibiotics as an acute treatment for exacerbations, in the form of a case report. A female in her early thirties with CF and chronic Psae infection improved her FEV1 by 5% and 2% with two courses of dual inhaled antibiotics to treat exacerbations in 2016. In contrast, her FEV1 changed by 2%, –2%, 0% and 2%, respectively, with four courses of dual intravenous antibiotics in 2016. Baseline FEV1 was similar prior to all six courses of treatments. The greater FEV1 improvements with dual inhaled antibiotics compared to dual intravenous antibiotics suggest the potential role of using dual inhaled antibiotics to treat exacerbations among adults with CF and chronic Psae infection, especially since a greater choice of inhaled anti-pseudomonal antibiotics is now available. A previous study in 1985 has looked at the concomitant administration of inhaled tobramycin and carbenicillin, by reconstituting antibiotics designed for parenteral administration. To our knowledge, this is the first literature to describe the concomitant use of two different antibiotics specifically developed for delivery via the inhaled route.

Updates on the most recent results in dual readout calorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cascella, M.

2011-01-01

The Dual REAdout Method (DREAM) consists in comparing the scintillation and Cherenkov light generated in the shower development process. By comparing the two, the electromagnetic fraction of the hadronic shower can be measured event-by-event, to eliminate the effects of fluctuations in this fraction. In this paper the DREAM fiber calorimeter and its successor, the newDREAM prototype that is currently under construction, will be described. We will also report on the efforts to study the Cherenkov component of the output of high-Z crystals and to realize a dual-readout electromagnetic section that can achieve outstanding electromagnetic resolution whit out compromising the hadronic resolution.

Incidental De Garengeot’s hernia: A case report of dual pathology to remember

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehead-Clarke, Thomas; Parampalli, Umesh; Bhardwaj, Rakesh

2015-01-01

Introduction A De Garengeot’s hernia is the very rare dual pathology of a vermiform appendix within a femoral hernia. Presentation of case We discuss the rare case of a 62 year old female who presented as an emergency with a strangulated femoral hernia. Within the hernia sac a partly necrotic vermiform appendix was discovered. The patient successfully underwent an appendicectomy and repair of her femoral hernia. The post-operative period was uneventful, with no further issues at follow-up. Discussion Our case report displays the successful treatment of a De Garengeot's hernia as an emergency admission, with a shorter than average admission time, and no post-operative complications. Conclusion This is a rare case of dual pathology, of which we believe there are few published cases. PMID:26520035

DUAL TIMELIKE NORMAL AND DUAL TIMELIKE SPHERICAL CURVES IN DUAL MINKOWSKI SPACE

OpenAIRE

ÖNDER, Mehmet

2009-01-01

Abstract: In this paper, we give characterizations of dual timelike normal and dual timelike spherical curves in the dual Minkowski 3-space and we show that every dual timelike normal curve is also a dual timelike spherical curve. Keywords: Normal curves, Dual Minkowski 3-Space, Dual Timelike curves. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 53C50, 53C40. DUAL MINKOWSKI UZAYINDA DUAL TIMELIKE NORMAL VE DUAL TIMELIKE KÜRESEL EĞRİLER Özet: Bu çalışmada, dual Minkowski 3-...

Dual use research: investigation across multiple science disciplines.

Science.gov (United States)

Oltmann, Shannon

2015-04-01

Most recent studies of dual use research have focused on the life sciences, although some researchers have suggested that dual use research occurs across many disciplines. This research is an initial investigation into the prevalence of dual use research in other scientific disciplines by surveying senior editors of scientific journals, drawn from Journal Citation Reports. The survey was emailed to 7,500 journal editors with a response rate of 10.1 %. Approximately 4.8 % of life science editors reported they had to consider whether to publish dual use research and 38.9 % said they decided to not publish the research in question. In disciplines other than the life sciences, 7.2 % of editors from other science disciplines reported that they had to consider whether to publish dual use research, and 48.4 % declined to publish it. The survey investigated relationships between dual use and the journal's source of funding and place of publication, but no relationships were found. Further research is needed to better understand the occurrence of dual use research in other science disciplines.

Dual thyroid ectopia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Akeely, Mohammed H.

2003-01-01

Ectopic thyroid gland is a rare embryological fault of thyroid development .Dual ectopic thyroid is more rare and only 8 cases have been reported in the literature. The author presents a case of dual ectopic thyroid in a 16 year old boy with an anterior red neck mass, which is gradually growing in size particularly in last 2 years. The initial diagnosis was thyroglossal duct cyst. Thyroid function test revealed elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone. Ultrasound of the neck did not show thyroid gland in its normal pre tracheal position. Thyroid scan (Technetium 99)revealed the diagnosis of dual thyroid ectopia(lingual and subhyoid). (author)

Dual-therapeutic reporter genes fusion for enhanced cancer gene therapy and imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekar, T V; Foygel, K; Willmann, J K; Paulmurugan, R

2013-05-01

Two of the successful gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapies include herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV1-TK) enzyme-ganciclovir prodrug and the Escherichia coli nitroreductase (NTR) enzyme-CB1954 prodrug strategies; these enzyme-prodrug combinations produce activated cytotoxic metabolites of the prodrugs capable of tumor cell death by inhibiting DNA synthesis and killing quiescent cells, respectively. Both these strategies also affect significant bystander cell killing of neighboring tumor cells that do not express these enzymes. We have developed a dual-combination gene strategy, where we identified HSV1-TK and NTR fused in a particular orientation can effectively kill tumor cells when the tumor cells are treated with a fusion HSV1-TK-NTR gene- along with a prodrug combination of GCV and CB1954. In order to determine whether the dual-system demonstrate superior therapeutic efficacy than either HSV1-TK or NTR systems alone, we conducted both in vitro and in vivo tumor xenograft studies using triple negative SUM159 breast cancer cells, by evaluating the efficacy of cell death by apoptosis and necrosis upon treatment with the dual HSV1-TK genes-GCV-CB1954 prodrugs system, and compared the efficiency to HSV1-TK-GCV and NTR-CB1954. Our cell-based studies, tumor regression studies in xenograft mice, histological analyses of treated tumors and bystander studies indicate that the dual HSV1-TK-NTR-prodrug system is two times more efficient even with half the doses of both prodrugs than the respective single gene-prodrug system, as evidenced by enhanced apoptosis and necrosis of tumor cells in vitro in culture and xenograft of tumor tissues in animals.

The Neurocognitive Basis for Impaired Dual-Task Performance in Senior Fallers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagamatsu, Lindsay S; Hsu, C Liang; Voss, Michelle W; Chan, Alison; Bolandzadeh, Niousha; Handy, Todd C; Graf, Peter; Beattie, B Lynn; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa

2016-01-01

Falls are a major health-care concern, and while dual-task performance is widely recognized as being impaired in those at-risk for falls, the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms remain unknown. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms could lead to the refinement and development of behavioral, cognitive, or neuropharmacological interventions for falls prevention. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study with community-dwelling older adults aged 70-80 years with a history of falls (i.e., two or more falls in the past 12 months) or no history of falls (i.e., zero falls in the past 12 months); n = 28 per group. We compared functional activation during cognitive-based dual-task performance between fallers and non-fallers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Executive cognitive functioning was assessed via Stroop, Trail Making, and Digit Span. Mobility was assessed via the Timed Up and Go test (TUG). We found that non-fallers exhibited significantly greater functional activation compared with fallers during dual-task performance in key regions responsible for resolving dual-task interference, including precentral, postcentral, and lingual gyri. Further, we report slower reaction times during dual-task performance in fallers and significant correlations between level of functional activation and independent measures of executive cognitive functioning and mobility. Our study is the first neuroimaging study to examine dual-task performance in fallers, and supports the notion that fallers have reduced functional brain activation compared with non-fallers. Given that dual-task performance-and the underlying neural concomitants-appears to be malleable with relevant training, our study serves as a launching point for promising strategies to reduce falls in the future.

A comparative study on dual colour soft aperture cascaded second ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-02-09

Feb 9, 2014 ... second-order mode-locking with different nonlinear optical crystals ... delivers stable dual wavelength cw mode-locked pulse train with pulse ... Mode-locking; ultrafast processes; optical susceptibility; frequency conversion;.

Application of the dual-luciferase reporter assay to the analysis of promoter activity in Zebrafish embryos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mulero Victoriano

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The dual-luciferase assay has been widely used in cell lines to determine rapidly but accurately the activity of a given promoter. Although this strategy has proved very useful, it does not allow the promoter and gene function to be analyzed in the context of the whole organism. Results Here, we present a rapid and sensitive assay based on the classical dual-luciferase reporter technique which can be used as a new tool to characterize the minimum promoter region of a gene as well as the in vivo response of inducible promoters to different stimuli. We illustrate the usefulness of this system for studying both constitutive (telomerase and inducible (NF-κB-dependent promoters. The flexibility of this assay is demonstrated by induction of the NF-κB-dependent promoters using simultaneous microinjection of different pathogen-associated molecular patterns as well as with the use of morpholino-gene mediated knockdown. Conclusion This assay has several advantages compared with the classical in vitro (cell lines and in vivo (transgenic mice approaches. Among others, the assay allows a rapid and quantitative measurement of the effects of particular genes or drugs in a given promoter in the context of a whole organism and it can also be used in high throughput screening experiments.

Comparative study of shale-gas production using single- and dual-continuum approaches

KAUST Repository

El-Amin, Mohamed

2017-07-06

In this paper, we explore the possibility of specifying the ideal hypothetical positions of matrices blocks and fractures in fractured porous media as a single-continuum reservoir model in a way that mimics the dual-porosity dual-permeability (DPDP) configuration. In order to get an ideal mimic, we use the typical configuration and geometrical hypotheses of the DPDP model for the SDFM. Unlike the DPDP model which consists of two equations for the two-continuum coupled by a transfer term, the proposed single-domain fracture model (SDFM) model consists of a single equation for the single-continuum. Each one of the two models includes slippage effect, adsorption, Knudsen diffusion, geomechanics, and thermodynamics deviation factor. For the thermodynamics calculations, the cubic Peng-Robinson equation of state is employed. The diffusion model is verified by calculating the total mass flux through a nanopore by combination of slip flow and Knudsen diffusion and compared with experimental data. A semi-implicit scheme is used for the time discretization while the thermodynamics equations are updated explicitly. The spatial discretization is done using the cell-centered finite difference (CCFD) method. Finally, numerical experiments are performed under variations of the physical parameters. Several results are discussed such as pressure, production rate and cumulative production. We compare the results of the two models using the same dimensions and physical and computational parameters. We found that the DPDP and the SDFM models production rate and cumulative production behave similarly with approximately the same slope but with some differences in values. Moreover, we found that the poroelasticity effect reduces the production rate and consequently the cumulative production rate but in the SDFM model the reservoir takes more time to achieve depletion than the DPDP model. The normal fracture factor which appears in the transfer term of the DPDP model is adjusted against

The Explicit Determinations Of Dual Plane Curves And Dual Helices In Terms Of Its Dual Curvature And Dual Torsion

OpenAIRE

Lee Jae Won; Choi Jin Ho; Jin Dae Ho

2014-01-01

In this paper, we give the explicit determinations of dual plane curves, general dual helices and dual slant helices in terms of its dual curvature and dual torsion as a fundamental theory of dual curves in a dual 3-space

Effects of age and auditory and visual dual tasks on closed-road driving performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaparro, Alex; Wood, Joanne M; Carberry, Trent

2005-08-01

This study investigated how driving performance of young and old participants is affected by visual and auditory secondary tasks on a closed driving course. Twenty-eight participants comprising two age groups (younger, mean age = 27.3 years; older, mean age = 69.2 years) drove around a 5.1-km closed-road circuit under both single and dual task conditions. Measures of driving performance included detection and identification of road signs, detection and avoidance of large low-contrast road hazards, gap judgment, lane keeping, and time to complete the course. The dual task required participants to verbally report the sums of pairs of single-digit numbers presented through either a computer speaker (auditorily) or a dashboard-mounted monitor (visually) while driving. Participants also completed a vision and cognitive screening battery, including LogMAR visual acuity, Pelli-Robson letter contrast sensitivity, the Trails test, and the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS) test. Drivers reported significantly fewer signs, hit more road hazards, misjudged more gaps, and increased their time to complete the course under the dual task (visual and auditory) conditions compared with the single task condition. The older participants also reported significantly fewer road signs and drove significantly more slowly than the younger participants, and this was exacerbated for the visual dual task condition. The results of the regression analysis revealed that cognitive aging (measured by the DSS and Trails test) rather than chronologic age was a better predictor of the declines seen in driving performance under dual task conditions. An overall z score was calculated, which took into account both driving and the secondary task (summing) performance under the two dual task conditions. Performance was significantly worse for the auditory dual task compared with the visual dual task, and the older participants performed significantly worse than the young subjects. These findings demonstrate

Currarino triad with dual pathology in the presacral mass: report of a case.

Science.gov (United States)

Thambidorai, C R; Muin, I; Razman, J; Zulfiqar, A

2003-07-01

Currarino triad, which comprises anorectal stenosis, anterior sacral defect, and a presacral mass, is an uncommon cause of constipation in children and adults. The presacral mass in this triad is most often caused by an anterior sacral meningocele, a teratoma, or an enterogenous cyst, but rarely may be caused by dual pathology. A neonate with Currarino triad and dual pathology in the presacral mass is described in this report. A male Chinese neonate, who presented with abdominal distention and constipation on the second day of life, was found to have features of Currarino triad. Colostomy was done in the neonatal period, and the presacral mass was excised by posterior sagittal perineal approach at the age of six months. The excised presacral mass consisted of an anterior meningocele and a teratoma. The patient continued to have constipation during follow-up and required anorectoplasty to correct residual anorectal stenosis. At the time of this report the patient was three years old and growing normally with normal anorectal function. Of a total of about 200 cases of complete Currarino triad found in the literature, in only 22 patients did the presacral mass contain both meningocele and teratoma. The features of these 22 patients and the current views on the surgical management of Currarino triad are discussed.

Comparable cerebral oxygenation patterns in younger and older adults during dual-task walking with increasing load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah A. Fraser

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The neuroimaging literature on dual-task gait clearly demonstrates increased prefrontal cortex (PFC involvement when performing a cognitive task while walking. However, findings from direct comparisons of the cerebral oxygenation patterns of younger (YA and older (OA adults during dual-task walking are mixed and it is unclear how YA and OA respond to increasing cognitive load (difficulty while walking. This functional near infra-red (fNIRS study examined cerebral oxygenation of YA and OA during self-paced dual-task treadmill walking at two different levels of cognitive load (auditory n-back. Changes in accuracy (% as well as oxygenated (HbO and deoxygenated (HbR hemoglobin were examined. For the HbO and HbR measures, eight regions of interest (ROIs were assessed: the anterior and posterior dorsolateral and ventrolateral PFC (aDLPFC, pDLPFC, aVLPFC, pVLPFC in each hemisphere. Nineteen YA (M = 21.83 yrs and 14 OA (M = 66.85 yrs walked at a self-selected pace while performing auditory 1-back and 2-back tasks. Walking alone (single motor: SM and performing the cognitive tasks alone (single cognitive: SC were compared to dual-task walking (DT = SM + SC. In the behavioural data, participants were more accurate in the lowest level of load (1-back compared to the highest (2-back; p ˂ .001. YA were more accurate than OA overall (p = .009, and particularly in the 2-back task (p = .048. In the fNIRS data, both younger and older adults had task effects (SM < DT in specific ROIs for ∆HbO (3 YA, 1 OA and ∆HbR (7 YA, 8 OA. After controlling for walk speed differences, direct comparisons between YA and OA did not reveal significant age differences, but did reveal a difficulty effect in HbO in the left aDLPFC (p = .028 and significant task effects (SM < DT in HbR for 6 of the 8 ROIs. Findings suggest that YA and OA respond similarly to manipulations of cognitive load when walking on a treadmill at a self-selected pace.

Fabrication and characterization of nano/amorphous dual-phase FINEMET microwires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, H. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TR (United Kingdom); Qin, F.X. [Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TR (United Kingdom); Xing, D.W.; Cao, F.Y. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Peng, H.X. [Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TR (United Kingdom); Bristol Centre for NanoScience and Quantum Information (NSQI), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1FD (United Kingdom); Sun, J.F., E-mail: jfsun@hit.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)

2013-12-01

Highlights: • Nano/amorphous dual-phase FINEMET microwire was fabricated and characterized. • The unique dual-phase structure is correlated to its different cooling experience. • The extracted microwires possess high tensile strength over 1800 MPa. • Excellent EMI property was elucidated by the multiple magnetic loss mechanisms. -- Abstract: A nano/amorphous dual-phase FINEMET microwire was fabricated directly from molten alloy without any interstage annealing by a home-built melt extraction technique (MET). The microstructure, mechanical and pronounced electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI) effectiveness of this dual-phase microwire has been systematically evaluated. The structural analysis reveals that the as-cast FINEMET microwire consists of two distinct structures, i.e., amorphous and nanocrystalline phase due to their different cooling characteristics. Compared with other reported FINEMET alloys, the extracted microwire exhibits a superior high tensile strength of 1800 MPa. These nanocrystals enabled dual-phase microwires also exhibit large EMI SE values in the frequency range of 8–12 GHz (X-band) due to the multiple magnetic loss mechanisms associated with their intrinsic structural characteristics. The combination of excellent mechanical properties and electromagnetic properties make this kind of melt-extracted dual-phase FINEMET microwire promising for a range of structure and multifunctional applications.

Dual mobility cups provide biomechanical advantages in situations at risk for dislocation: a finite element analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Terrier, Alexandre; Latypova, Adeliya; Guillemin, Maika; Parvex, Valérie; Guyen, Olivier

2017-03-01

Constrained devices, standard implants with large heads, and dual mobility systems have become popular options to manage instability after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Clinical results with these options have shown variable success rates and significant higher rates of aseptic loosening and mechanical failures with constrained implants. Literature suggests potential advantages of dual mobility, however little is known about its biomechanics. We present a comparative biomechanical study of a standard implant, a constrained implant, and a dual mobility system. A finite element analysis was developed to assess and compare these acetabular options with regard to the range of motion (ROM) to impingement, the angle of dislocation, the resistive torque, the volume of polyethylene (PE) with a stress above 80% of the elastic limit, and the interfacial cup/bone stress. Dual mobility implants provided the greatest ROM to impingement and allowed delaying subluxation and dislocation when compared to standard and constrained implants. Dual mobility also demonstrated the lowest resistive torque at subluxation while the constrained implant provided the greatest one. The lowest critical PE volume was observed with the dual mobility implant, and the highest stress at the interfaces was observed with the constrained implant. This study highlights the biomechanical advantages of dual mobility systems over constrained and standard implants, and is supported by the clinical results reported. Therefore, the use of dual mobility systems in situations at risk for instability should be advocated and constrained implants should be restricted to salvage situations.

A randomized, comparative study of dual therapy (doxycycline-rifampin) versus triple therapy (doxycycline-rifampin-levofloxacin) for treating acute/subacute brucellosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasanain, Ahmad; Mahdy, Reem; Mohamed, Asmaa; Ali, Mostafa

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare both the efficacy and safety profile of the WHO-recommended, dual therapy (doxycycline-rifampin) to a quinolone-based, triple therapy (doxycycline-rifampin-levofloxacin) for treating acute/subacute brucellosis. We studied 107 consecutive, naïve patients with acute/subacute brucellosis admitted to Assiut University Hospital. Patients were randomly allocated to receive the dual therapy of doxycycline-rifampin (group-A) or to receive the triple therapy of doxycycline-rifampin-levofloxacin (group-B). Acute/subacute brucellosis was diagnosed based on the presence of: (1) contact with animals or fresh animal products, (2) suggestive clinical manifestations of less than one-year duration, and (3) positive antibody titer (1:160) by standard tube agglutination test. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding their demographic data. Fever was the most frequent manifestation (96.3%). Epigastric pain was the most frequent adverse effect of treatment (12.1%). Group-A patients had a significantly higher relapse rate compared to group-B patients (22.6% versus 9.3%, p-value=0.01). The rate of treatment adverse effects was higher among group-B patients, although not reaching statistical significance (20.4% versus 11.3%, p-value=0.059). Adding levofloxacin to the dual therapy for acute/subacute brucellosis (doxycycline-rifampin) may increase its efficacy in terms of lowering the relapse rate of the disease. Further, larger scale studies are needed before considering modifying the standard, dual therapy for brucellosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Safety and environmental impact of the dual coolant blanket concept. SEAL subtask 6.2, final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleefeldt, K.; Dammel, F.; Gabel, K.; Jordan, T.; Schmuck, I.

1996-03-01

The European Union has been engaged since 1989 in a programme to develop tritium breeding blankets for application in a fusion power reactor. There are four concepts under development, namely two of the solid breeder type and two of the liquid breeder type. At the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe one blanket concept of each line has been pursued so far with the so-called dual coolant type representing the liquid breeder line. In the dual coolant concept the breeder material (Pb-17Li) is circulated to external heat exchangers to carry away the bulk of the generated heat and to extract the tritium. Additionally, the heavily loaded first wall is cooled by high pressure helium gas. The safety and environmental impact of the dual coolant blanket concept has been assessed as part of the blanket concept selection excercise, a European concerted action, aiming at selecting the two most promising concepts for futher development. The topics investigated are: (a) Blanket materials and toxic materials inventory, (b) energy sources for mobilisation, (c) fault tolerance, (d) tritium and activation products release, and (e) waste generation and management. No insurmountable safety problems have been identified for the dual coolant blanket. The results of the assessment are described in this report. The information collected is also intended to serve as input to the EU 'Safety and Environmental Assessment of Fusion longterm Programme' (SEAL). The unresolved issues pertaining to the dual coolant blanket which would need further investigations in future programmes are outlined herein. (orig.) [de

Accuracy of Combined Computed Tomography Colonography and Dual Energy Iiodine Map Imaging for Detecting Colorectal masses using High-pitch Dual-source CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Kai; Han, Ruijuan; Han, Yang; Shi, Xuesen; Hu, Jiang; Lu, Bin

2018-02-28

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of combined computed tomography colonography (CTC) and dual-energy iodine map imaging for detecting colorectal masses using high-pitch dual-source CT, compared with optical colonography (OC) and histopathologic findings. Twenty-eight consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled in this study. All patients were underwent contrast-enhanced CTC acquisition using dual-energy mode and OC and pathologic examination. The size of the space-occupied mass, the CT value after contrast enhancement, and the iodine value were measured and statistically compared. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy rate, and positive predictive and negative predictive values of dual-energy contrast-enhanced CTC were calculated and compared between conventional CTC and dual-energy iodine images. The iodine value of stool was significantly lower than the colonic neoplasia (P dual-energy iodine maps imaging was 95.6% (95% CI = 77.9%-99.2%). The specificity of the two methods was 42.8% (95% CI = 15.4%-93.5%) and 100% (95% CI = 47.9%-100%; P = 0.02), respectively. Compared with optical colonography and histopathology, combined CTC and dual-energy iodine maps imaging can distinguish stool and colonic neoplasia, distinguish between benign and malignant tumors initially and improve the diagnostic accuracy of CTC for colorectal cancer screening.

Dual-Career Couples: Keeping Them Together.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf-Wendel, Lisa E.; Twombly, Susan; Rice, Suzanne

2000-01-01

Reports results of a survey of 360 chief academic officers at member institutions of the American Association of Colleges and Universities regarding their policies and practices for assisting dual-career couples. Examines the motivations, barriers, consequences, and policy implications of institutional responses to dual-career couples. (DB)

Dual-anticipating, dual and dual-lag synchronization in modulated time-delayed systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Dibakar; Chowdhury, A. Roy

2010-01-01

In this Letter, dual synchronization in modulated time delay system using delay feedback controller is proposed. Based on Lyapunov stability theory, we suggest a general method to achieve the dual-anticipating, dual, dual-lag synchronization of time-delayed chaotic systems and we find both its existing and sufficient stability conditions. Numerically it is shown that the dual synchronization is also possible when driving system contain two completely different systems. Effect of parameter mismatch on dual synchronization is also discussed. As an example, numerical simulations for the Mackey-Glass and Ikeda systems are conducted, which is in good agreement with the theoretical analysis.

Comparative study of dobutamine stress echocardiography and dual single-photon emission computed tomography (Thallium-201 and I-123 BMIPP) for assessing myocardial viability after acute myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasugi, Naoko; Hiroki, Tadayuki

2002-01-01

Discordance between the 123 I-labelled 15-iodophenyl-3-R, S-methyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) and 201 Tl findings may indicate myocardial viability (MV). This study compared dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using the dual tracers for assessment of MV and prediction of functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DSE and dual SPECT were studied in 35 patients after AMI, of whom 28 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in the acute stage. Dual SPECT was performed to compare the defect score of BMIPP and 201 Tl. The left ventricular wall motion score (WMS) was estimated during DSE and 6 months later to assess functional recovery of the infarct area. The rate of agreement of MV between dual SPECT and DSE was 89% (p 201 Tl were significantly smaller in patients with functional recovery than in those without. Assessment of MV using DSE concords with the results of dual SPECT in the early stage of AMI. DSE may have a higher predictive value for long-term functional recovery at the infarct area. However, a finding of positive MV by dual SPECT, without functional recovery, may indicate residual stenosis of the infarct-related artery, although the number of cases was small. Combined assessment by dual SPECT and DSE may be useful for detecting MV and jeopardized myocardium. Furthermore, the results suggest that functional recovery of dysfunctional myocardium may depend on the size of the infarct and risk area. (author)

Can breast cancer patients with HER2 dual-equivocal tumours be managed as HER2-negative disease?

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Yiwei; Chen, Xiaosong; Fei, Xiaochun; Lin, Lin; Wu, Jiayi; Huang, Ou; He, Jianrong; Zhu, Li; Chen, Weiguo; Li, Yafen; Shen, Kunwei

2018-01-01

Increasing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) immunohistochemistry (IHC)/fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) dual-equivocal breast tumours are reported after the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) guideline update. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinico-pathologic characteristics, treatment patterns and disease outcome of these patients with HER2 dual-equivocal tumours. Patients with HER2 IHC 2+ and available FISH results were retrospectively analysed from the Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. The 2013 ASCO/CAP guideline was applied to define HER2-positive, dual-equivocal and -negative groups. Patient characteristics, systemic treatment patterns and survival were compared among these groups. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-based assays were applied to test HER2 mRNA expression level. Among 691 patients included, 133 (19.25%) were HER2 positive, 25 (3.62%) were HER2 dual-equivocal and 533 (77.13%) were HER2 negative. Univariate and multivariate analyses stated that HER2 dual-equivocal tumours shared more similarity with HER2-negative tumours, whereas HER2-positive tumours had rather different clinico-pathologic features. HER2 dual-equivocal tumours had similar HER2 mRNA levels compared with HER2-negative tumours (P = 0.26), which were much less compared with HER2-positive breast cancer. Besides, adjuvant systemic treatment patterns were comparable between HER2-negative and dual-equivocal tumours, and none of HER2 dual-equivocal patients received anti-HER2 treatment. There was no survival difference among these three groups (P = 0.43). HER2 dual-equivocal tumours share more similarity with HER2-negative disease in terms of clinico-pathologic features, HER2 mRNA levels, adjuvant systemic treatment patterns and disease outcome, which deserves further clinical evaluation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual infection with hepatitis A and E virus presenting with aseptic meningitis: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Naha, Kushal; Karanth, Suman; Prabhu, Mukhyaprana; Sidhu, Manpreet Singh

2012-07-01

We report the case of a young male who presented with features of aseptic meningitis and elevated serum liver enzymes, but no symptoms or signs suggestive of an acute hepatitis. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with dual infection with hepatitis A and E viruses, and recovered completely with symptomatic therapy. Isolated aseptic meningitis, unaccompanied by hepatitic features is an unusual presentation of a hepatotrophic viral infection, and is yet to be reported with hepatitis A and E virus co-infection. Copyright © 2012 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motor dual-tasking deficits predict falls in Parkinson's disease: A prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinzel, Sebastian; Maechtel, Mirjam; Hasmann, Sandra E; Hobert, Markus A; Heger, Tanja; Berg, Daniela; Maetzler, Walter

2016-05-01

Falls severely affect lives of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Cognitive impairment including dual-tasking deficits contribute to fall risk in PD. However, types of dual-tasking deficits preceding falls in PD are still unclear. Walking velocities during box-checking and subtracting serial 7s were assessed twice a year in 40 PD patients over 2.8 ± 1.0 years. Fourteen patients reported a fall within this period (4 excluded fallers already reported falls at baseline). Their dual-task costs (DTC; mean ± standard deviation) 4.2 ± 2.2 months before the first fall were compared with 22 patients never reporting falls. ROC analyses and logistic regressions accounting for DTC, UPDRS-III and disease duration were used for faller classification and prediction. Only walking/box-checking predicted fallers. Fallers showed higher DTC for walking while box-checking, p = 0.029, but not for box-checking while walking, p = 0.178 (combined motor DTC, p = 0.022), than non-fallers. Combined motor DTC classified fallers and non-fallers (area under curve: 0.75; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.60-0.91) with 71.4% sensitivity (95%CI: 41.9%-91.6%) and 77.3% specificity (54.6%-92.2%), and significantly predicted future fallers (p = 0.023). Here, 20.4%-points higher combined motor DTC (i.e. the mean difference between fallers and non-fallers) was associated with a 2.6 (1.1-6.0) times higher odds to be a future faller. Motor dual-tasking is a potentially valuable predictor of falls in PD, suggesting that avoiding dual task situations as well as specific motor dual-task training might help to prevent falls in PD. These findings and their therapeutic relevance need to be further validated in PD patients without fall history, in early PD stages, and with various motor-motor dual-task challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual Entwining Structures and Dual Entwined Modules

OpenAIRE

Abuhlail, Jawad Y.

2003-01-01

In this note we introduce and investigate the concepts of dual entwining structures and dual entwined modules. This generalizes the concepts of dual Doi-Koppinen structures and dual Doi-Koppinen modules introduced (in the infinite case over rings) by the author is his dissertation.

Simultaneous live cell imaging using dual FRET sensors with a single excitation light.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuke Niino

Full Text Available Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET between fluorescent proteins is a powerful tool for visualization of signal transduction in living cells, and recently, some strategies for imaging of dual FRET pairs in a single cell have been reported. However, these necessitate alteration of excitation light between two different wavelengths to avoid the spectral overlap, resulting in sequential detection with a lag time. Thus, to follow fast signal dynamics or signal changes in highly motile cells, a single-excitation dual-FRET method should be required. Here we reported this by using four-color imaging with a single excitation light and subsequent linear unmixing to distinguish fluorescent proteins. We constructed new FRET sensors with Sapphire/RFP to combine with CFP/YFP, and accomplished simultaneous imaging of cAMP and cGMP in single cells. We confirmed that signal amplitude of our dual FRET measurement is comparable to of conventional single FRET measurement. Finally, we demonstrated to monitor both intracellular Ca(2+ and cAMP in highly motile cardiac myocytes. To cancel out artifacts caused by the movement of the cell, this method expands the applicability of the combined use of dual FRET sensors for cell samples with high motility.

'A good method of quitting smoking' or 'just an alternative to smoking'? Comparative evaluations of e-cigarette and traditional cigarette usage by dual users.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandrevala, Tushna; Coyle, Adrian; Walker, Victoria; Cabrera Torres, Joshelyn; Ordoña, Izobel; Rahman, Panna

2017-01-01

The development of e-cigarettes was initially hailed as a resource in facilitating a reduction in or cessation of cigarette smoking. Many users of e-cigarettes are 'dual users', smoking traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The present qualitative study examines the factors that a group of 20 dual users considered to have been influential in their decisions to use e-cigarettes and their comparative evaluations of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. Health concerns were not found to be sole motivators. Participants pointed to financial and contextual considerations, particularly peer influence on uptake and continued usage of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes were evaluated as comparable to cigarettes in some ways but not in other important respects such as sensation and satisfaction. Different social evaluations of cigarette and e-cigarette usage were discerned which influenced how participants identified as smokers, 'vapers' or neither. Findings are discussed in relation to social representations, identity and implications for continued e-cigarette usage among dual users.

CARDIOVASCULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY Dual RAAS blockade has dual effects on outcome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heerspink, Hiddo J. Lambers; de Zeeuw, Dick

Makani and colleagues report that dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is associated with harm despite previous studies showing that this approach decreases blood pressure and albuminuria. Do these results imply that we should abandon surrogate markers? Or should we become more

[Dual pathology].

Science.gov (United States)

Rougier, A

2008-05-01

Dual pathology is defined as the association of two potentially epileptogenic lesions, hippocampal (sclerosis, neuronal loss) and extrahippocampal (temporal or extratemporal). Epileptic activity may be generated by either lesion and the relative importance of every lesion's epileptogenicity conditions the surgical strategy adopted. Most frequently associated with hippocampal sclerosis are cortical dysplasias. The common physiopathology of the two lesions is not clearly established. Extrahippocampal lesions may be undetectable on MRI (microdysgenesis, for example) and ictal discharge patterns may vary among dual pathology patients. The surgical strategy depends on the location of the extrahippocampal lesion and its relative role in seizure generation; however, reported surgical results suggest that simultaneous resection of mesial temporal structures along with the extrahippocampal lesion should be performed.

Determination of HER2 amplification in primary breast cancer using dual-colour chromogenic in situ hybridization is comparable to fluorescence in situ hybridization: a European multicentre study involving 168 specimens

Science.gov (United States)

García-Caballero, Tomás; Grabau, Dorthe; Green, Andrew R; Gregory, John; Schad, Arno; Kohlwes, Elke; Ellis, Ian O; Watts, Sarah; Mollerup, Jens

2010-01-01

García-Caballero T, Grabau D, Green A R, Gregory J, Schad A, Kohlwes E, Ellis I O, Watts S & Mollerup J (2010) Histopathology56, 472–480 Determination of HER2 amplification in primary breast cancer using dual-colour chromogenic in situ hybridization is comparable to fluorescence in situ hybridization: a European multicentre study involving 168 specimens Aims: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) can be used to reveal several genomic imbalances relevant to proper cancer diagnosis and to the correct treatment regime. However, FISH requires expensive and advanced fluorescence microscopes in addition to expertise in fluorescence microscopy. To determine whether a newly developed dual-colour chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) method is a suitable alternative to FISH, we analysed the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene (HER2) amplification level of 168 breast cancer specimens using dual-colour CISH and FISH and compared the results. Methods and results: We found 100% agreement between HER2 status determined by FISH and dual-colour CISH. Furthermore, we observed that the time used to score slides was significantly reduced by 28% in dual-colour CISH compared with the FISH protocol. Concordance between HER2 protein status and dual-colour CISH or FISH was equally good with an overall agreement of 96.8%. Correlation between the HER2/centromere 17 gene ratios obtained with dual-colour CISH and FISH was highly significant with an overall correlation coefficient (ρ) of 0.96. Conclusions: We conclude that dual-colour CISH and bright field microscopy are excellent alternatives to FISH when analysing the HER2 status of primary breast cancer. PMID:20459554

Technical Note: Insertion of digital lesions in the projection domain for dual-source, dual-energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrero, Andrea; Chen, Baiyu; Li, Zhoubo; Yu, Lifeng; McCollough, Cynthia

2017-05-01

To compare algorithms performing material decomposition and classification in dual-energy CT, it is desirable to know the ground truth of the lesion to be analyzed in real patient data. In this work, we developed and validated a framework to insert digital lesions of arbitrary chemical composition into patient projection data acquired on a dual-source, dual-energy CT system. A model that takes into account beam-hardening effects was developed to predict the CT number of objects with known chemical composition. The model utilizes information about the x-ray energy spectra, the patient/phantom attenuation, and the x-ray detector energy response. The beam-hardening model was validated on samples of iodine (I) and calcium (Ca) for a second-generation dual-source, dual-energy CT scanner for all tube potentials available and a wide range of patient sizes. The seven most prevalent mineral components of renal stones were modeled and digital stones were created with CT numbers computed for each patient/phantom size and x-ray energy spectra using the developed beam-hardening model. Each digital stone was inserted in the dual-energy projection data of a water phantom scanned on a dual-source scanner and reconstructed with the routine algorithms in use in our practice. The geometry of the forward projection for dual-energy data was validated by comparing CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution of simulated dual-energy CT data of the ACR phantom with experimentally acquired data. The beam-hardening model and forward projection method accurately predicted the CT number of I and Ca over a wide range of tube potentials and phantom sizes. The images reconstructed after the insertion of digital kidney stones were consistent with the images reconstructed from the scanner, and the CT number ratios for different kidney stone types were consistent with data in the literature. A sample application of the proposed tool was also demonstrated. A framework was developed and validated

Electronic cigarette use: comparing smokers, vapers, and dual users on characteristics and motivational factors

OpenAIRE

Claire Schoren; Karin Hummel; Hein de Vries

2017-01-01

Introduction This study examined vaping behaviour, precursors of vaping, and motivational differences between smokers, dual users and vapers. The objectives were to assess a) vaping characteristics and reasons for use, b) differences in motivational factors and behavioural precursors associated with e-cigarette use, and c) socio-demographic and motivational factors associated with electronic cigarette use. Methods A cross-sectional survey among 259 vapers, 135 smokers, and 83 dual u...

Particle-In-Cell Simulations of Asymmetric Dual Frequency Capacitive Discharge Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Alan; Lichtenberg, A. J.; Lieberman, M. A.; Verboncoeur, J. P.

2003-10-01

Dual frequency capacitive discharges are finding increasing use for etching in the microelectronics industry. In the ideal case, the high frequency power (typically 27.1-160 MHz) controls the plasma density and the low frequency power (typically 2-13.56 MHz) controls the ion energy. The electron power deposition and the dynamics of dual frequency rf sheaths are not well understood. We report on particle-in-cell computer simulations of an asymmetric dual frequency argon discharge. The simulations are performed in 1D (radial) geometry using the bounded electrostatic code XPDP1. Operating parameters are 27.1/2 MHz high/low frequencies, 10/13 cm inner/outer radii, 3-200 mTorr pressures, and 10^9-10^11 cm-3 densities. We determine the power deposition and sheath dynamics for the high frequency power alone, and with various added low frequency powers. We compare the simulation results to simple global models of dual frequency discharges. Support provided by Lam Research, NSF Grant ECS-0139956, California industries, and UC-SMART Contract SM99-10051.

Image quality optimization and evaluation of linearly mixed images in dual-source, dual-energy CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Lifeng; Primak, Andrew N.; Liu Xin; McCollough, Cynthia H.

2009-01-01

In dual-source dual-energy CT, the images reconstructed from the low- and high-energy scans (typically at 80 and 140 kV, respectively) can be mixed together to provide a single set of non-material-specific images for the purpose of routine diagnostic interpretation. Different from the material-specific information that may be obtained from the dual-energy scan data, the mixed images are created with the purpose of providing the interpreting physician a single set of images that have an appearance similar to that in single-energy images acquired at the same total radiation dose. In this work, the authors used a phantom study to evaluate the image quality of linearly mixed images in comparison to single-energy CT images, assuming the same total radiation dose and taking into account the effect of patient size and the dose partitioning between the low-and high-energy scans. The authors first developed a method to optimize the quality of the linearly mixed images such that the single-energy image quality was compared to the best-case image quality of the dual-energy mixed images. Compared to 80 kV single-energy images for the same radiation dose, the iodine CNR in dual-energy mixed images was worse for smaller phantom sizes. However, similar noise and similar or improved iodine CNR relative to 120 kV images could be achieved for dual-energy mixed images using the same total radiation dose over a wide range of patient sizes (up to 45 cm lateral thorax dimension). Thus, for adult CT practices, which primarily use 120 kV scanning, the use of dual-energy CT for the purpose of material-specific imaging can also produce a set of non-material-specific images for routine diagnostic interpretation that are of similar or improved quality relative to single-energy 120 kV scans.

Investigation of naphthofuran moiety as potential dual inhibitor against BACE-1 and GSK-3β: molecular dynamics simulations, binding energy, and network analysis to identify first-in-class dual inhibitors against Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Akhil; Srivastava, Gaurava; Srivastava, Swati; Verma, Seema; Negi, Arvind S; Sharma, Ashok

2017-08-01

BACE-1 and GSK-3β are potential therapeutic drug targets for Alzheimer's disease. Recently, both the targets received attention for designing dual inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease. Until now, only two-scaffold triazinone and curcumin have been reported as BACE-1 and GSK-3β dual inhibitors. Docking, molecular dynamics, clustering, binding energy, and network analysis of triazinone derivatives with BACE-1 and GSK-3β was performed to get molecular insight into the first reported dual inhibitor. Further, we designed and evaluated a naphthofuran series for its ability to inhibit BACE-1 and GSK-3β with the computational approaches. Docking study of naphthofuran series showed a good binding affinity towards both the targets. Molecular dynamics, binding energy, and network analysis were performed to compare their binding with the targets and amino acids responsible for binding. Naphthofuran series derivatives showed good interaction within the active site residues of both of the targets. Hydrogen bond occupancy and binding energy suggested strong binding with the targets. Dual-inhibitor binding was mostly governed by the hydrophobic interactions for both of the targets. Per residue energy decomposition and network analysis identified the key residues involved in the binding and inhibiting BACE-1 and GSK-3β. The results indicated that naphthofuran series derivative 11 may be a promising first-in-class dual inhibitor against BACE-1 and GSK-3β. This naphthofuran series may be further explored to design better dual inhibitors. Graphical abstract Naphthofuran derivative as a dual inhibitor for BACE-1 and GSK-3β.

Application of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE to evaluate the whole gastrointestinal tract: a comparative study of single-camera and dual-camera analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Remes-Troche JM

2013-09-01

Full Text Available José María Remes-Troche,1 Victoria Alejandra Jiménez-García,2 Josefa María García-Montes,2 Pedro Hergueta-Delgado,2 Federico Roesch-Dietlen,1 Juan Manuel Herrerías-Gutiérrez2 1Digestive Physiology and Motility Lab, Medical Biological Research Institute, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, México; 2Gastroenterology Service, Virgen Macarena University Hospital, Seville, Spain Background and study aims: Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE was developed for the evaluation of colorectal pathology. In this study, our aim was to assess if a dual-camera analysis using CCE allows better evaluation of the whole gastrointestinal (GI tract compared to a single-camera analysis. Patients and methods: We included 21 patients (12 males, mean age 56.20 years submitted for a CCE examination. After standard colon preparation, the colon capsule endoscope (PillCam Colon™ was swallowed after reinitiation from its “sleep” mode. Four physicians performed the analysis: two reviewed both video streams at the same time (dual-camera analysis; one analyzed images from one side of the device (“camera 1”; and the other reviewed the opposite side (“camera 2”. We compared numbers of findings from different parts of the entire GI tract and level of agreement among reviewers. Results: A complete evaluation of the GI tract was possible in all patients. Dual-camera analysis provided 16% and 5% more findings compared to camera 1 and camera 2 analysis, respectively. Overall agreement was 62.7% (kappa = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.373–0.510. Esophageal (kappa = 0.611 and colorectal (kappa = 0.595 findings had a good level of agreement, while small bowel (kappa = 0.405 showed moderate agreement. Conclusion: The use of dual-camera analysis with CCE for the evaluation of the GI tract is feasible and detects more abnormalities when compared with single-camera analysis. Keywords: capsule endoscopy, colon, gastrointestinal tract, small bowel

Comparative Analysis of Single and Dual Irradiation Pass of Deep Burn High Temperature Reactor Scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Chang Joon; Jo, Chang Keun; Noh, Jae Man

2012-01-01

A concept of a deep-burn (DB) of trans uranic (TRU) elements in a high temperature reactor (HTR) has been proposed and studied with a single irradiation pass. However, there is still a significant amount of TRU after burn in an HTR. Therefore, it is necessary to burn more TRU in a fast reactor (FR) with repeated reprocessing such as a pyro-process. In this study, the fuel cycle calculations are performed and the results are compared for a singlepass DB-HHR scenario and a dual-pass sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) scenario. For the analysis, front-end and back-end parameters are compared. The calculations were performed by the DANESS (Dynamic Analysis of Nuclear Energy System Strategies), which is an integrated system dynamic fuel cycle analysis code

Improvement of material decomposition and image quality in dual-energy radiography by reducing image noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D.; Choi, S.; Kim, H.; Kim, H.-J.; Kim, Y.-S.; Choi, S.; Lee, H.; Jo, B.D.; Jeon, P.-H.; Kim, H.; Kim, D.

2016-01-01

Although digital radiography has been widely used for screening human anatomical structures in clinical situations, it has several limitations due to anatomical overlapping. To resolve this problem, dual-energy imaging techniques, which provide a method for decomposing overlying anatomical structures, have been suggested as alternative imaging techniques. Previous studies have reported several dual-energy techniques, each resulting in different image qualities. In this study, we compared three dual-energy techniques: simple log subtraction (SLS), simple smoothing of a high-energy image (SSH), and anti-correlated noise reduction (ACNR) with respect to material thickness quantification and image quality. To evaluate dual-energy radiography, we conducted Monte Carlo simulation and experimental phantom studies. The Geant 4 Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE) v 6.0 and tungsten anode spectral model using interpolation polynomials (TASMIP) codes were used for simulation studies and digital radiography, and human chest phantoms were used for experimental studies. The results of the simulation study showed improved image contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and coefficient of variation (COV) values and bone thickness estimation accuracy by applying the ACNR and SSH methods. Furthermore, the chest phantom images showed better image quality with the SSH and ACNR methods compared to the SLS method. In particular, the bone texture characteristics were well-described by applying the SSH and ACNR methods. In conclusion, the SSH and ACNR methods improved the accuracy of material quantification and image quality in dual-energy radiography compared to SLS. Our results can contribute to better diagnostic capabilities of dual-energy images and accurate material quantification in various clinical situations.

?A good method of quitting smoking? or ?just an alternative to smoking?? Comparative evaluations of e-cigarette and traditional cigarette usage by dual users

OpenAIRE

Vandrevala, Tushna; Coyle, Adrian; Walker, Victoria; Cabrera Torres, Joshelyn; Ordo?a, Izobel; Rahman, Panna

2017-01-01

The development of e-cigarettes was initially hailed as a resource in facilitating a reduction in or cessation of cigarette smoking. Many users of e-cigarettes are ‘dual users’, smoking traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The present qualitative study examines the factors that a group of 20 dual users considered to have been influential in their decisions to use e-cigarettes and their comparative evaluations of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. Health concerns were not found to be...

Caregiver talk to young Spanish-English bilinguals: Comparing direct observation and parent-report measures of dual-language exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Marchman, Virginia A.; Martínez, Lucía Z.; Hurtado, Nereyda; Grüter, Theres; Fernald, Anne

2016-01-01

In research on language development by bilingual children, the early language environment is commonly characterized in terms of the relative amount of exposure a child gets to each language based on parent report. Little is known about how absolute measures of child-directed speech in two languages relate to language growth. In this study of 3-year-old Spanish-English bilinguals (n = 18), traditional parent-report estimates of exposure were compared to measures of the number of Spanish and English words children heard during naturalistic audio recordings. While the two estimates were moderately correlated, observed numbers of child-directed words were more consistently predictive of children's processing speed and standardized test performance, even when controlling for reported proportion of exposure. These findings highlight the importance of caregiver engagement in bilingual children's language outcomes in both of the languages they are learning. PMID:27197746

Stabilization of self-mode-locked quantum dash lasers by symmetric dual-loop optical feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Asghar, Haroon; Wei, Wei; Kumar, Pramod; Sooudi, Ehsan; McInerney, John. G.

2018-02-01

We report experimental studies of the influence of symmetric dual-loop optical feedback on the RF linewidth and timing jitter of self-mode-locked two-section quantum dash lasers emitting at 1550 nm. Various feedback schemes were investigated and optimum levels determined for narrowest RF linewidth and low timing jitter, for single-loop and symmetric dual-loop feedback. Two symmetric dual-loop configurations, with balanced and unbalanced feedback ratios, were studied. We demonstrate that unbalanced symmetric dual loop feedback, with the inner cavity resonant and fine delay tuning of the outer loop, gives narrowest RF linewidth and reduced timing jitter over a wide range of delay, unlike single and balanced symmetric dual-loop configurations. This configuration with feedback lengths 80 and 140 m narrows the RF linewidth by 4-67x and 10-100x, respectively, across the widest delay range, compared to free-running. For symmetric dual-loop feedback, the influence of different power split ratios through the feedback loops was determined. Our results show that symmetric dual-loop feedback is markedly more effective than single-loop feedback in reducing RF linewidth and timing jitter, and is much less sensitive to delay phase, making this technique ideal for applications where robustness and alignment tolerance are essential.

Enhancement of the static extinction ratio by using a dual-section distributed feedback laser integrated with an electro-absorption modulator

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Chun-Hyung; Kim, Jongseong; Sung, Hyuk-Kee

2016-09-01

We report on the enhancement of the static extinction ratio by using a dual-section distributed feedback laser diode integrated with an electro-absorption modulator. A directly- modulated dual-section laser can provide improved modulation performance under a low bias level ( i.e., below the threshold level) compared with a standard directly-modulated laser. By combining the extinction ratio from a dual-section laser with that from an electro-absorption modulator section, a total extinction ratio of 49.6. dB are successfully achieved.

Dual-wavelength laser transmission photoscanner for breast cancer detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, M.; He, P.; Tanaka, H.; Takahashi, M.; Takai, M.; Baba, K.; Yamashita, Y.; Ohta, K.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on the prototype of a laser transmission photoscanner (LTPS) constructed and used for the detection of breast cancer and compared with x-ray mammography. LTPS has been improved to enable spectroanalysis and application in breast cancer screening. The new type is introduced. In order to obtain higher sensitivity, the output of lasers was increased in intensity. The signal integration time was increased 10-fold, and the width of the detector area was doubled. The gated operation of the detector enables the good throughput. Simultaneous scanning in the dual wavelengths of 630 and 830 nm makes it possible to differentiate hemoglobin (Hb) and oxyhemoglobin (HbO 2 ) in spectroanalysis by means of Lambert--Beer's law. Clinical application of dual-wavelength LTPS shows good correlation with pathology

Dual p16 and Ki-67 Expression in Liquid-Based Cervical Cytological Samples Compared to Pap Cytology Findings, Biopsies, and HPV Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Prigenzi, Karla Calaça Kabbach; Heinke, Thaís; Salim, Rafael Calil; Focchi, Gustavo Rubino de Azevedo

2018-01-01

Our objective was to verify the sensitivity and specificity of dual immunocytochemistry staining for p16 and Ki-67 in liquid-based samples (the "dual" assay) for cervical lesion screening, compared to biopsy findings and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA molecular detection. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values for the "dual immunocytochemistry assay" were calculated and compared to histopathological results and to high-risk HPV DNA detection in adult women or teenagers submitted to cervical cancer screening. A total of 151 women were included. The majority (96.2%) of those with negative dual assay results had lower biopsy grades (p cytology results suggestive of cervical cancer had positive dual immunocytochemistry assay results more frequently (p < 0.001), and these positive results were also significantly associated with biopsy findings (p < 0.001) and with high-risk genotype HPV infection (p = 0.007). Specificity and PPV for the dual assay were 0.972 (0.855-0.999) and 0.800 (0.284-0.995), respectively, and 1.000 (0.590-1.000) and 1.000 (0.631-1.000) for HPV detection. The dual immunocytochemistry assay had high specificity and PPV. It reveals a persistent HPV infection, avoiding the need for new tissue collections for biopsies or hybrid capture. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Improving balance, mobility, and dual-task performance in an adolescent with cerebral palsy: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher-Pipher, Sarah; Kenyon, Lisa K; Westman, Marci

2017-07-01

Improving functional mobility is often a desired outcome for adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Traditional neurorehabilitation approaches are frequently directed at impairments; however, improvements may not be carried over into functional mobility. The purpose of this case report was to describe the examination, intervention, and outcomes of a task-oriented physical therapy intervention program to improve dynamic balance, functional mobility, and dual-task performance in an adolescent with CP. The participant was a 15-year-old girl with spastic triplegic CP (Gross Motor Classification System Level II). Examination procedures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, 6-minute walk test, Muscle Power Sprint Test, 10 x 5-meter sprint test, Timed Up and Down Stairs Test, Gross Motor Function Measure, Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire, and functional lower extremity strength tests. Intervention focused on task-oriented dynamic balance and mobility tasks that incorporated coordination and speed demands as well as task-specific lower extremity and trunk strengthening activities. Dual task demands were integrated into all intervention activities. Post-intervention testing revealed improvements in cardiovascular endurance, anaerobic power, agility, stair climbing, gross motor skills, and mobility. The participant appeared to benefit from a task-oriented program to improve dynamic balance, functional mobility, and dual-task performance.

Musical expertise has minimal impact on dual task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cocchini, Gianna; Filardi, Maria Serena; Crhonkova, Marcela; Halpern, Andrea R

2017-05-01

Studies investigating effect of practice on dual task performance have yielded conflicting findings, thus supporting different theoretical accounts about the organisation of attentional resources when tasks are performed simultaneously. Because practice has been proven to reduce the demand of attention for the trained task, the impact of long-lasting training on one task is an ideal way to better understand the mechanisms underlying dual task decline in performance. Our study compared performance during dual task execution in expert musicians compared to controls with little if any musical experience. Participants performed a music recognition task and a visuo-spatial task separately (single task) or simultaneously (dual task). Both groups showed a significant but similar performance decline during dual tasks. In addition, the two groups showed a similar decline of dual task performance during encoding and retrieval of the musical information, mainly attributed to a decline in sensitivity. Our results suggest that attention during dual tasks is similarly distributed by expert and non-experts. These findings are in line with previous studies showing a lack of sensitivity to difficulty and lack of practice effect during dual tasks, supporting the idea that different tasks may rely on different and not-sharable attentional resources.

Comparative evaluation of bidirectional dual active bridge DC-DC converter variants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sfakianakis, G.; Everts, J.; Huisman, H.; Lomonova, E.A.

2016-01-01

For the realization of DC-DC converters in automotive industry, the Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter seems to be a promising choice because of its soft-switching and high-power-density capability. Contrary to the traditional 3 level - 3 level (3-3L) DAB, a 3 level - 5 level (3-5L) DAB can operate

Some properties of dual and approximate dual of fusion frames

OpenAIRE

Arefijamaal, Ali Akbar; Neyshaburi, Fahimeh Arabyani

2016-01-01

In this paper we extend the notion of approximate dual to fusion frames and present some approaches to obtain dual and approximate alternate dual fusion frames. Also, we study the stability of dual and approximate alternate dual fusion frames.

A study on an electronically controlled liquefied petroleum gas diesel dual-fuel automobile

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chunhua Zhang; Yaozhang Bian; Lizeng Si; Junzhi Liao; Odbileg, N. [Chang' an Univ., Automobile Faculty, Xi' an (China)

2005-02-15

In this paper, the control scheme of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-diesel dual-fuel engine with electronic control is illustrated, the external characteristics and load characteristics of the LPG-diesel dual-fuel engine and the diesel engine are compared and analysed, and the results of automobile road tests are also given. The experimental results show that, compared with diesel, the output performance of dual fuel is not reduced, while smoke emission of dual fuel is significantly reduced, NO{sub x} emission of dual fuel is hardly changed, but HC emission and CO emission of dual fuel are increased and fuel consumption of dual fuel is reduced. (Author)

Associations of Adolescents' Cigarette, Waterpipe, and Dual Tobacco Use With Parental Tobacco Use.

Science.gov (United States)

Veeranki, Sreenivas P; Alzyoud, Sukaina; Dierking, Leah; Kheriallah, Khalid; Mzayek, Fawaz; Pbert, Lori; Ward, Kenneth D

2016-05-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the influence of parental (both mother and father) cigarette smoking on adolescents' cigarette smoking. Little is known, however, about how parental tobacco use is related to waterpipe and dual waterpipe/cigarette use, which is increasing dramatically in the Arab countries. Study data (n = 34 788, N = 6 109 572) were obtained from nationally representative Global Youth Tobacco Surveys in 17 Arab countries. Study outcome was adolescents' tobacco use categorized into none, cigarette smoking only, waterpipe smoking (WPS) only, and dual use. Primary exposure included parental tobacco use categorized into 10 groups-maternal (mother) cigarette smoking only, maternal WPS only, maternal dual use, paternal (father) cigarette smoking only, paternal WPS only, paternal dual use, parental (both mother and father) cigarette smoking only, parental WPS only, parental dual use, and none. Weighted multinomial regression models were conducted to assess the relationships. Adolescents reported smoking WPS only (5.7%), cigarettes only (2.9%), and dual use (3.5%). Compared to adolescent with no exposure to parental tobacco use, adolescent exposure to parental dual use was associated with significant increase in WPS only (OR = 6.08, 95% CI = 2.38-15.51) and dual use (OR = 3.86, 95% CI = 1.43-10.43). Effect modification of the relationship by adolescents' sex was observed. This is the first study to examine adolescent cigarette, waterpipe, and dual use with parental tobacco use. Study findings may help development of cessation interventions targeting parental tobacco use to prevent the rising waterpipe and dual use strain of the global tobacco epidemic. (1) Influence of parents' cigarette smoking on adolescents' smoking has been demonstrated in earlier studies, however, little is known about how tobacco use behaviors of mother and father influences an adolescent's cigarette, waterpipe and dual cigarette/waterpipe use. (2) Associations of parental (both

Impact of a dual PharmD/MBA degree on graduates' academic performance, career opportunities, and earning potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Chumney, Elinor C G; Ragucci, Kelly R; Jones, Kathy J

2008-04-15

To evaluate the academic experience and satisfaction of students who completed a dual PharmD/MBA degree program and the program's long-term impact on the students' career choice and earning potential. GPAs, job placement, and starting job salaries were compared between graduates who completed the dual PharmD/MBA program and those who completed only the PharmD program. A satisfaction survey instrument was administered to 17 students who completed the dual PharmD/MBA degree program in May 2007. Data from a standardized job placement and starting salary survey instrument completed by all PharmD graduates were also obtained, as well as all students' final grade point averages (GPAs). GPAs, job placement, and starting job salaries were compared between graduates who had completed the dual PharmD/MBA program and those who had completed only the PharmD program. The graduating GPAs of dual-degree students were higher than those of both pharmacy (3.52 vs 3.41, p > 0.10) and business (3.82 vs. 3.68, p = 0.018) students not enrolled in the dual-degree program. Dual-degree students were slightly less likely to enter a residency (17% vs. 27%, p = 0.44) than other pharmacy graduates. Among those who elected not to pursue a residency, both mean starting salaries ($111,090 vs. $101,965) and mean total first-year compensation ($127,290 vs. $110,388) were significantly higher for dual-degree graduates compared to the PharmD graduates. Students enrolled in the dual-degree program did slightly better academically than students who completed only the MBA or PharmD programs and indicated a high level of satisfaction with the program. Dual-degree graduates reported increased career opportunities and were slated to earn significantly more during their first year in the workforce. These results affirm continuation of our program and make the case for support of similar programs across the nation.

Energy Efficient Hybrid Dual Axis Solar Tracking System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rashid Ahammed Ferdaus

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the design and implementation of an energy efficient solar tracking system from a normal mechanical single axis to a hybrid dual axis. For optimizing the solar tracking mechanism electromechanical systems were evolved through implementation of different evolutional algorithms and methodologies. To present the tracker, a hybrid dual-axis solar tracking system is designed, built, and tested based on both the solar map and light sensor based continuous tracking mechanism. These light sensors also compare the darkness and cloudy and sunny conditions assisting daily tracking. The designed tracker can track sun’s apparent position at different months and seasons; thereby the electrical controlling device requires a real time clock device for guiding the tracking system in seeking solar position for the seasonal motion. So the combination of both of these tracking mechanisms made the designed tracker a hybrid one. The power gain and system power consumption are compared with a static and continuous dual axis solar tracking system. It is found that power gain of hybrid dual axis solar tracking system is almost equal to continuous dual axis solar tracking system, whereas the power saved in system operation by the hybrid tracker is 44.44% compared to the continuous tracking system.

‘A good method of quitting smoking’ or ‘just an alternative to smoking’? Comparative evaluations of e-cigarette and traditional cigarette usage by dual users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tushna Vandrevala

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The development of e-cigarettes was initially hailed as a resource in facilitating a reduction in or cessation of cigarette smoking. Many users of e-cigarettes are ‘dual users’, smoking traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The present qualitative study examines the factors that a group of 20 dual users considered to have been influential in their decisions to use e-cigarettes and their comparative evaluations of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. Health concerns were not found to be sole motivators. Participants pointed to financial and contextual considerations, particularly peer influence on uptake and continued usage of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes were evaluated as comparable to cigarettes in some ways but not in other important respects such as sensation and satisfaction. Different social evaluations of cigarette and e-cigarette usage were discerned which influenced how participants identified as smokers, ‘vapers’ or neither. Findings are discussed in relation to social representations, identity and implications for continued e-cigarette usage among dual users.

Systematic Review to Inform Dual Tobacco Use Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, William Douglas; Horn, Kimberly A; Gray, Tiffany

2015-10-01

With more tobacco products now available and heavily marketed, dual tobacco use is increasing among youth. We systematically reviewed literature on dual tobacco use interventions, with an emphasis on mass health communication strategies. The review identified 46 articles meeting initial criteria and ultimately included 8 articles. Included studies reported a mix of health communication and social marketing techniques. Although there is a body of research on dual tobacco use, there is limited literature describing interventions aimed at controlling it. Design and evaluation of such interventions showing reductions in dual use of cigarettes, smokeless, and alternative products would advance the field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A dual reporter cell assay for identifying serotype and drug susceptibility of herpes simplex virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Wen-Wen; Sun, Jun-Ren; Wu, Szu-Sian; Lin, Wan-Hsuan; Kung, Szu-Hao

2011-08-15

A dual reporter cell assay (DRCA) that allows real-time detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection was developed. This was achieved by stable transfection of cells with an expression cassette that contains the dual reporter genes, secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), under the control of an HSV early gene promoter. Baby hamster kidney (BHK) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines were used as parental cell lines because the former is permissive for both HSV serotypes, HSV-1 and HSV-2, whereas the latter is susceptible to infection only by HSV-2. The DRCA permitted differential detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2 by observation of EGFP-positive cells, as substantiated by screening a total of 35 samples. The BHK-based cell line is sensitive to a viral titer as low as a single plaque-forming unit with a robust assay window as measured by a chemiluminescent assay. Evaluations of the DRCA with representative acyclovir-sensitive and acyclovir-resistant HSV strains demonstrated that their drug susceptibilities were accurately determined by a 48-h format. In summary, this novel DRCA is a useful means for serotyping of HSV in real time as well as a rapid screening method for determining anti-HSV susceptibilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protecting against both pregnancy and disease: predictors of dual method use among a sample of women.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, S Marie; Henderson, Jillian T; Branch, Meredith Roberts

2004-01-01

Although male condoms are the best form of protection against HIV/STDs, they are not the most effective method for preventing unintended pregnancy. Consequently, use of condoms and a highly effective contraceptive-referred to as dual use-is recommended as the optimal protection against both disease and pregnancy. However, little is known about the factors that promote dual use. This study examined associations of dual method use with women's background characteristics, intrapersonal factors, and relationship characteristics. Data are from a random sample of women selected from a large managed care organization in the Pacific Northwest. The analytic sample contained 371 women who completed a telephone survey and reported use of contraceptives in the past 3 months. Three mutually exclusive method use groups were constructed: effective contraceptive only (hormonal methods, intrauterine device, surgical sterilization) (59%), condom only (24%), and dual use (18%). Variables hypothesized to influence dual use were compared across the three groups in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Findings indicate that women who were younger, reported more than one sexual partner in the past year, and were highly motivated to avoid HIV/STDs--were more likely to use dual methods rather than condoms only or an effective contraceptive method. Women confident about using condoms without feeling embarrassed or breaking the sexual mood were more likely to use dual methods rather than a single effective method. Finally, women with confidence in their ability to use condoms correctly are more likely to rely solely on condoms. Policy and practice implications are discussed.

Diagnosis of pulmonary artery embolism. Comparison of single-source CT and 3rd generation dual-source CT using a dual-energy protocol regarding image quality and radiation dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petritsch, Bernhard; Kosmala, Aleksander; Gassenmeier, Tobias; Weng, Andreas Max; Veldhoen, Simon; Kunz, Andreas Steven; Bley, Thorsten Alexander

2017-01-01

To compare radiation dose, subjective and objective image quality of 3 rd generation dual-source CT (DSCT) and dual-energy CT (DECT) with conventional 64-slice single-source CT (SSCT) for pulmonary CTA. 180 pulmonary CTA studies were performed in three patient cohorts of 60 patients each. Group 1: conventional SSCT 120 kV (ref.); group 2: single-energy DSCT 100 kV (ref.); group 3: DECT 90/Sn150 kV. CTDIvol, DLP, effective radiation dose were reported, and CT attenuation (HU) was measured on three central and peripheral levels. The signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) were calculated. Two readers assessed subjective image quality according to a five-point scale. Mean CTDIvol and DLP were significantly lower in the dual-energy group compared to the SSCT group (p < 0.001 [CTDIvol]; p < 0.001 [DLP]) and the DSCT group (p = 0.003 [CTDIvol]; p = 0.003 [DLP]), respectively. The effective dose in the DECT group was 2.79 ± 0.95 mSv and significantly smaller than in the SSCT group (4.60 ± 1.68 mSv, p < 0.001) and the DSCT group (4.24 ± 2.69 mSv, p = 0.003). The SNR and CNR were significantly higher in the DSCT group (p < 0.001). Subjective image quality did not differ significantly among the three protocols and was rated good to excellent in 75 % (135/180) of cases with an inter-observer agreement of 80 %. Dual-energy pulmonary CTA protocols of 3 rd generation dual-source scanners allow for significant reduction of radiation dose while providing excellent image quality and potential additional information by means of perfusion maps. Dual-energy CT with 90/Sn150 kV configuration allows for significant dose reduction in pulmonary CTA. Subjective image quality was similar among the three evaluated CT-protocols (64-slice SSCT, single-energy DSCT, 90/Sn150 kV DECT) and was rated good to excellent in 75% of cases. Dual-energy CT provides potential additional information by means of iodine distribution maps.

IAEA's dual function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1967-01-01

'A factor of paramount importance is the dual nature of atomic energy, which is reflected in the dual function of the Agency; not only to promote, but also to safeguard the peaceful uses of atomic energy'. In taking the above statement as a theme in his address to the 1474th Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (22nd November), the Director General, Dr. Sigvard Eklund, went on to speak of a few of the many areas in which society was feeling the impact of atomic energy. During the discussion which followed his report on the Agency's work nearly all speakers referred to the importance of the safeguards system as well as to positive achievements in developing nuclear potential for peaceful purposes

Comparing the Effects of Dual-Task Gait Testing in New and Established Ambulators With Lower Extremity Amputations.

Science.gov (United States)

Frengopoulos, Courtney; Payne, Michael W C; Holmes, Jeffrey D; Viana, Ricardo; Hunter, Susan W

2018-04-05

Gait is a complex process that involves coordinating motor and sensory systems through higher-order cognitive processes. Walking with a prosthesis after lower extremity amputation challenges these processes. However, the factors that influence the cognitive-motor interaction in gait among lower extremity amputees has not been evaluated. To assess the interaction of cognition and mobility, individuals must be evaluated using the dual-task paradigm. To investigate the effect of etiology and time with prosthesis on dual-task performance in those with lower extremity amputations. Cross-sectional study. Outpatient and inpatient amputee clinics at an academic rehabilitation hospital. Sixty-four individuals (aged 58.20±12.27 years; 74.5% male) were stratified into 3 groups; 1 group of new prosthetic ambulators with transtibial amputations (NewPA) and 2 groups of established ambulators: transtibial amputations of vascular etiology (TTA-vas), transtibial amputations of nonvascular etiology (TTA-nonvas). Not applicable. Time to complete the L Test measured functional mobility under single and dual-task conditions. A serial arithmetic task (subtraction by 3s) was paired with the L Test to create the dual-task test condition. Single-task performance on the cognitive arithmetic task was also recorded. Dual-task costs (DTCs) were calculated for performance on the cognitive and gait tasks. Analysis of variance determined differences between groups. A performance-resource operating characteristic (POC) graph was used to graphically display DTCs. Gait performance was worse under dual-task conditions for all groups. Gait was significantly slower under dual-task conditions for the TTA-vas (P Dual-task conditions also had a negative impact on cognitive task performance for the TTA-nonvas (P = .02) and NewPA groups (P dual-task conditions and has a positive DTCcog as a result (P = .04). However, no between-group differences were seen for DTCcog. The POC graph demonstrated that many

Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment and Data Driven Policy Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Lichtenberger, Eric; Witt, M. Allison; Blankenberger, Bob; Franklin, Doug

2014-01-01

The use of dual credit has been expanding rapidly. Dual credit is a college course taken by a high school student for which both college and high school credit is given. Previous studies provided limited quantitative evidence that dual credit/dual enrollment is directly connected to positive student outcomes. In this study, predictive statistics…

Diagnosis of pulmonary artery embolism. Comparison of single-source CT and 3{sup rd} generation dual-source CT using a dual-energy protocol regarding image quality and radiation dose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petritsch, Bernhard; Kosmala, Aleksander; Gassenmeier, Tobias; Weng, Andreas Max; Veldhoen, Simon; Kunz, Andreas Steven; Bley, Thorsten Alexander [Univ. Hospital Wuerzburg (Germany). Inst. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

2017-06-15

To compare radiation dose, subjective and objective image quality of 3 rd generation dual-source CT (DSCT) and dual-energy CT (DECT) with conventional 64-slice single-source CT (SSCT) for pulmonary CTA. 180 pulmonary CTA studies were performed in three patient cohorts of 60 patients each. Group 1: conventional SSCT 120 kV (ref.); group 2: single-energy DSCT 100 kV (ref.); group 3: DECT 90/Sn150 kV. CTDIvol, DLP, effective radiation dose were reported, and CT attenuation (HU) was measured on three central and peripheral levels. The signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) were calculated. Two readers assessed subjective image quality according to a five-point scale. Mean CTDIvol and DLP were significantly lower in the dual-energy group compared to the SSCT group (p < 0.001 [CTDIvol]; p < 0.001 [DLP]) and the DSCT group (p = 0.003 [CTDIvol]; p = 0.003 [DLP]), respectively. The effective dose in the DECT group was 2.79 ± 0.95 mSv and significantly smaller than in the SSCT group (4.60 ± 1.68 mSv, p < 0.001) and the DSCT group (4.24 ± 2.69 mSv, p = 0.003). The SNR and CNR were significantly higher in the DSCT group (p < 0.001). Subjective image quality did not differ significantly among the three protocols and was rated good to excellent in 75 % (135/180) of cases with an inter-observer agreement of 80 %. Dual-energy pulmonary CTA protocols of 3 rd generation dual-source scanners allow for significant reduction of radiation dose while providing excellent image quality and potential additional information by means of perfusion maps. Dual-energy CT with 90/Sn150 kV configuration allows for significant dose reduction in pulmonary CTA. Subjective image quality was similar among the three evaluated CT-protocols (64-slice SSCT, single-energy DSCT, 90/Sn150 kV DECT) and was rated good to excellent in 75% of cases. Dual-energy CT provides potential additional information by means of iodine distribution maps.

Detection of Ground Clutter from Weather Radar Using a Dual-Polarization and Dual-Scan Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad-Hossein Golbon-Haghighi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A novel dual-polarization and dual-scan (DPDS classification algorithm is developed for clutter detection in weather radar observations. Two consecutive scans of dual-polarization radar echoes are jointly processed to estimate auto- and cross-correlation functions. Discriminants are then defined and estimated in order to separate clutter from weather based on their physical and statistical properties. An optimal Bayesian classifier is used to make a decision on clutter presence from the estimated discriminant functions. The DPDS algorithm is applied to the data collected with the KOUN polarimetric radar and compared with the existing detection methods. It is shown that the DPDS algorithm yields a higher probability of detection and lower false alarm rate in clutter detection.

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography does not improve the diagnostic value of parathyroid dual-phase MIBI SPECT/CT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Trine B; Aleksyniene, Ramune; Boldsen, Søren K

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) to the localization of parathyroid adenomas compared with the dual-phase Tc-99m MIBI SPECT with low-dose CT (LD-CT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included...... consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent a preoperative dual-phase MIBI SPECT/CT followed by surgical resection. The standard of care was dual-phase MIBI SPECT/CT, acquired with LD-CT in the early phase and CE-CT in the late phase (SPECT/CE-CT). The presence and localization...... of positive sites were extracted from study reports. To examine the role of CE-CT, patient cases were independently re-reviewed, with the early LD-CT fused with early and late SPECT (SPECT/LD-CT). The two SPECT/CT methods were compared for sensitivity, and the positive predictive value and histopathology were...

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography: Image Acquisition, Processing, and Workflow.

Science.gov (United States)

Megibow, Alec J; Kambadakone, Avinash; Ananthakrishnan, Lakshmi

2018-07-01

Dual energy computed tomography has been available for more than 10 years; however, it is currently on the cusp of widespread clinical use. The way dual energy data are acquired and assembled must be appreciated at the clinical level so that the various reconstruction types can extend its diagnostic power. The type of scanner that is present in a given practice dictates the way in which the dual energy data can be presented and used. This article compares and contrasts how dual source, rapid kV switching, and spectral technologies acquire and present dual energy reconstructions to practicing radiologists. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Truncated Dual-Cap Nucleation Site Development

Science.gov (United States)

Matson, Douglas M.; Sander, Paul J.

2012-01-01

During heterogeneous nucleation within a metastable mushy-zone, several geometries for nucleation site development must be considered. Traditional spherical dual cap and crevice models are compared to a truncated dual cap to determine the activation energy and critical cluster growth kinetics in ternary Fe-Cr-Ni steel alloys. Results of activation energy results indicate that nucleation is more probable at grain boundaries within the solid than at the solid-liquid interface.

Comparative MD Simulations Indicate a Dual Role for Arg1323.50 in Dopamine-Dependent D2R Activation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf C Kling

Full Text Available Residue Arg3.50 belongs to the highly conserved DRY-motif of class A GPCRs, which is located at the bottom of TM3. On the one hand, Arg3.50 has been reported to help stabilize the inactive state of GPCRs, but on the other hand has also been shown to be crucial for stabilizing active receptor conformations and mediating receptor-G protein coupling. The combined results of these studies suggest that the exact function of Arg3.50 is likely to be receptor-dependent and must be characterized independently for every GPCR. Consequently, we now present comparative molecular-dynamics simulations that use our recently described inactive-state and Gα-bound active-state homology models of the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R, which are either bound to dopamine or ligand-free, performed to identify the function of Arg1323.50 in D2R. Our results are consistent with a dynamic model of D2R activation in which Arg1323.50 adopts a dual role, both by stabilizing the inactive-state receptor conformation and enhancing dopamine-dependent D2R-G protein coupling.

Motor-cognitive dual-task performance: effects of a concurrent motor task on distinct components of visual processing capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Künstler, E C S; Finke, K; Günther, A; Klingner, C; Witte, O; Bublak, P

2018-01-01

Dual tasking, or the simultaneous execution of two continuous tasks, is frequently associated with a performance decline that can be explained within a capacity sharing framework. In this study, we assessed the effects of a concurrent motor task on the efficiency of visual information uptake based on the 'theory of visual attention' (TVA). TVA provides parameter estimates reflecting distinct components of visual processing capacity: perceptual threshold, visual processing speed, and visual short-term memory (VSTM) storage capacity. Moreover, goodness-of-fit values and bootstrapping estimates were derived to test whether the TVA-model is validly applicable also under dual task conditions, and whether the robustness of parameter estimates is comparable in single- and dual-task conditions. 24 subjects of middle to higher age performed a continuous tapping task, and a visual processing task (whole report of briefly presented letter arrays) under both single- and dual-task conditions. Results suggest a decline of both visual processing capacity and VSTM storage capacity under dual-task conditions, while the perceptual threshold remained unaffected by a concurrent motor task. In addition, goodness-of-fit values and bootstrapping estimates support the notion that participants processed the visual task in a qualitatively comparable, although quantitatively less efficient way under dual-task conditions. The results support a capacity sharing account of motor-cognitive dual tasking and suggest that even performing a relatively simple motor task relies on central attentional capacity that is necessary for efficient visual information uptake.

Dual-source dual-energy CT for the differentiation of urinary stone composition: preliminary study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Qifang; Zhang Wanshi; Meng Limin; Shi Huiping; Wang Dong; Bi Yongmin; Li Xiangsheng; Fang Hong; Guo Heqing; Yan Jingmin

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate dual-source dual-energy CT (DSCT) for the differentiation of' urinary stone composition in vitro. Methods: Ninety-seven urinary stones were obtained by endoscopic lithotripsy and scanned using dual-source dual-energy CT. The stones were divided into six groups according to infrared spectroscopy stone analysis: uric acid (UA) stones (n=10), cystine stones (n=5), struvite stones (n=6), calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones (n=22), mixed UA stones (n=7) and mixed calcium stones (n=47). Hounsfield units (HU) of each stone were recorded for the 80 kV and the 140 kV datasets by hand-drawing method. HU difference, HU ratio and dual energy index (DEI) were calculated and compared among the stone groups with one-way ANOVA. Using dual energy software to determine the composition of all stones, results were compared to infrared spectroscopy analysis. Results: There were statistical differences in HU difference [(-17±13), (229±34), (309±45), (512±97), (201±64) and (530±71) HU respectively], in HU ratio (0.96±0.03, 1.34±0.04, 1.41±0.03, 1.47±0.03, 1.30±0.07, and 1.49±0.03 respectively), and DEI (-0.006±0.004, 0.064±0.007, 0.080± 0.007, 0.108±0.011, 0.055±0.014 and 0.112±0.008 respectively) among different stone groups (F= 124.894, 407.028, 322.864 respectively, P<0.01). There were statistical differences in HU difference, HU ratio and DEI between UA stones and the other groups (P<0.01). There were statistical differences in HU difference, HU ratio and DEI between CaOx or mixed calcium stones and the other four groups (P< 0.01). There was statistical difference in HU ratio between cystine and struvite stones (P<0.01). There were statistical differences in HU difference, HU ratio and DEI between struvite and mixed UA stones (P< 0.05). Dual energy software correctly characterized 10 UA stones, 4 cystine stones, 22 CaOx stones and 6 mixed UA stones. Two struvite stones were considered to contain cystine. One cystine stone, 1 mixed UA stone, 4

Urinary calculi composed of uric acid, cystine, and mineral salts: differentiation with dual-energy CT at a radiation dose comparable to that of intravenous pyelography.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Christoph; Heuschmid, Martin; Schilling, David; Ketelsen, Dominik; Tsiflikas, Ilias; Stenzl, Arnulf; Claussen, Claus D; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter

2010-11-01

To retrospectively evaluate radiation dose, image quality, and the ability to differentiate urinary calculi of differing compositions by using low-dose dual-energy computed tomography (CT). The institutional review board approved this retrospective study; informed consent was waived. A low-dose dual-energy CT protocol (tube voltage and reference effective tube current-time product, 140 kV and 23 mAs and 80 kV and 105 mAs; collimation, 64 × 0.6 mm; pitch, 0.7) for the detection of urinary calculi was implemented into routine clinical care. All patients (n = 112) who were examined with this protocol from July 2008 to August 2009 were included. The composition of urinary calculi was assessed by using commercially available postprocessing software and was compared with results of the reference standard (ex vivo infrared spectroscopy) in 40 patients for whom the reference standard was available. Effective doses were calculated. Image quality was rated subjectively and objectively and was correlated with patient size expressed as body cross-sectional area at the level of acquisition by using Spearman correlation coefficients. One calcified concrement in the distal ureter of an obese patient was mistakenly interpreted as mixed calcified and uric acid. One struvite calculus was falsely interpreted as cystine. All other uric acid, cystine, and calcium-containing calculi were correctly identified by using dual-energy CT. The mean radiation dose was 2.7 mSv. The average image quality was rated as acceptable, with a decrease in image quality in larger patients. Low-dose unenhanced dual-source dual-energy CT can help differentiate between calcified, uric acid, and cystine calculi at a radiation dose comparable to that of conventional intravenous pyelography. Because of decreased image quality in obese patients, only nonobese patients should be examined with this protocol. © RSNA, 2010.

Virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT of the urinary tract: a prospective study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lundin, Margareta; Liden, Mats; Geijer, Haakan; Andersson, Torbjoern [Dept. of Radiology, Oerebro Univ. Hospital, Oerebro Univ., Oerebro (Sweden)], E-mail: margareta.lundin@orebroll.se; Magnuson, Anders [Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistic Unit, Oerebro Univ. Hospital, Oerebro (Sweden); Mohammed, Ahmed Abdulilah [Dept. of Radiology, Linkoeping Univ. Hospital, Linkoeping (Sweden); Persson, Anders [CMIV Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization, Linkoeping (Sweden)

2012-07-15

Background. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been shown to be useful for subtracting bone or calcium in CT angiography and gives an opportunity to produce a virtual non-contrast-enhanced (VNC) image from a series where contrast agents have been given intravenously. High noise levels and low resolution have previously limited the diagnostic value of the VNC images created with the first generation of DECT. With the recent introduction of a second generation of DECT, there is a possibility of obtaining VNC images with better image quality at hopefully lower radiation dose compared to the previous generation. Purpose. To compare the image quality of the single-energy series to a VNC series obtained with a two generations of DECT scanners. CT of the urinary tract was used as a model. Material and Methods. Thirty patients referred for evaluation of hematuria were examined with an older system (Somatom Definition) and another 30 patients with a new generation (Somatom Definition Flash). One single-energy series was obtained before and one dual-energy series after administration of intravenous contrast media. We created a VNC series from the contrast-enhanced images. Images were assessed concerning image quality with a visual grading scale evaluation of the VNC series with the single-energy series as gold standard. Results. The image quality of the VNC images was rated inferior to the single-energy variant for both scanners, OR 11.5-67.3 for the Definition and OR 2.1-2.8 for the Definition Flash. Visual noise and overall quality were regarded as better with Flash than Definition. Conclusion. Image quality of VNC images obtained with the new generation of DECT is still slightly inferior compared to native images. However, the difference is smaller with the new compared to the older system.

Virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT of the urinary tract: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundin, Margareta; Lidén, Mats; Magnuson, Anders; Mohammed, Ahmed Abdulilah; Geijer, Håkan; Andersson, Torbjörn; Persson, Anders

2012-07-01

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been shown to be useful for subtracting bone or calcium in CT angiography and gives an opportunity to produce a virtual non-contrast-enhanced (VNC) image from a series where contrast agents have been given intravenously. High noise levels and low resolution have previously limited the diagnostic value of the VNC images created with the first generation of DECT. With the recent introduction of a second generation of DECT, there is a possibility of obtaining VNC images with better image quality at hopefully lower radiation dose compared to the previous generation. To compare the image quality of the single-energy series to a VNC series obtained with a two generations of DECT scanners. CT of the urinary tract was used as a model. Thirty patients referred for evaluation of hematuria were examined with an older system (Somatom Definition) and another 30 patients with a new generation (Somatom Definition Flash). One single-energy series was obtained before and one dual-energy series after administration of intravenous contrast media. We created a VNC series from the contrast-enhanced images. Images were assessed concerning image quality with a visual grading scale evaluation of the VNC series with the single-energy series as gold standard. The image quality of the VNC images was rated inferior to the single-energy variant for both scanners, OR 11.5-67.3 for the Definition and OR 2.1-2.8 for the Definition Flash. Visual noise and overall quality were regarded as better with Flash than Definition. Image quality of VNC images obtained with the new generation of DECT is still slightly inferior compared to native images. However, the difference is smaller with the new compared to the older system.

Virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT of the urinary tract: a prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundin, Margareta; Liden, Mats; Geijer, Haakan; Andersson, Torbjoern; Magnuson, Anders; Mohammed, Ahmed Abdulilah; Persson, Anders

2012-01-01

Background. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been shown to be useful for subtracting bone or calcium in CT angiography and gives an opportunity to produce a virtual non-contrast-enhanced (VNC) image from a series where contrast agents have been given intravenously. High noise levels and low resolution have previously limited the diagnostic value of the VNC images created with the first generation of DECT. With the recent introduction of a second generation of DECT, there is a possibility of obtaining VNC images with better image quality at hopefully lower radiation dose compared to the previous generation. Purpose. To compare the image quality of the single-energy series to a VNC series obtained with a two generations of DECT scanners. CT of the urinary tract was used as a model. Material and Methods. Thirty patients referred for evaluation of hematuria were examined with an older system (Somatom Definition) and another 30 patients with a new generation (Somatom Definition Flash). One single-energy series was obtained before and one dual-energy series after administration of intravenous contrast media. We created a VNC series from the contrast-enhanced images. Images were assessed concerning image quality with a visual grading scale evaluation of the VNC series with the single-energy series as gold standard. Results. The image quality of the VNC images was rated inferior to the single-energy variant for both scanners, OR 11.5-67.3 for the Definition and OR 2.1-2.8 for the Definition Flash. Visual noise and overall quality were regarded as better with Flash than Definition. Conclusion. Image quality of VNC images obtained with the new generation of DECT is still slightly inferior compared to native images. However, the difference is smaller with the new compared to the older system

Behavioral Assessment of Listening Effort Using a Dual-Task Paradigm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Pierre Gagné

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Published investigations (n = 29 in which a dual-task experimental paradigm was employed to measure listening effort during speech understanding in younger and older adults were reviewed. A summary of the main findings reported in the articles is provided with respect to the participants’ age-group and hearing status. Effects of different signal characteristics, such as the test modality, on dual-task outcomes are evaluated, and associations with cognitive abilities and self-report measures of listening effort are described. Then, several procedural issues associated with the use of dual-task experiment paradigms are discussed. Finally, some issues that warrant future research are addressed. The review revealed large variability in the dual-task experimental paradigms that have been used to measure the listening effort expended during speech understanding. The differences in experimental procedures used across studies make it difficult to draw firm conclusions concerning the optimal choice of dual-task paradigm or the sensitivity of specific paradigms to different types of experimental manipulations. In general, the analysis confirmed that dual-task paradigms have been used successfully to measure differences in effort under different experimental conditions, in both younger and older adults. Several research questions that warrant further investigation in order to better understand and characterize the intricacies of dual-task paradigms were identified.

Risk factors for exclusive e-cigarette use and dual e-cigarette use and tobacco use in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Wills, Thomas A; Knight, Rebecca; Williams, Rebecca J; Pagano, Ian; Sargent, James D

2015-01-01

To describe electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and cigarette use among adolescents and determine whether established risk factors for smoking discriminate user categories. School-based survey of 1941 high school students (mean age 14.6 years) in Hawaii; data collected in 2013. The survey assessed e-cigarette use and cigarette use, alcohol and marijuana use, and psychosocial risk and protective variables (eg, parental support, academic involvement, smoking expectancies, peer smoking, sensation seeking). Analysis of variance and multinomial regression examined variation in risk and protective variables across the following categories of ever-use: e-cigarette only, cigarette only, dual use (use of both products), and nonuser (never used either product). Prevalence for the categories was 17% (e-cigarettes only), 12% (dual use), 3% (cigarettes only), and 68% (nonusers). Dual users and cigarette-only users were highest on risk status (elevated on risk factors and lower on protective factors) compared with other groups. E-cigarette only users were higher on risk status than nonusers but lower than dual users. E-cigarette only users and dual users more often perceived e-cigarettes as healthier than cigarettes compared with nonusers. This study reports a US adolescent sample with one of the largest prevalence rates of e-cigarette only use in the existing literature. Dual use also had a substantial prevalence. The fact that e-cigarette only users were intermediate in risk status between nonusers and dual users raises the possibility that e-cigarettes are recruiting medium-risk adolescents, who otherwise would be less susceptible to tobacco product use. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell NEUROG2 Dual Knockin Reporter Lines Generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 System.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shenglan; Xue, Haipeng; Wu, Jianbo; Rao, Mahendra S; Kim, Dong H; Deng, Wenbin; Liu, Ying

2015-12-15

Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technologies are powerful tools for modeling development and disease, drug screening, and regenerative medicine. Faithful gene targeting in hiPSCs greatly facilitates these applications. We have developed a fast and precise clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology-based method and obtained fluorescent protein and antibiotic resistance dual knockin reporters in hiPSC lines for neurogenin2 (NEUROG2), an important proneural transcription factor. Gene targeting efficiency was greatly improved in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology directed recombination (∼ 33% correctly targeted clones) compared to conventional targeting protocol (∼ 3%) at the same locus. No off-target events were detected. In addition, taking the advantage of the versatile applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we designed transactivation components to transiently induce NEUROG2 expression, which helps identify transcription factor binding sites and trans-regulation regions of human NEUROG2. The strategy of using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing coupled with fluorescence-activated cell sorting of neural progenitor cells in a knockin lineage hiPSC reporter platform might be broadly applicable in other stem cell derivatives and subpopulations.

Dual pathology proximal median nerve compression of the forearm.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Murphy, Siun M

2013-12-01

We report an unusual case of synchronous pathology in the forearm- the coexistence of a large lipoma of the median nerve together with an osteochondroma of the proximal ulna, giving rise to a dual proximal median nerve compression. Proximal median nerve compression neuropathies in the forearm are uncommon compared to the prevalence of distal compression neuropathies (eg Carpal Tunnel Syndrome). Both neural fibrolipomas (Refs. 1,2) and osteochondromas of the proximal ulna (Ref. 3) in isolation are rare but well documented. Unlike that of a distal compression, a proximal compression of the median nerve will often have a definite cause. Neural fibrolipoma, also called fibrolipomatous hamartoma are rare, slow-growing, benign tumours of peripheral nerves, most often occurring in the median nerve of younger patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such dual pathology in the same forearm, giving rise to a severe proximal compression of the median nerve. In this case, the nerve was being pushed anteriorly by the osteochondroma, and was being compressed from within by the intraneural lipoma. This unusual case highlights the advantage of preoperative imaging as part of the workup of proximal median nerve compression.

Dual diagnosis resource needs in Spain: a national survey of professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Szerman, Nestor; Vega, Pablo; Grau-López, Lara; Barral, Carmen; Basurte-Villamor, Ignacio; Mesías, Beatriz; Rodríguez-Cintas, Laia; Martínez-Raga, José; Casas, Miguel; Roncero, Carlos

2014-01-01

Since provision of integrated services for patients with dual pathology or dual disorders (coexistence of an addictive disorder and another mental health disorder) is an important challenge in mental health, this study assessed health care professionals' perceptions and knowledge of the current state of specific resources for patients with dual pathology in Spain. We conducted a national survey of health care professionals seeing patients with dual pathology in treatment facilities throughout Spain. Participants completed a specific online questionnaire about the needs of and available resources for patients with dual pathology. A total of 659 professionals, mostly psychologists (n = 286, 43.4%) or psychiatrists (n = 217, 32.9%), participated in the study. Nearly all participants who responded to these items reported that specific resources for dual pathology were needed (n = 592/635, 93.2%); 76.7% (n = 487) identified intermediate resources, 68.8% (n = 437) acute detoxification units, and 64.6% (n = 410) medium-stay rehabilitation units as particularly necessary. In the opinion of 54.0% of respondents (n = 343), integrated mental health and addiction treatment services were available. Of the participants who answered these items, only a small proportion (n = 162/605, 26.8%) reported that there were appropriate outpatient programs for dual pathology, 30.4% (n = 184/605) specific hospitalization units, 16.9% (n = 99/587) subacute inpatient units, 34.2% (n = 201/587) outpatient intermediate resources, 15.5% (n = 91/587) day hospitals, and 21.5% (n = 126/587) day centers. Conversely, 62.5% (n = 378/587) of participants reported a greater presence of specific detoxification/withdrawal units, 47.3% (n = 286/587) psychiatric acute admission units, and 41.9% (n = 246/587) therapeutic communities. In the professionals' opinion, the presence of specialty programs was low; 11.6% of respondents (n = 68/587) reported that vocational programs and 16.7% (n = 98/587) reported

Mental Health and Coping Patterns in Jewish Gay Men in Israel: The Role of Dual Identity Conflict, Religious Identity, and Partnership Status.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeidner, Moshe; Zevulun, Attara

2018-01-01

This study examined the effects of dual-identity conflict, religious identity (religious/spiritual vs. sexual), and partnership status on the coping strategies and mental health of gay Jewish men in modern Israeli society. Participants were 73 religious and 71 secular gay men recruited via e-mail, social networking sites, and online resources targeting sexual minority men. Participants were assessed via measures of identity conflict, mental health, and coping strategies. Jewish gay men who reported more severe identity conflict also reported using less problem-focused and avoidance coping and more emotion-focused coping strategies and reported poorer mental health than their less identity-conflicted counterparts. Furthermore, gay men who self-identified as religious reported poorer mental health as well as less problem-focused coping and more emotion-focused coping compared to secular men. Religious gay men in romantic relationships reported lower intensities of dual-identity conflict and better mental health compared to their nonpartnered counterparts.

On-chip dual comb source for spectroscopy

OpenAIRE

Dutt, Avik; Joshi, Chaitanya; Ji, Xingchen; Cardenas, Jaime; Okawachi, Yoshitomo; Luke, Kevin; Gaeta, Alexander L.; Lipson, Michal

2016-01-01

Dual-comb spectroscopy is a powerful technique for real-time, broadband optical sampling of molecular spectra which requires no moving components. Recent developments with microresonator-based platforms have enabled frequency combs at the chip scale. However, the need to precisely match the resonance wavelengths of distinct high-quality-factor microcavities has hindered the development of an on-chip dual comb source. Here, we report the first simultaneous generation of two microresonator comb...

Comparative analysis of bone mineral contents with dual-energy quantitative computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, T. J.; Yoon, S. M.; Kim, O. B.; Lee, S. M.; Suh, S. J.

1997-01-01

The Dual-Energy Quantitative Computed Tomography(DEQCT) was compared with bone equivalent K 2 HPO 4 standard solution and ash weight of animal cadaveric trabecular bone in the measurement of bone mineral contents(BMC). The attenuation coefficient of tissues highly depends on the radiation energy, density and effective atomic number of composition. The bone mineral content of DEQCT in this experiments was determined from empirical constants and mass attenuation coefficients of bone, fat and soft tissue equivalent solution in two photon spectra. In this experiments, the BMC of DEQCT with 80 and 120kV p X rays was compared to ash weight of animal trabecular bone. We obtained the mass attenuation coefficient of 0.2409, 0.5608 and 0.2206 in 80kV p , and 0.2046, 0.3273 and 0.1971 cm 2 /g in 120kV p X-ray spectra for water, bone and fat equivalent materials, respectively. The BMC with DEQCT was accomplished with empirical constants K 1 =0.3232, K 2 =0.2450 and mass attenuation coefficients has very closed to ash weight of animal trabecular bone. The BMC of empirical DEQCT and that of manufacturing DEQCT were correlated with ash weight as a correlation r=0.998 and r=0.996, respectively. The BMC of empirical DEQCT using the experimental mass attenuation coefficients and that of manufacture have showed very close to ash weight of animal trabecular bone. (author)

Spontaneous temporal encephaloceles masked by dual pathology: report of two cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Paleri, V; Watson, C

2001-05-01

Spontaneous temporal meningoencephaloceles are rare entities and diagnostic difficulties can occur. We present two cases whose presentation was atypical and diagnosis delayed by the presence of dual pathology.

Studies on biogas-fuelled compression ignition engine under dual fuel mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahla, Sunil Kumar; Singla, Varun; Sandhu, Sarbjot Singh; Dhir, Amit

2018-04-01

Experimental investigation has been carried out to utilize biogas as an alternative source of energy in compression ignition (CI) engine under dual fuel operational mode. Biogas was inducted into the inlet manifold at different flow rates along with fresh air through inlet manifold and diesel was injected as a pilot fuel to initiate combustion under dual fuel mode. The engine performance and emission characteristics of dual fuel operational mode were analyzed at different biogas flow rates and compared with baseline conventional diesel fuel. Based upon the improved performance and lower emission characteristics under the dual fuel operation, the optimum flow rate of biogas was observed to be 2.2 kg/h. The lower brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and higher brake-specific energy consumption (BSEC) were noticed with biogas-diesel fuel under dual fuel mode when compared with neat diesel operation. Test results showed reduced NO x emissions and smoke opacity level in the exhaust tailpipe emissions. However, higher hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were noticed under dual fuel mode at entire engine loads when compared with baseline fossil petro-diesel. Hence, the use of low-cost gaseous fuel such as biogas would be an economically viable proposition to address the current and future problems of energy scarcity and associated environmental concerns.

Charge distribution in an two-chain dual model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fialkowski, K.; Kotanski, A.

1983-01-01

Charge distributions in the multiple production processes are analysed using the dual chain model. A parametrisation of charge distributions for single dual chains based on the νp and anti vp data is proposed. The rapidity charge distributions are then calculated for pp and anti pp collisions and compared with the previous calculations based on the recursive cascade model of single chains. The results differ at the SPS collider energies and in the energy dependence of the net forward charge supplying the useful tests of the dual chain model. (orig.)

Comparative utilization of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder and other psychiatric disorders among U.S. Veterans Health Administration patients with dual diagnoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubinsky, Anna D; Chen, Cheng; Batki, Steven L; Williams, Emily C; Harris, Alex H S

2015-10-01

Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and another co-occurring psychiatric disorder are a vulnerable population with high symptom severity. Such patients may benefit from a full arsenal of treatment options including pharmacotherapy. Receipt of AUD pharmacotherapy is generally very low despite recommendations that it be made available to every patient with AUD, including those with co-occurring disorders. Little is known about pharmacotherapy rates for AUD compared to other psychiatric disorders among patients with dual diagnoses. This study compared rates of pharmacotherapy for AUD to those for non-substance use psychiatric disorders and tobacco use disorder among patients with dual diagnoses in the U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. VA data were used to identify patients with AUD and another psychiatric disorder in fiscal year 2012, and to estimate the proportion receiving pharmacotherapy for AUD and for each comorbid condition. Among subsets of patients with AUD and co-occurring schizophrenic, bipolar, posttraumatic stress or major depressive disorder, receipt of medications for AUD ranged from 7% to 11%, whereas receipt of medications for the comorbid disorder ranged from 69% to 82%. Among patients with AUD and co-occurring tobacco use disorder, 6% received medication for their AUD and 34% for their tobacco use disorder. Among patients with dual diagnoses, rates of pharmacotherapy for AUD were far lower than those for the comorbid disorders and contrary to evidence that medications for AUD are effective. Additional system-wide implementation efforts to identify and address patient- and provider-level barriers are needed to increase AUD pharmacotherapy in this high-need population. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Walking and talking: an investigation of cognitive-motor dual tasking in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, F; Rochester, L; Paul, L; Rafferty, D; O'Leary, C P; Evans, J J

2009-10-01

Deficits in motor functioning, including walking, and in cognitive functions, including attention, are known to be prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS), though little attention has been paid to how impairments in these areas of functioning interact. This study investigated the effects of performing a concurrent cognitive task when walking in people with MS. Level of task demand was manipulated to investigate whether this affected level of dual-task decrement. Eighteen participants with MS and 18 healthy controls took part. Participants completed walking and cognitive tasks under single- and dual-task conditions. Compared to healthy controls, MS participants showed greater decrements in performance under dual-task conditions in cognitive task performance, walking speed and swing time variability. In the MS group, the degree of decrement under dual-task conditions was related to levels of fatigue, a measure of general cognitive functioning and self-reported everyday cognitive errors, but not to measures of disease severity or duration. Difficulty with walking and talking in MS may be a result of a divided attention deficit or of overloading of the working memory system, and further investigation is needed. We suggest that difficulty with walking and talking in MS may lead to practical problems in everyday life, including potentially increasing the risk of falls. Clinical tools to assess cognitive-motor dual-tasking ability are needed.

Does Grammatical Structure Accelerate Number Word Learning? Evidence from Learners of Dual and Non-Dual Dialects of Slovenian.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franc Marušič

Full Text Available How does linguistic structure affect children's acquisition of early number word meanings? Previous studies have tested this question by comparing how children learning languages with different grammatical representations of number learn the meanings of labels for small numbers, like 1, 2, and 3. For example, children who acquire a language with singular-plural marking, like English, are faster to learn the word for 1 than children learning a language that lacks the singular-plural distinction, perhaps because the word for 1 is always used in singular contexts, highlighting its meaning. These studies are problematic, however, because reported differences in number word learning may be due to unmeasured cross-cultural differences rather than specific linguistic differences. To address this problem, we investigated number word learning in four groups of children from a single culture who spoke different dialects of the same language that differed chiefly with respect to how they grammatically mark number. We found that learning a dialect which features "dual" morphology (marking of pairs accelerated children's acquisition of the number word two relative to learning a "non-dual" dialect of the same language.

Comparison of dual photon and dual energy X-ray bone densitometers in a clinic setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, D.A.; Shaffer, S.; Brown, E.B.; Flynn, M.J.; Cody, D.D.

1991-01-01

Two separate studies were conducted. We evaluated the relationships between results of lumbar spine measurements using two dual photon absorptiometry (DPA1 and DPA2) instruments and one dual energy X-ray (DXA) instrument with the same subject (49 volunteers), and also in 65 patients who were measured on the DPA1 and DXA machines. Second, we measured the lumbar spine and the proximal femur in three groups of 12 female volunteers three times on one instrument within 1 week. We purposely simulated a busy clinic setting with different technologists, older radioactive sources, and a heterogeneous patient group. The comparison study indicated a significant difference between the mean bone density values reported by the machines, but the results were highly correlated (R 2 = 0.89-0.96). This study emphasizes the differences between instruments, the potential for greater error in busy clinic environments, and the apparent superiority of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry under these less than ideal conditions. (orig./GDG)

The diagnostic accuracy of dual-view digital mammography, single-view breast tomo-synthesis and a dual-view combination of breast tomo-synthesis and digital mammography in a free-response observer performance study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svahn, T.; Andersson, I.; Chakraborty, D.; Svensson, S.; Ikeda, D.; Foernvik, D.; Mattsson, S.; Tingberg, A.; Zackrisson, S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of dual-view digital mammography (DM), single view breast tomo-synthesis (BT) and BT combined with the opposite DM view. Patients with subtle lesions were selected to undergo BT examinations. Two radiologists who are non-participants in the study and have experience in using DM and BT determined the locations and extents of lesions in the images. Five expert mammographers interpreted the cases using the free-response paradigm. The task was to mark and rate clinically reportable findings suspicious for malignancy and clinically relevant benign findings. The marks were scored with reference to the outlined regions into lesion localization or non-lesion localization, and analysed by the jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic method. The analysis yielded statistically significant differences between the combined modality and dual-view DM (p < 0.05). No differences were found between single-view BT and dual-view DM or between single-view BT and the combined modality. (authors)

Dual roles and dual identities: enhancing the experience of in-service teacher training in English Further Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orr, Kevin

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In marked distinction from other sectors of education, around 90 percent of Further Education (FE staff in England are employed untrained and complete their Initial Teacher Training (ITT on a part-time in-service basis. By consequence, these staff sustain the dual role of employed teacher and teacher-trainee usually at the beginning of their career. This paper reports on a project funded by ESCalate which researched the dual roles and dual identities of employee and trainee on in-service FE teacher-training courses. It argues that the lack of a culture of pedagogical development in colleges along with the pressure for trainees to quickly cope with teaching can lead to conservative practice as expedience may be prioritised over flair. In response, the paper makes recommendations to enhance the experience and development of in-service teacher trainees.

Design and performance testing of an ultrasonic linear motor with dual piezoelectric actuators.

Science.gov (United States)

Smithmaitrie, Pruittikorn; Suybangdum, Panumas; Laoratanakul, Pitak; Muensit, Nantakan

2012-05-01

In this work, design and performance testing of an ultrasonic linear motor with dual piezoelectric actuator patches are studied. The motor system consists of a linear stator, a pre-load weight, and two piezoelectric actuator patches. The piezoelectric actuators are bonded with the linear elastic stator at specific locations. The stator generates propagating waves when the piezoelectric actuators are subjected to harmonic excitations. Vibration characteristics of the linear stator are analyzed and compared with finite element and experimental results. The analytical, finite element, and experimental results show agreement. In the experiments, performance of the ultrasonic linear motor is tested. Relationships between velocity and pre-load weight, velocity and applied voltage, driving force and applied voltage, and velocity and driving force are reported. The design of the dual piezoelectric actuators yields a simpler structure with a smaller number of actuators and lower stator stiffness compared with a conventional design of an ultrasonic linear motor with fully laminated piezoelectric actuators.

Accuracy of Dual-Energy Virtual Monochromatic CT Numbers: Comparison between the Single-Source Projection-Based and Dual-Source Image-Based Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueguchi, Takashi; Ogihara, Ryota; Yamada, Sachiko

2018-03-21

To investigate the accuracy of dual-energy virtual monochromatic computed tomography (CT) numbers obtained by two typical hardware and software implementations: the single-source projection-based method and the dual-source image-based method. A phantom with different tissue equivalent inserts was scanned with both single-source and dual-source scanners. A fast kVp-switching feature was used on the single-source scanner, whereas a tin filter was used on the dual-source scanner. Virtual monochromatic CT images of the phantom at energy levels of 60, 100, and 140 keV were obtained by both projection-based (on the single-source scanner) and image-based (on the dual-source scanner) methods. The accuracy of virtual monochromatic CT numbers for all inserts was assessed by comparing measured values to their corresponding true values. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the dependency of measured CT numbers on tissue attenuation, method, and their interaction. Root mean square values of systematic error over all inserts at 60, 100, and 140 keV were approximately 53, 21, and 29 Hounsfield unit (HU) with the single-source projection-based method, and 46, 7, and 6 HU with the dual-source image-based method, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed that the interaction between the attenuation and the method had a statistically significant effect on the measured CT numbers at 100 and 140 keV. There were attenuation-, method-, and energy level-dependent systematic errors in the measured virtual monochromatic CT numbers. CT number reproducibility was comparable between the two scanners, and CT numbers had better accuracy with the dual-source image-based method at 100 and 140 keV. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual pathology proximal median nerve compression of the forearm.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Siun M; Browne, Katherine; Tuite, David J; O'Shaughnessy, Michael

2013-12-01

We report an unusual case of synchronous pathology in the forearm- the coexistence of a large lipoma of the median nerve together with an osteochondroma of the proximal ulna, giving rise to a dual proximal median nerve compression. Proximal median nerve compression neuropathies in the forearm are uncommon compared to the prevalence of distal compression neuropathies (eg Carpal Tunnel Syndrome). Both neural fibrolipomas (Refs. 1,2) and osteochondromas of the proximal ulna (Ref. 3) in isolation are rare but well documented. Unlike that of a distal compression, a proximal compression of the median nerve will often have a definite cause. Neural fibrolipoma, also called fibrolipomatous hamartoma are rare, slow-growing, benign tumours of peripheral nerves, most often occurring in the median nerve of younger patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such dual pathology in the same forearm, giving rise to a severe proximal compression of the median nerve. In this case, the nerve was being pushed anteriorly by the osteochondroma, and was being compressed from within by the intraneural lipoma. This unusual case highlights the advantage of preoperative imaging as part of the workup of proximal median nerve compression. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-situ observation system for dual ion irradiation damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuno, Shigemi; Hojou, Kiichi; Otsu, Hitoshi; Sasaki, T.A.; Izui, Kazuhiko; Tukamoto, Tetsuo; Hata, Takao.

1992-01-01

We have developed an in-situ observation and analysis system during dual ion beam irradiation in an electron microscope. This system consists of an analytical electron microscope of JEM-4000FX type equipped with a parallel EELS and an EDS attachments and linked with two sets of ion accelerators of 40 kV. Hydrogen and helium dual-ion beam irradiation experiments were performed for SiC crystals. The result of dual-ion beam irradiation was compared with those of helium and hydrogen single ion irradiations. It is clearly seen that the dual-ion irradiation has the effect of suppressing bubble formation and growth in comparison with the case of single helium ion irradiation. (author)

Dual-porosity Mn2O3 cubes for highly efficient dye adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Yongjiu; Ren, Bin; Jiang, Hanmei; Zhou, Bingjie; Lv, Liping; Ren, Jingzheng; Dong, Lichun; Li, Jing; Liu, Zhenfa

2017-07-05

Dual-porosity materials containing both macropores and mesopores are highly desired in many fields. In this work, we prepared dual-porosity Mn 2 O 3 cube materials with large-pore mesopores, in which, macropores are made by using carbon spheres as the hard templates, while the mesopores are produced via a template-free route. The attained dual-porosity Mn 2 O 3 materials have 24nm of large-pore mesopores and 700nm of macropores. Besides, the achieved materials own cubic morphologies with particle sizes as large as 6.0μm, making them separable in the solution by a facile natural sedimentation. Dye adsorption measurements reveal that the dual-porosity materials possess a very high maximum adsorption capacity of 125.6mg/g, much larger than many reported materials. Particularly, the adsorbents can be recycled and the dye removal efficiency can be well maintained at 98% after four cycles. Adsorption isotherm and kinetics show that the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetics model can well describe the adsorption process of Congo Red on the dual-porosity Mn 2 O 3 cube materials. In brief, the reported dual-porosity Mn 2 O 3 demonstrates a good example for controlled preparation of dual-porosity materials with large-pore mesopores, and the macropore-mesopore dual-porosity distribution is good for mass transfer in dye adsorption application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Testing the Automatization Deficit Hypothesis of Dyslexia via a Dual-Task Paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Yap, Regina L.; van der Leij, Aryan

1994-01-01

Fourteen Dutch children with dyslexia were compared with controls on automatic processing under a dual task (motor balance task and auditory choice task) model. Results indicated the dyslexic group was more impaired in the dual task condition than in the single task condition, compared with controls. Findings support the automatization deficit…

A Dual Reporter Iodinated Labeling Reagent for Cancer Positron Emission Tomography Imaging and Fluorescence-Guided Surgery

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

The combination of early diagnosis and complete surgical resection offers the greatest prospect of curative cancer treatment. An iodine-124/fluorescein-based dual-modality labeling reagent, 124I-Green, constitutes a generic tool for one-step installation of a positron emission tomography (PET) and a fluorescent reporter to any cancer-specific antibody. The resulting antibody conjugate would allow both cancer PET imaging and intraoperative fluorescence-guided surgery. 124I-Green was synthesized in excellent radiochemical yields of 92 ± 5% (n = 4) determined by HPLC with an improved one-pot three-component radioiodination reaction. The A5B7 carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific antibody was conjugated to 124I-Green. High tumor uptake of the dual-labeled A5B7 of 20.21 ± 2.70, 13.31 ± 0.73, and 10.64 ± 1.86%ID/g was observed in CEA-expressing SW1222 xenograft mouse model (n = 3) at 24, 48, and 72 h post intravenous injection, respectively. The xenografts were clearly visualized by both PET/CT and ex vivo fluorescence imaging. These encouraging results warrant the further translational development of 124I-Green for cancer PET imaging and fluorescence-guided surgery. PMID:29388770

Student satisfaction and academic performance in a dual PharmD/MBA degree program.

Science.gov (United States)

Chumney, Elinor C G; Ragucci, Kelly R

2006-04-15

Evaluate the academic experience and satisfaction of students enrolled in the dual PharmD/MBA degree program between the South Carolina College of Pharmacy and The Citadel's School of Business Administration. Compare grade point averages of students enrolled in the dual degree program with those of traditional student colleagues. A standardized satisfaction survey instrument was administered to 32 students currently enrolled in the dual PharmD/MBA degree program. Grade point averages (GPAs) in both pharmacy and business coursework were also collected for analysis. There were slightly higher percentages of both female and minority students in the dual degree program compared to the pharmacy class as a whole. Eighteen (56%) of students completed the survey, and responses were generally positive. The mean GPA of students in the dual degree program was higher than that of both pharmacy (3.37 vs 3.08, p vs 3.64, not statistically significant) students not enrolled in the dual degree program. Students enrolled in the dual degree program did better academically than their counterparts and indicated an overall high level of satisfaction with the program.

Self-dual Hopf quivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Hualin; Li Libin; Ye Yu

2004-07-01

We study pointed graded self-dual Hopf algebras with a help of the dual Gabriel theorem for pointed Hopf algebras. Quivers of such Hopf algebras are said to be self-dual. An explicit classification of self-dual Hopf quivers is obtained. We also prove that finite dimensional coradically graded pointed self-dual Hopf algebras are generated by group-like and skew-primitive elements as associative algebras. This partially justifies a conjecture of Andruskiewitsch and Schneider and may help to classify finite dimensional self-dual pointed Hopf algebras

Dual-window dual-bandwidth spectroscopic optical coherence tomography metric for qualitative scatterer size differentiation in tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Tay, Benjamin Chia-Meng; Chow, Tzu-Hao; Ng, Beng-Koon; Loh, Thomas Kwok-Seng

2012-09-01

This study investigates the autocorrelation bandwidths of dual-window (DW) optical coherence tomography (OCT) k-space scattering profile of different-sized microspheres and their correlation to scatterer size. A dual-bandwidth spectroscopic metric defined as the ratio of the 10% to 90% autocorrelation bandwidths is found to change monotonically with microsphere size and gives the best contrast enhancement for scatterer size differentiation in the resulting spectroscopic image. A simulation model supports the experimental results and revealed a tradeoff between the smallest detectable scatterer size and the maximum scatterer size in the linear range of the dual-window dual-bandwidth (DWDB) metric, which depends on the choice of the light source optical bandwidth. Spectroscopic OCT (SOCT) images of microspheres and tonsil tissue samples based on the proposed DWDB metric showed clear differentiation between different-sized scatterers as compared to those derived from conventional short-time Fourier transform metrics. The DWDB metric significantly improves the contrast in SOCT imaging and can aid the visualization and identification of dissimilar scatterer size in a sample. Potential applications include the early detection of cell nuclear changes in tissue carcinogenesis, the monitoring of healing tendons, and cell proliferation in tissue scaffolds.

Myocardial perfusion imaging with dual energy CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Kwang Nam [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Radiology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); De Cecco, Carlo N. [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Caruso, Damiano [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Rome (Italy); Tesche, Christian [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Heart Center Munich-Bogenhausen, Munich (Germany); Spandorfer, Adam; Varga-Szemes, Akos [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Schoepf, U. Joseph, E-mail: schoepf@musc.edu [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Stress dual-energy sCTMPI offers the possibility to directly detect the presence of myocardial perfusion defects. • Stress dual-energy sCTMPI allows differentiating between reversible and fixed myocardial perfusion defects. • The combination of coronary CT angiography and dual-energy sCTMPI can improve the ability of CT to detect hemodynamically relevant coronary artery disease. - Abstract: Dual-energy CT (DECT) enables simultaneous use of two different tube voltages, thus different x-ray absorption characteristics are acquired in the same anatomic location with two different X-ray spectra. The various DECT techniques allow material decomposition and mapping of the iodine distribution within the myocardium. Static dual-energy myocardial perfusion imaging (sCTMPI) using pharmacological stress agents demonstrate myocardial ischemia by single snapshot images of myocardial iodine distribution. sCTMPI gives incremental values to coronary artery stenosis detected on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) by showing consequent reversible or fixed myocardial perfusion defects. The comprehensive acquisition of CCTA and sCTMPI offers extensive morphological and functional evaluation of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have revealed that dual-energy sCTMPI shows promising diagnostic accuracy for the detection of hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease compared to single-photon emission computed tomography, invasive coronary angiography, and cardiac MRI. The aim of this review is to present currently available DECT techniques for static myocardial perfusion imaging and recent clinical applications and ongoing investigations.

Dual Youla parameterization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niemann, Hans Henrik

2003-01-01

A different aspect of using the parameterisation of all systems stabilised by a given controller, i.e. the dual Youla parameterisation, is considered. The relation between system change and the dual Youla parameter is derived in explicit form. A number of standard uncertain model descriptions...... are considered and the relation with the dual Youla parameter given. Some applications of the dual Youla parameterisation are considered in connection with the design of controllers and model/performance validation....

Towards a Dual Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holli, Anne Maria; Harder, Mette Marie Stæhr

2016-01-01

Drawing on insights from state feminism and legislative studies on parliamentary committees, this article develops a dual approach for the comparative analysis of committees on gender equality. Empirically, it compares the standing committees on gender equality in Denmark and Finland, two Nordic...... as measured by legislative outputs and oversight differs, however, in line with differing committee system characteristics: the Finnish committee has more impact on legislative outputs while the Danish committee has more impact on overseeing government....

Dual connectivity for LTE-advanced heterogeneous networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Hua; Rosa, Claudio; Pedersen, Klaus I.

2016-01-01

Dual connectivity (DC) allows user equipments (UEs) to receive data simultaneously from different eNodeBs (eNBs) in order to boost the performance in a heterogeneous network with dedicated carrier deployment. Yet, how to efficiently operate with DC opens a number of research questions. In this pa......Dual connectivity (DC) allows user equipments (UEs) to receive data simultaneously from different eNodeBs (eNBs) in order to boost the performance in a heterogeneous network with dedicated carrier deployment. Yet, how to efficiently operate with DC opens a number of research questions...... aggregation (CA) and virtually zerolatency fronthaul connections, and in any case it is significantly higher compared to the case without DC. Keywords: Dual connectivity Heterogeneous network LTE-advanced Radio resource management Performance evaluation...

Synthetic CT: Simulating low dose single and dual energy protocols from a dual energy scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Adam S.; Pelc, Norbert J.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The choice of CT protocol can greatly impact patient dose and image quality. Since acquiring multiple scans at different techniques on a given patient is undesirable, the ability to predict image quality changes starting from a high quality exam can be quite useful. While existing methods allow one to generate simulated images of lower exposure (mAs) from an acquired CT exam, the authors present and validate a new method called synthetic CT that can generate realistic images of a patient at arbitrary low dose protocols (kVp, mAs, and filtration) for both single and dual energy scans. Methods: The synthetic CT algorithm is derived by carefully ensuring that the expected signal and noise are accurate for the simulated protocol. The method relies on the observation that the material decomposition from a dual energy CT scan allows the transmission of an arbitrary spectrum to be predicted. It requires an initial dual energy scan of the patient to either synthesize raw projections of a single energy scan or synthesize the material decompositions of a dual energy scan. The initial dual energy scan contributes inherent noise to the synthesized projections that must be accounted for before adding more noise to simulate low dose protocols. Therefore, synthetic CT is subject to the constraint that the synthesized data have noise greater than the inherent noise. The authors experimentally validated the synthetic CT algorithm across a range of protocols using a dual energy scan of an acrylic phantom with solutions of different iodine concentrations. An initial 80/140 kVp dual energy scan of the phantom provided the material decomposition necessary to synthesize images at 100 kVp and at 120 kVp, across a range of mAs values. They compared these synthesized single energy scans of the phantom to actual scans at the same protocols. Furthermore, material decompositions of a 100/120 kVp dual energy scan are synthesized by adding correlated noise to the initial material

Dual-fuel natural gas/diesel engines: Technology, performance, and emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, S. H.; Weaver, C. S.

1994-11-01

An investigation of current dual-fuel natural gas/diesel engine design, performance, and emissions was conducted. The most pressing technological problems associated with dual-fuel engine use were identified along with potential solutions. It was concluded that dual-fuel engines can achieve low NO(sub x) and particulate emissions while retaining fuel-efficiency and BMEP levels comparable to those of diesel engines. The investigation also examined the potential economic impact of dual-fuel engines in diesel-electric locomotives, marine vessels, farm equipment, construction, mining, and industrial equipment, and stand-alone electricity generation systems. Recommendations for further additional funding to support research, development, and demonstration in these applications were then presented.

Dual Smarandache Curves of a Timelike Curve lying on Unit dual Lorentzian Sphere

OpenAIRE

Kahraman, Tanju; Hüseyin Ugurlu, Hasan

2016-01-01

In this paper, we give Darboux approximation for dual Smarandache curves of time like curve on unit dual Lorentzian sphere. Firstly, we define the four types of dual Smarandache curves of a timelike curve lying on dual Lorentzian sphere.

Assessment of adiposity in psoriatic patients by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry compared to conventional methods*

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz, Michelle dos Santos; Bavoso, Nádia Couto; Kakehasi, Adriana Maria; Lauria, Márcio Weissheimer; Soares, Maria Marta Sarquis; Machado-Pinto, Jackson

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Obesity is considered a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease that shares mediators of inflammation with psoriasis, such as TNF-α and IL-6. The relationship between these two conditions involves factors such as predisposition and response to therapy, in addition to an association with cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of adiposity as determined by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) evaluation in patients with psoriasis. METHODS BMI, WC and body composition by DXA were measured in 42 psoriatic patients without joint complaints and in 41 control patients using standard procedures. In the comparison between cases and controls, we used Pearson’s Χ2 test or Fisher’s exact test, and the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test. The difference between the diverse classification methods for obesity was evaluated using McNemar’s test. To test the level of agreement between those variables, we used the weighted kappa coefficient. RESULTS There was no difference in the prevalence of obesity among cases and controls. Both BMI and WC had low agreement with measures of body fat evaluated by DXA. With the use of DXA scanning, prevalence of overweight and obesity in patients with psoriasis was 83.3%, which constitutes a strong evidence of the need for intervention on this metabolic parameter. CONCLUSION Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was more capable of identifying obesity compared with BMI and WC both in psoriatic and control patients. PMID:27192512

Diagnostic accuracy of virtual non-contrast enhanced dual-energy CT for diagnosis of adrenal adenoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connolly, Michael J.; McInnes, Matthew D.F.; Schieda, Nicola [University of Ottawa Department of Radiology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON (United States); El-Khodary, Mohamed [McMaster University Department of Radiology, Hamilton, ON (Canada); McGrath, Trevor A. [University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

2017-10-15

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy (DE) virtual non-contrast computed tomography (vNCT) to non-contrast CT (NCT) for the diagnosis of adrenal adenomas. Search of multiple databases and grey literature was performed. Two reviewers independently applied inclusion criteria and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed using QUADAS-2. Summary estimates of diagnostic accuracy were generated and sources of heterogeneity were assessed. Five studies (170 patients; 192 adrenal masses) were included for diagnostic accuracy assessment; all used dual-source dual-energy CT. Pooled sensitivity for adrenal adenoma on vNCT was 54% (95% CI: 47-62%). Pooled sensitivity for NCT was 57% (95% CI: 45-69%). Pooling of specificity was not performed since no false positives were reported. There was a trend for overestimation of HU density on vNCT as compared to NCT which appeared related to contrast timing. Potential sources of bias were seen regarding the index test and reference standard for the included studies. Potential sources of heterogeneity between studies were seen in adenoma prevalence and intravenous contrast timing. vNCT images generated from dual-energy CT demonstrated comparable sensitivity to NCT for the diagnosis of adenomas; however the included studies are heterogeneous and at high risk for some types of bias. (orig.)

Initial experience with a prototype dual-crystal (LSO/NaI) dual-head coincidence camera in oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Urvi; Boellaard, Ronald; Comans, Emile F.I.; Raijmakers, Pieter G.H.M.; Pijpers, Rik J.; Teule, Gerrit J.J.; Lingen, Arthur van; Hoekstra, Otto S.; Miller, Steven D.

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo performance of a prototype dual-crystal [lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)/sodium iodide (NaI)] dual-head coincidence camera (DHC) for PET and SPET (LSO-PS), in comparison to BGO-PET with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in oncology. This follows earlier reports that LSO-PS has noise-equivalent counting (NEC) rates comparable to partial ring BGO-PET, i.e. clearly higher than standard NaI DHCs. Twenty-four randomly selected oncological patients referred for whole-body FDG-PET underwent BGO-PET followed by LSO-PS. Four nuclear medicine physicians were randomised to read a single scan modality, in terms of lesion intensity, location and likelihood of malignancy. BGO-PET was considered the gold standard. Forty-eight lesions were classified as positive with BGO-PET, of which LSO-PS identified 73% (95% CI 60-86%). There was good observer agreement for both modalities in terms of intensity, location and interpretation. Lesions were missed by LSO-PS in 13 patients in the chest (n=6), neck (n=3) and abdomen (n=4). The diameter of these lesions was estimated to be 0.5-1 cm. Initial results justify further evaluation of LSO-PS in specific clinical situations, especially if a role as an instrument of triage for PET is foreseen. (orig.)

Outcomes with single-coil versus dual-coil implantable cardioverter defibrillators: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunderland, Nicholas; Kaura, Amit; Murgatroyd, Francis; Dhillon, Para; Scott, Paul A

2018-03-01

Dual-coil implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) leads have traditionally been used over single-coil leads due to concerns regarding high defibrillation thresholds (DFT) and consequent poor shock efficacy. However, accumulating evidence suggests that this position may be unfounded and that dual-coil leads may also be associated with higher complication rates during lead extraction. This meta-analysis collates data comparing dual- and single-coil ICD leads. Electronic databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) and non-randomized studies comparing single-coil and dual-coil leads. The mean differences in DFT and summary estimates of the odds-ratio (OR) for first-shock efficacy and the hazard-ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality were calculated using random effects models. Eighteen studies including a total of 138,124 patients were identified. Dual-coil leads were associated with a lower DFT compared to single coil leads (mean difference -0.83J; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.39--0.27; P = 0.004). There was no difference in the first-shock success rate with dual-coil compared to single-coil leads (OR 0.74; 95%CI 0.45-1.21; P=0.22). There was a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality associated with single-coil leads (HR 0.91; 95%CI 0.86-0.95; P dual-coil leads. The mortality benefit with single-coil leads most likely represents patient selection bias. Given the increased risk and complexity of extracting dual-coil leads, centres should strongly consider single-coil ICD leads as the lead of choice for routine new left-sided ICD implants. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Numerical simulation of air flow through turbocharger compressors with dual volute design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiao, Kui; Li, Xianguo; Wu, Hao [Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON (Canada); Sun, Harold; Schram, Tim [Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI 48126 (United States); Krivitzky, Eric; Larosiliere, Louis M. [Concepts NREC, White River Junction, VT 05001 (United States)

2009-11-15

In this paper, turbocharger centrifugal compressors with dual volute design were investigated by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. The numerical simulation focused on the air flow from compressor impeller inlet to volute exit, and the overall performance level and range are predicted. The numerical investigation revealed that the dual volute design could separate the compressor into two operating regions: ''high efficiency'' and ''low efficiency'' regions with different air flow characteristics, and treating these two regions separately with dual diffuser design showed extended stable operating range and improved efficiency by comparing with conventional single volute design. The ''dual sequential volute'' concept also showed the potential to further extend the stable operating range by closing one of the volutes at low air flow rates. Furthermore, by comparing with other alternate designs such as variable diffuser vanes and variable inlet guide vanes, the operation of the dual sequential volute also features relatively simple control and calibration. (author)

Dual energy radiography using active detector technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seibert, J.A.; Poage, T.F.; Alvarez, R.E.

1996-01-01

A new technology has been implemented using an open-quotes active-detectorclose quotes comprised of two computed radiography (CR) imaging plates in a sandwich geometry for dual-energy radiography. This detector allows excellent energy separation, short exposure time, and high signal to noise ratio (SNR) for clinically robust open-quotes bone-onlyclose quotes and open-quotes soft-tissue onlyclose quotes images with minimum patient motion. Energy separation is achieved by two separate exposures at widely different kVp's: the high energy (120 kVp + 1.5 mm Cu filter) exposure is initiated first, followed by a short burst of intense light to erase the latent image on the front plate, and then a 50 kVp (low energy) exposure. A personal computer interfaced to the x-ray generator, filter wheel, and active detector system orchestrates the acquisition sequence within a time period of 150 msec. The front and back plates are processed using a CR readout algorithm with fixed speed and wide dynamic range. open-quotes Bone-onlyclose quotes and open-quotes soft-tissue onlyclose quotes images are calculated by geometric alignment of the two images and application of dual energy decomposition algorithms on a pixel by pixel basis. Resultant images of a calibration phantom demonstrate an increase of SNR 2 / dose by ∼73 times when compared to a single exposure open-quotes passive-detectorclose quotes comprised of CR imaging plates, and an ∼8 fold increase compared to a screen-film dual-energy cassette comprised of different phosphor compounds. In conclusion, dual energy imaging with open-quotes active detectorclose quotes technology is clinically feasible and can provide substantial improvements over conventional methods for dual-energy radiography

Potassium-Based Dual Ion Battery with Dual-Graphite Electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Ling; Liu, Qian; Chen, Suhua; Lin, Kairui; Xu, Zhi; Lu, Bingan

2017-08-01

A potassium ion battery has potential applications for large scale electric energy storage systems due to the abundance and low cost of potassium resources. Dual graphite batteries, with graphite as both anode and cathode, eliminate the use of transition metal compounds and greatly lower the overall cost. Herein, combining the merits of the potassium ion battery and dual graphite battery, a potassium-based dual ion battery with dual-graphite electrode is developed. It delivers a reversible capacity of 62 mA h g -1 and medium discharge voltage of ≈3.96 V. The intercalation/deintercalation mechanism of K + and PF 6 - into/from graphite is proposed and discussed in detail, with various characterizations to support. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dual vector multiplet coupled to dual N=1 supergravity in 10D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishino, Hitoshi; Rajpoot, Subhash

2005-01-01

We couple in superspace a dual vector multiplet (C m 1 ...m 7 ,λ α ) to the dual version of N=1 supergravity (e m a ,ψ m α ,M m 1 ...m 6 ,χ α ,Φ) in ten dimensions. The 7-form field C has its 8-form field strength H dual to the 2-form field strength F of the conventional vector multiplet. To simplify the computation, we use so-called beta-function-favored superspace constraints for dual supergravity developed for β-function computations. As in a more conventional constraint set, the H-Bianchi identity must have the form N and F, where N is the 7-form field strength in dual supergravity. The potential anomaly for the dual vector multiplet can be cancelled for the particular gauge group U(1) 496 by the Green-Schwarz mechanism. As a by-product, we also give the globally supersymmetric Abelian Dirac-Born-Infeld interactions for the dual vector multiplet for the first time

Thermodynamic modeling of LPG combustion in dual-fuel engines; Modelisation thermodynamique de la combustion du GPL dans les moteurs dual-fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bilcan, A.; Le Corre, O.; Tazerout, M. [Ecole des Mines de Nantes, 44 (France); Ramesh, A. [Indian Institute of Technology Madras (India)

2002-07-01

Dual-fuel engines are modified diesel engines burning simultaneously two fuels inside the cylinder: a gaseous one, called the primary fuel and a liquid one, called the pilot fuel. The thermal efficiency of the dual-fuel engine and of the diesel engine are comparable; the level of emissions is lower compared to the diesel one. This article presents a new procedure for the combustion modeling in a LPG-diesel dual-fuel engine. The procedures deals with the ignition delay period and with the rate of heat release inside the cylinder. This procedure is validated using experimental data issued front a collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology from Madras, India. The used engine is a single-cylinder one, air-cooled. The pilot fuel is direct injected inside the cylinder The engine was run at constant load and with different diesel substitutions, i.e. for different air to fuel ratios of the primary fuel-air mixture. The general error of the procedure is below 10%. (authors)

Dual-ion implantation into GaAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sealy, B.J.; Bell, E.C.; Surridge, R.K.; Stephens, K.G.; Ambridge, T.; Heckingbottom, R.

1976-01-01

A variety of dual implants have been carried out to test the theory of Ambridge and Heckingbottom (Ambridge, T. and Heckingbottom, R., 1973, Radiat. Effects, vol. 17, 31). After annealing at 700 0 C or 750 0 C a significant enhancement of electrical activity compared with single-ion implants has been obtained for (Ga + Se) and (Sn + Se) implants but the degree of enhancement is dose dependent. The results imply that the dual implantation process is more complex than predicted by the theory and the electrical activity measured seems to be dominated by residual, compensating damage. (author)

Diagnosis value of dual-phase contrast enhancement CT combined with virtual non-enhanced images by dual-energy CT in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Zhoupeng; Zhou Jianjun; Liu Xueling; Wang Chun; Zhang Shunzhuang

2012-01-01

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of dual-phase contrast enhancement CT combined with virtual non-enhanced images by dual-energy CT in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Methods: Sixty patients who were suspected of clear cell renal cell carcinoma underwent non-enhanced CT and contrast enhancement CT of early interface-phase between cortex -medulla and parenchymal phase on a dual-energy CT. The true non-enhanced kidney CT (TNCT) was performed in a single-energy acquisition mode, but the dual-phase contrast enhancement CT were performed in a dual-energy mode of 80 kV and 140 kV respectively. The virtual non-enhanced CT (VNCT) images were derived from the data of early interface phase using liver virtual non-contrast software. The diagnose according to VNCT combined dual-phase contrast enhancement CT and dual-phase contrast enhancement CT only were made respectively and compared with χ 2 test. Between the true non-contrast CT and the virtual non-contrast CT, the image quality was compared with Wilcoxon test; The radiation dose of volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product(DLP) in a single-phase and total examination, the mean CT HU values of the tumours were compared with t test. Results: The accuracy of VNCT combined dual-phase contrast enhancement CT was higher than that of dual-phase contrast enhancement CT only [93.3% (56/60) vs.78.3% (47/60); χ 2 =5.6, P<0.05]. The detective ability (score) of VNCT was near to that of TNCT and the difference was not obvious (Z=0.00, P>0.05). The radiation dose of volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) in a single phase and total examination of VNCT [(8.85 ± 1.28) mGy, (196.45 ±21.12) mGy·cm, (17.69±2.35) mGy, (392.90±42.25) mGy · cm] were lower than that of TNCT [(10.20 ± 1.44) mGy,(218.29 ± 29.60) mGy · cm, (30.61 ± 3.27) mGy and (654.86 ± 88.81) mGy ·cm], t=4.21, 3.58, 23.63, 16.12 respectively, P<0.05. The mean CT HU values of tumours on VNCT images was higher than that

Aerosol delivery of Akt controls protein translation in the lungs of dual luciferase reporter mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tehrani, A M; Hwang, S-K; Kim, T-H; Cho, C-S; Hua, J; Nah, W-S; Kwon, J-T; Kim, J-S; Chang, S-H; Yu, K-N; Park, S-J; Bhandari, D R; Lee, K-H; An, G-H; Beck, G R; Cho, M-H

2007-03-01

Lung cancer has emerged as a leading cause of cancer death in the world; however, most of the current conventional therapies are not sufficiently effective in altering the progression of disease. Therefore, development of novel treatment approaches is needed. Although several genes and methods have been used for cancer gene therapy, a number of problems such as specificity, efficacy and toxicity reduce their application. This has led to re-emergence of aerosol gene delivery as a noninvasive method for lung cancer treatment. In this study, nano-sized glucosylated polyethyleneimine (GPEI) was used as a gene delivery carrier to investigate the effects of Akt wild type (WT) and kinase deficient (KD) on Akt-related signaling pathways and protein translation in the lungs of CMV- LucR-cMyc-IRES-LucF dual reporter mice. These mice are a powerful tool for the discrimination between cap-dependent/-independent protein translation. Aerosols containing self-assembled nano-sized GPEI/Akt WT or GPEI/Akt KD were delivered into the lungs of reporter mice through nose-only-inhalation-chamber with the aid of nebulizer. Aerosol delivery of Akt WT caused the increase of protein expression levels of Akt-related signals, whereas aerosol delivery of Akt KD did not. Furthermore, dual luciferase activity assay showed that aerosol delivery of Akt WT enhanced cap-dependent protein translation, whereas a reduction in cap-dependent protein translation by Akt KD was observed. Our results clearly showed that targeting Akt may be a good strategy for prevention as well as treatment of lung cancer. These studies suggest that our aerosol delivery is compatible for in vivo gene delivery which could be used as a noninvasive gene therapy in the future.

Dual practice in the health sector: review of the evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hipólito Fátima

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper reports on income generation practices among civil servants in the health sector, with a particular emphasis on dual practice. It first approaches the subject of public–private overlap. Thereafter it focuses on coping strategies in general and then on dual practice in particular. To compensate for unrealistically low salaries, health workers rely on individual coping strategies. Many clinicians combine salaried, public-sector clinical work with a fee-for-service private clientele. This dual practice is often a means by which health workers try to meet their survival needs, reflecting the inability of health ministries to ensure adequate salaries and working conditions. Dual practice may be considered present in most countries, if not all. Nevertheless, there is surprisingly little hard evidence about the extent to which health workers resort to dual practice, about the balance of economic and other motives for doing so, or about the consequences for the proper use of the scarce public resources dedicated to health. In this paper dual practice is approached from six different perspectives: (1 conceptual, regarding what is meant by dual practice; (2 descriptive, trying to develop a typology of dual practices; (3 quantitative, trying to determine its prevalence; (4 impact on personal income, the health care system and health status; (5 qualitative, looking at the reasons why practitioners so frequently remain in public practice while also working in the private sector and at contextual, personal life, institutional and professional factors that make it easier or more difficult to have dual practices; and (6 possible interventions to deal with dual practice.

Carcass and meat quality of dual-purpose chickens (Lohmann Dual, Belgian Malines, Schweizerhuhn) in comparison to broiler and layer chicken types.

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, S; Kreuzer, M; Siegrist, M; Mannale, K; Messikommer, R E; Gangnat, I D M

2018-05-18

Currently, there is an intensive ethical discussion about the practice of culling day-old layer cockerels. One solution to avoid this practice could be using dual-purpose types, where males are fattened for meat and females used for egg production. The aim of the present study was to compare fattening performance, carcass conformation, and composition as well as meat quality of Lohmann Dual, a novel dual-purpose type, and 2 traditional dual-purpose types (Belgian Malines and Schweizerhuhn) with 2 broiler types and 1 layer type (Lohmann Brown Plus). Broilers included a conventional line (Ross PM3) and a slower-growing line (Sasso 51) fulfilling requirements of organic farming. Nine birds of each type were fed on a conventional broiler diet. Feed intake and metabolizability of nitrogen and energy were recorded per pen (n = 3), the latter through excreta sampling. For each bird, carcass conformation was assessed, and weights of body, carcass, breast meat, legs, wings, and inner organs were determined. Additionally, breast angle, an indicator for carcass appeal, and skin color were recorded. Meat quality assessment included determinations of thaw and cooking loss, shear force, meat color, and proximate composition of the breast meat. None of the dual-purpose types (20 to 30 g ADG) performed as well in growth as the intensively growing broiler line (68 g ADG). However, Lohmann Dual could compete with the slower-growing broiler line (slower growth but better feed efficiency, similar in carcass weight and breast proportion). Also breast angle was quite similar between Lohmann Dual (100°) and the extensive broiler type (115°C) compared to the intensive broiler line (180°). Meat quality was most favorable in the intensive broilers with the smallest shear force and thawing loss, whereas meat quality was not different between the other types. The Schweizerhuhn performed only at the level of the layer hybrid, and the Belgian Malines was ranked only slightly better.

Comparative study of eddy current and Barkhausen noise nondestructive testing methods in microstructural examination of ferrite-martensite dual-phase steel

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanei, S.; Kashefi, M.; Mazinani, M.

2014-04-01

The magnetic properties of ferrite-martensite dual-phase steels were evaluated using eddy current and Barkhausen noise nondestructive testing methods and correlated with their microstructural changes. Several routes were used to produce different microstructures of dual-phase steels. The first route was different heat treatments in γ region to vary the ferrite grain size (from 9.47 to 11.12 in ASTM number), and the second one was variation in intercritical annealing temperatures (from 750 to 890 °C) in order to produce different percentages of martensite in dual-phase microstructure. The results concerning magnetic Barkhausen noise are discussed in terms of height, position and shape of Barkhausen noise profiles, taking into account two main aspects: ferrite grain size, and different percentages of martensite. Then, eddy current testing was used to study the mentioned microstructural changes by detection of impedance variations. The obtained results show that microstructural changes have a noticeable effect on the magnetic properties of dual-phase steels. The results reveal that both magnetic methods have a high potential to be used as a reliable nondestructive tool to detect and monitor microstructural changes occurring during manufacturing of dual-phase steels.

The envisaged dual system of vocational education and training in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this research was to assess the potential of the envisaged dual system of vocational education and training in South Africa from a comparative perspective, namely, the German prototype and the many attempts to transplant this to other countries. The dual system in Germany is outlined and assessed, followed by ...

What Works Clearinghouse Quick Review: "The Impact of Dual Enrollment on College Degree Attainment: Do Low-SES Students Benefit?"

Science.gov (United States)

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

This study reviewed in this report used data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88) to examine the effects of dual enrollment programs for high school students on college degree attainment. The study further reported on whether the impacts of dual enrollment were different for first generation college students. Dual enrollment…

Dual Degree Social Work Programs: Where are the Programs and Where are the Graduates?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shari E. Miller

2008-09-01

Full Text Available This article presents results of an exploratory study designed to survey the dual degree graduates of one large school of social work, and to report on the prevalence and types of dual degree programs offered at accredited schools of social work in the U.S. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from 72 dual degree graduates. Income, career trajectories, identification with social work, satisfaction with the decision to obtain a dual degree, whether graduates would encourage others to follow the dual degree path, and implications for the social work profession and social work education are discussed.

Perceptual Space of Superimposed Dual-Frequency Vibrations in the Hands.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Inwook; Seo, Jeongil; Choi, Seungmoon

2017-01-01

The use of distinguishable complex vibrations that have multiple spectral components can improve the transfer of information by vibrotactile interfaces. We investigated the qualitative characteristics of dual-frequency vibrations as the simplest complex vibrations compared to single-frequency vibrations. Two psychophysical experiments were conducted to elucidate the perceptual characteristics of these vibrations by measuring the perceptual distances among single-frequency and dual-frequency vibrations. The perceptual distances of dual-frequency vibrations between their two frequency components along their relative intensity ratio were measured in Experiment I. The estimated perceptual spaces for three frequency conditions showed non-linear perceptual differences between the dual-frequency and single-frequency vibrations. A perceptual space was estimated from the measured perceptual distances among ten dual-frequency compositions and five single-frequency vibrations in Experiment II. The effect of the component frequency and the frequency ratio was revealed in the perceptual space. In a percept of dual-frequency vibration, the lower frequency component showed a dominant effect. Additionally, the perceptual difference among single-frequency and dual-frequency vibrations were increased with a low relative difference between two frequencies of a dual-frequency vibration. These results are expected to provide a fundamental understanding about the perception of complex vibrations to enrich the transfer of information using vibrotactile stimuli.

Rasmussen encephalitis with dual pathology in a patient without seizures: case report and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravindra, Vijay M; Mazur, Marcus D; Mohila, Carrie A; Sweney, Matthew T; Hersh, Aimee; Bollo, Robert J

2015-11-01

Rasmussen encephalitis without seizures is rare. We report a case of Rasmussen encephalitis and cortical dysplasia without epilepsy as well as describe the imaging, pathology, and clinical course and review the literature to investigate whether this may represent a rare subset of Rasmussen encephalitis. We report the case of a 12-year-old girl with a history of cognitive decline and right arm weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated diffuse left hemispheric cortical and subcortical atrophy suggestive of Rasmussen encephalitis. The patient had no clinical history of seizures, and electroencephalography did not demonstrate epileptiform abnormalities. Craniotomy for open brain biopsy was performed, and histopathologic evaluation identified Rasmussen encephalitis with cortical dysplasia (dual pathology). To the best of our knowledge, this is the third case of Rasmussen encephalitis diagnosed by both imaging and histopathology that had no clinical or electroencephalographic evidence of seizures and is the only case of Rasmussen encephalitis with cortical dysplasia without epilepsy.

Dual Income Taxes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Peter Birch

This paper discusses the principles and practices of dual income taxation in the Nordic countries. The first part of the paper explains the rationale and the historical background for the introduction of the dual income tax and describes the current Nordic tax practices. The second part...... of the paper focuses on the problems of taxing income from small businesses and the issue of corporate-personal tax integration under the dual income tax, considering alternative ways of dealing with these challenges. In the third and final part of the paper, I briefly discuss whether introducing a dual income...

Limited Benefits of Heterogeneous Dual-Task Training on Transfer Effects in Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lussier, Maxime; Brouillard, Philippe; Bherer, Louis

2017-09-01

It has often been reported that cognitive training has limited transfer effects. The present study addresses training context variability as a factor that could increase transfer effects, as well as the manifestation through time of transfer effects. Fifty-eight older adults were assigned to an active placebo or two dual-task training conditions, one in which the training context varies between sessions (heterogeneous training) and the other in a fixed training context (homogeneous training). Transfer was assessed with near and far-modality transfer tasks. Results show that heterogeneous and homogeneous training led to larger near-modality transfer effects than an active placebo (computer lessons). Transfer effects were roughly comparable in both training groups, but heterogeneous training led to a steeper improvement of the dual-task coordination learning curve within training sessions. Also, results indicated that dual-task cost did not improve in the active placebo group from the pre- to the post-training sessions. Heterogeneous training showed modest advantages over homogeneous training. Results also suggest that transfer effects on dual-task cost induced by training take place early on in the post-training session. These findings provide valuable insights on benefits arising from variability in the training protocol for maximizing transfer effects. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dual Diagnosis - Multiple Languages

Science.gov (United States)

... National Library of Medicine Comorbidity or dual diagnosis - Opioid addiction, part 9 - English PDF Comorbidity or dual diagnosis - Opioid addiction, part 9 - español (Spanish) PDF Comorbidity or dual ...

Dual double field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergshoeff, Eric A. [Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Groningen,Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen (Netherlands); Hohm, Olaf [Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Brook University,Stony Brook, NY 11794-3636 (United States); Penas, Victor A. [Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Groningen,Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen (Netherlands); Riccioni, Fabio [INFN - Sezione di Roma, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”,Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy)

2016-06-06

We present the dual formulation of double field theory at the linearized level. This is a classically equivalent theory describing the duals of the dilaton, the Kalb-Ramond field and the graviton in a T-duality or O(D,D) covariant way. In agreement with previous proposals, the resulting theory encodes fields in mixed Young-tableau representations, combining them into an antisymmetric 4-tensor under O(D,D). In contrast to previous proposals, the theory also requires an antisymmetric 2-tensor and a singlet, which are not all pure gauge. The need for these additional fields is analogous to a similar phenomenon for “exotic' dualizations, and we clarify this by comparing with the dualizations of the component fields. We close with some speculative remarks on the significance of these observations for the full non-linear theory yet to be constructed.

Compressed Biogas-Diesel Dual-Fuel Engine Optimization Study for Ultralow Emission

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Koten

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to find out the optimum operating conditions in a diesel engine fueled with compressed biogas (CBG and pilot diesel dual-fuel. One-dimensional (1D and three-dimensional (3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD code and multiobjective optimization code were employed to investigate the influence of CBG-diesel dual-fuel combustion performance and exhaust emissions on a diesel engine. In this paper, 1D engine code and multiobjective optimization code were coupled and evaluated about 15000 cases to define the proper boundary conditions. In addition, selected single diesel fuel (dodecane and dual-fuel (CBG-diesel combustion modes were modeled to compare the engine performances and exhaust emission characteristics by using CFD code under various operating conditions. In optimization study, start of pilot diesel fuel injection, CBG-diesel flow rate, and engine speed were optimized and selected cases were compared using CFD code. CBG and diesel fuels were defined as leading reactants using user defined code. The results showed that significantly lower NOx emissions were emitted under dual-fuel operation for all cases compared to single-fuel mode at all engine load conditions.

Dual computations of non-Abelian Yang-Mills theories on the lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherrington, J. Wade; Khavkine, Igor; Christensen, J. Daniel

2007-01-01

In the past several decades there have been a number of proposals for computing with dual forms of non-Abelian Yang-Mills theories on the lattice. Motivated by the gauge-invariant, geometric picture offered by dual models and successful applications of duality in the U(1) case, we revisit the question of whether it is practical to perform numerical computation using non-Abelian dual models. Specifically, we consider three-dimensional SU(2) pure Yang-Mills as an accessible yet nontrivial case in which the gauge group is non-Abelian. Using methods developed recently in the context of spin foam quantum gravity, we derive an algorithm for efficiently computing the dual amplitude and describe Metropolis moves for sampling the dual ensemble. We relate our algorithms to prior work in non-Abelian dual computations of Hari Dass and his collaborators, addressing several problems that have been left open. We report results of spin expectation value computations over a range of lattice sizes and couplings that are in agreement with our conventional lattice computations. We conclude with an outlook on further development of dual methods and their application to problems of current interest

A Comparative Study of Voltage, Peak Current and Dual Current Mode Control Methods for Noninverting Buck-Boost Converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Č. Bošković

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a comparison of voltage mode control (VMC and two current mode control (CMC methods of noninverting buck-boost converter. The converter control-to-output transfer function, line-to-output transfer function and the output impedance are obtained for all methods by averaging converter equations over one switching period and applying small-signal linearization. The obtained results are required for the design procedure of feedback compensator to keep a system stable and robust. A comparative study of VMC, peak current mode control (PCMC and dual-current mode control (DCMC is performed. Performance evaluation of the closed-loop system with obtained compensator between these methods is performed via numerical simulations.

Self-dual metrics with self-dual Killing vectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tod, K.P.; Ward, R.S.

1979-01-01

Twistor methods are used to derive a class of solutions to Einstein's vacuum equations, with anti-self dual Weyl tensor. In particular, all metrics with a Killing vector whose derivative is anti-self-dual and which admit a real positive-definite section are exhibited and shown to coincide with the metrics of Hawking. (author)

Experimental Investigation Of Biogas-Biodiesel Dual Fuel Combustion In A Diesel Engine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramesha D. K.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This study is an attempt at achieving diesel fuel equivalent performance from diesel engines with maximum substitution of diesel with renewable fuels. In this context the study has been designed to analyze the influence of B20 algae biodiesel as a pilot fuel in a biodiesel biogas dual fuel engine, and results are compared to those of biodiesel and diesel operation at identical engine settings. Experiments were performed at various loads from 0 to 100 % of maximum load at a constant speed of 1500 rpm. In general, B20 algae biodiesel is compatible with diesel in terms of performance and combustion characteristics. Dual fuel mode operation displays lower thermal efficiency and higher fuel consumption than for other fuel modes of the test run across the range of engine loads. Dual fuel mode displayed lower emissions of NOx and Smoke opacity while HC and CO concentrations were considerably higher as compared to other fuels. In dual fuel mode peak pressure and heat release rate were slightly higher compared to diesel and biodiesel mode of operation for all engine loads.

Desempeño y emisiones de un motor de combustión interna con combustible dual Diesel – Gas natural ;Performance and emissions study of an internal combustion engine with dual fuel diesel - natural gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Miguel Mantilla González

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Muchos de los problemas reportados para los sistemas duales diesel- gas natural ocurren por mala dosificación del gas. Por esta razón se adaptó un sistema de alimentación dual con inyección electrónica de gas natural a un motor de combustión interna encendido por compresión. Se plantea un diseño experimental controlando el dosado de gas natural.Como resultado se obtiene un análisis comparativo entre los valoresde desempeño y emisiones desde la operación Diesel y Diesel-Gas natural. A partir de este análisis es posible observar que el desempeño del motor no se ve afectado por la operación del motor bajo el esquema Dual Diesel-GN, es decir que el motor funcionando bajo modo dual puede sostener las cargas solicitadas al motor. También se observa que la eficiencia volumétrica mejora bajo todas las condiciones de operación dual y las emisiones son mejores sólo cuando el motor trabaja a altas cargas. Many of the problems reported for dual diesel-natural gas systems occur due to poor gas dosage. For this reason a natural gas electronic injection feeding system was adapted to a compression ignitios internal combustion engine. An experimental design controlling the natural gas dosage is considered. As a result a comparative analysis between performance and emissions from the Diesel-and diesel-Natural Gas operation is obtained. From this analysis it is possible to see that engine performance is not affected by operation of the engine under the dual mode, i.e. the motor running under dual mode can support the loads applied to the engine. It is also observed that the volumetric efficiency improves under all conditions of operation and emissions from the dual mode of operation are better only when working at high engine loads.

Chains of N=2, D=4 heterotic type II duals

CERN Document Server

Aldazabal, G; Font, A; Quevedo, Fernando

1996-01-01

We report on a search for N=2 heterotic strings that are dual candidates of type II compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefolds described as K3 fibrations. We find many new heterotic duals by using standard orbifold techniques. The associated type II compactifications fall into chains in which the proposed duals are heterotic compactifications related one another by a sequential Higgs mechanism. This breaking in the heterotic side typically involves the sequence SU(4)\\rightarrow SU(3)\\rightarrow SU(2)\\rightarrow 0, while in the type II side the weights of the complex hypersurfaces and the structure of the K3 quotient singularities also follow specific patterns.

Characterizing use patterns and perceptions of relative harm in dual users of electronic and tobacco cigarettes

Science.gov (United States)

Rass, Olga; Pacek, Lauren R.; Johnson, Patrick S.; Johnson, Matthew W.

2015-01-01

Awareness and use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasing. Questions regarding positive (e.g., smoking reduction/cessation) and negative (e.g., delay of cessation) potential public health consequences of e-cigarettes may be informed by studying dual users of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes. A cross-sectional online survey assessed demographics, product use patterns, and beliefs about relative product benefits and harms among dual users (n = 350) in the United States using the website Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Compared to tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes were used less often and were associated with lower dependence. Participants reported a 30% reduction in self-reported tobacco cigarette smoking since beginning to use e-cigarettes. Reported primary reasons for e-cigarette use were harm reduction and smoking cessation. E-cigarette use was reported as more likely in settings with smoking restrictions and when others’ health could be adversely affected. Conversely, participants reported having used tobacco cigarettes more often than e-cigarettes in hedonic situations (e.g., after eating, drinking coffee or alcohol, or having sex), outdoors, or when stressed. Participants were twice as likely to report wanting to quit tobacco cigarettes compared to e-cigarettes in the next year and intended to quit tobacco cigarettes sooner. Tobacco cigarettes were described as more harmful and addictive, but also more enjoyable than e-cigarettes. Participants provided evidence consistent with both positive and negative public health consequences of e-cigarettes, highlighting the need for experimental research, including laboratory studies and clinical trials. Policies should consider potential public health benefits of e-cigarettes, in addition to potential harms. PMID:26389638

Development of dual field magnetic flux leakage (MFL) inspection technology to detect mechanical damage.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

This report details the development and testing of a dual magnetization in-line inspection (ILI) : tool for detecting mechanical damage in operating pipelines, including the first field trials of a : fully operational dual-field magnetic flux leakage...

SU-G-IeP2-15: Virtual Insertion of Digital Kidney Stones Into Dual-Source, Dual- Energy CT Projection Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrero, A; Chen, B; Huang, A; Montoya, J; Yu, L; McCollough, C

2016-01-01

Purpose: In order to investigate novel methods to more accurately estimate the mineral composition of kidney stones using dual energy CT, it is desirable to be able to combine digital stones of known composition with actual phantom and patient scan data. In this work, we developed and validated a method to insert digital kidney stones into projection data acquired on a dual-source, dual-energy CT system. Methods: Attenuation properties of stones of different mineral composition were computed using tabulated mass attenuation coefficients, the chemical formula for each stone type, and the effective beam energy at each evaluated tube potential. A previously developed method to insert lesions into x-ray CT projection data was extended to include simultaneous dual-energy CT projections acquired on a dual-source gantry (Siemens Somatom Flash). Digital stones were forward projected onto both detectors and the resulting projections added to the physically acquired sinogram data. To validate the accuracy of the technique, digital stones were inserted into different locations in the ACR CT accreditation phantom; low and high contrast resolution, CT number accuracy and noise properties were compared before and after stone insertion. The procedure was repeated for two dual-energy tube potential pairs in clinical use on the scanner, 80/Sn140 kV and 100/Sn140 kV, respectively. Results: The images reconstructed after the insertion of digital kidney stones were consistent with the images reconstructed from the scanner. The largest average CT number difference for the 4 insert in the CT number accuracy module of the phantom was 3 HU. Conclusion: A framework was developed and validated for the creation of digital kidney stones of known mineral composition, and their projection-domain insertion into commercial dual-source, dual-energy CT projection data. This will allow a systematic investigation of the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on stone attenuation and dual

Changes in Standing and Walking Performance Under Dual-Task Conditions Across the Lifespan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruffieux, Jan; Keller, Martin; Lauber, Benedikt; Taube, Wolfgang

2015-12-01

Simultaneous performance of a postural and a concurrent task is rather unproblematic as long as the postural task is executed in an automatic way. However, in situations where postural control requires more central processing, cognitive resources may be exceeded by the addition of an attentionally demanding task. This may lead to interference between the two tasks, manifested in a decreased performance in one or both tasks (dual-task costs). Owing to changes in attentional demands of postural tasks as well as processing capacities across the lifespan, it might be assumed that dual-task costs are particularly pronounced in children and older adults probably leading to a U-shaped pattern for dual-task costs as a function of age. However, these changes in the ability of dual-tasking posture from childhood to old age have not yet been systematically reviewed. Therefore, Web of Science and PubMed databases were searched for studies comparing dual-task performance with one task being standing or walking in healthy groups of young adults and either children or older adults. Seventy-nine studies met inclusion criteria. For older adults, the expected increase in dual-task costs could be confirmed. In contrast, in children there was only feeble evidence for a trend towards enlarged dual-task costs. More good-quality studies comparing dual-task ability in children, young, and, ideally, also older adults within the same paradigm are needed to draw unambiguous conclusions about lifespan development of dual-task performance in postural tasks. There is evidence that, in older adults, dual-task performance can be improved by training. For the other age groups, these effects have yet to be investigated.

Evaluation of HER2 gene amplification in invasive breast cancer using a dual-color chromogenic in situ hybridization (dual CISH).

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Nobuaki; Itoh, Hitoshi; Serizawa, Akihiko; Hatanaka, Yutaka; Umemura, Shinobu; Osamura, R Yoshiyuki

2010-07-01

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay is considered the 'gold standard' for evaluation of HER2/neu (HER2) gene status, however, it is difficult to recognize morphologic features of tumors using fluorescence microscopy. Thus, chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) has been proposed as an alternative method to evaluate HER2 gene amplification. Here, we examined the dual color CISH (dual CISH) method which provides information regarding the copy number of the HER2 gene and chromosome 17 centromere from a single slide. We examined 40 cases of invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast that were resected surgically. HER2 gene status was assessed with FISH (Abbott) and dual CISH (Dako). HER2 gene amplification status was classified according to the guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP). Comparison of the cut-off values for HER2/chromosome 17 centromere copy number ratio obtained by dual CISH and FISH showed that there was almost perfect agreement between two methods (Kappa coefficient 0.96). The results of the two commercial products were almost consistent for evaluation of HER2 gene counts on the sections. The current study proved that dual CISH is comparable with FISH for evaluating HER2 gene status.

Dual-modality impairment of implicit learning of letter-strings versus color-patterns in patients with schizophrenia

OpenAIRE

Chiu, Ming-Jang; Liu, Kristina; Hsieh, Ming H; Hwu, Hai-Gwo

2005-01-01

Abstract Background Implicit learning was reported to be intact in schizophrenia using artificial grammar learning. However, emerging evidence indicates that artificial grammar learning is not a unitary process. The authors used dual coding stimuli and schizophrenia clinical symptom dimensions to re-evaluate the effect of schizophrenia on various components of artificial grammar learning. Methods Letter string and color pattern artificial grammar learning performances were compared between 63...

Thermal comfort of dual-chamber ski gloves

Science.gov (United States)

Dotti, F.; Colonna, M.; Ferri, A.

2017-10-01

In this work, the special design of a pair of ski gloves has been assessed in terms of thermal comfort. The glove 2in1 Gore-Tex has a dual-chamber construction, with two possible wearing configurations: one called “grip” to maximize finger flexibility and one called “warm” to maximize thermal insulation in extremely cold conditions. The dual-chamber gloves has been compared with two regular ski gloves produced by the same company. An intermittent test on a treadmill was carried out in a climatic chamber: it was made of four intense activity phases, during which the volunteer ran at 9 km/h on a 5% slope for 4 minutes, spaced out by 5-min resting phases. Finger temperature measurements were compared with the thermal sensations expressed by two volunteers during the test.

On-chip dual-comb source for spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutt, Avik; Joshi, Chaitanya; Ji, Xingchen; Cardenas, Jaime; Okawachi, Yoshitomo; Luke, Kevin; Gaeta, Alexander L; Lipson, Michal

2018-03-01

Dual-comb spectroscopy is a powerful technique for real-time, broadband optical sampling of molecular spectra, which requires no moving components. Recent developments with microresonator-based platforms have enabled frequency combs at the chip scale. However, the need to precisely match the resonance wavelengths of distinct high quality-factor microcavities has hindered the development of on-chip dual combs. We report the simultaneous generation of two microresonator combs on the same chip from a single laser, drastically reducing experimental complexity. We demonstrate broadband optical spectra spanning 51 THz and low-noise operation of both combs by deterministically tuning into soliton mode-locked states using integrated microheaters, resulting in narrow (lasers or microwave oscillators. We demonstrate high signal-to-noise ratio absorption spectroscopy spanning 170 nm using the dual-comb source over a 20-μs acquisition time. Our device paves the way for compact and robust spectrometers at nanosecond time scales enabled by large beat-note spacings (>1 GHz).

Dual affine isoperimetric inequalities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Xiong

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We establish some inequalities for the dual -centroid bodies which are the dual forms of the results by Lutwak, Yang, and Zhang. Further, we establish a Brunn-Minkowski-type inequality for the polar of dual -centroid bodies.

Fluorescent-magnetic dual-encoded nanospheres: a promising tool for fast-simultaneous-addressable high-throughput analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Min; Hu, Jun; Wen, Cong-Ying; Zhang, Zhi-Ling; Xie, Hai-Yan; Pang, Dai-Wen

2012-01-01

Bead-based optical encoding or magnetic encoding techniques are promising in high-throughput multiplexed detection and separation of numerous species under complicated conditions. Therefore, a self-assembly strategy implemented in an organic solvent is put forward to fabricate fluorescent-magnetic dual-encoded nanospheres. Briefly, hydrophobic trioctylphosphine oxide-capped CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and oleic acid-capped nano-γ-Fe2O3 magnetic particles are directly, selectively and controllably assembled on branched poly(ethylene imine)-coated nanospheres without any pretreatment, which is crucial to keep the high quantum yield of QDs and good dispersibility of γ-Fe2O3. Owing to the tunability of coating amounts of QDs and γ-Fe2O3 as well as controllable fluorescent emissions of deposited-QDs, dual-encoded nanospheres with different photoluminescent emissions and gradient magnetic susceptibility are constructed. Using this improved layer-by-layer self-assembly approach, deposition of hydrophobic nanoparticles onto hydrophilic carriers in organic media can be easily realized; meanwhile, fluorescent-magnetic dual-functional nanospheres can be further equipped with readable optical and magnetic addresses. The resultant fluorescent-magnetic dual-encoded nanospheres possess both the unique optical properties of QDs and the superparamagnetic properties of γ-Fe2O3, exhibiting good monodispersibility, huge encoding capacity and nanoscale particle size. Compared with the encoded microbeads reported by others, the nanometre scale of the dual-encoded nanospheres gives them minimum steric hindrance and higher flexibility.

Dual-energy CT in the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes: Comparative study of virtual non-contrast and true non-contrast images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Seon Young; Kim, Yoo Kyung; Cho, Hyun Hae; Choi, Mi Joo; Shim, Sung Shine; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Baek, Seung Yon

2013-01-01

To evaluate the reliability of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images in the assessment of high CT attenuation or calcification of mediastinal lymph nodes. A total of 112 mediastinal nodes from 45 patients who underwent non-contrast and dual-energy contrast-enhanced scans were analyzed. Node attenuation in TNC and VNC images was compared both objectively, using computed tomography (CT) attenuation, and subjectively, via visual scoring (0, attenuation ≤ the aorta; 1, > the aorta; 2, calcification). The relationship among attenuation difference between TNC and VNC images, CT attenuation in TNC images, and net contrast enhancement (NCE) was analyzed. CT attenuation in TNC and VNC images showed moderate agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.612). The mean absolute difference was 7.8 ± 7.6 Hounsfield unit (HU) (range, 0-36 HU), and the absolute difference was equal to or less than 10 HU in 65.2% of cases (73/112). Visual scores in TNC and VNC images showed fair agreement (κ value, 0.335). Five of 16 nodes (31.3%) which showed score 1 (n = 15) or 2 (n = 1) in TNC images demonstrated score 1 in VNC images. The TNC-VNC attenuation difference showed a moderate positive correlation with CT attenuation in TNC images (partial correlation coefficient [PCC] adjusted by NCE: 0.455) and a weak negative correlation with NCE (PCC adjusted by CT attenuation in TNC: -0.245). VNC images may be useful in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes by providing additional information of high CT attenuation of nodes, although it is underestimated compared with TNC images.

Dual-energy CT in the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes: Comparative study of virtual non-contrast and true non-contrast images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Seon Young; Kim, Yoo Kyung; Cho, Hyun Hae; Choi, Mi Joo; Shim, Sung Shine; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Baek, Seung Yon [School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seou (Korea, Republic of)

2013-06-15

To evaluate the reliability of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images in the assessment of high CT attenuation or calcification of mediastinal lymph nodes. A total of 112 mediastinal nodes from 45 patients who underwent non-contrast and dual-energy contrast-enhanced scans were analyzed. Node attenuation in TNC and VNC images was compared both objectively, using computed tomography (CT) attenuation, and subjectively, via visual scoring (0, attenuation ≤ the aorta; 1, > the aorta; 2, calcification). The relationship among attenuation difference between TNC and VNC images, CT attenuation in TNC images, and net contrast enhancement (NCE) was analyzed. CT attenuation in TNC and VNC images showed moderate agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.612). The mean absolute difference was 7.8 ± 7.6 Hounsfield unit (HU) (range, 0-36 HU), and the absolute difference was equal to or less than 10 HU in 65.2% of cases (73/112). Visual scores in TNC and VNC images showed fair agreement (κ value, 0.335). Five of 16 nodes (31.3%) which showed score 1 (n = 15) or 2 (n = 1) in TNC images demonstrated score 1 in VNC images. The TNC-VNC attenuation difference showed a moderate positive correlation with CT attenuation in TNC images (partial correlation coefficient [PCC] adjusted by NCE: 0.455) and a weak negative correlation with NCE (PCC adjusted by CT attenuation in TNC: -0.245). VNC images may be useful in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes by providing additional information of high CT attenuation of nodes, although it is underestimated compared with TNC images.

Dual-energy CT in the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes: comparative study of virtual non-contrast and true non-contrast images.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Seon Young; Kim, Yookyung; Cho, Hyun Hae; Choi, Mi Joo; Shim, Sung Shine; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Baek, Seung Yon

2013-01-01

To evaluate the reliability of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images in the assessment of high CT attenuation or calcification of mediastinal lymph nodes. A total of 112 mediastinal nodes from 45 patients who underwent non-contrast and dual-energy contrast-enhanced scans were analyzed. Node attenuation in TNC and VNC images was compared both objectively, using computed tomography (CT) attenuation, and subjectively, via visual scoring (0, attenuation ≤ the aorta; 1, > the aorta; 2, calcification). The relationship among attenuation difference between TNC and VNC images, CT attenuation in TNC images, and net contrast enhancement (NCE) was analyzed. CT attenuation in TNC and VNC images showed moderate agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.612). The mean absolute difference was 7.8 ± 7.6 Hounsfield unit (HU) (range, 0-36 HU), and the absolute difference was equal to or less than 10 HU in 65.2% of cases (73/112). Visual scores in TNC and VNC images showed fair agreement (κ value, 0.335). Five of 16 nodes (31.3%) which showed score 1 (n = 15) or 2 (n = 1) in TNC images demonstrated score 1 in VNC images. The TNC-VNC attenuation difference showed a moderate positive correlation with CT attenuation in TNC images (partial correlation coefficient [PCC] adjusted by NCE: 0.455) and a weak negative correlation with NCE (PCC adjusted by CT attenuation in TNC: -0.245). VNC images may be useful in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes by providing additional information of high CT attenuation of nodes, although it is underestimated compared with TNC images.

Motivating factors for dual-method contraceptive use among adolescents and young women: a qualitative investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemoine, Julie; Teal, Stephanie B; Peters, Marissa; Guiahi, Maryam

2017-11-01

This qualitative study explores how adolescents and young women perceive the need for and describe the use of dual method contraception. We interviewed 20 sexually active women aged 16-24 who attended an adolescent-focused Title X family-planning clinic and were using a non-barrier contraceptive method. We used a semi-structured interview guide that included domains related to sexual activity, knowledge of and use of contraceptives and condoms, and relationship factors. We coded transcripts using grounded theory techniques and used an iterative process to develop overarching themes. Dual method contraceptive users primarily discussed pregnancy prevention as their motivating factor. Many expressed anxieties over an unplanned pregnancy and reported condom use as "back-up" contraception. Risk perception for pregnancy or STI acquisition did not necessarily change as relationship trust increased, but rather, their anxiety regarding the negativity of such outcomes decreased. Dual-method contraception use decreased when participants reported that condoms were not readily available, or when they self-described immaturity. Less frequently, participants reported dual method use for sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, and many substituted STI testing for condom use. Contraceptive type (short-acting vs. long-acting) did not influence reported attitudes towards dual method use. Health educators and clinicians encourage condom use in young women due to the significant morbidity associated with STI acquisition. Most participants in our study view condoms as a way to improve pregnancy prevention. Acknowledging and addressing this divergence in motivation will allow caregivers to improve strategies for communicating the importance of dual method use. Young women primarily describe pregnancy prevention as the reason for dual method use, STI protection is less salient. Consideration of this viewpoint by health educators and clinicians will allow us to communicate more

A theoretical approach to dual practice regulations in the health sector.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Paula; Macho-Stadler, Inés

2013-01-01

Internationally, there is wide cross-country heterogeneity in government responses to dual practice in the health sector. This paper provides a uniform theoretical framework to analyze and compare some of the most common regulations. We focus on three interventions: banning dual practice, offering rewarding contracts to public physicians, and limiting dual practice (including both limits to private earnings of dual providers and limits to involvement in private activities). An ancillary objective of the paper is to investigate whether regulations that are optimal for developed countries are adequate for developing countries as well. Our results offer theoretical support for the desirability of different regulations in different economic environments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ratio Imaging of Enzyme Activity Using Dual Wavelength Optical Reporters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moritz F. Kircher

2002-04-01

Full Text Available The design of near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF probes that are activated by specific proteases has, for the first time, allowed enzyme activity to be imaged in vivo. In the current study, we report on a method of imaging enzyme activity using two fluorescent probes that, together, provide improved quantitation of enzymatic activity. The method employs two chemically similar probes that differ in their degradability by cathepsin B. One probe consists of the NIRF dye Cy5.5 attached to a particulate carrier, a crosslinked iron oxide nanoparticle (CLIO, through cathepsin B cleavable l-arginyl peptides. A second probe consists of Cy3.5 attached to a CLIO through proteolytically resistant d-arginyl peptides. Using mixtures of the two probes, we have shown that the ratio of Cy5.5 to Cy3.5 fluorescence can be used to determine levels of cathepsin B in the environment of nanoparticles with macrophages in suspension. After intravenous injection, tissue fluorescence from the nondegradable Cy3.5–d-arginyl probe reflected nanoparticle accumulation, while fluorescence of the Cy5.5–l-arginyl probe was dependent on both accumulation and activation by cathepsin B. Dual wavelength ratio imaging can be used for the quantitative imaging of a variety of enzymes in clinically important settings, while the magnetic properties of the probes allow their detection by MR imaging.

Effects of Early Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans on Health Expenditure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yongkang; Diana, Mark L

2017-10-18

To examine the effects of the penetration of dual-eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs) on health care spending. Secondary state-level panel data from Medicare-Medicaid Linked Enrollee Analytic Data Source (MMLEADS) public use file and Special Needs Plan Comprehensive Reports, Area Health Resource Files, and Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment Report between 2007 and 2011. A difference-in-difference strategy that adjusts for dual-eligibles' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, state health resources, beneficiaries' health risk factors, Medicare/Medicaid enrollment, and state- and year-fixed effects. Data from MMLEADS were summarized from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)'s Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse, which contains 100 percent of Medicare enrollment data, claims for beneficiaries who are enrolled in the fee-for-service (FFS) program, and Medicaid Analytic Extract files. The MMLEADS public use file also includes payment information for managed care. Data in Special Needs Plan Comprehensive Reports were from CMS's Health Plan Management System. Results indicate that D-SNPs penetration was associated with reduced Medicare spending per dual-eligible beneficiary. Specifically, a 1 percent increase in D-SNPs penetration was associated with 0.2 percent reduction in Medicare spending per beneficiary. We found no association between D-SNPs penetration and Medicaid or total spending. Involving Medicaid services in D-SNPs may be crucial to improve coordination between Medicare and Medicaid programs and control Medicaid spending among dual-eligible beneficiaries. Starting from 2013, D-SNPs were mandated to have contracts with state Medicaid agencies. This change may introduce new effects of D-SNPs on health care spending. More research is needed to examine the impact of D-SNPs on dual-eligible spending. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Dual Antithrombotic Therapy with Dabigatran after PCI in Atrial Fibrillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cannon, Christopher P; Bhatt, Deepak L; Oldgren, Jonas; Lip, Gregory Y H; Ellis, Stephen G; Kimura, Takeshi; Maeng, Michael; Merkely, Bela; Zeymer, Uwe; Gropper, Savion; Nordaby, Matias; Kleine, Eva; Harper, Ruth; Manassie, Jenny; Januzzi, James L; Ten Berg, Jurrien M; Steg, P Gabriel; Hohnloser, Stefan H

2017-10-19

Triple antithrombotic therapy with warfarin plus two antiplatelet agents is the standard of care after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with atrial fibrillation, but this therapy is associated with a high risk of bleeding. In this multicenter trial, we randomly assigned 2725 patients with atrial fibrillation who had undergone PCI to triple therapy with warfarin plus a P2Y 12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) and aspirin (for 1 to 3 months) (triple-therapy group) or dual therapy with dabigatran (110 mg or 150 mg twice daily) plus a P2Y 12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) and no aspirin (110-mg and 150-mg dual-therapy groups). Outside the United States, elderly patients (≥80 years of age; ≥70 years of age in Japan) were randomly assigned to the 110-mg dual-therapy group or the triple-therapy group. The primary end point was a major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding event during follow-up (mean follow-up, 14 months). The trial also tested for the noninferiority of dual therapy with dabigatran (both doses combined) to triple therapy with warfarin with respect to the incidence of a composite efficacy end point of thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or systemic embolism), death, or unplanned revascularization. The incidence of the primary end point was 15.4% in the 110-mg dual-therapy group as compared with 26.9% in the triple-therapy group (hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 to 0.63; Pdual-therapy group as compared with 25.7% in the corresponding triple-therapy group, which did not include elderly patients outside the United States (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.88; Pdual-therapy groups combined as compared with 13.4% in the triple-therapy group (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.29; P=0.005 for noninferiority). The rate of serious adverse events did not differ significantly among the groups. Among patients with atrial fibrillation who had undergone PCI, the risk of bleeding was

Dual practitioners are as engaged in their primary job as their senior colleagues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Socha, Karolina; Bech, Mickael

2012-01-01

are not involved in dual practice (single practitioners). This paper compares work behaviour of dual and single practitioners in the public hospitals. We focus on senior physicians in anaesthesiology and surgery. Material and methods: Data were collected in a survey of public hospital physicians in Denmark....... Bivariate analyses – two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Fisher’s exact tests – were used to test for differences between dual and single practitioners. Results: The sample represents 45% of senior public hospital physicians in 2008. Dual and single practitioners did not differ significantly in terms...

Dual hit lipopolysaccharide & oleic acid combination induced rat model of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T N Hagawane

2016-01-01

Results: It was noted that the respiratory rate, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α levels were significantly higher at 4 h in the dual hit group as compared to LPS, OA and control groups. Interleukin-6 (IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the dual hit group as compared to LPS at 8 and 24 h, OA at 8 h and control (at all time intervals group. IL-1β levels were significantly higher in LPS and dual hit groups at all time intervals, but not in OA and control groups. The injury induced in dual hit group was earlier and more sustained as compared to LPS and OA alone. Interpretation & conclusions: The lung pathology and changes in respiration functions produced by the dual hit model were closer to the diagnostic criteria of ALI/ARDS in terms of clinical manifestations and pulmonary injury and the injury persisted longer as compared to LPS and OA single hit model. Therefore, the ARDS model produced by the dual hit method was closer to the diagnostic criteria of ARDS in terms of clinical manifestations and pulmonary injury.

Dual energy CT intracranial angiography: image quality, radiation dose and initial application results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai Xue; Zhang Longjiang; Lu Guangming; Zhou Changsheng

2009-01-01

Objective: To assess the clinical value of dual-energy intracranial CT angiography (CTA). Methods: Forty-one patients suspected of intracranial vascular diseases underwent dual-energy intracranial CT angiography, and 41 patients who underwent conventional subtraction CT were enrolled as the control group. Image quality of intracranial and skull base vessels and radiation dose between dual-energy CTA and conventional subtraction CTA were compared using two independent sample nonparametric test and independent-samples t test, respectively. Prevalence and size of lesions detected by dual-energy CTA and digital subtraction CTA were compared using paired-samples t test and Spearman correlative analysis. Results: The percentage of image quality scored 5 was 70.7% (29/41) for dual-energy CTA and 75.6% (31/41) for conventional subtraction CTA. There was no significant difference between the two groups (Z= -0.455, P=0.650). Image quality of vessels at the skull base in conventional subtraction CTA was superior to that in dual-energy CTA, especially for the petrosal and syphon segment (Z=-4.087, P=0.000). Radiation exposure of dual energy CTA and conventional CTA were (396.54±17.43) and (1090.95±114.29) mGy·cm respectively. Radiation exposure was decreased by 64% (t=-38.52, P=0.000) by dual energy CTA compared with conventional subtraction CTA. Out of the 41 patients, 19 patients were diagnosed as intracranial aneurysm, 2 patients as arteriovenous malformation (AVM), 3 patients with Moya-moya's disease, and the remaining 17 patients with negative results. Nine patients with intracranial aneurysm, 2 patients with AVM, 3 patients with Moya-moya's disease, and 2 patients with negative findings underwent DSA or operation, with concordant findings from both techniques. Diameter of aneurysm neck, long axis and minor axis by dual-energy CTA was (2.90±1.61), (5.23±1.68) and (3.83±1.69) mm, respectively; Diameter of aneurysm neck, long axis and minor axis by DSA was (2.95±1

Reproducibility of Dual-Microphone Voice Range Profile Equipment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Printz, Trine; Pedersen, Ellen Raben; Juhl, Peter

2017-01-01

in an anechoic chamber and an office: (a) comparing sound pressure levels (SPLs) from a dual-microphone VRP device, the Voice Profiler, when given the same input repeatedly (test-retest reliability); (b) comparing SPLs from 3 devices when given the same input repeatedly (intervariation); and (c) assessing...

Profiling cellular protein complexes by proximity ligation with dual tag microarray readout.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Maria; Nong, Rachel Yuan; Ericsson, Olle; Pardali, Katerina; Landegren, Ulf

2012-01-01

Patterns of protein interactions provide important insights in basic biology, and their analysis plays an increasing role in drug development and diagnostics of disease. We have established a scalable technique to compare two biological samples for the levels of all pairwise interactions among a set of targeted protein molecules. The technique is a combination of the proximity ligation assay with readout via dual tag microarrays. In the proximity ligation assay protein identities are encoded as DNA sequences by attaching DNA oligonucleotides to antibodies directed against the proteins of interest. Upon binding by pairs of antibodies to proteins present in the same molecular complexes, ligation reactions give rise to reporter DNA molecules that contain the combined sequence information from the two DNA strands. The ligation reactions also serve to incorporate a sample barcode in the reporter molecules to allow for direct comparison between pairs of samples. The samples are evaluated using a dual tag microarray where information is decoded, revealing which pairs of tags that have become joined. As a proof-of-concept we demonstrate that this approach can be used to detect a set of five proteins and their pairwise interactions both in cellular lysates and in fixed tissue culture cells. This paper provides a general strategy to analyze the extent of any pairwise interactions in large sets of molecules by decoding reporter DNA strands that identify the interacting molecules.

Detecting gait abnormalities after concussion or mild traumatic brain injury: A systematic review of single-task, dual-task, and complex gait.

Science.gov (United States)

Fino, Peter C; Parrington, Lucy; Pitt, Will; Martini, Douglas N; Chesnutt, James C; Chou, Li-Shan; King, Laurie A

2018-05-01

While a growing number of studies have investigated the effects of concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on gait, many studies use different experimental paradigms and outcome measures. The path for translating experimental studies for objective clinical assessments of gait is unclear. This review asked 2 questions: 1) is gait abnormal after concussion/mTBI, and 2) what gait paradigms (single-task, dual-task, complex gait) detect abnormalities after concussion. Data sources included MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) accessed on March 14, 2017. Original research articles reporting gait outcomes in people with concussion or mTBI were included. Studies of moderate, severe, or unspecified TBI, and studies without a comparator were excluded. After screening 233 articles, 38 studies were included and assigned to one or more sections based on the protocol and reported outcomes. Twenty-six articles reported single-task simple gait outcomes, 24 reported dual-task simple gait outcomes, 21 reported single-task complex gait outcomes, and 10 reported dual-task complex gait outcomes. Overall, this review provides evidence for two conclusions: 1) gait is abnormal acutely after concussion/mTBI but generally resolves over time; and 2) the inconsistency of findings, small sample sizes, and small number of studies examining homogenous measures at the same time-period post-concussion highlight the need for replication across independent populations and investigators. Future research should concentrate on dual-task and complex gait tasks, as they showed promise for detecting abnormal locomotor function outside of the acute timeframe. Additionally, studies should provide detailed demographic and clinical characteristics to enable more refined comparisons across studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adolescents and Dual Diagnosis in a Psychiatric Emergency Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Matali, José Luis; Andión, Oscar; Pardo, Marta; Iniesta, Raquel; Serrano, Eduard; San, Luis

2016-03-02

In recent years, both the prevalence of drug use and related child and adolescent psychiatric emergencies have risen sharply. There are few studies about the impact on child and adolescent emergency services. This study has a twofold aim. The first is to describe the prevalence of substance use disorders, mental disorders and dual diagnosis (substance use problems plus mental disorder) in adolescents in psychiatric emergency service. The second is to analyze clinical and healthcare differences between patients with dual diagnosis and patients with a mental disorder without substance use disorder.We retrospectively reviewed 4012 discharge forms for emergencies treated at the psychiatric emergency department during the period 2007-2009. We obtained a sample of 1795 visits. This sample was divided into two groups: the dual diagnosis group (n = 477) and the psychiatric disorder group (n = 1318).The dual diagnosis group accounted for 26.5% of psychiatric emergencies analyzed. Compared to the psychiatric disorder group,the dual diagnosis group had significantly more conduct disorders, social problems, involuntariness in the visit, less hospital admissions and less connection with the healthcare network.Adolescents with a dual diagnosis account for a high percentage of visits at child and adolescent psychiatric emergency services. This patient group requires specialized care both at emergency services and in specific units. Accordingly, these units should play a triple role when handling dual diagnosis: detection, brief treatment and referral to a specialised unit.

Dual ectopic thyroid associated with thyroid hemiagenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Shigenori; Masuda, Teruyuki; Ishimori, Masatoshi

2018-01-01

We report a case of a 15-year-old girl with a midline neck mass that was first noted 2 or 3 years previously. She had been treated with levothyroxine (L-T4) for congenital hypothyroidism until 11 years of age. Ultrasonography revealed an atrophic right thyroid (1.0 × 1.6 × 2.6 cm in size) and a mass (2.3 × 1.0 × 3.5 cm in size) in the upper part of the neck. No left lobe of the thyroid was detected. On further evaluation, Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid scintigraphy and CT showed ectopic thyroid tissue in the lingual region and infrahyoid region. Thus, she was diagnosed as having dual ectopic thyroid and thyroid hemiagenesis. The atrophic right thyroid was thought be non-functional. Treatment with L-T4 was started to reduce the size of the dual ectopic thyroid tissue. This may be the first reported case of dual ectopic thyroid associated with hemiagenesis detected only by ultrasonography. Ultrasonography can confirm the presence or absence of orthotopic thyroid tissue in patients with ectopic thyroid.The cause of congenital hypothyroidism should be examined.Clinical manifestation of ectopic thyroid may appear when the treatment with L-T4 is discontinued.Annual follow-up is needed in all children when their thyroid hormone replacement is stopped.

Determination of HER-2 status on FNAC material from breast carcinomas using in situ hybridization with dual chromogen visualization with silver enhancement (dual SISH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beraki Elsa

2010-01-01

Full Text Available During the last years, HER-2 status kits and protocols for chromogen visualization of hybridization signals have come on the market. The first generation using chromogen visualization used single color probes. The second generation, now emerging on the market, uses dual chromogen visualization. The aim of this study has been to test a new dual color chromogen kit (Ventana INFORM HER2 Dual Colour ISH Roche ® and compare the results with our in-house method(s. The material consisted primarily of cytological material from invasive breast carcinomas in 49 women. Dual SISH was done on all 49 cytological and histological specimens. The histological specimens were treated according to the manufacturer′s recommendations. The procedure was modified in several steps in order to adapt it to the cytological material. Hybridization failed in two cytological specimens. Dual SISH showed concordant results on cytological and histological material as to amplified/not amplified. The included cases had the same HER-2 expression in the invasive and the in situ components on histology. Four IDC showed HER-2 amplification (8.5%. Polysomy was found in two cases. All dual SISH results except for one concurred with the results of the in-house method(s (1/47=2.1%. The dual SISH is suitable for cytological examination of HER-2 status. The protocol must be optimized for cytological material.

Dual mobility cup reduces dislocation rate after arthroplasty for femoral neck fracture

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Robertsson Otto

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hip dislocation after arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures remains a serious complication. The aim of our study was to investigate the dislocation rate in acute femoral neck fracture patients operated with a posterior approach with cemented conventional or dual articulation acetabular components. Methods We compared the dislocation rate in 56 consecutive patients operated with conventional (single mobility cemented acetabular components to that in 42 consecutive patients operated with dual articulation acetabular components. All the patients were operated via posterior approach and were followed up to one year postoperatively. Results There were 8 dislocations in the 56 patients having conventional components as compared to no dislocations in those 42 having dual articulation components (p = 0.01. The groups were similar with respect to age and gender distribution. Conclusions We conclude that the use of a cemented dual articulation acetabular component significantly reduces the dislocation rates in femoral neck fracture patients operated via posterior approach.

A new dual injection system for AMS facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Lin; Zhou Weijian; Cheng Peng; Yu Huagui; Chen Maobai

2007-01-01

In order to measure long-lived radioisotopes such as 10 Be with high sensitivity using an HVEE model 4130 AMS system, as well as to guarantee 14 C measurements of high precision, a new dual injection system for the AMS system is proposed. The proposal is to add a Wien filter located between the ion source system and the recombinator of the HVEE model 4130. When a pulsing voltage is optionally applied to the Wien filter, a sequential injection mode is turned on. The isotopes would alternately pass on different trajectories through the recombinator. When the pulsing voltage and magnetic field are turned off, the Wien filter acts as a field-free drift space and the standard simultaneous injection mode is on. Beam optics calculation show that the new dual injection system will increase the number of radio-nuclides which can be analyzed, keep the high precision capability for radiocarbon dating and achieve high sensitivity for 10 Be and 26 Al measurements, together with simplifying the layout as compared to existing dual-injector and dual high-energy beam line systems

Comparative effectiveness of single and dual rapid diagnostic tests for syphilis and HIV in antenatal care services in Colombia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaitán-Duarte, Hernando Guillermo; Newman, Lori; Laverty, Maura; Habib, Ndema Abu; González-Gordon, Lina María; Ángel-Müller, Edith; Abella, Catleya; Barros, Esther Cristina; Rincón, Carlos; Caicedo, Sidia; Gómez, Bertha; Pérez, Freddy

2016-12-01

To assess the effectiveness of a dual rapid test compared to a single rapid test for syphilis and HIV screening. A cluster-randomized open-label clinical trial was performed in 12 public antenatal care (ANC) centers in the cities of Bogotá and Cali, Colombia. Pregnant women who were over 14 years of age at their first antenatal visit and who had not been previously tested for HIV and syphilis during the current pregnancy were included. Pregnant women were randomized to single HIV and single syphilis rapid diagnostic tests (Arm A) or to dual HIV and syphilis rapid diagnostic tests (Arm B). The four main outcomes measured were: (1) acceptability of the test, (2) uptake in testing, (3) treatment on the same day (that is, timely treatment), and (4) treatment at any time for positive rapid test cases. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were calculated to adjust for the clustering effect and the period. A total of 1 048 patients were analyzed in Arm A, and 1 166 in Arm B. Acceptability of the rapid tests was 99.8% in Arm A and 99.6% in Arm B. The prevalence of positive rapid tests was 2.21% for syphilis and 0.36% for HIV. Timely treatment was provided to 20 of 29 patients (69%) in Arm A and 16 of 20 patients (80%) in Arm B (relative risk (RR), 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.00 -1.20). Treatment at any time was given to 24 of 29 patients (83%) in Arm A and to 20 of 20 (100%) in Arm B (RR, 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01-1.22). There were no differences in patient acceptability, testing and timely treatment between dual rapid tests and single rapid tests for HIV and syphilis screening in the ANC centers. Same-day treatment depends also on the interpretation of and confidence in the results by the health providers.

Comparative effectiveness of single and dual rapid diagnostic tests for syphilis and HIV in antenatal care services in Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hernando Guillermo Gaitán-Duarte

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To assess the effectiveness of a dual rapid test compared to a single rapid test for syphilis and HIV screening. Methods A cluster-randomized open-label clinical trial was performed in 12 public antenatal care (ANC centers in the cities of Bogotá and Cali, Colombia. Pregnant women who were over 14 years of age at their first antenatal visit and who had not been previously tested for HIV and syphilis during the current pregnancy were included. Pregnant women were randomized to single HIV and single syphilis rapid diagnostic tests (Arm A or to dual HIV and syphilis rapid diagnostic tests (Arm B. The four main outcomes measured were: (1 acceptability of the test, (2 uptake in testing, (3 treatment on the same day (that is, timely treatment, and (4 treatment at any time for positive rapid test cases. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were calculated to adjust for the clustering effect and the period. Results A total of 1 048 patients were analyzed in Arm A, and 1 166 in Arm B. Acceptability of the rapid tests was 99.8% in Arm A and 99.6% in Arm B. The prevalence of positive rapid tests was 2.21% for syphilis and 0.36% for HIV. Timely treatment was provided to 20 of 29 patients (69% in Arm A and 16 of 20 patients (80% in Arm B (relative risk (RR, 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI: (1.00 −1.20. Treatment at any time was given to 24 of 29 patients (83% in Arm A and to 20 of 20 (100% in Arm B (RR, 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01−1.22. Conclusions There were no differences in patient acceptability, testing and timely treatment between dual rapid tests and single rapid tests for HIV and syphilis screening in the ANC centers. Same-day treatment depends also on the interpretation of and confidence in the results by the health providers.

Comparison study of noise reduction algorithms in dual energy chest digital tomosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, D.; Kim, Y.-S.; Choi, S.; Lee, H.; Choi, S.; Kim, H.-J.

2018-04-01

Dual energy chest digital tomosynthesis (CDT) is a recently developed medical technique that takes advantage of both tomosynthesis and dual energy X-ray images. However, quantum noise, which occurs in dual energy X-ray images, strongly interferes with diagnosis in various clinical situations. Therefore, noise reduction is necessary in dual energy CDT. In this study, noise-compensating algorithms, including a simple smoothing of high-energy images (SSH) and anti-correlated noise reduction (ACNR), were evaluated in a CDT system. We used a newly developed prototype CDT system and anthropomorphic chest phantom for experimental studies. The resulting images demonstrated that dual energy CDT can selectively image anatomical structures, such as bone and soft tissue. Among the resulting images, those acquired with ACNR showed the best image quality. Both coefficient of variation and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were the highest in ACNR among the three different dual energy techniques, and the CNR of bone was significantly improved compared to the reconstructed images acquired at a single energy. This study demonstrated the clinical value of dual energy CDT and quantitatively showed that ACNR is the most suitable among the three developed dual energy techniques, including standard log subtraction, SSH, and ACNR.

Dual Identity and Prejudice: The Moderating Role of Group Boundary Permeability

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yuanyuan; Dang, Jianning; Zheng, Wenwen; Liu, Li

2017-01-01

Past work suggested that dual identity was effective to reduce prejudice. This study extended research on dual identity and prejudice by identifying a boundary condition in this relationship, that is, group permeability. In Study 1, we replicated previous studies with Chinese individuals and found that inducing dual identity (emphasizing subgroup differences and a common nation identity), compared to the control condition, decreased the urban residents’ prejudice against rural-to-urban migrants. In Study 2, we manipulated the group boundary permeability using the Hukou system reform, and found that when the group boundary was permeable, dual identity was effective in reducing prejudice against rural-to-urban migrants. However, this effect vanished in the condition where the group boundary was impermeable. These results point to the importance of inducing dual identity under specific conditions for research on decreasing prejudice. Some practical implications of the findings for urbanization and immigration are discussed. PMID:28261130

The Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule and dual unitarization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninomiya, Kansuke; Toyoda, Fumihiko.

1978-01-01

The Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka (OZI) rule carries an important role in the constituent rearrangement and interest in the rule has been increased by the discovery of the J/psi particle. An example of phenomenological analysis related to the OZI rule is introduced. The decays of psi particles can be explained consistently by an existence of the disconnected type of a constituent rearrangement diagram (CRD) with comparable strength to that of the connected one. A survey of an outline of the dual unitarization scheme and discussion of the OZI rule with the scheme and other related theory are presented. The method of dual unitarization starts with the unitarity relation. In the estimation of multiparticle production amplitude in the unitarity sum, dominant nondiffractive production component is taken as a first approximation and the amplitude is described by the multiperipheral model of Reggeon exchange. Here, a case of meson-meson scattering in flavor of SU(N) scheme is considered. A survey of the mechanism of the planar bootstrap and Pomeron generation in the dual unitarization is made. The nonplanar CR diagrams give breaking of various features at the planar level. The reaction with the disconnected CRD could occur in the nonperipheral region through the hard collision of constituent and appears at large momentum transfers in comparable order with a connected one. Baryon and baryoniums with the scheme of the dual unitarization are examined. (Kato, T.)

Neural correlates of motor-cognitive dual-tasking in young and old adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papegaaij, Selma; Hortobagyi, Tibor; Godde, Ben; Kaan, Wim A.; Erhard, Peter; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia

2017-01-01

When two tasks are performed simultaneously, performance often declines in one or both tasks. These so-called dual-task costs are more pronounced in old than in young adults. One proposed neurological mechanism of the dual-task costs is that old compared with young adults tend to execute

Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molloi, Sabee, E-mail: symolloi@uci.edu; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun; Feig, Stephen A. [Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States)

2014-08-15

Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decomposition was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer.

Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molloi, Sabee; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun; Feig, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decomposition was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer

Lp-dual affine surface area

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Wang; Binwu, He

2008-12-01

According to the notion of Lp-affine surface area by Lutwak, in this paper, we introduce the concept of Lp-dual affine surface area. Further, we establish the affine isoperimetric inequality and the Blaschke-Santaló inequality for Lp-dual affine surface area. Besides, the dual Brunn-Minkowski inequality for Lp-dual affine surface area is presented.

Dual symmetry in gauge theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koshkarov, A.L.

1997-01-01

Continuous dual symmetry in electrodynamics, Yang-Mills theory and gravitation is investigated. Dual invariant which leads to badly nonlinear motion equations is chosen as a Lagrangian of the pure classical dual nonlinear electrodynamics. In a natural manner some dual angle which is determined by the electromagnetic strengths at the point of the time-space appears in the model. Motion equations may well be interpreted as the equations of the standard Maxwell theory with source. Alternative interpretation is the quasi-Maxwell linear theory with magnetic charge. Analogous approach is possible in the Yang-Mills theory. In this case the dual-invariant non-Abelian theory motion equations possess the same instanton solutions as the conventional Yang-Mills equations have. An Abelian two-parameter dual group is found to exist in gravitation. Irreducible representations have been obtained: the curvature tensor was expanded into the sum of twice anti-self-dual and self-dual parts. Gravitational instantons are defined as (real )solutions to the usual duality equations. Central symmetry solutions to these equations are obtained. The twice anti-self-dual part of the curvature tensor may be used for introduction of new gravitational equations generalizing Einstein''s equations. However, the theory obtained reduces to the conformal-flat Nordstroem theory

A UK NEQAS ISH multicenter ring study using the Ventana HER2 dual-color ISH assay.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Bartlett, J M S

2011-01-01

We performed a multicenter assessment of a new HER2 dual-color chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) test and herein report on concordance of CISH data with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) data and intraobserver and interlaboratory scoring consistency. HER2 results were evaluated using duplicate cores from 30 breast cancers in 5 laboratories using the Ventana HER2 dual-color ISH assay (Ventana Medical Systems, Cambridgeshire, England) and in 1 central laboratory using a standard FISH assay. Overall 93.3% of cases were successfully analyzed by CISH across the 5 participating laboratories. There was excellent concordance (98.0% overall) for diagnosis of HER2 amplification by CISH compared with FISH. Intraobserver variability (7.7%) and intersite variability (9.1%) of absolute HER2\\/chromosome enumeration probe 17 ratios were tightly controlled across all participating laboratories. The Ventana HER2 dual-color ISH assay is robust and reproducible, shows good concordance with a standard FISH assay, and complies with requirements in national and international guidelines for performance of ISH-based diagnostic tests.

SU-F-T-407: Artifact Reduction with Dual Energy Or IMAR: Who’s Winning?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elder, E; Schreibmann, E; Dhabaan, A

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this abstract was to evaluate the performance of commercial strategies for artifact reduction in radiation oncology settings. The iterative metal artifact reduction (Siemens iMAR) algorithm and monoenergetic virtual datasets reconstructed from dual energy scans are compared side-by-side in their ability to image in the presence of metal inserts. Methods: A CIRS ATOM Dosimetry Verification Phantom was scanned with and without a metal insert on a SOMATOM Definition AS dual energy scanner. Images with the metal insert were reconstructed with (a) a tradition single energy CT scan with the iMAR option implemented, using different artifact reduction settings and (b) a monoenergetic scan calculated from dual energy scans by recovering differences in the energy-dependence of the attenuation coefficients of different materials and then creating a virtual monoenergetic scan from these coefficients. The iMAR and monoenergetic scans were then compared with the metal-free scan to assess changes in HU numbers and noise within a region around the metal insert. Results: Both the iMAR and dual energy scans reduced artifacts produced by the metal insert. However the iMAR results are dependent of the selected algorithm settings, with a mean HU difference ranging from 0.65 to 90.40 for different options. The mean differences without the iMAR correction were 38.74. When using the dual energy scan, the mean differences were 4.53, that is however attributed to increased noise and not artifacts, as the dual energy scan had the lowest skewness (2.52) compared to the iMAR scans (ranging from 3.90 to 4.88) and the lowest kurtosis (5.72 for dual energy, range of 18.19 to 27.36 for iMAR). Conclusion: Both approaches accurately recovered HU numbers, however the dual energy method provided smaller residual artifacts.

SU-F-T-407: Artifact Reduction with Dual Energy Or IMAR: Who’s Winning?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elder, E; Schreibmann, E; Dhabaan, A [Department of Radiation Oncology and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University Atlanta, GA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The purpose of this abstract was to evaluate the performance of commercial strategies for artifact reduction in radiation oncology settings. The iterative metal artifact reduction (Siemens iMAR) algorithm and monoenergetic virtual datasets reconstructed from dual energy scans are compared side-by-side in their ability to image in the presence of metal inserts. Methods: A CIRS ATOM Dosimetry Verification Phantom was scanned with and without a metal insert on a SOMATOM Definition AS dual energy scanner. Images with the metal insert were reconstructed with (a) a tradition single energy CT scan with the iMAR option implemented, using different artifact reduction settings and (b) a monoenergetic scan calculated from dual energy scans by recovering differences in the energy-dependence of the attenuation coefficients of different materials and then creating a virtual monoenergetic scan from these coefficients. The iMAR and monoenergetic scans were then compared with the metal-free scan to assess changes in HU numbers and noise within a region around the metal insert. Results: Both the iMAR and dual energy scans reduced artifacts produced by the metal insert. However the iMAR results are dependent of the selected algorithm settings, with a mean HU difference ranging from 0.65 to 90.40 for different options. The mean differences without the iMAR correction were 38.74. When using the dual energy scan, the mean differences were 4.53, that is however attributed to increased noise and not artifacts, as the dual energy scan had the lowest skewness (2.52) compared to the iMAR scans (ranging from 3.90 to 4.88) and the lowest kurtosis (5.72 for dual energy, range of 18.19 to 27.36 for iMAR). Conclusion: Both approaches accurately recovered HU numbers, however the dual energy method provided smaller residual artifacts.

Towards model-based control of RCCI-CDF mode-switching in dual fuel engines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Indrajuana, Armando; Bekdemir, C.; Feru, E.; Willems, F.P.T.

2018-01-01

The operation of a dual fuel combustion engine using combustion mode-switching offers the benefit of higher thermal efficiency compared to single-mode operation. For various fuel combinations, the engine research community has shown that running dual fuel engines in Reactivity Controlled Compression

Dual kidney transplant techniques: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cocco, Annelise; Shahrestani, Sara; Cocco, Nicholas; Hameed, Ahmer; Yuen, Lawrence; Ryan, Brendan; Hawthorne, Wayne; Lam, Vincent; Pleass, Henry

2017-08-01

Dual kidney transplantation (DKT) was developed to improve outcomes from transplantation of extended criteria donors (ECD). This study examined which surgical techniques have been reported for DKT and whether any technique had superior patient and graft survival. Electronic databases were searched for published studies mapping to MESH terms: "kidney or renal" AND "transplan*" AND "dual or double." Single case reports, studies of patients less than 18 years old, studies which did not describe the surgical technique, and studies that did not report patient or graft survival were excluded. Fifteen reports of 434 DKT recipients were identified. Three techniques were described: bilateral placement; unilateral placement with separate anastomoses; and unilateral placement with patch anastomoses. Patient survival across all three techniques was over 95% at 1 year, and graft survival was also similar at over 90%. Rates of delayed graft function were between 20% and 30% across all techniques. The three techniques have equivalent delayed graft function as well as patient and graft survival rates. This is an encouraging result as it means that the surgeon can choose to use the technique which is most appropriate for their own skills and for the patient. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characterizing use patterns and perceptions of relative harm in dual users of electronic and tobacco cigarettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rass, Olga; Pacek, Lauren R; Johnson, Patrick S; Johnson, Matthew W

2015-12-01

Awareness and use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasing. Questions regarding positive (e.g., smoking reduction/cessation) and negative (e.g., delay of cessation) potential public health consequences of e-cigarettes may be informed by studying dual users of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes. A cross-sectional online survey assessed demographics, product use patterns, and beliefs about relative product benefits and harms among dual users (n = 350) in the United States using the website Amazon Mechanical Turk. Compared to tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes were used less often and were associated with lower dependence. Participants reported a 30% reduction in self-reported tobacco cigarette smoking since beginning to use e-cigarettes. Reported primary reasons for e-cigarette use were harm reduction and smoking cessation. E-cigarette use was reported as more likely in settings with smoking restrictions and when others' health could be adversely affected. Conversely, participants reported having used tobacco cigarettes more often than e-cigarettes in hedonic situations (e.g., after eating, drinking coffee or alcohol, or having sex), outdoors, or when stressed. Participants were twice as likely to report wanting to quit tobacco cigarettes compared to e-cigarettes in the next year and intended to quit tobacco cigarettes sooner. Tobacco cigarettes were described as more harmful and addictive, but also as more enjoyable than e-cigarettes. Participants provided evidence consistent with both positive and negative public health consequences of e-cigarettes, highlighting the need for experimental research, including laboratory studies and clinical trials. Policies should consider potential public health benefits of e-cigarettes, in addition to potential harms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

p16/ki-67 dual-stain cytology in the triage of ASCUS and LSIL papanicolaou cytology: results from the European equivocal or mildly abnormal Papanicolaou cytology study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Dietmar; Bergeron, Christine; Denton, Karin J; Ridder, Ruediger

2011-06-25

The objective of this study was to analyze the diagnostic performance of a newly established immunocytochemical dual-stain protocol, which simultaneously detects p16(INK4a) and Ki-67 expression in cervical cytology samples, for identifying high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) in women with Papanicolaou (Pap) cytology results categorized as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL). Residual liquid-based cytology material from 776 retrospectively collected ASCUS/LSIL cases that were available from a recent study evaluating p16 cytology and HPV testing were subjected to p16/Ki-67 dual staining. The presence of 1 or more double-immunoreactive cell(s) was regarded as a positive test outcome, irrespective of morphology. Test results were correlated to histology follow-up. Sensitivity of p16/Ki-67 dual-stain cytology for biopsy-confirmed CIN2+ was 92.2% (ASCUS) and 94.2% (LSIL), while specificity rates were 80.6% (ASCUS) and 68.0% (LSIL), respectively. Similar sensitivity/specificity profiles were found for both age groups of women aged aged ≥30 years. Dual-stain cytology showed comparable sensitivity, but significantly higher specificity, when compared with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. The results of this study show that p16/Ki-67 dual-stain cytology provided a high sensitivity for the detection of underlying CIN2+ in women with ASCUS or LSIL Pap cytology results, comparable to the rates previously reported for HPV testing and p16 single-stain cytology. However, the specificity of this morphology-independent interpretation of p16/Ki-67 dual-stain cytology testing was further improved compared with the earlier p16 single-stain cytology approach, which required morphology interpretation, and it is significantly higher when compared with HPV testing. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

Dual Smarandache Curves and Smarandache Ruled Surfaces

OpenAIRE

Tanju KAHRAMAN; Mehmet ÖNDER; H. Hüseyin UGURLU

2013-01-01

In this paper, by considering dual geodesic trihedron (dual Darboux frame) we define dual Smarandache curves lying fully on dual unit sphere S^2 and corresponding to ruled surfaces. We obtain the relationships between the elements of curvature of dual spherical curve (ruled surface) x(s) and its dual Smarandache curve (Smarandache ruled surface) x1(s) and we give an example for dual Smarandache curves of a dual spherical curve.

Dual-energy perfusion-CT of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klauß, M.; Stiller, W.; Pahn, G.; Fritz, F.; Kieser, M.; Werner, J.; Kauczor, H.U.; Grenacher, L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of dual-energy CT (DECT)-perfusion of pancreatic carcinomas for assessing the differences in perfusion, permeability and blood volume of healthy pancreatic tissue and histopathologically confirmed solid pancreatic carcinoma. Materials and methods: 24 patients with histologically proven pancreatic carcinoma were examined prospectively with a 64-slice dual source CT using a dynamic sequence of 34 dual-energy (DE) acquisitions every 1.5 s (80 ml of iodinated contrast material, 370 mg/ml, flow rate 5 ml/s). 80 kV p , 140 kV p , and weighted average (linearly blended M0.3) 120 kV p -equivalent dual-energy perfusion image data sets were evaluated with a body-perfusion CT tool (Body-PCT, Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) for estimating perfusion, permeability, and blood volume values. Color-coded parameter maps were generated. Results: In all 24 patients dual-energy CT-perfusion was. All carcinomas could be identified in the color-coded perfusion maps. Calculated perfusion, permeability and blood volume values were significantly lower in pancreatic carcinomas compared to healthy pancreatic tissue. Weighted average 120 kV p -equivalent perfusion-, permeability- and blood volume-values determined from DE image data were 0.27 ± 0.04 min −1 vs. 0.91 ± 0.04 min −1 (p −1 vs. 0.67 ± 0.05 *0.5 min −1 (p = 0.06) and 0.49 ± 0.07 min −1 vs. 1.28 ± 0.11 min −1 (p p the standard deviations of the kV p 120 kV p -equivalent values were manifestly smaller. Conclusion: Dual-energy CT-perfusion of the pancreas is feasible. The use of DECT improves the accuracy of CT-perfusion of the pancreas by fully exploiting the advantages of enhanced iodine contrast at 80 kV p in combination with the noise reduction at 140 kV p . Therefore using dual-energy perfusion data could improve the delineation of pancreatic carcinomas

A novel dual-color reporter for identifying insulin-producing beta-cells and classifying heterogeneity of insulinoma cell lines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nan Sook Lee

Full Text Available Many research studies use immortalized cell lines as surrogates for primary beta- cells. We describe the production and use of a novel "indirect" dual-fluorescent reporter system that leads to mutually exclusive expression of EGFP in insulin-producing (INS(+ beta-cells or mCherry in non-beta-cells. Our system uses the human insulin promoter to initiate a Cre-mediated shift in reporter color within a single transgene construct and is useful for FACS selection of cells from single cultures for further analysis. Application of our reporter to presumably clonal HIT-T15 insulinoma cells, as well as other presumably clonal lines, indicates that these cultures are in fact heterogeneous with respect to INS(+ phenotype. Our strategy could be easily applied to other cell- or tissue-specific promoters. We anticipate its utility for FACS purification of INS(+ and glucose-responsive beta-like-cells from primary human islet cell isolates or in vitro differentiated pluripotent stem cells.

The Dual Half-Edge—A Topological Primal/Dual Data Structure and Construction Operators for Modelling and Manipulating Cell Complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pawel Boguslawski

2016-02-01

Full Text Available There is an increasing need for building models that permit interior navigation, e.g., for escape route analysis. This paper presents a non-manifold Computer-Aided Design (CAD data structure, the dual half-edge based on the Poincaré duality that expresses both the geometric representations of individual rooms and their topological relationships. Volumes and faces are expressed as vertices and edges respectively in the dual space, permitting a model just based on the storage of primal and dual vertices and edges. Attributes may be attached to all of these entities permitting, for example, shortest path queries between specified rooms, or to the exterior. Storage costs are shown to be comparable to other non-manifold models, and construction with local Euler-type operators is demonstrated with two large university buildings. This is intended to enhance current developments in 3D Geographic Information Systems for interior and exterior city modelling.

Comparing Candidate Hospital Report Cards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burr, T.L.; Rivenburgh, R.D.; Scovel, J.C.; White, J.M.

1997-12-31

We present graphical and analytical methods that focus on multivariate outlier detection applied to the hospital report cards data. No two methods agree which hospitals are unusually good or bad, so we also present ways to compare the agreement between two methods. We identify factors that have a significant impact on the scoring.

Comparison of rectangular and dual-planar positron emission mammography scanners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi, Jinyi; Kuo, Chaincy; Huesman, Ronald H.; Klein, Gregory J.; Moses, William W.; Reutter, Bryan W.

2002-01-01

Breast imaging using dedicated positron emission tomography (PEM) has gained much interest in the medical imaging field. In this paper, we compare the performance between a rectangular geometry and a parallel dual-planar geometry. Both geometries are studied with depth of interaction (DOI) detectors and non- DOI detectors. We compare the Fisher-information matrix, lesion detection, and quantitation of the four systems. The lesion detectability is measured by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a prewhitening numerical observer for detecting a known hot spot on a uniform background. Results show that the rectangular system with DOI has the highest SNR for the detection task and the lowest bias at any given noise level for the quantitation task. They also show that for small simulated lesions the parallel dual-planar system with DOI detectors outperforms the rectangular system with non-DOI detectors, while the rectangular system with non-DOI detectors can outperform the parallel dual-planar system with DOI detectors for large simulated lesions

Comparative study of eddy current and Barkhausen noise nondestructive testing methods in microstructural examination of ferrite–martensite dual-phase steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghanei, S.; Kashefi, M.; Mazinani, M.

2014-01-01

The magnetic properties of ferrite–martensite dual-phase steels were evaluated using eddy current and Barkhausen noise nondestructive testing methods and correlated with their microstructural changes. Several routes were used to produce different microstructures of dual-phase steels. The first route was different heat treatments in γ region to vary the ferrite grain size (from 9.47 to 11.12 in ASTM number), and the second one was variation in intercritical annealing temperatures (from 750 to 890 °C) in order to produce different percentages of martensite in dual-phase microstructure. The results concerning magnetic Barkhausen noise are discussed in terms of height, position and shape of Barkhausen noise profiles, taking into account two main aspects: ferrite grain size, and different percentages of martensite. Then, eddy current testing was used to study the mentioned microstructural changes by detection of impedance variations. The obtained results show that microstructural changes have a noticeable effect on the magnetic properties of dual-phase steels. The results reveal that both magnetic methods have a high potential to be used as a reliable nondestructive tool to detect and monitor microstructural changes occurring during manufacturing of dual-phase steels. - Highlights: • Normalized impedance decreased as the ASTM grain size number increased. • An increase in martensite percentage resulted in a decrease in normalized impedance. • As the martensite in the DP steels increased, the MBN signals increased. • Barkhausen jumps increased with increasing the ASTM grain size number. • Both ECT and MBN had a high potential to detect microstructural changes of DP steels

Dual shell pressure balanced reactor vessel. Final project report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertus, R.J.; Fassbender, A.G.

1994-10-01

The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Research (OER) has previously provided support for the development of several chemical processes, including supercritical water oxidation, liquefaction, and aqueous hazardous waste destruction, where chemical and phase transformations are conducted at high pressure and temperature. These and many other commercial processes require a pressure vessel capable of operating in a corrosive environment where safety and economy are important requirements. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) engineers have recently developed and patented (U.S. patent 5,167,930 December 1, 1992) a concept for a novel Dual Shell Pressure Balanced Vessel (DSPBV) which could solve a number of these problems. The technology could be immediately useful in continuing commercialization of an R ampersand D 100 award-winning technology, Sludge-to-oil Reactor System (STORS), originally developed through funding by OER. Innotek Corporation is a small business that would be one logical end-user of the DSPBV reactor technology. Innotek is working with several major U.S. engineering firms to evaluate the potential of this technology in the disposal of wastes from sewage treatment plants. PNL entered into a CRADA with Innotek to build a bench-scale demonstration reactor and test the system to advance the economic feasibility of a variety of high pressure chemical processes. Hydrothermal processing of corrosive substances on a large scale can now be made significantly safer and more economical through use of the DSPBV. Hydrothermal chemical reactions such as wet-air oxidation and supercritical water oxidation occur in a highly corrosive environment inside a pressure vessel. Average corrosion rates from 23 to 80 miles per year have been reported by Rice (1994) and Latanision (1993)

Dual Regression

OpenAIRE

Spady, Richard; Stouli, Sami

2012-01-01

We propose dual regression as an alternative to the quantile regression process for the global estimation of conditional distribution functions under minimal assumptions. Dual regression provides all the interpretational power of the quantile regression process while avoiding the need for repairing the intersecting conditional quantile surfaces that quantile regression often produces in practice. Our approach introduces a mathematical programming characterization of conditional distribution f...

Optimizing production gas wells by using a dual completion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boussa, M.; Hebbal, H.

2006-01-01

Dual completion has frequently been used in producing oil wells that are perforated on several zones. This paper presented the results of a study investigating the use of dual completion techniques on producing gas wells with 2 and 3 layers in Hassi-R'mel gas field in Algeria. The aim of the study was to improve production in the upper zones of the wells. The advantages and disadvantages of dual completion were discussed. Capital costs and profit ratios after completion were also examined. Hassi R'mel is one of the largest wet gas reservoirs in the world, and has 3 distinct reservoir horizons. Zone A is comprised of fine-grained clay-rich sandstone with anhydritic cementing in places. Zones B and C have permeabilities ranging 300 to 1200 mD. The lower zones contribute to the majority of the gas production. Water influx from Zone C generates an increase in the flow of some wells in Zone A. Three wells were selected that shared the following characteristics: (1) cross-flow; (2) water influx; and (3) low flow from the higher zone. Two computer simulations were prepared to compare the use of well smart completion techniques and dual completion. Hagedorne and Brown correlations were used. Results of the simulation indicated that smart well completion gave the best results when compared with dual completion, and was more cost-effective due to the fact that the completion technique did not need to be altered, and flow at the bottom could be controlled from the surface by valves. The technique prevented cross flow between zones and optimized production from various zones. 7 refs., 3 tabs., 40 figs

Dual Orlicz geominimal surface area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tongyi Ma

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The L p $L_{p}$ -geominimal surface area was introduced by Lutwak in 1996, which extended the important concept of the geominimal surface area. Recently, Wang and Qi defined the p-dual geominimal surface area, which belongs to the dual Brunn-Minkowski theory. In this paper, based on the concept of the dual Orlicz mixed volume, we extend the dual geominimal surface area to the Orlicz version and give its properties. In addition, the isoperimetric inequality, a Blaschke-Santaló type inequality, and the monotonicity inequality for the dual Orlicz geominimal surface areas are established.

A rewritable, reprogrammable, dual light-responsive polymer actuator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gelebart, A.H.; Mulder, D.J.; Vantomme, G.; Schenning, A.P.H.J.; Broer, D.J.

2017-01-01

We report on the fabrication of a rewritable and reprogrammable dual-photoresponsive liquid crystalline-based actuator containing an azomerocyanine dye that can be locally converted into the hydroxyazopyridinium form by acid treatment. Each dye absorbs at a different wavelength giving access to

Coupling technology for dual-purpose nuclear-desalting plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, J.E. Jr.; Anderson, T.D.; Reed, S.A.

1976-11-01

Although the basic technology for the various components of nuclear dual-purpose plants is reasonably well developed, the techniques of coupling the elements together to form a reliable, economical system that will satisfy the diverse operating requirements are not well established. The purpose of the study reported is to examine the technical, economic, and safety considerations in coupling nuclear power plants with distillation units to form a dual-purpose power and water distillation plant. The basic coupling arrangement required to provide a large-scale dual-purpose water plant is to supply steam to the water plant from the exhaust of a back-pressure turbine. The principal component at the interface that may require major research and development is the back-pressure turbine. To satisfy the operational requirements, two major auxiliary systems will be needed. These are: (1) a prime-steam bypass system, and (2) auxiliary condensers. These systems will provide a degree of independence between water and power production and can be justified economically

Hybrid dual gate ferroelectric memory for multilevel information storage

KAUST Repository

Khan, Yasser; Caraveo-Frescas, Jesus Alfonso; Alshareef, Husam N.

2015-01-01

Here, we report hybrid organic/inorganic ferroelectric memory with multilevel information storage using transparent p-type SnO semiconductor and ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) polymer. The dual gate devices include a top ferroelectric field

DUAL TRAINING IN RUSSIA: FROM THE CONCEPT TO PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander A. Listvin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present article is to judge and justify the conditions of system elements application of dual training at implementation of programs of professional education for increase of efficiency of functioning and quality of preparation of qualified personnel by institutions of the secondary professional education (SPE. Methods. The methods used in work involve the comparative analysis of practice of application of dual training in system of professional education of Germany and regions of Russia for the purpose of identification of the existing problems and definition of optimum organizational and legal and didactic conditions. Results. The essence of system of dual training, its strong and weaknesses reveals. Necessary and indispensable conditions of application of dual training in modern regional systems of professional education are proved. Scientific novelty. According to the author, modern publications on problems and ways of development of professional education in Russia contain enough antinomy of standard and legal and organizational and administrative character. In particular, operating by the concept «dual education», an identification of the practice-focused and dual training introduction «the list 50 of the most demanded in labor market, the new and perspective professions that demand secondary professional education» as opposed to the existing list of professions and the constitutional guarantee of public and free secondary professional education. Standard and legal, and didactic conditions of application of elements of dual training in regional systems of professional education are proved theoretically. Practical significance. Implementation of the research outcomes can be useful to pedagogical staff of institutions of secondary professional education, representatives of employers and Chambers of Commerce and Industry to the organization and use of system of dual training in training of skilled workers (serving

Dual pathology as a cause of proteinuria in the post-transplant period; report of a case.

Science.gov (United States)

Tewari, Rohit; Mendonca, Satish; Nijhawan, Vijay

2016-01-01

Proteinuria is common after renal transplantation and affects between 35%-45% of patients during the same year as their transplant. We report a case of dual pathology in the renal allograft as a cause of severe proteinuria. A 38-year-old male presented with end-stage renal disease. He underwent live related renal allograft transplant. His immediate post-transplant period was unremarkable. He developed rise in serum creatinine (2.1 mg/dl) 6 months after transplant and was biopsied. He was diagnosed as a case of acute cellular rejection type Ib with suspicion for antibody mediated rejection. He was treated with methylprednisolone to which he showed a good response with return of serum creatinine to 1.6 mg/dl. Subsequently, he developed a nephrotic range proteinuria 6 months after this episode of rejection. Repeat biopsy was performed. He was diagnosed as a case of immune complex mediated glomerulonephritis (GN) (morphologically consistent with pattern of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis) with chronic humoral rejection in the form of transplant glomerulopathy (TG). IHC for C4d and immunofluorescence studies were instrumental making the diagnosis. He was treated with steroids and rituximab to which he showed a good response with remission of proteinuria. This case highlights the importance of picking up dual pathology in an allograft biopsy to ensure appropriate therapy. The role of C4d and its correct interpretation is further highlighted, especially with regard to pattern (granular versus linear) and location (glomerular capillaries versus peritubular capillaries).

Dual pathology as a cause of proteinuria in the post-transplant period; report of a case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tewari Rohit

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Proteinuria is common after renal transplantation and affects between 35%-45% of patients during the same year as their transplant. We report a case of dual pathology in the renal allograft as a cause of severe proteinuria. A 38-year-old male presented with end-stage renal disease. He underwent live related renal allograft transplant. His immediate post-transplant period was unremarkable. He developed rise in serum creatinine (2.1 mg/dl 6 months after transplant and was biopsied. He was diagnosed as a case of acute cellular rejection type Ib with suspicion for antibody mediated rejection. He was treated with methylprednisolone to which he showed a good response with return of serum creatinine to 1.6 mg/dl. Subsequently, he developed a nephrotic range proteinuria 6 months after this episode of rejection. Repeat biopsy was performed. He was diagnosed as a case of immune complex mediated glomerulonephritis (GN (morphologically consistent with pattern of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with chronic humoral rejection in the form of transplant glomerulopathy (TG. IHC for C4d and immunofluorescence studies were instrumental making the diagnosis. He was treated with steroids and rituximab to which he showed a good response with remission of proteinuria. This case highlights the importance of picking up dual pathology in an allograft biopsy to ensure appropriate therapy. The role of C4d and its correct interpretation is further highlighted, especially with regard to pattern (granular versus linear and location (glomerular capillaries versus peritubular capillaries.

Dual-band dual-polarized array for WLAN applications

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Steyn, JM

2009-01-01

Full Text Available dual-band dual-polarized (DBDP) antenna design for WLAN applications. The antenna is in the form of an array consisting of four double-dipole radiators. The basic radiating element consists of a rhombus shaped dipole above a planar ground plane... the ground planes and the respective feedlines. Substrate cuts and difierent heights for the horizontal feedlines were necessary to achieve the latter. The 2nd conflguration (for vertical polarization) has a slightly difierent feeding network layout...

Comparison of neutron and high-energy X-ray dual-beam radiography for air cargo inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Y.; Sowerby, B.D.; Tickner, J.R.

2008-01-01

Dual-beam radiography techniques utilising various combinations of high-energy X-rays and neutrons are attractive for screening bulk cargo for contraband such as narcotics and explosives. Dual-beam radiography is an important enhancement to conventional single-beam X-ray radiography systems in that it provides additional information on the composition of the object being imaged. By comparing the attenuations of transmitted dual high-energy beams, it is possible to build a 2D image, colour coded to indicate material. Only high-energy X-rays, gamma-rays and neutrons have the required penetration to screen cargo containers. This paper reviews recent developments and applications of dual-beam radiography for air cargo inspection. These developments include dual high-energy X-ray techniques as well as fast neutron and gamma-ray (or X-ray) radiography systems. High-energy X-ray systems have the advantage of generally better penetration than neutron systems, depending on the material being interrogated. However, neutron systems have the advantage of much better sensitivity to material composition compared to dual high-energy X-ray techniques. In particular, fast neutron radiography offers the potential to discriminate between various classes of organic material, unlike dual energy X-ray techniques that realistically only offer the ability to discriminate between organic and metal objects

Symptomatic burden of COPD for patients receiving dual or triple therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen S

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Stephanie Chen,1 Mark Small,2 Leandro Lindner,3 Xiao Xu1,4 1Health Economics and Payer Analytics, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 2Respiratory, Adelphi Real World, Bollington, UK; 3Global Payer Evidence and Pricing, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK; 4Global Payer Evidence and Pricing, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA Background: COPD is associated with a large disease burden. The use of dual (two maintenance treatments and triple (combination of any three treatments therapy has shown efficacy for symptom relief; however, some patients with COPD remain symptomatic despite these therapies. This study assessed the scope and magnitude of the symptomatic burden for patients with COPD receiving dual or triple therapy. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional data from three Adelphi COPD surveys (2013–2016 conducted in the USA, Europe, Japan, and China were analyzed for patients with COPD and forced expiratory volume in 1 second ≤65% receiving dual or triple therapy for ≥3 months. Physicians completed clinical and disease characteristic forms for identified patients. Corresponding patients completed questionnaires that included validated survey instruments to assess adherence and symptom impact. Descriptive statistics are reported. Results: Our analysis included 690 patients (mean age 68.2 years; 73.3% male; 41.4% and 58.6% were receiving dual and triple therapy, respectively. Most patients had dyspnea with substantial disability (modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale rating ≥2, 56.3%; large health status impairment from symptoms, COPD Assessment Test score >20, 64.4%. A large symptom burden was observed, even for patients highly adherent to treatment (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale 8, 30.3% [185/612], of whom 62.1% still had a COPD Assessment Test score >20. Sensitivity analyses of patients regardless of their forced expiratory volume in 1 second status and of those receiving treatment for >6 months both reported similar results

Econometric comparisons of liquid rocket engines for dual-fuel advanced earth-to-orbit shuttles

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, J. A.

1978-01-01

Econometric analyses of advanced Earth-to-orbit vehicles indicate that there are economic benefits from development of new vehicles beyond the space shuttle as traffic increases. Vehicle studies indicate the advantage of the dual-fuel propulsion in single-stage vehicles. This paper shows the economic effect of incorporating dual-fuel propulsion in advanced vehicles. Several dual-fuel propulsion systems are compared to a baseline hydrogen and oxygen system.

El anillo de los números duales

OpenAIRE

Jiménez, Haydee; Luque, Carlos Julio

2007-01-01

Se inicia con una presentación de la estructura de * - Álgebra de los números duales; se muestran diferentes representaciones que permiten la definición de potencias racionales de números duales, lo que exige una extensión de su estructura a un anillo de números duales con coeficientes complejos. Seguidamente se estudian la función exponencial dual y la función logaritmo dual que permiten la definición de potencias duales de un número dual; luego se estudian ecuaciones en los números duales h...

Is that your pager or mine: a survey of women academic family physicians in dual physician families.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrager, Sarina; Kolan, Anne; Dottl, Susan L

2007-08-01

This study explored the unique challenges and strategies of women in academic family medicine who are in dual physician families. An e-mail survey was sent to all female physician members of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) who were listed in the on-line database. The survey collected demographic information, details of job descriptions and family life, and included 3 open-ended questions about the experiences of dual physician families. Over 1200 surveys were sent to women physicians in academic family medicine. One hundred fifty-nine surveys were returned. Half of all women worked full time compared to 87% of their partners. Most women reported benefits of having a physician partner including support and having an understanding person at home, though scheduling conflicts and childcare responsibilities contributed to the need for job compromises. Women prioritized finding work-life balance and having supportive partners and mentors as most important to their success as academic family physicians. Dual physician relationships involve rewards and conflicts. More research should explore the competing demands of family life with success in academic medicine.

Dual-source dual-energy CT angiography with virtual non-enhanced images and iodine map for active gastrointestinal bleeding: Image quality, radiation dose and diagnostic performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Hao; Hou, Xin-Yi; Xue, Hua-Dan; Li, Xiao-Guang; Jin, Zheng-Yu; Qian, Jia-Ming; Yu, Jian-Chun; Zhu, Hua-Dong

2015-01-01

Highlights: • GIB is a common gastrointestinal emergency with a high mortality rate. • Detection and localization of GIB source are important for imaging modality. • DSDECTA using a dual-phase scan protocol is clinically feasible. • DSDECTA with VNE and iodine map images can diagnose the active GIB source accurately. • DSDECTA can reduce radiation dose compared with conventional CT examination in GIB. - Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate the clinical feasibility of dual-source dual-energy CT angiography (DSDECTA) with virtual non-enhanced images and iodine map for active gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Methods: From June 2010 to December 2012, 112 consecutive patients with clinical signs of active GIB underwent DSDECTA with true non-enhanced (TNE), arterial phase with single-source mode, and portal-venous phase with dual-energy mode (100 kVp/230 mAs and Sn 140 kVp/178 mAs). Virtual non-enhanced CT (VNE) image sets and iodine map were reformatted from ‘Liver VNC’ software. The mean CT number, noise, signal to noise ratio (SNR), image quality and radiation dose were compared between TNE and VNE image sets. Two radiologists, blinded to clinical data, interpreted images from DSDECTA with TNE (protocol 1), and DSDECTA with VNE and iodine map (protocol 2) respectively, with discordant interpretation resolved by consensus. The standards of reference included digital subtraction angiography, endoscopy, surgery, or final pathology reports. Receiver–operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was undertaken and the area under the curve (AUC) calculated for CT protocols 1 and 2, respectively. Results: There was no significant difference in mean CT numbers of all organs (including liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney, abdominal aorta, and psoas muscle) (P > 0.05). Lower noise and higher SNR were found on VNE images than TNE images (P < 0.05). Image quality of VNE was lower than that of TNE without significant difference (P > 0.05). The active GIB source was identified

Dual-source dual-energy CT angiography with virtual non-enhanced images and iodine map for active gastrointestinal bleeding: Image quality, radiation dose and diagnostic performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Hao, E-mail: sunhao_robert@126.com [Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shuaifuyuan No. 1, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730 (China); Hou, Xin-Yi, E-mail: hxy_pumc@126.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China); Xue, Hua-Dan, E-mail: bjdanna95@hotmail.com [Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shuaifuyuan No. 1, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730 (China); Li, Xiao-Guang, E-mail: xglee88@126.com [Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shuaifuyuan No. 1, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730 (China); Jin, Zheng-Yu, E-mail: zhengyu_jin@126.com [Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shuaifuyuan No. 1, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730 (China); Qian, Jia-Ming, E-mail: qjiaming57@gmail.com [Department of Gastroenterology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing (China); Yu, Jian-Chun, E-mail: yu-jch@163.com [Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing (China); Zhu, Hua-Dong, E-mail: huadongzhu@hotmail.com [Department of Emergency, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing (China)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • GIB is a common gastrointestinal emergency with a high mortality rate. • Detection and localization of GIB source are important for imaging modality. • DSDECTA using a dual-phase scan protocol is clinically feasible. • DSDECTA with VNE and iodine map images can diagnose the active GIB source accurately. • DSDECTA can reduce radiation dose compared with conventional CT examination in GIB. - Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate the clinical feasibility of dual-source dual-energy CT angiography (DSDECTA) with virtual non-enhanced images and iodine map for active gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Methods: From June 2010 to December 2012, 112 consecutive patients with clinical signs of active GIB underwent DSDECTA with true non-enhanced (TNE), arterial phase with single-source mode, and portal-venous phase with dual-energy mode (100 kVp/230 mAs and Sn 140 kVp/178 mAs). Virtual non-enhanced CT (VNE) image sets and iodine map were reformatted from ‘Liver VNC’ software. The mean CT number, noise, signal to noise ratio (SNR), image quality and radiation dose were compared between TNE and VNE image sets. Two radiologists, blinded to clinical data, interpreted images from DSDECTA with TNE (protocol 1), and DSDECTA with VNE and iodine map (protocol 2) respectively, with discordant interpretation resolved by consensus. The standards of reference included digital subtraction angiography, endoscopy, surgery, or final pathology reports. Receiver–operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was undertaken and the area under the curve (AUC) calculated for CT protocols 1 and 2, respectively. Results: There was no significant difference in mean CT numbers of all organs (including liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney, abdominal aorta, and psoas muscle) (P > 0.05). Lower noise and higher SNR were found on VNE images than TNE images (P < 0.05). Image quality of VNE was lower than that of TNE without significant difference (P > 0.05). The active GIB source was identified

Design of parallel dual-energy X-ray beam and its performance for security radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kwang Hyun; Myoung, Sung Min; Chung, Yong Hyun

2011-01-01

A new concept of dual-energy X-ray beam generation and acquisition of dual-energy security radiography is proposed. Erbium (Er) and rhodium (Rh) with a copper filter were positioned in front of X-ray tube to generate low- and high-energy X-ray spectra. Low- and high-energy X-rays were guided to separately enter into two parallel detectors. Monte Carlo code of MCNPX was used to derive an optimum thickness of each filter for improved dual X-ray image quality. It was desired to provide separation ability between organic and inorganic matters for the condition of 140 kVp/0.8 mA as used in the security application. Acquired dual-energy X-ray beams were evaluated by the dual-energy Z-map yielding enhanced performance compared with a commercial dual-energy detector. A collimator for the parallel dual-energy X-ray beam was designed to minimize X-ray beam interference between low- and high-energy parallel beams for 500 mm source-to-detector distance.

Is Dual Agency in Housing Transactions Ethically Acceptable?: A Japan-U.S. Comparison

OpenAIRE

Okoshi, Toshiyuki

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the problem of real estate agentsʼ disloyalty to their clients (buyers or sellers of houses) caused by asymmetric information, and compares several previous studies in the US to this research on the effects of dual agency deals in Japan. Dual agency means that the same real estate agent represents both seller and buyer in a housing transaction. Furthermore, this paper considers whether dual agency can be ethically accepted in housing transactions. The important point is ...

Health-related quality of life in patients with dual diagnosis: clinical correlates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benaiges Irina

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the studies published so far have found an affectation in the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL in both psychiatric and substance use dependence disorders, very few studies have applied HRQOL as an assessment measure in patients suffering both comorbid conditions, or Dual Diagnosis. The aim of the current study was to assess HRQOL in a group of patients with Dual Diagnosis compared to two other non-comorbid groups and to determine what clinical factors are related to HRQOL. Methods Cross-sectional assessment of three experimental groups was made through the Short Form – 36 Item Health Survey (SF-36. The sample consisted of a group with Dual Diagnosis (DD; N = 35, one with Severe Mental Illness alone (SMI; N = 35 and another one with Substance Use Dependence alone (SUD; N = 35. The sample was composed only by males. To assess the clinical correlates of SF-36 HRQOL, lineal regression analyses were carried out. Results The DD group showed lower scores in most of the subscales, and in the mental health domain. The group with SUD showed in general a better state in the HRQOL while the group with SMI held an intermediate position with respect to the other two groups. Daily medication, suicidal attempts and daily number of coffees were significantly associated to HRQOL, especially in the DD group. Conclusions The DD group showed lower self-reported mental health quality of life. Assessment of HRQOL in dual patients allows to identify specific needs in this population, and may help to establish therapeutic goals to improve interventions.

Single-Task and Dual-Task Gait Among Collegiate Athletes of Different Sport Classifications: Implications for Concussion Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, David R; Oldham, Jessie R; DiFabio, Melissa; Vallabhajosula, Srikant; Hall, Eric E; Ketcham, Caroline J; Meehan, William P; Buckley, Thomas A

2017-02-01

Gait impairments have been documented following sport-related concussion. Whether preexisting gait pattern differences exist among athletes who participate in different sport classifications, however, remains unclear. Dual-task gait examinations probe the simultaneous performance of everyday tasks (ie, walking and thinking), and can quantify gait performance using inertial sensors. The purpose of this study was to compare the single-task and dual-task gait performance of collision/contact and noncontact athletes. A group of collegiate athletes (n = 265) were tested before their season at 3 institutions (mean age= 19.1 ± 1.1 years). All participants stood still (single-task standing) and walked while simultaneously completing a cognitive test (dual-task gait), and completed walking trials without the cognitive test (single-task gait). Spatial-temporal gait parameters were compared between collision/contact and noncontact athletes using MANCOVAs; cognitive task performance was compared using ANCOVAs. No significant single-task or dual-task gait differences were found between collision/contact and noncontact athletes. Noncontact athletes demonstrated higher cognitive task accuracy during single-task standing (P = .001) and dual-task gait conditions (P = .02) than collision/contact athletes. These data demonstrate the utility of a dual-task gait assessment outside of a laboratory and suggest that preinjury cognitive task performance during dual-tasks may differ between athletes of different sport classifications.

Imaging gait analysis: An fMRI dual task study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bürki, Céline N; Bridenbaugh, Stephanie A; Reinhardt, Julia; Stippich, Christoph; Kressig, Reto W; Blatow, Maria

2017-08-01

In geriatric clinical diagnostics, gait analysis with cognitive-motor dual tasking is used to predict fall risk and cognitive decline. To date, the neural correlates of cognitive-motor dual tasking processes are not fully understood. To investigate these underlying neural mechanisms, we designed an fMRI paradigm to reproduce the gait analysis. We tested the fMRI paradigm's feasibility in a substudy with fifteen young adults and assessed 31 healthy older adults in the main study. First, gait speed and variability were quantified using the GAITRite © electronic walkway. Then, participants lying in the MRI-scanner were stepping on pedals of an MRI-compatible stepping device used to imitate gait during functional imaging. In each session, participants performed cognitive and motor single tasks as well as cognitive-motor dual tasks. Behavioral results showed that the parameters of both gait analyses, GAITRite © and fMRI, were significantly positively correlated. FMRI results revealed significantly reduced brain activation during dual task compared to single task conditions. Functional ROI analysis showed that activation in the superior parietal lobe (SPL) decreased less from single to dual task condition than activation in primary motor cortex and in supplementary motor areas. Moreover, SPL activation was increased during dual tasks in subjects exhibiting lower stepping speed and lower executive control. We were able to simulate walking during functional imaging with valid results that reproduce those from the GAITRite © gait analysis. On the neural level, SPL seems to play a crucial role in cognitive-motor dual tasking and to be linked to divided attention processes, particularly when motor activity is involved.

Spinning self-dual particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gamboa, J.; Rivelles, V.O.

1989-02-01

We study spinning self-dual particles in two dimensions. They are obtained from the chiral bosonic particle through the square root technique. We show that the resulting field theory can be either fermionic or bosonic and that the associated self-dual field reveals its Lorentz tensor structure which remains hidden in the usual formulations. We also calculate the spinning self-dual particle propagators using the BFV formalism. (author) [pt

Improved atom number with a dual color magneto—optical trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Qiang; Luo Xin-Yu; Gao Kui-Yi; Wang Xiao-Rui; Wang Ru-Quan; Chen Dong-Min

2012-01-01

We demonstrate a novel dual color magneto—optical trap (MOT), which uses two sets of overlapping laser beams to cool and trap 87 Rb atoms. The volume of cold cloud in the dual color MOT is strongly dependent on the frequency difference of the laser beams and can be significantly larger than that in the normal MOT with single frequency MOT beams. Our experiment shows that the dual color MOT has the same loading rate as the normal MOT, but much longer loading time, leading to threefold increase in the number of trapped atoms. This indicates that the larger number is caused by reduced light induced loss. The dual color MOT is very useful in experiments where both high vacuum level and large atom number are required, such as single chamber quantum memory and Bose—Einstein condensation (BEC) experiments. Compared to the popular dark spontaneous-force optical trap (dark SPOT) technique, our approach is technically simpler and more suitable to low power laser systems. (rapid communication)

A primal-dual exterior point algorithm for linear programming problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samaras Nikolaos

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present a new simplex type algorithm for the Linear Programming Problem. The Primal - Dual method is a Simplex - type pivoting algorithm that generates two paths in order to converge to the optimal solution. The first path is primal feasible while the second one is dual feasible for the original problem. Specifically, we use a three-phase-implementation. The first two phases construct the required primal and dual feasible solutions, using the Primal Simplex algorithm. Finally, in the third phase the Primal - Dual algorithm is applied. Moreover, a computational study has been carried out, using randomly generated sparse optimal linear problems, to compare its computational efficiency with the Primal Simplex algorithm and also with MATLAB's Interior Point Method implementation. The algorithm appears to be very promising since it clearly shows its superiority to the Primal Simplex algorithm as well as its robustness over the IPM algorithm.

Changes in step-width during dual-task walking predicts falls.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordin, E; Moe-Nilssen, R; Ramnemark, A; Lundin-Olsson, L

2010-05-01

The aim was to evaluate whether gait pattern changes between single- and dual-task conditions were associated with risk of falling in older people. Dual-task cost (DTC) of 230 community living, physically independent people, 75 years or older, was determined with an electronic walkway. Participants were followed up each month for 1 year to record falls. Mean and variability measures of gait characteristics for 5 dual-task conditions were compared to single-task walking for each participant. Almost half (48%) of the participants fell at least once during follow-up. Risk of falling increased in individuals where DTC for performing a subtraction task demonstrated change in mean step-width compared to single-task walking. Risk of falling decreased in individuals where DTC for carrying a cup and saucer demonstrated change compared to single-task walking in mean step-width, mean step-time, and step-length variability. Degree of change in gait characteristics related to a change in risk of falling differed between measures. Prognostic guidance for fall risk was found for the above DTCs in mean step-width with a negative likelihood ratio of 0.5 and a positive likelihood ratio of 2.3, respectively. Findings suggest that changes in step-width, step-time, and step-length with dual tasking may be related to future risk of falling. Depending on the nature of the second task, DTC may indicate either an increased risk of falling, or a protective strategy to avoid falling. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Canonical Primal-Dual Method for Solving Non-convex Minimization Problems

OpenAIRE

Wu, Changzhi; Li, Chaojie; Gao, David Yang

2012-01-01

A new primal-dual algorithm is presented for solving a class of non-convex minimization problems. This algorithm is based on canonical duality theory such that the original non-convex minimization problem is first reformulated as a convex-concave saddle point optimization problem, which is then solved by a quadratically perturbed primal-dual method. %It is proved that the popular SDP method is indeed a special case of the canonical duality theory. Numerical examples are illustrated. Comparing...

Coexistence of meningoencephalocele and hippocampal sclerosis: a new type of dual pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinoni, Matteo; Marucci, Gianluca; Gagliardini, Gabriele; Tinuper, Paolo; Michelucci, Roberto; Giulioni, Marco

2017-05-01

Both temporal lobe meningoencephalocele (TE) and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) are causes of drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Spontaneous TE constitutes a rare but well-known and increasingly recognised cause of refractory epilepsy. It is well known that HS may be associated with another neocortical lesion (dual pathology). Here we report for the first time a new type of dual pathology; namely, the coexistence of temporal pole meningoencephalocele and HS.

Synchronous colonic tumours of dual pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, S; Selvachandran, S N; Cade, D

2001-05-01

Synchronous colonic tumours of dual pathology are extremely rare. A review of the literature revealed that few cases have been reported to date. Because of their rarity and lack of specific symptoms, preoperative diagnosis is not easy and there is no protocol as yet for the ideal management of these cases. We present such a case which was treated by a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

p16/Ki-67 Dual Stain Cytology for Detection of Cervical Precancer in HPV-Positive Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Wentzensen, Nicolas; Fetterman, Barbara; Castle, Philip E; Schiffman, Mark; Wood, Shannon N; Stiemerling, Eric; Tokugawa, Diane; Bodelon, Clara; Poitras, Nancy; Lorey, Thomas; Kinney, Walter

2015-12-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-based cervical cancer screening requires triage markers to decide who should be referred to colposcopy. p16/Ki-67 dual stain cytology has been proposed as a biomarker for cervical precancers. We evaluated the dual stain in a large population of HPV-positive women. One thousand five hundred and nine HPV-positive women screened with HPV/cytology cotesting at Kaiser Permanente California were enrolled into a prospective observational study in 2012. Dual stain cytology was performed on residual Surepath material, and slides were evaluated for dual stain-positive cells. Disease endpoints were ascertained from the clinical database at KPNC. We evaluated the clinical performance of the assay among all HPV-positive women and among HPV-positive, cytology-negative women. We used internal benchmarks for clinical management to evaluate the clinical relevance of the dual stain assay. We evaluated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the dual stain compared with Pap cytology. All statistical tests were two-sided. The dual stain had lower positivity (45.9%) compared with cytology at an ASC-US threshold (53.4%). For detection of CIN2+, the dual stain had similar sensitivity (83.4% vs 76.6%, P = .1), and statistically higher specificity (58.9% vs 49.6%, P < .001), PPV (21.0% vs 16.6%, P < .001), and NPV (96.4% vs 94.2%, P = .01) compared with cytology. Similar patterns were observed for CIN3+. Women with a positive test had high enough risk for referral to colposcopy, while the risk for women with negative tests was below a one-year return threshold based on current US management guidelines. Dual stain cytology showed good risk stratification for all HPV-positive women and for HPV-positive women with normal cytology. Additional follow-up is needed to determine how long dual stain negative women remain at low risk of precancer. Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by (a

Safety of dual kidney transplantation compared to single kidney transplantation from expanded criteria donors: a single center cohort study of 39 recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendel, Lionel; Albano, Laetitia; Bentellis, Imad; Yandza, Thierry; Bernardi, Caroline; Quintens, Herve; Tibi, Brannwel; Jourdan, Jacques; Durand, Matthieu; Amiel, Jean; Chevallier, Daniel

2018-05-17

Our objective was to compare the outcomes of dual kidney transplanataion (DKT) to single kidney transplantation (SKT) performed with grafts from expanded criteria donors (ECD) in recipients ≥65 years, focusing on surgical complications. All kidney transplantations (KT) performed between 2006 and 2014 in our institution were analysed. DKT was indicated according to the criteria of the French national Agence de la Biomedecine. Thirty-nine DKT and 155 SKT were included, with a median follow-up of 36 and 26.5 months, respectively. The rate of early surgical revisions was not significantly higher after DKT (23.1% vs 15.5% (P = 0.2593)) but more venous graft thromboses (12.8% vs 3.2% (P = 0.02)) were reported. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 24 months after KT was significantly higher after DKT (45.0 ± 16.3 vs 39.8 ± 13.8 ml/min/1.73m 2 ; P = 0.04) and allowed shorter waiting time without a significant increased risk of surgical revision, excepted for venous graft thrombosis, more frequent after DKT. Graft survivals were not significantly different and GFR was higher after DKT. DKT seems to remain an appropriate strategy to address the growing graft shortage in elderly patients. © 2018 Steunstichting ESOT.

A 4 tonne demonstrator for large-scale dual-phase liquid argon time projection chambers arXiv

CERN Document Server

Aimard, B.; Asaadi, J.; Auger, M.; Aushev, V.; Autiero, D.; Badoi, M.M.; Balaceanu, A.; Balik, G.; Balleyguier, L.; Bechetoille, E.; Belver, D.; Blebea-Apostu, A.M.; Bolognesi, S.; Bordoni, S.; Bourgeois, N.; Bourguille, B.; Bremer, J.; Brown, G.; Brunetti, G.; Caiulo, D.; Calin, M.; Calvo, E.; Campanelli, M.; Cankocak, K.; Cantini, C.; Carlus, B.; Cautisanu, B.M.; Chalifour, M.; Chappuis, A.; Charitonidis, N.; Chatterjee, A.; Chiriacescu, A.; Chiu, P.; Conforti, S.; Cotte, Ph.; Crivelli, P.; Cuesta, C.; Dawson, J.; De Bonis, I.; De La Taille, C.; Delbart, A.; Desforge, D.; Di Luise, S.; Dimitru, B.S.; Doizon, F.; Drancourt, C.; Duchesneau, D.; Dulucq, F.; Dumarchez, J.; Duval, F.; Emery, S.; Ereditato, A.; Esanu, T.; Falcone, A.; Fusshoeller, K.; Gallego-Ros, A.; Galymov, V.; Geffroy, N.; Gendotti, A.; Gherghel-Lascu, M.; Giganti, C.; Gil-Botella, I.; Girerd, C.; Gomoiu, M.C.; Gorodetzky, P.; Hamada, E.; Hanni, R.; Hasegawa, T.; Holin, A.; Horikawa, S.; Ikeno, M.; Jiménez, S.; Jipa, A.; Karolak, M.; Karyotakis, Y.; Kasai, S.; Kasami, K.; Kishishita, T.; Kreslo, I.; Kryn, D.; Lastoria, C.; Lazanu, I.; Lehmann-Miotto, G.; Lira, N.; Loo, K.; Lorca, D.; Lutz, P.; Lux, T.; Maalampi, J.; Maire, G.; Maki, M.; Manenti, L.; Margineanu, R.M.; Marteau, J.; Martin-Chassard, G.; Mathez, H.; Mazzucato, E.; Misitano, G.; Mitrica, B.; Mladenov, D.; Molina Bueno, L.; Moreno Martínez, C.; Mols, J.Ph.; Mosu, T.S.; Mu, W.; Munteanu, A.; Murphy, S.; Nakayoshi, K.; Narita, S.; Navas-Nicolás, D.; Negishi, K.; Nessi, M.; Niculescu-Oglinzanu, M.; Nita, L.; Noto, F.; Noury, A.; Onishchuk, Y.; Palomares, C.; Parvu, M.; Patzak, T.; Pénichot, Y.; Pennacchio, E.; Periale, L.; Pessard, H.; Pietropaolo, F.; Piret, Y.; Popov, B.; Pugnere, D.; Radics, B.; Redondo, D.; Regenfus, C.; Remoto, A.; Resnati, F.; Rigaut, Y.A.; Ristea, C.; Rubbia, A.; Saftoiu, A.; Sakashita, K.; Sanchez, F.; Santos, C.; Scarpelli, A.; Schloesser, C.; Scotto Lavina, L.; Sendai, K.; Sergiampietri, F.; Shahsavarani, S.; Shoji, M.; Sinclair, J.; Soto-Oton, J.; Stanca, D.L.; Stefan, D.; Stroescu, P.; Sulej, R.; Tanaka, M.; Toboaru, V.; Tonazzo, A.; Tromeur, W.; Trzaska, W.H.; Uchida, T.; Vannucci, F.; Vasseur, G.; Verdugo, A.; Viant, T.; Vihonen, S.; Vilalte, S.; Weber, M.; Wu, S.; Yu, J.; Zambelli, L.; Zito, M.

A 10 kilo-tonne dual-phase liquid argon TPC is one of the detector options considered for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). The detector technology relies on amplification of the ionisation charge in ultra-pure argon vapour and others several advantages compared to the traditional single-phase liquid argon TPCs. A 4.2 tonne dual-phase liquid argon TPC prototype, the largest of its kind, with an active volume of 3 x1x1 m^3 has been constructed and operated at CERN. In this paper we describe in detail the experimental setup and detector components as well as report on the operation experience. We also present the first results on the achieved charge amplification, prompt scintillation and electroluminiscence detection, and purity of the liquid argon from analyses of a collected sample of cosmic ray muons.

Dual-targeting immunoliposomes using angiopep-2 and CD133 antibody for glioblastoma stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jung Seok; Shin, Dae Hwan; Kim, Jin-Seok

2018-01-10

Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), which are identified as subpopulation of CD133 + /ALDH1 + , are known to show resistance to the most of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, leading to the recurrence of tumor in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. Also, delivery of temozolomide (TMZ), a mainline treatment of GBM, to the GBM site is hampered by various barriers including the blood-brain barrier (BBB). A dual-targeting immunoliposome encapsulating TMZ (Dual-LP-TMZ) was developed by using angiopep-2 (An2) and anti-CD133 monoclonal antibody (CD133 mAb) for BBB transcytosis and specific delivery to GSCs, respectively. The size, zeta potential and drug encapsulation efficiency of Dual-LP-TMZ were 203.4nm in diameter, -1.6mV and 99.2%, respectively. The in vitro cytotoxicity of Dual-LP-TMZ against U87MG GSCs was increased by 425- and 181-folds when compared with that of free TMZ and non-targeted TMZ liposome (LP-TMZ) (10.3μM vs. 4380μM and 1869μM in IC 50 , respectively). Apoptosis and anti-migration ability of Dual-LP-TMZ in U87MG GSCs were also significantly enhanced comparing with those of free TMZ or LP-TMZ. In vivo study clearly showed a significant reduction in tumor size after intravenous administrations of Dual-LP-TMZ to the orthotopically-implanted brain tumor mice when compared with free TMZ or LP-TMZ. Increased life span (ILS) and median survival time (MST) of tumor-bearing mice were also increased when treated with Dual-LP-TMZ (211.2% in ILS and 49.2days in MST) than with free TMZ (0% in ILS and 23.3day in MST). These data indicate that conjugation of both An2 peptide and CD133 mAb to TMZ-encapsulating liposome is very effective in delivering the TMZ to GSCs via BBB, suggesting a potential use of Dual-LP-TMZ as a therapeutic modality for GBM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Dual Pathology in General Population of Itagüí, Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Castaño Pérez, Guillermo A; Sierra Hincapié, Gloria Maria

2016-01-01

To study the prevalence of dual diagnosis (presence of a substance use disorder and an associated mental disorder) in the general population of a small town in the department of Antioquia in Colombia, through secondary analysis of survey data on Mental Health held in this city in 2011. With a sample of 415 subjects, the interview Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), WHO CAPI version, was used and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.21. The prevalence of dual diagnosis, considering that the presence of a diagnosis of mental disorder and a disorder snuff use of different substances was 7.2%. Substances with higher prevalence of use in life for individuals with dual diagnosis were alcohol (96.7%), marijuana (80.0%), cocaine and derivatives (33.3%), heroin (23.3%) and finally no prescription tranquilizers (13.3%), finding statistical association between drug use and dual diagnosis. Major depression (40%), oppositional defiant disorder (36.7%), posttraumatic stress (33.3%), specific phobia and attention deficit (26.7%) are the most prevalent disorders in individuals with dual diagnosis of this sample. Alcohol or drugs consumption and fulfilling diagnostic criteria for dual diagnosis have a significant statistical association for consumption of drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroin and prescription medications (P1.00, very high when the drug is heroin consumed (RD=38.754) or non-prescription medications (RD=29.462). A family history of disease and drug use has a high statistical association with dual diagnosis, with a higher association with a history of mental illness (P<.001; RD=3.677). The study reports on the prevalence of subjects with dual diagnosis in a Colombian population. Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and heroin are derivatives and substances mostly consumed by these patients and the most prevalent mental disorders are depression, TOD and posttraumatic stress. These findings motivate clinicians to more actively seek the presence of

Theory and applications of the dual energy technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuang, K.S.K.

1986-01-01

Three important principles in the dual energy technique applied to radiography are studied in this dissertation: the decomposition method, x-ray scatter consideration, and the selection of an optimal energy pair. First, two new methods namely, iso-transmission lines and sub-region direct approximation methods, are proposed for dual energy decomposition calculation. These two methods are compared with two other conventional techniques, i.e. nonlinear equations and direct approximation. The accuracy, efficiency, and smoothness are used as indices for comparison. The authors conclude that the two new proposed methods, iso-transmission lines and sub-region, are superior than the nonlinear equations and direct approximation methods. In this dissertation, a method to perform scatter correction based on the knowledge of scatter primary ratio is presented. First, the relation between scatter primary ratio and attenuation coefficient is determined by a Monte Carlo simulation. The selection of an optimal energy pair for a dual energy system is described in this dissertation. The selection is based on the calculation of an optimum factor which takes into consideration of the noise in the high and low energy images, the radiation dose to the patient, as well as the error produced during the dual energy decomposition process. The calculation of this optimum factor is obtained using monoenergetic radiation sources on various sizes of water phantom. In addition to these three aspects, this dissertation also addresses some clinical applications of the dual energy techniques and shows some of the results

Fatigue characteristics of dual-phase steel sheets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Onn, Irwan Herman; Ahmad, Norhayati; Tamin, Mohd Nasir [Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai (Malaysia)

2015-01-15

Fatigue characteristics of dual-phase steel sheets, commonly used in automobile body construction were established. For this purpose, a series of fatigue tests, each at constant stress amplitude were conducted on 1.2 mm-thick, dual-phase DP600 steel sheet specimens with two different load ratios of minimum-to-maximum stress, R = 0.1 and -1. The resulting fatigue behavior is expressed in terms of fatigue strength-life (S-N) curves. Fatigue behavior of the steel sheets in the high-cycle fatigue region can be represented by Basquin's equation with coefficient and exponent value of 921.2 and 0.093, respectively. An endurance limit of 255 MPa is observed. In addition, fatigue strengths of the dual-phase steel sheets display lower magnitude than their bulk counterparts. Effect of mean stress on fatigue behavior of the steel sheets is well predicted by Walker's model. Exponential calibration factor is introduced to the models by SWT, Goodman and Morrow with comparable prediction to the Walker's model.

Study of a dual frequency atmospheric pressure corona plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dan Bee; Moon, S. Y.; Jung, H.; Gweon, B.; Choe, Wonho

2010-01-01

Radio frequency mixing of 2 and 13.56 MHz was investigated by performing experimental measurements on the atmospheric pressure corona plasma. As a result of the dual frequency, length, current density, and electron excitation temperature of the plasma were increased, while the gas temperature was maintained at roughly the same level when compared to the respective single frequency plasmas. Moreover, observation of time-resolved images revealed that the dual frequency plasma has a discharge mode of 2 MHz positive streamer, 2 MHz negative glow, and 13.56 MHz continuous glow.

Dual energy CTA of the supraaortic arteries: Technical improvements with a novel dual source CT system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lell, Michael M.; Hinkmann, Fabian; Nkenke, Emeka; Schmidt, Bernhard; Seidensticker, Peter; Kalender, Willi A.; Uder, Michael; Achenbach, Stephan

2010-01-01

Objectives: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a well-accepted imaging modality to evaluate the supraaortic vessels. Initial reports have suggested that dual energy CTA (DE-CTA) can enhance diagnosis by creating bone-free data sets, which can be visualized in 3D, but a number of limitations of this technique have also been addressed. We sought to describe the performance of DE-CTA of the supraaortic vessels with a novel dual source CT system with special emphasis on image quality and post-processing related artifacts. Materials and methods: Thirty-three patients underwent carotid CT angiography on a second generation dual source CT system. Simultaneous acquisitions of 100 and 140 kV data sets in arterial phase were performed. Two examiners evaluated overall bone suppression with a 3-point scale (1 = poor; 3 = excellent) and image quality regarding integrity of the vessel lumen of different vessel segments (n = 26) with a 5-point scale (1 = poor; 5 = excellent), CTA source data served as the reference. Results: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved in the head and neck. Only minor bone remnants occurred, mean score for bone removal was 2.9. Mean score for vessel integrity was 4.3. Eight hundred fifty-seven vessel segments could be evaluated. Six hundred thirty-five segments (74%) showed no lumen alteration, 65 segments (7.6%) lumen alterations 10% resulting in a total luminal reduction 50%, and 113 segments (13.2%) showed a gap in the vessel course (100% total lumen reduction). Artificial gaps of the vessel lumen occurred in 28 vessel segments due to artifacts caused by dental hardware and in all but one (65) ophthalmic arteries. Conclusions: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved, DE imaging with 100 and 140 kV lead to improved image quality and vessel integrity in the shoulder region than previously reported. The ophthalmic artery still cannot be adequately visualized.

Detecting Intracranial Hemorrhage Using Automatic Tube Current Modulation With Advanced Modeled Iterative Reconstruction in Unenhanced Head Single- and Dual-Energy Dual-Source CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholtz, Jan-Erik; Wichmann, Julian L; Bennett, Dennis W; Leithner, Doris; Bauer, Ralf W; Vogl, Thomas J; Bodelle, Boris

2017-05-01

The purpose of our study was to determine diagnostic accuracy, image quality, and radiation dose of low-dose single- and dual-energy unenhanced third-generation dual-source head CT for detection of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). A total of 123 patients with suspected ICH were examined using a dual-source 192-MDCT scanner. Standard-dose 120-kVp single-energy CT (SECT; n = 36) and 80-kVp and 150-kVp dual-energy CT (DECT; n = 30) images were compared with low-dose SECT (n = 32) and DECT (n = 25) images obtained using automated tube current modulation (ATCM). Advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE) was used for all protocols. Detection of ICH was performed by three readers who were blinded to the image acquisition parameters of each image series. Image quality was assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Interobserver agreement was calculated using the Fleiss kappa. Radiation dose was measured as dose-length product (DLP). Detection of ICH was excellent (sensitivity, 94.9-100%; specificity, 94.7-100%) in all protocols (p = 1.00) with perfect interobserver agreement (0.83-0.96). Qualitative ratings showed significantly better ratings for both standard-dose protocols regarding gray matter-to-white matter contrast (p ≤ 0.014), whereas highest gray matter-to-white matter contrast-to-noise ratio was observed with low-dose DECT images (p ≥ 0.057). The lowest posterior fossa artifact index was measured for standard-dose DECT, which showed significantly lower values compared with low-dose protocols (p ≤ 0.034). Delineation of ventricular margins and sharpness of subarachnoidal spaces were rated excellent in all protocols (p ≥ 0.096). Low-dose techniques lowered radiation dose by 26% for SECT images (DLP, 575.0 ± 72.3 mGy · cm vs 771.5 ± 146.8 mGy · cm; p dual-source CT while allowing significant radiation dose reduction.

The Dual Orlicz-Brunn-Minkowski Theory

OpenAIRE

Gardner, Richard J.; Hug, Daniel; Weil, Wolfgang; Ye, Deping

2014-01-01

This paper introduces the dual Orlicz-Brunn-Minkowski theory for star sets. A radial Orlicz addition of two or more star sets is proposed and a corresponding dual Orlicz-Brunn-Minkowski inequality is established. Based on a radial Orlicz linear combination of two star sets, a formula for the dual Orlicz mixed volume is derived and a corresponding dual Orlicz-Minkowski inequality proved. The inequalities proved yield as special cases the precise duals of the conjectured log-Brunn-Minkowski and...

Effects of dual-task training on balance and executive functions in Parkinson's disease: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Ângela; Rocha, Nuno; Santos, Rubim; Tavares, João Manuel R S

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of cognitive-motor dual-task training compared with single-task training on balance and executive functions in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Fifteen subjects, aged between 39 and 75 years old, were randomly assigned to the dual-task training group (n = 8) and single-task training group (n = 7). The training was run twice a week for 6 weeks. The single-task group received balance training and the dual-task group performed cognitive tasks simultaneously with the balance training. There were no significant differences between the two groups at baseline. After the intervention, the results for mediolateral sway with eyes closed were significantly better for the dual-task group and anteroposterior sway with eyes closed was significantly better for the single-task group. The results suggest superior outcomes for the dual-task training compared to the single-task training for static postural control, except in anteroposterior sway with eyes closed.

Time to and predictors of dual incontinence in older nursing home admissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bliss, Donna Z; Gurvich, Olga V; Eberly, Lynn E; Harms, Susan

2018-01-01

There are few studies of nursing home residents that have investigated the development of dual incontinence, perhaps the most severe type of incontinence as both urinary and fecal incontinence occur. To determine the time to and predictors of dual incontinence in older nursing home residents. Using a cohort design, records of older nursing home admissions who were continent or had only urinary or only fecal incontinence (n = 39,181) were followed forward for report of dual incontinence. Four national US datasets containing potential predictors at multiple levels describing characteristics of nursing home residents, nursing homes (n = 445), and socioeconomic and sociodemographic status of the community surrounding nursing homes were analyzed. A Cox proportional hazard regression with nursing home-specific random effect was used. At 6 months after admission, 28% of nursing home residents developed dual incontinence, at 1 year 42% did so, and at 2 years, 61% had dual incontinence. Significant predictors for time to developing dual incontinence were having urinary incontinence, greater functional or cognitive deficits, more comorbidities, older age, and lesser quality of nursing home care. The development of dual incontinence is a major problem among nursing home residents. Predictors in this study offer guidance in developing interventions to prevent and reduce the time to developing this problem which may improve the quality of life of nursing residents. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Does spinal excitability scale to the difficulty of the dual-task?

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Day, Devon M; Boivin, Mario T; Adkin, Allan L; Tokuno, Craig D

2017-08-01

This study examined whether spinal excitability, as measured by the soleus Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex), is scaled to the difficulty level of the dual-task being performed. Twenty-two participants completed a combination of three balance task and three secondary cognitive (visuo-motor) task difficulty levels for a total of nine dual-task conditions. An additional eight participants were tested while performing the same three balance task difficulty levels on its own (i.e., single-tasking). The balance task required participants to maintain their balance on a fixed or rotating stabilometer while the visuo-motor task required participants to respond to moving targets presented on a monitor. Throughout each single- and dual-task trial, H-reflexes were elicited from the soleus. Although dual-task performance, as quantified by visuo-motor task accuracy as well as the root mean square of the stabilometer position and velocity, decreased by 10-34% with increasing dual-task difficulty (p dual-task conditions (p = 0.483-0.758). This contrasts to when participants performed the balance task as a single-task, where the H-reflex amplitude decreased by ~25% from the easy to the hard balance task difficulty level (p = 0.037). In contrast to the commonly reported finding of a reduced soleus H-reflex amplitude when individuals perform a less posturally stable task by itself, the results indicate that spinal excitability is not modulated as a function of dual-task difficulty. It is possible that when an individual's attentional resource capacity is exceeded during dual-tasking, they become ineffective in regulating spinal excitability for balance control.

Mass thickness measurement of dual-sample by dual-energy X-rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Mincong; Li Hongmei; Chen Ziyu; Shen Ji

2008-01-01

X-ray equivalent energy can be used to measure mass thicknesses of materials. Based on this, a method of mass thickness measurement of dual-sample was discussed. It was found that in the range of sample mass thickness under investigation, the equivalent mass attenuation coefficient of a component could be used to compute mass thicknesses of a dual-sample, with relative errors of less than 5%. Mass thickness measurement of a fish sample was performed, and the fish bone and flesh could be displayed separately and clearly by their own mass thicknesses. This indicates that the method is effective in mass thickness measurement of dual-sample of suitable thicknesses. (authors)

Digitally tunable dual wavelength emission from semiconductor ring lasers with filtered optical feedback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoder, Mulham; Verschaffelt, Guy; Nguimdo, Romain Modeste; Danckaert, Jan; Leijtens, Xaveer; Bolk, Jeroen

2013-01-01

We report on a novel integrated approach to obtain dual wavelength emission from a semiconductor laser based on on-chip filtered optical feedback. Using this approach, we show experiments and numerical simulations of dual wavelength emission of a semiconductor ring laser. The filtered optical feedback is realized on-chip by employing two arrayed waveguide gratings to split/recombine light into different wavelength channels. Semiconductor optical amplifiers are placed in the feedback loop in order to control the feedback strength of each wavelength channel independently. By tuning the current injected into each of the amplifiers, we can effectively cancel the gain difference between the wavelength channels due to fabrication and material dichroism, thus resulting in stable dual wavelength emission. We also explore the accuracy needed in the operational parameters to maintain this dual wavelength emission. (letter)

On-site analysis of modified surface using dual beam system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naramoto, Hiroshi; Aoki, Yasushi; Yamamoto, Shunya; Goppelt-Langer, P; Mingle, Gan; Jianer, Zeng; Takeshita, Hidefumi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment

1997-03-01

Recent results obtained using a dual ion beam system at JAERI/Takasaki are reported. In this system, both of ion implantation and ion beam analysis can be made alternatively or simultaneously at low temperatures. In sapphire implanted with {sup 51}V{sup +} ions, the amorphization process is analyzed referring to the <0001> aligned spectra taken at different temperatures. The discussion is made on the defect profiles different from the simple accumulation of standard Gaussian form. The depth showing the maximum damage at the initial stage of implantation is quite shallow compared with those reported before. The thermal annealing behaviors of lattice damage and the implanted V atoms are also different between the samples implanted at low and room temperatures. In the former one fine particles of vanadium oxide are formed coherently with the easy recovery in high dose sample but in the latter the mixed oxide alloy is formed. (author)

Balancing the Demands of Two Tasks: An Investigation of Cognitive-Motor Dual-Tasking in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Butchard-MacDonald, Emma; Paul, Lorna; Evans, Jonathan J

2018-03-01

People with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (PwRRMS) suffer disproportionate decrements in gait under dual-task conditions, when walking and a cognitive task are combined. There has been much less investigation of the impact of cognitive demands on balance. This study investigated whether: (1) PwRRMS show disproportionate decrements in postural stability under dual-task conditions compared to healthy controls, and (2) dual-task decrements are associated with everyday dual-tasking difficulties. The impact of mood, fatigue, and disease severity on dual-tasking was also examined. A total of 34 PwRRMS and 34 matched controls completed cognitive (digit span) and balance (movement of center of pressure on Biosway on stable and unstable surfaces) tasks under single- and dual-task conditions. Everyday dual-tasking was measured using the Dual-Tasking Questionnaire. Mood was measured by the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale. Fatigue was measured via the Modified Fatigue Index Scale. No differences in age, gender, years of education, estimated pre-morbid IQ, or baseline digit span between groups. Compared with controls, PwRRMS showed significantly greater decrement in postural stability under dual-task conditions on an unstable surface (p=.007), but not a stable surface (p=.679). Balance decrement scores were not correlated with everyday dual-tasking difficulties or fatigue. Stable surface balance decrement scores were significantly associated with levels of anxiety (rho=0.527; p=.001) and depression (rho=0.451; p=.007). RRMS causes dual-tasking difficulties, impacting balance under challenging conditions, which may contribute to increased risk of gait difficulties and falls. The relationship between anxiety/depression and dual-task decrement suggests that emotional factors may be contributing to dual-task difficulties. (JINS, 2018, 24, 247-258).

New Fukui, dual and hyper-dual kernels as bond reactivity descriptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Franco-Pérez, Marco; Polanco-Ramírez, Carlos-A; Ayers, Paul W; Gázquez, José L; Vela, Alberto

2017-06-21

We define three new linear response indices with promising applications for bond reactivity using the mathematical framework of τ-CRT (finite temperature chemical reactivity theory). The τ-Fukui kernel is defined as the ratio between the fluctuations of the average electron density at two different points in the space and the fluctuations in the average electron number and is designed to integrate to the finite-temperature definition of the electronic Fukui function. When this kernel is condensed, it can be interpreted as a site-reactivity descriptor of the boundary region between two atoms. The τ-dual kernel corresponds to the first order response of the Fukui kernel and is designed to integrate to the finite temperature definition of the dual descriptor; it indicates the ambiphilic reactivity of a specific bond and enriches the traditional dual descriptor by allowing one to distinguish between the electron-accepting and electron-donating processes. Finally, the τ-hyper dual kernel is defined as the second-order derivative of the Fukui kernel and is proposed as a measure of the strength of ambiphilic bonding interactions. Although these quantities have never been proposed, our results for the τ-Fukui kernel and for τ-dual kernel can be derived in zero-temperature formulation of the chemical reactivity theory with, among other things, the widely-used parabolic interpolation model.

Application of dual-energy scanning technique with dual-source CT in pulmonary mass lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Jie; Xu Yiming; He Bo; Xie Xiaojie; Han Dan

2012-01-01

Objective: To explore the feasibility of DSCT dual-energy technique in pulmonary mass lesions. Methods: A total of 100 patients with pulmonary masses underwent conventional plain CT scan and dual-energy enhanced CT scan. The virtual non-contrast (VNC) images were obtained at post-processing workstation.The mean CT value,enhancement value,signal to noise ratio (SNR), image quality and radiation dose of pulmonary masses were compared between the two scan techniques using F or t test and the detectability of lesions was compared using Wilcoxon test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference among VNC (A) (32.89 ± 12.58) HU,VNC (S) (30.86 ± 9.60) HU and conventional plain images (35.89 ± 9.99) HU in mean CT value of mass (F =2.08, P>0.05). There was statistically significant difference among VNC (A) (3.29 ± 1.45), VNC (S) (3.93 ± 1.49) and conventional plain image (4.61 ± 1.50) in SNR (F =6.01, P<0.05), which of conventional plain scan was higher than that of VNC.The enhancement value of mass in conventional enhanced scan (60.74 ± 13.9) HU and distribution of iodine from VNC (A) (58.26 ± 31.99) HU was no statistically significant difference (t=0.48, P>0.05), but there was a significant difference between conventional enhanced scan (56.51 ± 17.94) HU and distribution of iodine from VNC (S) (52.65 ± 16.78) HU (t=4.45, P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among conventional plain scan (4.69 ± 0.06) and VNC (A) (4.60 ± 0.09), VNC (S) (4.61 ±0.11) in image quality at mediastinal window (F=3.014, P>0.05). The appearance, size, internal features of mass (such as necrosis, calcification and cavity) were showed the same in conventional plain scan, VNC (A) and VNC (S). Of 41 patients with hilar mass, 18 patients were found to have lobular and segmental perfusion decrease or defect. Perfusion defect area was found in 59 patients with peripheral lung mass. The radiation dose of dual-energy enhanced scan was lower than that of

Age-related differences in dual task performance: A cross-sectional study on women.

Science.gov (United States)

Brustio, Paolo R; Magistro, Daniele; Rabaglietti, Emanuela; Liubicich, Monica E

2017-02-01

Simultaneous performances of motor and attention-demanding tasks are common in activities of everyday life. The present cross-sectional study examined the changes and age-related differences on mobility performance with an additional cognitive or motor task, and evaluated the relative dual-task cost (DTC) on the motor performance in young, middle-aged and older women. A total of 30 young (mean age 25.12 ± 3.00 years), 30 middle-aged (mean age 47.82 ± 5.06 years) and 30 older women (mean age 72.74 ± 5.95 years) were recruited. Participants carried out: (i) single task: Timed Up & Go Test; (ii) cognitive dual-task: Timed Up & Go Test while counting backwards by three; (iii) manual dual-task: Timed Up & Go Test while carrying a glass of water. A repeated measures anova with between-factor as age groups and within-factor as tasks was carried out to assess the effect of aging on the performance of mobility tasks. DTC was calculated as ([performance in single-task - performance in dual-task] / performance in single task) × 100%. One-way ancova were carried out to compare the DTC among the three age groups. A significant interaction between age groups and task (F 4,172  = 6.716, P performance under dual-task condition compared with young and middle-aged groups. Furthermore, DTC differences in cognitive task were observed in older women compared with younger and middle-aged women (F 2,86  = 7.649, P task. Dual-task conditions might affect mobility performance differently across the lifespan, and could be particularly challenging in older women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 315-321. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Dual reporter transgene driven by 2.3Col1a1 promoter is active in differentiated osteoblasts

Science.gov (United States)

Marijanovic, Inga; Jiang, Xi; Kronenberg, Mark S.; Stover, Mary Louise; Erceg, Ivana; Lichtler, Alexander C.; Rowe, David W.

2003-01-01

AIM: As quantitative and spatial analyses of promoter reporter constructs are not easily performed in intact bone, we designed a reporter gene specific to bone, which could be analyzed both visually and quantitatively by using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and a cyan version of green fluorescent protein (GFPcyan), driven by a 2.3-kb fragment of the rat collagen promoter (Col2.3). METHODS: The construct Col2.3CATiresGFPcyan was used for generating transgenic mice. Quantitative measurement of promoter activity was performed by CAT analysis of different tissues derived from transgenic animals; localization was performed by visualized GFP in frozen bone sections. To assess transgene expression during in vitro differentiation, marrow stromal cell and neonatal calvarial osteoblast cultures were analyzed for CAT and GFP activity. RESULTS: In mice, CAT activity was detected in the calvaria, long bone, teeth, and tendon, whereas histology showed that GFP expression was limited to osteoblasts and osteocytes. In cell culture, increased activity of CAT correlated with increased differentiation, and GFP activity was restricted to mineralized nodules. CONCLUSION: The concept of a dual reporter allows a simultaneous visual and quantitative analysis of transgene activity in bone.

Performance Analysis of Dual-Polarized Massive MIMO System with Human-Care IoT Devices for Cellular Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Ki Hong

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The performance analysis of the dual-polarized massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO system with Internet of things (IoT devices is studied when outdoor human-care IoT devices are connected to a cellular network via a dual-polarized massive MIMO system. The research background of the performance analysis of dual-polarized massive MIMO system with IoT devices is that recently the data usage of outdoor human-care IoT devices has increased. Therefore, the outdoor human-care IoT devices are necessary to connect with 5G cellular networks which can expect 1000 times higher performance compared with 4G cellular networks. Moreover, in order to guarantee the safety of the patient for emergency cases, a human-care Iot device must be connected to cellular networks which offer more stable communication for outdoors compared to short-range communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Bluetooth. To analyze the performance of the dual-polarized massive MIMO system for human-care IoT devices, a dual-polarized MIMO spatial channel model (SCM is proposed which considers depolarization effect between the dual-polarized transmit-antennas and the receive-antennas. The simulation results show that the performance of the dual-polarized massive MIMO system is improved about 16% to 92% for 20 to 150 IoT devices compared to conventional single-polarized massive MIMO system for identical size of the transmit array.

Dual-Modality PET/Ultrasound imaging of the Prostate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huber, Jennifer S.; Moses, William W.; Pouliot, Jean; Hsu, I.C.

2005-11-11

Functional imaging with positron emission tomography (PET)will detect malignant tumors in the prostate and/or prostate bed, as well as possibly help determine tumor ''aggressiveness''. However, the relative uptake in a prostate tumor can be so great that few other anatomical landmarks are visible in a PET image. Ultrasound imaging with a transrectal probe provides anatomical detail in the prostate region that can be co-registered with the sensitive functional information from the PET imaging. Imaging the prostate with both PET and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) will help determine the location of any cancer within the prostate region. This dual-modality imaging should help provide better detection and treatment of prostate cancer. LBNL has built a high performance positron emission tomograph optimized to image the prostate.Compared to a standard whole-body PET camera, our prostate-optimized PET camera has the same sensitivity and resolution, less backgrounds and lower cost. We plan to develop the hardware and software tools needed for a validated dual PET/TRUS prostate imaging system. We also plan to develop dual prostate imaging with PET and external transabdominal ultrasound, in case the TRUS system is too uncomfortable for some patients. We present the design and intended clinical uses for these dual imaging systems.

Dual-Modality PET/Ultrasound imaging of the Prostate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huber, Jennifer S.; Moses, William W.; Pouliot, Jean; Hsu, I.C.

2005-01-01

Functional imaging with positron emission tomography (PET)will detect malignant tumors in the prostate and/or prostate bed, as well as possibly help determine tumor ''aggressiveness''. However, the relative uptake in a prostate tumor can be so great that few other anatomical landmarks are visible in a PET image. Ultrasound imaging with a transrectal probe provides anatomical detail in the prostate region that can be co-registered with the sensitive functional information from the PET imaging. Imaging the prostate with both PET and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) will help determine the location of any cancer within the prostate region. This dual-modality imaging should help provide better detection and treatment of prostate cancer. LBNL has built a high performance positron emission tomograph optimized to image the prostate.Compared to a standard whole-body PET camera, our prostate-optimized PET camera has the same sensitivity and resolution, less backgrounds and lower cost. We plan to develop the hardware and software tools needed for a validated dual PET/TRUS prostate imaging system. We also plan to develop dual prostate imaging with PET and external transabdominal ultrasound, in case the TRUS system is too uncomfortable for some patients. We present the design and intended clinical uses for these dual imaging systems

Xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique in children with bronchiolitis obliterans: correlation of xenon and CT density values with pulmonary function test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goo, Hyun Woo; Yang, Dong Hyun; Seo, Joon Beom; Chae, Eun Jin; Lee, Jeongjin; Hong, Soo-Jong; Yu, Jinho; Kim, Byoung-Ju; Krauss, Bernhard

2010-01-01

Xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique is a recently introduced, promising functional lung imaging method. To expand its clinical applications evidence of additional diagnostic value of xenon ventilation CT over conventional chest CT is required. To evaluate the usefulness of xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique in children with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). Seventeen children (age 7-18 years; 11 boys) with BO underwent xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique. Xenon and CT density values were measured in normal and hyperlucent lung regions on CT and were compared between the two regions. Volumes of hyperlucent regions and ventilation defects were calculated with thresholds determined by visual and histogram-based analysis. Indexed volumes of hyperlucent lung regions and ventilation defects were correlated with pulmonary function test results. Effective doses of xenon CT were calculated. Xenon (14.6 ± 6.4 HU vs 26.1 ± 6.5 HU; P 25-75 , (γ = -0.68-0.88, P ≤ 0.002). Volume percentages of xenon ventilation defects (35.0 ± 16.4%)] were not significantly different from those of hyperlucent lung regions (38.2 ± 18.6%). However, mismatches between the volume percentages were variable up to 21.4-33.3%. Mean effective dose of xenon CT was 1.9 ± 0.5 mSv. In addition to high-resolution anatomic information, xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique demonstrates impaired regional ventilation and its heterogeneity accurately in children with BO without additional radiation exposure. (orig.)

Dual photon absorptiometry of the spine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guaydier-Souquieres, G.; Sabatier, J.P.

1987-01-01

Dual photon absorptiometry allows quantitative investigation of the vertebral mineral content. The authors report the bone mineralization regression curves they obtained with their prototype in male and female controle subjects. There is a fracture threshold, unconnected with age, between normal and osteoporotic subjects. DPA results correlate well with those of Quantitative Computed Tomography. DPA can be used to monitor patient's mineralization and detect subjects at increased risk for fractures [fr

Anatomical decomposition in dual energy chest digital tomosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Donghoon; Kim, Ye-seul; Choi, Sunghoon; Lee, Haenghwa; Choi, Seungyeon; Kim, Hee-Joung

2016-03-01

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the early diagnosis of lung cancer has recently become more important. For early screening lung cancer, computed tomography (CT) has been used as a gold standard for early diagnosis of lung cancer [1]. The major advantage of CT is that it is not susceptible to the problem of misdiagnosis caused by anatomical overlapping while CT has extremely high radiation dose and cost compared to chest radiography. Chest digital tomosynthesis (CDT) is a recently introduced new modality for lung cancer screening with relatively low radiation dose compared to CT [2] and also showing high sensitivity and specificity to prevent anatomical overlapping occurred in chest radiography. Dual energy material decomposition method has been proposed for better detection of pulmonary nodules as means of reducing the anatomical noise [3]. In this study, possibility of material decomposition in CDT was tested by simulation study and actual experiment using prototype CDT. Furthermore organ absorbed dose and effective dose were compared with single energy CDT. The Gate v6 (Geant4 application for tomographic emission), and TASMIP (Tungsten anode spectral model using the interpolating polynomial) code were used for simulation study and simulated cylinder shape phantom consisted of 4 inner beads which were filled with spine, rib, muscle and lung equivalent materials. The patient dose was estimated by PCXMC 1.5 Monte Carlo simulation tool [4]. The tomosynthesis scan was performed with a linear movement and 21 projection images were obtained over 30 degree of angular range with 1.5° degree of angular interval. The proto type CDT system has same geometry with simulation study and composed of E7869X (Toshiba, Japan) x-ray tube and FDX3543RPW (Toshiba, Japan) detector. The result images showed that reconstructed with dual energy clearly visualize lung filed by removing unnecessary bony structure. Furthermore, dual energy CDT could enhance

Spatial Distribution of Iron Within the Normal Human Liver Using Dual-Source Dual-Energy CT Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Abadia, Andres F; Grant, Katharine L; Carey, Kathleen E; Bolch, Wesley E; Morin, Richard L

2017-11-01

Explore the potential of dual-source dual-energy (DSDE) computed tomography (CT) to retrospectively analyze the uniformity of iron distribution and establish iron concentration ranges and distribution patterns found in healthy livers. Ten mixtures consisting of an iron nitrate solution and deionized water were prepared in test tubes and scanned using a DSDE 128-slice CT system. Iron images were derived from a 3-material decomposition algorithm (optimized for the quantification of iron). A conversion factor (mg Fe/mL per Hounsfield unit) was calculated from this phantom study as the quotient of known tube concentrations and their corresponding CT values. Retrospective analysis was performed of patients who had undergone DSDE imaging for renal stones. Thirty-seven patients with normal liver function were randomly selected (mean age, 52.5 years). The examinations were processed for iron concentration. Multiple regions of interest were analyzed, and iron concentration (mg Fe/mL) and distribution was reported. The mean conversion factor obtained from the phantom study was 0.15 mg Fe/mL per Hounsfield unit. Whole-liver mean iron concentrations yielded a range of 0.0 to 2.91 mg Fe/mL, with 94.6% (35/37) of the patients exhibiting mean concentrations below 1.0 mg Fe/mL. The most important finding was that iron concentration was not uniform and patients exhibited regionally high concentrations (36/37). These regions of higher concentration were observed to be dominant in the middle-to-upper part of the liver (75%), medially (72.2%), and anteriorly (83.3%). Dual-source dual-energy CT can be used to assess the uniformity of iron distribution in healthy subjects. Applying similar techniques to unhealthy livers, future research may focus on the impact of hepatic iron content and distribution for noninvasive assessment in diseased subjects.

spinning self-dual particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gamboa, J.; Rivelles, V.O.

1989-01-01

Self-dual particles in two-dimensions are presented. They were obtained from chiral boson particle by square root technique. The propagator of spinning self-dual particle is calculated using the BFV formalism. (M.C.K.)

Implication of dual-purpose nuclear desalination plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutbi, I.I.

1983-01-01

Available dual purpose nuclear desalination schemes are reviewed. Three specific issues namely, impact of availability and reliability of the desalination stage of the plant, integration of the desalination and power production stages and new safety concerns of dual system, relating to desalination schemes are discussed. Results of operational and reliability studies of nuclear power stations, reverse osmosis and multistage flash distillation desalination plants are considered. Operational aspects of nuclear-multistage flash distillation, nuclear-reverse osmosis and nuclear-multistage flash distillation-reverse osmosis are compared. Concludes that the combined nuclear-multistage flash distillation-reverse osmosis plant arrangement permits very large production capacity, high availability, improvement of plant reliability and proovision of savings on the cost of water and power produced. 23 Ref

In vitro differentiation of renal stone composition using dual-source, dual-energy CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Changsheng; Zhang Longjiang; Xu Feng; Qi Li; Zhao Yan'e; Zheng Ling; Huang Wei; Liu Youhuang; Lu Guangming

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the ability of dual-source. dual-energy CT in differentiating uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones with infrared spectroscopy as reference standard. Materials and Methods: Urinary calculus from 308 patients were scanned in first generation dual-source CT with dual-energy mode between July 2011 and June 2012. Renal Stone application was used to analyze their composition. The uric acid stones color were coded red and non-uric acid stones were blue. CT values were measured in 60 selective urinary calculus including 30 uric acid stones and 30 non-uric acid stones. The accuracy of dual energy CT to differentiate uric acid and no-uric acid stones was calculated. Results: Of 308 patients, 60 patients had uric acid stones and 248 non-uric acid stones. No difference was found for uric acid stone at 80 kV and 140 kV (375.8±69.2 HU vs. 374.1±69.4 HU; t=-0.217, P=0.830), while CT values of non-uric acid stones were higher at 80 kV than those at 140 kV (1455.1±312.4 HU vs. 1039.6±194.4 HU; t=-12.16. P<0.001). CT values of non-uric acid stones at 80 kV, 140 kV, and average weighted images (1455.1±312.4 HU, 1 039.6±194.4 HU, and 882.0±176.4 HU, respectively) were higher than those of uric acid stones (375.8±69.2 HU, 374.1±69.4 HU, and 366.3±80.1 HU, respectively; P<0.001). With infrared spectrum findings as reference standard, the accuracy of dual energy CT in differentiating uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones was 100%. Conclusions: Dual-source, dual-energy CT can accurately differentiate uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones, and plays an important role in treatment planning of renal stones. (authors)

Imaging of gene expression in live pancreatic islet cell lines using dual-isotope SPECT.

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Joo Ho; Nguyen, Binh; Wells, R Glenn; Kovacs, Michael S; McGirr, Rebecca; Prato, Frank S; Morgan, Timothy G; Dhanvantari, Savita

2008-01-01

We are combining nuclear medicine with molecular biology to establish a sensitive, quantitative, and tomographic method with which to detect gene expression in pancreatic islet cells in vivo. Dual-isotope SPECT can be used to image multiple molecular events simultaneously, and coregistration of SPECT and CT images enables visualization of reporter gene expression in the correct anatomic context. We have engineered pancreatic islet cell lines for imaging with SPECT/CT after transplantation under the kidney capsule. INS-1 832/13 and alphaTC1-6 cells were stably transfected with a herpes simplex virus type 1-thymidine kinase-green fluorescent protein (HSV1-thymidine kinase-GFP) fusion construct (tkgfp). After clonal selection, radiolabel uptake was determined by incubation with 5-(131)I-iodo-1-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-d-arabinofuranosyl)uracil ((131)I-FIAU) (alphaTC1-6 cells) or (123)I-FIAU (INS-1 832/13 cells). For the first set of in vivo experiments, SPECT was conducted after alphaTC1-6/tkgfp cells had been labeled with either (131)I-FIAU or (111)In-tropolone and transplanted under the left kidney capsule of CD1 mice. Reconstructed SPECT images were coregistered to CT. In a second study using simultaneous acquisition dual-isotope SPECT, INS-1 832/13 clone 9 cells were labeled with (111)In-tropolone before transplantation. Mice were then systemically administered (123)I-FIAU and data for both (131)I and (111)In were acquired simultaneously. alphaTC1-6/tkgfp cells showed a 15-fold greater uptake of (131)I-FIAU, and INS-1/tkgfp cells showed a 12-fold greater uptake of (123)I-FIAU, compared with that of wild-type cells. After transplantation under the kidney capsule, both reporter gene expression and location of cells could be visualized in vivo with dual-isotope SPECT. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of glucagon- and insulin-positive cells at the site of transplantation. Dual-isotope SPECT is a promising method to detect gene expression in and location of

Dual coil ignition system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huberts, Garlan J.; Qu, Qiuping; Czekala, Michael Damian

2017-03-28

A dual coil ignition system is provided. The dual coil ignition system includes a first inductive ignition coil including a first primary winding and a first secondary winding, and a second inductive ignition coil including a second primary winding and a second secondary winding, the second secondary winding connected in series to the first secondary winding. The dual coil ignition system further includes a diode network including a first diode and a second diode connected between the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding.

Using Dual Fluorescence Reporting Genes to Establish an In Vivo Imaging Model of Orthotopic Lung Adenocarcinoma in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Cheng-Wei; Chen, Hsiao-Ling; Yen, Chih-Ching; Wang, Jiun-Long; Yang, Shang-Hsun; Chen, Chuan-Mu

2016-12-01

Lung adenocarcinoma is characterized by a poor prognosis and high mortality worldwide. In this study, we purposed to use the live imaging techniques and a reporter gene that generates highly penetrative near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence to establish a preclinical animal model that allows in vivo monitoring of lung cancer development and provides a non-invasive tool for the research on lung cancer pathogenesis and therapeutic efficacy. A human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549), which stably expressed the dual fluorescence reporting gene (pCAG-iRFP-2A-Venus), was used to generate subcutaneous or orthotopic lung cancer in nude mice. Cancer development was evaluated by live imaging via the NIR fluorescent signals from iRFP, and the signals were verified ex vivo by the green fluorescence of Venus from the gross lung. The tumor-bearing mice received miR-16 nucleic acid therapy by intranasal administration to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in this live imaging system. For the subcutaneous xenografts, the detection of iRFP fluorescent signals revealed delicate changes occurring during tumor growth that are not distinguishable by conventional methods of tumor measurement. For the orthotopic xenografts, the positive correlation between the in vivo iRFP signal from mice chests and the ex vivo green fluorescent signal from gross lung tumors and the results of the suppressed tumorigenesis by miR-16 treatment indicated that lung tumor size can be accurately quantified by the emission of NIR fluorescence. In addition, orthotopic lung tumor localization can be accurately visualized using iRFP fluorescence tomography in vivo, thus revealing the trafficking of lung tumor cells. We introduced a novel dual fluorescence lung cancer model that provides a non-invasive option for preclinical research via the use of NIR fluorescence in live imaging of lung.

A dual-view digital tomosynthesis imaging technique for improved chest imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Yuncheng; Lai, Chao-Jen; Wang, Tianpeng; Shaw, Chris C., E-mail: cshaw@mdanderson.org [Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054 (United States)

2015-09-15

Purpose: Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) has been shown to be useful for reducing the overlapping of abnormalities with anatomical structures at various depth levels along the posterior–anterior (PA) direction in chest radiography. However, DTS provides crude three-dimensional (3D) images that have poor resolution in the lateral view and can only be displayed with reasonable quality in the PA view. Furthermore, the spillover of high-contrast objects from off-fulcrum planes generates artifacts that may impede the diagnostic use of the DTS images. In this paper, the authors describe and demonstrate the use of a dual-view DTS technique to improve the accuracy of the reconstructed volume image data for more accurate rendition of the anatomy and slice images with improved resolution and reduced artifacts, thus allowing the 3D image data to be viewed in views other than the PA view. Methods: With the dual-view DTS technique, limited angle scans are performed and projection images are acquired in two orthogonal views: PA and lateral. The dual-view projection data are used together to reconstruct 3D images using the maximum likelihood expectation maximization iterative algorithm. In this study, projection images were simulated or experimentally acquired over 360° using the scanning geometry for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). While all projections were used to reconstruct CBCT images, selected projections were extracted and used to reconstruct single- and dual-view DTS images for comparison with the CBCT images. For realistic demonstration and comparison, a digital chest phantom derived from clinical CT images was used for the simulation study. An anthropomorphic chest phantom was imaged for the experimental study. The resultant dual-view DTS images were visually compared with the single-view DTS images and CBCT images for the presence of image artifacts and accuracy of CT numbers and anatomy and quantitatively compared with root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD) values

Dual field theories of quantum computation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanchurin, Vitaly

2016-01-01

Given two quantum states of N q-bits we are interested to find the shortest quantum circuit consisting of only one- and two- q-bit gates that would transfer one state into another. We call it the quantum maze problem for the reasons described in the paper. We argue that in a large N limit the quantum maze problem is equivalent to the problem of finding a semiclassical trajectory of some lattice field theory (the dual theory) on an N+1 dimensional space-time with geometrically flat, but topologically compact spatial slices. The spatial fundamental domain is an N dimensional hyper-rhombohedron, and the temporal direction describes transitions from an arbitrary initial state to an arbitrary target state and so the initial and final dual field theory conditions are described by these two quantum computational states. We first consider a complex Klein-Gordon field theory and argue that it can only be used to study the shortest quantum circuits which do not involve generators composed of tensor products of multiple Pauli Z matrices. Since such situation is not generic we call it the Z-problem. On the dual field theory side the Z-problem corresponds to massless excitations of the phase (Goldstone modes) that we attempt to fix using Higgs mechanism. The simplest dual theory which does not suffer from the massless excitation (or from the Z-problem) is the Abelian-Higgs model which we argue can be used for finding the shortest quantum circuits. Since every trajectory of the field theory is mapped directly to a quantum circuit, the shortest quantum circuits are identified with semiclassical trajectories. We also discuss the complexity of an actual algorithm that uses a dual theory prospective for solving the quantum maze problem and compare it with a geometric approach. We argue that it might be possible to solve the problem in sub-exponential time in 2 N , but for that we must consider the Klein-Gordon theory on curved spatial geometry and/or more complicated (than N

Reconfigurable dual-band metamaterial antenna based on liquid crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Che, Bang-Jun; Meng, Fan-Yi; Lyu, Yue-Long; Wu, Qun

2018-05-01

In this paper, a novel reconfigurable dual-band metamaterial antenna with a continuous beam that is electrically steered in backward to forward directions is first proposed by employing a liquid crystal (LC)-loaded tunable extended composite right-/left-handed (E-CRLH) transmission line (TL). The frequency-dependent property of the E-CRLH TL is analyzed and a compact unit cell based on the nematic LC is proposed to realize the tunable dual band characteristics. The phase constant of the proposed unit cell can be dynamically continuously tuned from negative to positive values in two operating bands by changing the bias voltage of the loaded LC material. A resulting dual band fixed-frequency beam steering property has been predicted by numerical simulations and experimentally verified. The measured results show that the fabricated reconfigurable antenna features an electrically controlled continuous beam steering from backward  ‑16° to forward  +13° at 7.2 GHz and backward  ‑9° to forward  +17° at 9.4 GHz, respectively. This electrically controlled beam steering range turns out to be competitive with the previously reported single band reconfigurable antennas. Besides, the measured and simulated results of the proposed reconfigurable dual-band metamaterial antenna are in good agreement.

Prevalence of Victimization in Patients With Dual Diagnosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Waal, Marleen Maria; Dekker, Jacobus Johannes Maria; Goudriaan, Anna Emma

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of victimization in patients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (dual diagnosis) and compare them to the general population. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey study conducted in the Netherlands, 9

Drilling of Copper Using a Dual-Pulse Femtosecond Laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Wei Cheng

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The drilling of copper using a dual-pulse femtosecond laser with wavelength of 800 nm, pulse duration of 120 fs and a variable pulse separation time (0.1–150 ps is investigated theoretically. A one-dimensional two-temperature model with temperature-dependent material properties is considered, including dynamic optical properties and the thermal-physical properties. Rapid phase change and phase explosion models are incorporated to simulate the material ablation process. Numerical results show that under the same total laser fluence of 4 J/cm2, a dual-pulse femtosecond laser with a pulse separation time of 30–150 ps can increase the ablation depth, compared to the single pulse. The optimum pulse separation time is 85 ps. It is also demonstrated that a dual pulse with a suitable pulse separation time for different laser fluences can enhance the ablation rate by about 1.6 times.

Performance Enhancement in L-Band Edfa Through Dual Stage Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. W. Harun and H. Ahmad

2012-10-01

Full Text Available An experiment on gain enhancement in the long wavelength band erbium doped fiber amplifier (L-band EDFA is demonstrated. It uses a dual stage technique with dual forward pumping scheme. Compared to a conventional single stage amplifier, the small signal gain for 1580nm signal can be improved by 5.5dB without paying much noise figure penalty. The corresponding noise figure penalty was 0.3dB due to the insertion loss of the optical isolator. The optimum pump power ratio for the first pump is experimentally determined to be 33%. The maximum gain improvement of 8.3dB was obtained at a signal wavelength of 1568nm while signal and total pump powers were fixed at -30dBm and 92mW, respectively. The employment of dual stage amplifier system seems to play an important role in the development of practical L-band EDFA from the perspective of economical usage of pump power.Key Words:  erbium doped fibre; optical amplifier; L-band EDFA; dual stage EDFA; amplified spontaneous emission

Macular Hole Surgery with Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling Facilitated by Membrane-Blue® versus Membrane-Blue-Dual®: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uri Soiberman

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This study aims to compare the outcome of macular hole (MH surgery with internal limiting membrane (ILM peeling facilitated by two different vital dyes. Methods. This was a retrospective chart review. The group designated “group-MB” underwent pars plana vitrectomy with ILM peeling facilitated by Membrane-Blue (MB, whereas in “group-MBD,” the vital dye used was Membrane-Blue-Dual (MBD. Results. Seventy-four eyes comprised the study population: 53 in group-MB and 21 in group-MBD. There was no difference in the rate of macular hole closure in group-MB or group-MBD: 71.2% closed MHs compared to 66.7%, respectively (p=0.7. Postoperative visual improvement was of a higher magnitude in the MBD group compared to the MB group: −0.34±0.81 logMAR versus 0.01±0.06 logMAR, respectively (p=0.003. Conclusions. In this study, MBD led to better visual results that may be related to better staining characteristics or lesser toxicity compared to MB.

A dual-wavelength tunable laser with superimposed fiber Bragg gratings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Álvarez-Tamayo, R I; Durán-Sánchez, M; Pottiez, O; Ibarra-Escamilla, B; Kuzin, E A; Cruz, J L; Andrés, M V

2013-01-01

We report a dual-wavelength tunable fiber laser. The cavity is formed by two superimposed fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and a temperature tunable high-birefringence fiber optical loop mirror (FOLM). FBGs with wavelengths of 1548.5 and 1538.5 nm were printed in the same section of a fiber using two different masks. The superimposed FBGs were placed on a mechanical mount that allows stretch or compression of the FBGs. As a result of the FBG strain both lines are shifted simultaneously. Dual-wavelength generation requires a fine adjustment of the cavity loss for both wavelengths. (paper)

Construction of a Dual-Fluorescence Reporter System to Monitor the Dynamic Progression of Pluripotent Cell Differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wu-Sheng; Chun, Ju-Lan; Do, Jeong-Tae; Kim, Dong-Hwan; Ahn, Jin-Seop; Kim, Min-Kyu; Hwang, In-Sul; Kwon, Dae-Jin; Hwang, Seong-Soo; Lee, Jeong-Woong

2016-01-01

Oct4 is a crucial germ line-specific transcription factor expressed in different pluripotent cells and downregulated in the process of differentiation. There are two conserved enhancers, called the distal enhancer (DE) and proximal enhancer (PE), in the 5' upstream regulatory sequences (URSs) of the mouse Oct4 gene, which were demonstrated to control Oct4 expression independently in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). We analyzed the URSs of the pig Oct4 and identified two similar enhancers that were highly consistent with the mouse DE and PE. A dual-fluorescence reporter was later constructed by combining a DE-free- Oct4 -promoter-driven EGFP reporter cassette with a PE-free- Oct4 -promoter-driven mCherry reporter cassette. Then, it was tested in a mouse ESC-like cell line (F9) and a mouse EpiSC-like cell line (P19) before it is formally used for pig. As a result, a higher red fluorescence was observed in F9 cells, while green fluorescence was primarily detected in P19 cells. This fluorescence expression pattern in the two cell lines was consistent with that in the early naïve pluripotent state and late primed pluripotent state during differentiation of mouse ESCs. Hence, this reporter system will be a convenient tool for screening out ESC-like naïve pluripotent stem cells from other metastable state cells in a heterogenous population.

Construction of a Dual-Fluorescence Reporter System to Monitor the Dynamic Progression of Pluripotent Cell Differentiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wu-Sheng Sun

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Oct4 is a crucial germ line-specific transcription factor expressed in different pluripotent cells and downregulated in the process of differentiation. There are two conserved enhancers, called the distal enhancer (DE and proximal enhancer (PE, in the 5′ upstream regulatory sequences (URSs of the mouse Oct4 gene, which were demonstrated to control Oct4 expression independently in embryonic stem cells (ESCs and epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs. We analyzed the URSs of the pig Oct4 and identified two similar enhancers that were highly consistent with the mouse DE and PE. A dual-fluorescence reporter was later constructed by combining a DE-free-Oct4-promoter-driven EGFP reporter cassette with a PE-free-Oct4-promoter-driven mCherry reporter cassette. Then, it was tested in a mouse ESC-like cell line (F9 and a mouse EpiSC-like cell line (P19 before it is formally used for pig. As a result, a higher red fluorescence was observed in F9 cells, while green fluorescence was primarily detected in P19 cells. This fluorescence expression pattern in the two cell lines was consistent with that in the early naïve pluripotent state and late primed pluripotent state during differentiation of mouse ESCs. Hence, this reporter system will be a convenient tool for screening out ESC-like naïve pluripotent stem cells from other metastable state cells in a heterogenous population.

The UK approach to desalination and nuclear power dual purpose operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pugh, O.

1974-01-01

Nuclear desalination is a particular example of dual purpose operation and the majority of desalting units installed around the world are operated in this way. A nuclear dual purpose concept has to be very large if present economic reactor designs are utilised. It is the size which has defeated the concept to date. Present fossil fired dual purpose installations are either in an economic situation (generally low fuel cost) where the inefficiencies introduced by operating away from the optimum water/power ratio are acceptable or, if optimised, the water and power blocks are small enough to allow introduction into the existing utility networks. As part of the United Kingdom, Water Resources Board (WRB) report 'Desalination 1972' the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and WRB identified nine coastal sites in the United Kingdom where nuclear power stations might be built during the next 15 years. The difficulties of dual purpose operation were recognised in the report, including additional water storage to cover the summer shutdown (turbine overhaul) period, modification of station design to facilitate the extraction of steam, etc. More seriously, as a given power station had higher fuelling costs relative to the newer station, the electrical utility might require compensation for continuing to operate it because of the associated desalting plant. Taking account of these factors and the replacement of the lost electricity production from other, maybe less efficient stations on the system

Onsite-effects of dual-hemisphere versus conventional single-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yong Hyun; Jang, Sung Ho

2012-01-01

We performed functional MRI examinations in six right-handed healthy subjects. During functional MRI scanning, transcranial direct current stimulation was delivered with the anode over the right primary sensorimotor cortex and the cathode over the left primary sensorimotor cortex using dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. This was compared to a cathode over the left supraorbital area using conventional single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. Voxel counts and blood oxygenation level-dependent signal intensities in the right primary sensorimotor cortex regions were estimated and compared between the two transcranial direct current stimulation conditions. Our results showed that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation induced greater cortical activities than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. These findings suggest that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation may provide more effective cortical stimulation than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. PMID:25624815

Development and Pilot Testing of the Dual Task Screen in Healthy Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephens, Jaclyn; Nicholson, Rachel; Slomine, Beth; Suskauer, Stacy

Athletes with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) should refrain from high-risk activities until recovered (symptom free and cognitive and physical exam findings normalize). Studies have suggested that this examination may not be sufficiently sensitive because dual-task paradigms, which typically assess motor performance while a person simultaneously completes a distractor task, can detect residual deficits in athletes who otherwise appear recovered from mTBI. Paradigms used to date are time-intensive procedures conducted in laboratory settings. Here, we report findings from a pilot study of the Dual Task Screen (DTS), which is a brief evaluation with two dual-task paradigms. In 32 healthy female adolescents, the DTS was administered in a mean of 5.63 min in the community, and every participant had poorer dual-condition performance on at least one of the motor tasks. The DTS is a clinically feasible measure and merits additional study regarding utility in adolescents with mTBIs. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

A dynamic dual process model of risky decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Diederich, Adele; Trueblood, Jennifer S

2018-03-01

Many phenomena in judgment and decision making are often attributed to the interaction of 2 systems of reasoning. Although these so-called dual process theories can explain many types of behavior, they are rarely formalized as mathematical or computational models. Rather, dual process models are typically verbal theories, which are difficult to conclusively evaluate or test. In the cases in which formal (i.e., mathematical) dual process models have been proposed, they have not been quantitatively fit to experimental data and are often silent when it comes to the timing of the 2 systems. In the current article, we present a dynamic dual process model framework of risky decision making that provides an account of the timing and interaction of the 2 systems and can explain both choice and response-time data. We outline several predictions of the model, including how changes in the timing of the 2 systems as well as time pressure can influence behavior. The framework also allows us to explore different assumptions about how preferences are constructed by the 2 systems as well as the dynamic interaction of the 2 systems. In particular, we examine 3 different possible functional forms of the 2 systems and 2 possible ways the systems can interact (simultaneously or serially). We compare these dual process models with 2 single process models using risky decision making data from Guo, Trueblood, and Diederich (2017). Using this data, we find that 1 of the dual process models significantly outperforms the other models in accounting for both choices and response times. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations Between Medicare Part D and Out-of-Pocket Spending, HIV Viral Load, Adherence, and ADAP Use in Dual Eligibles With HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Belenky, Nadya; Pence, Brian W; Cole, Stephen R; Dusetzina, Stacie B; Edmonds, Andrew; Oberlander, Jonathan; Plankey, Michael W; Adedimeji, Adebola; Wilson, Tracey E; Cohen, Jennifer; Cohen, Mardge H; Milam, Joel E; Golub, Elizabeth T; Adimora, Adaora A

2018-01-01

The implementation of Medicare part D on January 1, 2006 required all adults who were dually enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare (dual eligibles) to transition prescription drug coverage from Medicaid to Medicare part D. Changes in payment systems and utilization management along with the loss of Medicaid protections had the potential to disrupt medication access, with uncertain consequences for dual eligibles with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who rely on consistent prescription coverage to suppress their HIV viral load (VL). To estimate the effect of Medicare part D on self-reported out-of-pocket prescription drug spending, AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) use, antiretroviral adherence, and HIV VL suppression among dual eligibles with HIV. Using 2003-2008 data from the Women's Interagency HIV Study, we created a propensity score-matched cohort and used a difference-in-differences approach to compare dual eligibles' outcomes pre-Medicare and post-Medicare part D to those enrolled in Medicaid alone. Transition to Medicare part D was associated with a sharp increase in the proportion of dual eligibles with self-reported out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, followed by an increase in ADAP use. Despite the increase in out-of-pocket costs, both adherence and HIV VL suppression remained stable. Medicare part D was associated with increased out-of-pocket spending, although the increased spending did not seem to compromise antiretroviral therapy adherence or HIV VL suppression. It is possible that increased ADAP use mitigated the increase in out-of-pocket spending, suggesting successful coordination between Medicare part D and ADAP as well as the vital role of ADAP during insurance transitions.

Dynamic dual-tracer PET reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Fei; Liu, Huafeng; Jian, Yiqiang; Shi, Pengcheng

2009-01-01

Although of important medical implications, simultaneous dual-tracer positron emission tomography reconstruction remains a challenging problem, primarily because the photon measurements from dual tracers are overlapped. In this paper, we propose a simultaneous dynamic dual-tracer reconstruction of tissue activity maps based on guidance from tracer kinetics. The dual-tracer reconstruction problem is formulated in a state-space representation, where parallel compartment models serve as continuous-time system equation describing the tracer kinetic processes of dual tracers, and the imaging data is expressed as discrete sampling of the system states in measurement equation. The image reconstruction problem has therefore become a state estimation problem in a continuous-discrete hybrid paradigm, and H infinity filtering is adopted as the estimation strategy. As H infinity filtering makes no assumptions on the system and measurement statistics, robust reconstruction results can be obtained for the dual-tracer PET imaging system where the statistical properties of measurement data and system uncertainty are not available a priori, even when there are disturbances in the kinetic parameters. Experimental results on digital phantoms, Monte Carlo simulations and physical phantoms have demonstrated the superior performance.

Dual leadership in a hospital practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thude, Bettina Ravnborg; Thomsen, Svend Erik; Stenager, Egon

2017-01-01

, this study aims to analyse three different dual leadership pairs at a Danish hospital. Furthermore, this study develops a tool to characterize dual leadership teams from each other. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Six leaders were interviewed...... to clarify how dual leadership works in a hospital context. All interviews were transcribed and coded. During coding, focus was on the nine principles found in the literature and another principle was found by looking at the themes that were generic for all six interviews. Findings Results indicate......Purpose Despite the practice of dual leadership in many organizations, there is relatively little research on the topic. Dual leadership means two leaders share the leadership task and are held jointly accountable for the results of the unit. To better understand how dual leadership works...

Cognitive and motor dual task gait training improve dual task gait performance after stroke - A randomized controlled pilot trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yan-Ci; Yang, Yea-Ru; Tsai, Yun-An; Wang, Ray-Yau

2017-06-22

This study investigated effects of cognitive and motor dual task gait training on dual task gait performance in stroke. Participants (n = 28) were randomly assigned to cognitive dual task gait training (CDTT), motor dual task gait training (MDTT), or conventional physical therapy (CPT) group. Participants in CDTT or MDTT group practiced the cognitive or motor tasks respectively during walking. Participants in CPT group received strengthening, balance, and gait training. The intervention was 30 min/session, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. Three test conditions to evaluate the training effects were single walking, walking while performing cognitive task (serial subtraction), and walking while performing motor task (tray-carrying). Parameters included gait speed, dual task cost of gait speed (DTC-speed), cadence, stride time, and stride length. After CDTT, cognitive-motor dual task gait performance (stride length and DTC-speed) was improved (p = 0.021; p = 0.015). After MDTT, motor dual task gait performance (gait speed, stride length, and DTC-speed) was improved (p = 0.008; p = 0.008; p = 0.008 respectively). It seems that CDTT improved cognitive dual task gait performance and MDTT improved motor dual task gait performance although such improvements did not reach significant group difference. Therefore, different types of dual task gait training can be adopted to enhance different dual task gait performance in stroke.

Accuracy of iodine quantification using dual energy CT in latest generation dual source and dual layer CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelgrim, Gert Jan; van Hamersvelt, Robbert W; Willemink, Martin J; Schmidt, Bernhard T; Flohr, Thomas; Schilham, Arnold; Milles, Julien; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Leiner, Tim; Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn

2017-09-01

To determine the accuracy of iodine quantification with dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in two high-end CT systems with different spectral imaging techniques. Five tubes with different iodine concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/ml) were analysed in an anthropomorphic thoracic phantom. Adding two phantom rings simulated increased patient size. For third-generation dual source CT (DSCT), tube voltage combinations of 150Sn and 70, 80, 90, 100 kVp were analysed. For dual layer CT (DLCT), 120 and 140 kVp were used. Scans were repeated three times. Median normalized values and interquartile ranges (IQRs) were calculated for all kVp settings and phantom sizes. Correlation between measured and known iodine concentrations was excellent for both systems (R = 0.999-1.000, p < 0.0001). For DSCT, median measurement errors ranged from -0.5% (IQR -2.0, 2.0%) at 150Sn/70 kVp and -2.3% (IQR -4.0, -0.1%) at 150Sn/80 kVp to -4.0% (IQR -6.0, -2.8%) at 150Sn/90 kVp. For DLCT, median measurement errors ranged from -3.3% (IQR -4.9, -1.5%) at 140 kVp to -4.6% (IQR -6.0, -3.6%) at 120 kVp. Larger phantom sizes increased variability of iodine measurements (p < 0.05). Iodine concentration can be accurately quantified with state-of-the-art DECT systems from two vendors. The lowest absolute errors were found for DSCT using the 150Sn/70 kVp or 150Sn/80 kVp combinations, which was slightly more accurate than 140 kVp in DLCT. • High-end CT scanners allow accurate iodine quantification using different DECT techniques. • Lowest measurement error was found in scans with largest photon energy separation. • Dual-source CT quantified iodine slightly more accurately than dual layer CT.

Fabrication of scalable tissue engineering scaffolds with dual-pore microarchitecture by combining 3D printing and particle leaching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohanty, Soumyaranjan; Sanger, Kuldeep; Heiskanen, Arto [DTU Nanotech, Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Trifol, Jon; Szabo, Peter [Danish Polymer Centre, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Søltofts Plads, Building 229, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Dufva, Marin; Emnéus, Jenny [DTU Nanotech, Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Wolff, Anders, E-mail: anders.wolff@nanotech.dtu.dk [DTU Nanotech, Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)

2016-04-01

Limitations in controlling scaffold architecture using traditional fabrication techniques are a problem when constructing engineered tissues/organs. Recently, integration of two pore architectures to generate dual-pore scaffolds with tailored physical properties has attracted wide attention in tissue engineering community. Such scaffolds features primary structured pores which can efficiently enhance nutrient/oxygen supply to the surrounding, in combination with secondary random pores, which give high surface area for cell adhesion and proliferation. Here, we present a new technique to fabricate dual-pore scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications where 3D printing of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mould is combined with salt leaching process. In this technique the sacrificial PVA mould, determining the structured pore architecture, was filled with salt crystals to define the random pore regions of the scaffold. After crosslinking the casted polymer the combined PVA-salt mould was dissolved in water. The technique has advantages over previously reported ones, such as automated assembly of the sacrificial mould, and precise control over pore architecture/dimensions by 3D printing parameters. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane and biodegradable poly(ϵ-caprolactone) were used for fabrication. However, we show that this technique is also suitable for other biocompatible/biodegradable polymers. Various physical and mechanical properties of the dual-pore scaffolds were compared with control scaffolds with either only structured or only random pores, fabricated using previously reported methods. The fabricated dual-pore scaffolds supported high cell density, due to the random pores, in combination with uniform cell distribution throughout the scaffold, and higher cell proliferation and viability due to efficient nutrient/oxygen transport through the structured pores. In conclusion, the described fabrication technique is rapid, inexpensive, scalable, and compatible

Fabrication of scalable tissue engineering scaffolds with dual-pore microarchitecture by combining 3D printing and particle leaching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanty, Soumyaranjan; Sanger, Kuldeep; Heiskanen, Arto; Trifol, Jon; Szabo, Peter; Dufva, Marin; Emnéus, Jenny; Wolff, Anders

2016-01-01

Limitations in controlling scaffold architecture using traditional fabrication techniques are a problem when constructing engineered tissues/organs. Recently, integration of two pore architectures to generate dual-pore scaffolds with tailored physical properties has attracted wide attention in tissue engineering community. Such scaffolds features primary structured pores which can efficiently enhance nutrient/oxygen supply to the surrounding, in combination with secondary random pores, which give high surface area for cell adhesion and proliferation. Here, we present a new technique to fabricate dual-pore scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications where 3D printing of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mould is combined with salt leaching process. In this technique the sacrificial PVA mould, determining the structured pore architecture, was filled with salt crystals to define the random pore regions of the scaffold. After crosslinking the casted polymer the combined PVA-salt mould was dissolved in water. The technique has advantages over previously reported ones, such as automated assembly of the sacrificial mould, and precise control over pore architecture/dimensions by 3D printing parameters. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane and biodegradable poly(ϵ-caprolactone) were used for fabrication. However, we show that this technique is also suitable for other biocompatible/biodegradable polymers. Various physical and mechanical properties of the dual-pore scaffolds were compared with control scaffolds with either only structured or only random pores, fabricated using previously reported methods. The fabricated dual-pore scaffolds supported high cell density, due to the random pores, in combination with uniform cell distribution throughout the scaffold, and higher cell proliferation and viability due to efficient nutrient/oxygen transport through the structured pores. In conclusion, the described fabrication technique is rapid, inexpensive, scalable, and compatible

Novel radiosynthesis of PET HSV-tk gene reporter probes [18F]FHPG and [18F]FHBG employing dual Sep-Pak SPE techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ji-Quan; Zheng, Qi-Huang; Fei, Xiangshu; Mock, Bruce H; Hutchins, Gary D

2003-11-17

Positron emission tomography (PET) herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene reporter probes 9-[(3-[(18)F]fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine ([(18)F]FHPG) and 9-(4-[(18)F]fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)guanine ([(18)F]FHBG) were prepared by nucleophilic substitution of the appropriate tosylated precursors with [(18)F]KF/Kryptofix 2.2.2 followed by a quick deprotection reaction and purification with a simplified dual Silica Sep-Pak solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 15-30% radiochemical yield.

Feasibility of dual-energy computed tomography in radiation therapy planning

Science.gov (United States)

Sheen, Heesoon; Shin, Han-Back; Cho, Sungkoo; Cho, Junsang; Han, Youngyih

2017-12-01

In this study, the noise level, effective atomic number ( Z eff), accuracy of the computed tomography (CT) number, and the CT number to the relative electron density EDconversion curve were estimated for virtual monochromatic energy and polychromatic energy. These values were compared to the theoretically predicted values to investigate the feasibility of the use of dual-energy CT in routine radiation therapy planning. The accuracies of the parameters were within the range of acceptability. These results can serve as a stepping stone toward the routine use of dual-energy CT in radiotherapy planning.

Dual of QCD with One Adjoint Fermion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mojaza, Matin; Nardecchia, Marco; Pica, Claudio

2011-01-01

We construct the magnetic dual of QCD with one adjoint Weyl fermion. The dual is a consistent solution of the 't Hooft anomaly matching conditions, allows for flavor decoupling and remarkably constitutes the first nonsupersymmetric dual valid for any number of colors. The dual allows to bound...

Evaluation of the performance of a dual fuel engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, Toshiharu [The Japan Gas Association, Tokyo (Japan). NGV Project Dept.; Daisho, Yasuhiro; Saito, Takeshi [Waseda Univ., Tokyo (Japan)

1998-12-31

Dual fuel operation, in which natural gas is mixed with the diesel engine intake air and ignition is by diesel fuel spray, has the advantage that engine conversion is simple. Under high load it has the same high efficiency as a diesel engine and it can be switched to normal diesel operation for long distance running. Also, NO{sub x} and black smoke emissions can also be reduced. However, the disadvantages are to increase HC and CO emissions, to reduce efficiency under low load, and to emit the large amount of NO{sub x} under high load. Waseda University was commissioned by Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. to conduct research program involving experimentation ragarding a dual fuel engine. It was then discovered that the most effective means of solving the problems mentioned above is Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and that the effect can be increased by heating the intake air. An old engine before the current emission standard was converted to dual fuel operation. It was found that these measures enables NO{sub x}, black smoke and CO{sub 2} to be reduced while high thermal efficiency was maintained. They did not reach the point of satisfying latest Japanese emission standard. But it seemed that good results would have been obtained, if a base engine with good emissions had been converted for dual fuel operation. The results of assessing the performance of the dual fuel engine at this time are reported here, centered on the effect of EGR and intake heating. (orig.)

Effects of cross talk on dual energy SPECT imaging between 123I-BMIPP and 201Tl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Masato; Narita, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Juro; Fukutake, Naoshige; Ohyanagi, Mitsumasa; Iwasaki, Tadaaki; Fukuchi, Minoru

1994-01-01

The study was undertaken to determine how much cross talk influences the visual assessment of dual energy single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) images with iodine 123 beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (I-123 BMIPP) and thallium-201 in 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction. After single SPECT with I-123 BMIPP was undertaken, simultaneous dual SPECT with I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 were undertaken in all patients. Three patients also underwent single SPECT with Tl-201. I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 uptake was graded in four-score for the comparison between single and dual SPECT images. There was good correlation between dual energy SPECT and both single I-123 BMIPP SPECT (pS=0.97) and single Tl-201 SPECT (pS=0.59). Uptake scores were increased on dual energy SPECT, compared with single I-123 SPECT (8 out of 132 segments) and single Tl-201 SPECT (12 out of 36 segments). Overall, there was a comparatively well correlation between single SEPCT with either I-123 BMIPP or Tl-201 and dual energy SPECT images. However, one tracer uptake sometimes increased in the other tracer defect areas. This was noticeable when I-123 BMIPP exerted an effect on Tl-201. (N.K.)

Brain activations during bimodal dual tasks depend on the nature and combination of component tasks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma eSalo

2015-02-01

Full Text Available We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain activations during nine different dual tasks in which the participants were required to simultaneously attend to concurrent streams of spoken syllables and written letters. They performed a phonological, spatial or simple (speaker-gender or font-shade discrimination task within each modality. We expected to find activations associated specifically with dual tasking especially in the frontal and parietal cortices. However, no brain areas showed systematic dual task enhancements common for all dual tasks. Further analysis revealed that dual tasks including component tasks that were according to Baddeley’s model modality atypical, that is, the auditory spatial task or the visual phonological task, were not associated with enhanced frontal activity. In contrast, for other dual tasks, activity specifically associated with dual tasking was found in the left or bilateral frontal cortices. Enhanced activation in parietal areas, however, appeared not to be specifically associated with dual tasking per se, but rather with intermodal attention switching. We also expected effects of dual tasking in left frontal supramodal phonological processing areas when both component tasks required phonological processing and in right parietal supramodal spatial processing areas when both tasks required spatial processing. However, no such effects were found during these dual tasks compared with their component tasks performed separately. Taken together, the current results indicate that activations during dual tasks depend in a complex manner on specific demands of component tasks.

Examining Policy Guidelines for Distance Education in Dual Mode ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study reports a case of distance education policy in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), a dual mode University in Ghana. The interview method was used to obtain information from 21 purposively selected key informants in the University. Policy documents that addressed Distance ...

Dual task interference on postural sway, postural transitions and gait in people with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Fortaleza, Ana Claudia; Mancini, Martina; Carlson-Kuhta, Patty; King, Laurie A; Nutt, John G; Chagas, Eliane Ferrari; Freitas, Ismael Forte; Horak, Fay B

2017-07-01

Freezing of gait (FoG) is associated with less automatic gait and more impaired cognition, balance and postural transitions compared to people with PD who do not have FoG. However, it is unknown whether dual-task cost during postural sway, postural transitions (such as gait initiation and turning), and gait are more in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have freezing of gait (FoG+) compared to those who do not have FoG (FoG-). Here, we hypothesized that the effects of a cognitive dual task on postural sway, postural transitions and gait would be larger in FoG+ than FoG-. Thirty FoG- and 24 FoG+ performed an Instrumented Stand and Walk test in OFF medication state, with and without a secondary cognitive task (serial subtraction by 3s). Measures of postural sway, gait initiation, turning, and walking were extracted using body-worn inertial sensors. FoG+ showed significantly larger dual task cost than FoG- for several gait metrics, but not during postural sway or postural transitions. During walking, FoG+ exhibited a larger dual task cost than FoG- resulting in shorter stride length and slower stride velocity. During standing, FoG+ showed a larger postural sway compared to FoG- and during gait initiation, FoG+, but not FoG-, showed a longer first step duration during the dual-task condition compared to single-task condition (interaction effect, p=0.04). During turning, both groups showed a slower turn peak speed in the dual-task condition compared to single task condition. These findings partly support our hypothesis that dual task cost on walking is greater in FoG+ than FoG-. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dual curvature acoustically damped concentrating collector. Semiannual technical progress report, June 1-December 1, 1978

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-12-01

The project's first objective is to establish, analytically, the cost and performance of design choices within the boundaries of the basic proposed concept. With these cost and performance measures as a guide, the second project objective is to design a cost-effective Dual Curvature collector module and collector field array. The third objective is to establish technical and economic concept feasibility through prototype fabrication and test. The final objective is to define the Dual Curvature collector commercialization requirements. The Dual Curvature collector uses a unique reflector module consisting of a reflective film that is tensioned on a reflector support frame. The tensioned membrane (film) surface approximates a hyperbolic paraboloid that is capable of linear focusing when the surface tracks the sun's apparent motion in one axis. The reflective film can be backed by polystyrene foam with an air space between the film and the foam surfaces. This provides damping of the reflector surface to minimize the effect of wind gusts and physical impacts. The baseline collector is intended to operate at a concentration of ten (10) or greater with a nominal absorber temperature of 150/sup 0/C (300/sup 0/F). The Component Research and Analysis tasks which lead to the selection of a baseline collector configuration are discussed. Also, some preliminary results of the Collector Module Design task are presented.

Dual antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Soriano, Vicente; Fernandez-Montero, Jose Vicente; Benitez-Gutierrez, Laura; Mendoza, Carmen de; Arias, Ana; Barreiro, Pablo; Peña, José M; Labarga, Pablo

2017-08-01

For two decades, triple combinations of antiretrovirals have been the standard treatment for HIV infection. The challenges of such lifelong therapy include long-term side effects, high costs and reduced drug adherence. The recent advent of more potent and safer antiretrovirals has renewed the interest for simpler HIV regimens. Areas covered: We discuss the pros and cons of dual antiretroviral therapies in both drug-naïve and in treatment-experienced patients with viral suppression (switch strategy). Expert opinion: Some dual antiretroviral regimens are safe and efficacious, particularly as maintenance therapy. At this time, combinations of dolutegravir plus rilpivirine represent the best dual regimen. Longer follow-up and larger study populations are needed before supporting dolutegravir plus lamivudine. In contrast, dual therapy based on maraviroc is less effective. Although dual regimens with boosted protease inhibitors plus either lamivudine or raltegravir may be effective, they are penalized by metabolic side effects and risk for drug interactions. The newest dual regimens could save money, reduce toxicity and spare drug options for the future. For the first time in HIV therapeutics, less can be more. Dual therapy switching has set up a new paradigm in HIV treatment that uses induction-maintenance.

COMPARING EXPERIENCES IN REPORTING INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL IN UNIVERSITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvestri Antonella

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the intellectual capital (IC report in universities, a relevant theme actually for the growing interest in applying an IC approach in managing universities. The paper compares the experiences in reporting IC of two different university institutions, the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM and the Austrian Universities, to highlight pros and cons of the two different IC models employed. In order to compare these two experiences, firstly we analyzed, through a literature review, the state-of-the-art in measuring and reporting IC, then we focus on the IC measurement models used as framework by the two institution, finally we turned our attention to the IC reports issued by the two universities. Both experiences presented refer to advanced IC measurement models, but both suffer of some limits in applying the models in practice. Like all measurement and management systems that deal with knowledge-based processes, Austrian and UAM's IC reports face the methodological problems of measuring non-physical processes and outputs. In detail, Austrian IC reports lack of qualitative indicators, UAM's IC report lacks of efficiency-related and activities-related indicators.The main research limit is that the theoretical comparison has been carried out on two experiences, due to the lack of awareness of IC relevance in managing universities. The establishment of an ad hoc IC measurement model for universities could have both internal and external benefits. As regards the policy implications, Government, ranking universities by their IC, can get information about their strengths and weaknesses and using it to reallocate resources. This study contributes to broaden the research community'aas understanding about a relevant management (internal and communication (external universities tool, the IC report, through the examination of two real life European universities experiences in disclosing intangibles. To the best of our knowledge, this is

[Neurosurgery in a patient on dual antiplatelet therapy. Case report and the review of the literature].

Science.gov (United States)

Lubnin, A Yu; Karnaukhov, V V; Moshkin, A V; Rylova, A V; Shimansky, V N

A neurosurgical intervention in a patient on dual antiplatelet therapy is a serious challenge for both the neurosurgeon and anesthesiologist.. The article describes a clinical case of a successful urgent neurosurgical intervention (ventriculoperitoneostomy for obstructive hydrocephalus caused by a large meningioma of the posterior surface of the petrous pyramid) in a patient on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) due to a recently placed coronary stent.. Given a high risk of coronary stent thrombosis, the surgery was performed in the presence of ongoing DAT. There were no intracranial hemorrhagic complications, but subcutaneous hemorrhagic complications developed. The article discusses the features of managing similar patients whose number is growing.

Dual Enrollment Academy Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Nicolas; Chavez, Guadalupe

2009-01-01

Dual Enrollment Engineering (DEEA) and Medical Science (DEMSA) Academies are two-year dual enrollment programs for high school students. Students explore engineering and medical careers through college coursework. Students prepare for higher education in engineering and medical fields while completing associate degrees in biology or engineering…

A Dual Egalitarian Solution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klijn, F.; Slikker, M.; Tijs, S.H.

2000-01-01

In this note we introduce an egalitarian solution, called the dual egalitarian solution, that is the natural counterpart of the egalitarian solution of Dutta and Ray (1989).We prove, among others, that for a convex game the egalitarian solution coincides with the dual egalitarian solution for its

Effects of dual renin-angiotensin system blockade on proteinuria in a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kidney diseases manifesting as proteinuria or elevated creatinine are increasingly prevalent complications of HIV infection. We report the effects of dual renin-angiotensin system blockade on proteinuria in a hypertensive black African HIV-infected patient.

Dual QCD: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, M.; Ball, J.S.; Zachariasen, F.

1991-01-01

We review the attempts to use dual (electric) vector potentials rather than the standard magnetic vector potentials to describe QCD, particularly in the infrared regime. The use of dual potentials is motivated by the fact that in classical electrodynamics, in a medium with a dielectric constant vanishing at small momenta (as is believed to be the case in QCD), electric potentials provide a far more convenient language than do magnetic potentials. To begin with, we outline attempts to construct the QCD Lagrangian in terms of dual potentials and describe the various possibilities, their shortcomings and advantages, which so far exist. We then proceed to use the most attractive (albeit consistent as a field theory only at the tree level) of these Lagrangians in a number of applications. We show that it describes a non-Abelian dual superconductor (so that it automatically confines color), derive the static quark-antiquark potential, and various temperature dependent effects, such as deconfinement and chiral symmetry breaking. (orig.)

Dual energy computer tomography. Objectve dosimetry, image quality and dose efficiency; Dual Energy Computertomographie. Objektive Dosimetrie, Bildqualitaet und Dosiseffizienz

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schenzle, Jan Christian

2012-05-24

The aim of the present studies was an objective reflection of newly developed methods of modern imaging techniques concerning radiation exposure to the human body. Dual Source computed tomography has opened up a broad variety of new diagnostic possibilities. Using two X-ray sources with an angular offset of about 90 in a single gantry, images with a high spatiotemporal resolution can be achieved, for example in patients suffering acute chest pain. The Dual Energy Mode is based on the acquisition of two data sets with two different X-ray spectra which make it possible to identify certain substances with different spectral properties like bone, iodine or other organic material. [6-17] There is no doubt that this technical innovation will make an essential contribution to clinical diagnostics, but it remained to be proven that there is no additional dose. An anthropomorphic Phantom and thermoluminiscent detectors were used to objectively quantify the radiation dose resulting from the different examination protocols. For Dual Energy CT examinations, it was possible to verify dose neutrality in combination with comparable image quality and even improved contrast to noise ratio. Nowadays, this protocol is used in clinical routine examinations, e.g. for the evaluation of pulmonary embolism. A milestone in dose reduction was reached with modern triple rule out protocols. Causes of acute chest pain such as heart attack, pulmonary embolism or aortic rupture can be differentiated in a single examination with a high precision and a fractional amount of dose compared to conventional methods.

Raising distillate selectivity and catalyst life time in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis by using a novel dual-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavasoli, A.; Sadaghiani, K.; Khodadadi, A. A.; Mortazavi, Y.

2007-01-01

In a novel dual bed reactor Fischer-Tropsch synthesis was studied by using two diff rent cobalt catalysts. An alkali-promoted cobalt catalyst was used in the first bed of a fixed-bed reactor followed by a Raiment promoted cobalt catalyst in the second bed. The activity, product selectivity and accelerated deactivation of the system were assessed and compared with a conventional single bed reactor system. The methane selectivity in the dual-bed reactor was about 18.9% less compared to that of the single-bed reactor. The C 5+ selectivity for the dual-bed reactor was 10.9% higher than that of the single-bed reactor. Accelerated deactivation of the catalysts in the dual-bed reactor was 42% lower than that of the single-bed reactor. It was revealed that the amount of catalysts activity recovery after regeneration at 400 d eg C in the dual-bed system is higher than that of the single-bed system

Dual fuel mode operation in diesel engines using renewable fuels: Rubber seed oil and coir-pith producer gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramadhas, A.S.; Jayaraj, S.; Muraleedharan, C. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut-673601 (India)

2008-09-15

Partial combustion of biomass in the gasifier generates producer gas that can be used as supplementary or sole fuel for internal combustion engines. Dual fuel mode operation using coir-pith derived producer gas and rubber seed oil as pilot fuel was analyzed for various producer gas-air flow ratios and at different load conditions. The engine is experimentally optimized with respect to maximum pilot fuel savings in the dual fuel mode operation. The performance and emission characteristics of the dual fuel engine are compared with that of diesel engine at different load conditions. Specific energy consumption in the dual-fuel mode of operation with oil-coir-pith operation is found to be in the higher side at all load conditions. Exhaust emission was found to be higher in the case of dual fuel mode of operation as compared to neat diesel/oil operation. Engine performance characteristics are inferior in fully renewable fueled engine operation but it suitable for stationary engine application, particularly power generation. (author)

Research on the speed of light transmission in a dual-frequency laser pumped single fiber with two directions

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Wei; Liu, Jianjun; Wang, Yuda; Yang, Yujing; Gao, Yuan; Lv, Pin; Jiang, Qiuli

2018-01-01

In this article a general theory of the coherent population oscillation effect in an erbium-doped fiber at room temperature is presented. We use dual pumping light waves with a simplified two-level system. Thus the time delay equations can be calculated from rate equations and the transmission equation. Using numerical simulation, in the case of dual-frequency pump light waves (1480 nm and 980 nm) with two directions, we analyze the influence of the pump power ratio on the group speed of light propagation. In addition, we compare slow light propagation with a single-pumping light and slow light propagation with a dual-pumping light at room temperature. The discussion shows that a larger time delay of slow light propagation can be obtained with a dual-frequency pumping laser. Compared to previous research methods, a dual-frequency laser pumped fiber with two directions is more controllable. Moreover, we conclude that the group velocity of light can be varied by changing the pump ratio.

Single-step laser deposition of functionally graded coating by dual ‘wire powder’ or ‘powder powder’ feeding—A comparative study

Science.gov (United States)

Syed, Waheed Ul Haq; Pinkerton, Andrew J.; Liu, Zhu; Li, Lin

2007-07-01

The creation of iron-copper (Fe-Cu) alloys has practical application in improving the surface heat conduction and corrosion resistance of, for example, conformal cooling channels in steel moulds, but is difficult to achieve because the elements have got low inter-solubility and are prone to solidification cracking. Previous work by these authors has reported a method to produce a graded iron-nickel-copper coating in a single-step by direct diode laser deposition (DLD) of nickel wire and copper powder as a combined feedstock. This work investigates whether dual powder feeds can be used in that process to afford greater geometric flexibility and compares attributes of the 'nickel wire and copper powder' and 'nickel powder and copper powder' processes for deposition on a H13 tool steel substrate. In wire-powder deposition, a higher temperature developed in the melt pool causing a clad with a smooth gradient structure. The nickel powder in powder-powder deposition did not impart much heat into the melt pool so the melt pool solidified with sharp composition boundaries due to single metal melting in some parts. In wire-powder experiments, a graded structure was obtained by varying the flow rates of wire and powder. However, a graded structure was not realised in powder-powder experiments by varying either the feed or the directions. Reasons for the differences and flow patterns in the melt pools and their effect on final part properties of parts produced are discussed.

Pattern and predictors of dual antiplatelet use after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Makoto; Shioda, Kayoko; Yun, James J; Mangi, Abeel A; Darr, Umer; Geirsson, Arnar

2018-02-01

Resumption of dual antiplatelet therapy after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome is recommended, but the current practice pattern in the United States remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the current pattern of dual antiplatelet therapy use after coronary artery bypass grafting at the Yale-New Haven Hospital. We conducted a single-center retrospective review of patients who presented with acute coronary syndrome and underwent coronary artery bypass grafting between 2014 and 2016. The primary outcome was hospital discharge with dual antiplatelet therapy. Mixed-effect multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of dual antiplatelet therapy use or nonuse, accounting for surgeon-specific preference. The discriminatory ability of the model was evaluated with receiver operating characteristics analysis. Of 572 patients included, only 29% were discharged with dual antiplatelet therapy. In the mixed-effect multivariate model isolating surgeon preferences, increase in age (odds ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.92-0.98; P dual antiplatelet therapy use. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting compared with on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting was associated with increased odds of dual antiplatelet therapy use (odds ratio, 31.5; 95% confidence interval, 12.8-77.2; P dual antiplatelet therapy use in patients with acute coronary syndrome who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting was low and variable among surgeons. The use or nonuse was guided by previously established risk factors of recurrent ischemia and bleeding, along with surgeon preference. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Dual-tDCS Enhances Online Motor Skill Learning and Long-Term Retention in Chronic Stroke Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Lefebvre, S.; Laloux, P.; Peeters, A.; Desfontaines, P.; Jamart, J.; Vandermeeren, Y.

2013-01-01

Background: Since motor learning is a key component for stroke recovery, enhancing motor skill learning is a crucial challenge for neurorehabilitation. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising approach for improving motor learning. The aim of this trial was to test the hypothesis that dual-tDCS applied bilaterally over the primary motor cortices (M1) improves online motor skill learning with the paretic hand and its long-term retention. Methods: Eighteen chronic stroke patients participated in a randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled, double bind trial. During separate sessions, dual-tDCS or sham dual-tDCS was applied over 30 min while stroke patients learned a complex visuomotor skill with the paretic hand: using a computer mouse to move a pointer along a complex circuit as quickly and accurately as possible. A learning index involving the evolution of the speed/accuracy trade-off was calculated. Performance of the motor skill was measured at baseline, after intervention and 1 week later. Results: After sham dual-tDCS, eight patients showed performance worsening. In contrast, dual-tDCS enhanced the amount and speed of online motor skill learning compared to sham (p dual-tDCS (n = 10) than after sham (n = 3). More importantly, 1 week later, online enhancement under dual-tDCS had translated into superior long-term retention (+44%) compared to sham (+4%). The improvement generalized to a new untrained circuit and to digital dexterity. Conclusion: A single-session of dual-tDCS, applied while stroke patients trained with the paretic hand significantly enhanced online motor skill learning both quantitatively and qualitatively, leading to successful long-term retention and generalization. The combination of motor skill learning and dual-tDCS is promising for improving post-stroke neurorehabilitation. PMID:23316151

Design of an ultra-thin dual band infrared system

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Ke; Cheng, Xuemin; Lv, Qichao; Hu, YiFei

2014-11-01

The ultra-thin imaging system using reflective multiple-fold structure has smaller volume and less weight while maintaining high resolution compared with conventional optical systems. The multi-folded approach can significantly extend focal distance within wide spectral range without incurring chromatic aberrations. In this paper, we present a dual infrared imaging system of four-folded reflection with two air-spaced concentric reflective surfaces. The dual brand IR system has 107mm effective focal length, 0.7NA, +/-4° FOV, and 50mm effective aperture with 80mm outer diameter into a 25mm total thickness, which spectral response is 3~12μm.

Dual energy CTA of the supraaortic arteries: Technical improvements with a novel dual source CT system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lell, Michael M., E-mail: Michael.lell@uk-erlangen.de [Department of Radiology, University Erlangen, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Hinkmann, Fabian [Department of Radiology, University Erlangen, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Nkenke, Emeka [Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Erlangen (Germany); Schmidt, Bernhard [Bayer-Schering Healthcare, Berlin (Germany); Seidensticker, Peter [Siemens Healthcare, CT-Division, Forchheim (Germany); Kalender, Willi A. [Institute of Medical Physics, University Erlangen (Germany); Uder, Michael [Department of Radiology, University Erlangen, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Achenbach, Stephan [Department of Cardiology, University Erlangen (Germany)

2010-11-15

Objectives: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a well-accepted imaging modality to evaluate the supraaortic vessels. Initial reports have suggested that dual energy CTA (DE-CTA) can enhance diagnosis by creating bone-free data sets, which can be visualized in 3D, but a number of limitations of this technique have also been addressed. We sought to describe the performance of DE-CTA of the supraaortic vessels with a novel dual source CT system with special emphasis on image quality and post-processing related artifacts. Materials and methods: Thirty-three patients underwent carotid CT angiography on a second generation dual source CT system. Simultaneous acquisitions of 100 and 140 kV data sets in arterial phase were performed. Two examiners evaluated overall bone suppression with a 3-point scale (1 = poor; 3 = excellent) and image quality regarding integrity of the vessel lumen of different vessel segments (n = 26) with a 5-point scale (1 = poor; 5 = excellent), CTA source data served as the reference. Results: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved in the head and neck. Only minor bone remnants occurred, mean score for bone removal was 2.9. Mean score for vessel integrity was 4.3. Eight hundred fifty-seven vessel segments could be evaluated. Six hundred thirty-five segments (74%) showed no lumen alteration, 65 segments (7.6%) lumen alterations <10%, 27 segments (3.1%) lumen alterations >10% resulting in a total luminal reduction <50%, 17 segments (2%) lumen alterations of more than 10% resulting in a total luminal reduction >50%, and 113 segments (13.2%) showed a gap in the vessel course (100% total lumen reduction). Artificial gaps of the vessel lumen occurred in 28 vessel segments due to artifacts caused by dental hardware and in all but one (65) ophthalmic arteries. Conclusions: Excellent bone suppression could be achieved, DE imaging with 100 and 140 kV lead to improved image quality and vessel integrity in the shoulder region than previously

A Hodge dual for soldered bundles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucas, Tiago Gribl; Pereira, J G

2009-01-01

In order to account for all possible contractions allowed by the presence of the solder form, a generalized Hodge dual is defined for the case of soldered bundles. Although for curvature the generalized dual coincides with the usual one, for torsion it gives a completely new dual definition. Starting from the standard form of a gauge Lagrangian for the translation group, the generalized Hodge dual yields precisely the Lagrangian of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, and consequently also the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian of general relativity

On R-duals and the duality principle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Ole; Stoeva, Diana

2015-01-01

. In this paper we discuss the relationship between the R-duals and a variant, called R-duals of type III, introduced in 2014. In contrast to the original R-duals, it is known that the R-duals of type III generalize the duality principle for all Gabor frames, but we believe that a smaller and more convenient...

Automated bone removal in CT angiography: Comparison of methods based on single energy and dual energy scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Straten, Marcel van; Schaap, Michiel; Dijkshoorn, Marcel L.; Greuter, Marcel J.; Lugt, Aad van der; Krestin, Gabriel P.; Niessen, Wiro J.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate dual energy based methods for bone removal in computed tomography angiography (CTA) images and compare these with single energy based methods that use an additional, nonenhanced, CT scan. Methods: Four different bone removal methods were applied to CT scans of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom, acquired with a second generation dual source CT scanner. The methods differed by the way information on the presence of bone was obtained (either by using an additional, nonenhanced scan or by scanning with two tube voltages at the same time) and by the way the bone was removed from the CTA images (either by masking or subtracting the bone). The phantom contained parts which mimic vessels of various diameters in direct contact with bone. Both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of image quality after bone removal was performed. Image quality was quantified by the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) normalized to the square root of the dose (CNRD). At locations where vessels touch bone, the quality of the bone removal and the vessel preservation were visually assessed. The dual energy based methods were assessed with and without the addition of a 0.4 mm tin filter to the high voltage x-ray tube filtration. For each bone removal method, the dose required to obtain a certain CNR after bone removal was compared with the dose of a reference scan with the same CNR but without automated bone removal. The CNRD value of the reference scan was maximized by choosing the lowest tube voltage available. Results: All methods removed the bone completely. CNRD values were higher for the masking based methods than for the subtraction based methods. Single energy based methods had a higher CNRD value than the corresponding dual energy based methods. For the subtraction based dual energy method, tin filtration improved the CNRD value with approximately 50%. For the masking based dual energy method, it was easier to differentiate between iodine and bone when tin filtration

Metabolic activity, urease production, antibiotic resistance and virulence in dual species biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus

Science.gov (United States)

Vandecandelaere, Ilse; Van Nieuwerburgh, Filip; Deforce, Dieter

2017-01-01

In this paper, the metabolic activity in single and dual species biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus isolates was investigated. Our results demonstrated that there was less metabolic activity in dual species biofilms compared to S. aureus biofilms. However, this was not observed if S. aureus and S. epidermidis were obtained from the same sample. The largest effect on metabolic activity was observed in biofilms of S. aureus Mu50 and S. epidermidis ET-024. A transcriptomic analysis of these dual species biofilms showed that urease genes and genes encoding proteins involved in metabolism were downregulated in comparison to monospecies biofilms. These results were subsequently confirmed by phenotypic assays. As metabolic activity is related to acid production, the pH in dual species biofilms was slightly higher compared to S. aureus Mu50 biofilms. Our results showed that S. epidermidis ET-024 in dual species biofilms inhibits metabolic activity of S. aureus Mu50, leading to less acid production. As a consequence, less urease activity is required to compensate for low pH. Importantly, this effect was biofilm-specific. Also S. aureus Mu50 genes encoding virulence-associated proteins (Spa, SplF and Dps) were upregulated in dual species biofilms compared to monospecies biofilms and using Caenorhabditis elegans infection assays, we demonstrated that more nematodes survived when co-infected with S. epidermidis ET-024 and S. aureus mutants lacking functional spa, splF or dps genes, compared to nematodes infected with S. epidermidis ET-024 and wild- type S. aureus. Finally, S. epidermidis ET-024 genes encoding resistance to oxacillin, erythromycin and tobramycin were upregulated in dual species biofilms and increased resistance was subsequently confirmed. Our data indicate that both species in dual species biofilms of S. epidermidis and S. aureus influence each other’s behavior, but additional studies are required necessary to elucidate the exact

Dual-Doppler Feasibility Study

Science.gov (United States)

Huddleston, Lisa L.

2012-01-01

When two or more Doppler weather radar systems are monitoring the same region, the Doppler velocities can be combined to form a three-dimensional (3-D) wind vector field thus providing for a more intuitive analysis of the wind field. A real-time display of the 3-D winds can assist forecasters in predicting the onset of convection and severe weather. The data can also be used to initialize local numerical weather prediction models. Two operational Doppler Radar systems are in the vicinity of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS); these systems are operated by the 45th Space Wing (45 SW) and the National Weather Service Melbourne, Fla. (NWS MLB). Dual-Doppler applications were considered by the 45 SW in choosing the site for the new radar. Accordingly, the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS), NWS MLB and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration tasked the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to investigate the feasibility of establishing dual-Doppler capability using the two existing systems. This study investigated technical, hardware, and software requirements necessary to enable the establishment of a dual-Doppler capability. Review of the available literature pertaining to the dual-Doppler technique and consultation with experts revealed that the physical locations and resulting beam crossing angles of the 45 SW and NWS MLB radars make them ideally suited for a dual-Doppler capability. The dual-Doppler equations were derived to facilitate complete understanding of dual-Doppler synthesis; to determine the technical information requirements; and to determine the components of wind velocity from the equation of continuity and radial velocity data collected by the two Doppler radars. Analysis confirmed the suitability of the existing systems to provide the desired capability. In addition, it is possible that both 45 SW radar data and Terminal Doppler Weather Radar data from Orlando International Airport could be used to alleviate any

Dual Enrollment for High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Linsey; Hughes, Katherine

2011-01-01

Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to enroll in college courses and potentially earn college credit. The term concurrent enrollment is sometimes used interchangeably with dual enrollment, and sometimes to refer to a particular model of dual enrollment. In some programs, students earn high school and college credit simultaneously;…

Dual-Task Assessment Protocols in Concussion Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleiner, Michelle; Wong, Lynne; Dubé, Alexandra; Wnuk, Katie; Hunter, Susan W; Graham, Laura J

2018-02-01

Study Design Systematic review. Background When assessed in isolation, balance and neurocognitive testing may not be sufficiently responsive to capture changes that occur with concussion. Normal daily activities require simultaneous cognitive and physical demands. Therefore, a dual-task assessment paradigm should be considered to identify performance deficits. Objectives To evaluate the literature and to identify dual-task testing protocols associated with changes in gait after concussion. Methods A systematic review of articles of individuals with concussion who underwent dual-task testing with a combination of motor and cognitive tasks was conducted. The AMED, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases and gray literature were searched from inception to January 29, 2017. Title and abstract, full-text, and quality review and data abstraction were performed by 2 independent reviewers. Results Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria. Eleven articles reported decreased gait velocity and increased medial-lateral displacement for individuals with concussion during dual-task conditions. Overall, included articles were of poor to moderate methodological quality. Fifteen articles used the same participants and data sets, creating a threat to validity and limiting the ability to make conclusions. Conclusion A deterioration in gait performance during dual-task testing is present among people with concussion. Specific recommendations for the use of a dual-task protocol to assess individuals with suspected concussion injury in a clinical setting have yet to be determined. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(2):87-103. Epub 7 Nov 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7432.

Fabrication of scalable tissue engineering scaffolds with dual-pore microarchitecture by combining 3D printing and particle leaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Soumyaranjan; Sanger, Kuldeep; Heiskanen, Arto; Trifol, Jon; Szabo, Peter; Dufva, Marin; Emnéus, Jenny; Wolff, Anders

2016-04-01

Limitations in controlling scaffold architecture using traditional fabrication techniques are a problem when constructing engineered tissues/organs. Recently, integration of two pore architectures to generate dual-pore scaffolds with tailored physical properties has attracted wide attention in tissue engineering community. Such scaffolds features primary structured pores which can efficiently enhance nutrient/oxygen supply to the surrounding, in combination with secondary random pores, which give high surface area for cell adhesion and proliferation. Here, we present a new technique to fabricate dual-pore scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications where 3D printing of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mould is combined with salt leaching process. In this technique the sacrificial PVA mould, determining the structured pore architecture, was filled with salt crystals to define the random pore regions of the scaffold. After crosslinking the casted polymer the combined PVA-salt mould was dissolved in water. The technique has advantages over previously reported ones, such as automated assembly of the sacrificial mould, and precise control over pore architecture/dimensions by 3D printing parameters. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane and biodegradable poly(ϵ-caprolactone) were used for fabrication. However, we show that this technique is also suitable for other biocompatible/biodegradable polymers. Various physical and mechanical properties of the dual-pore scaffolds were compared with control scaffolds with either only structured or only random pores, fabricated using previously reported methods. The fabricated dual-pore scaffolds supported high cell density, due to the random pores, in combination with uniform cell distribution throughout the scaffold, and higher cell proliferation and viability due to efficient nutrient/oxygen transport through the structured pores. In conclusion, the described fabrication technique is rapid, inexpensive, scalable, and compatible

A dual-process approach to exploring the role of delay discounting in obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Menna; Higgs, Suzanne; Maw, James; Lee, Michelle

2016-08-01

Delay discounting of financial rewards has been related to overeating and obesity. Neuropsychological evidence supports a dual-system account of both discounting and overeating behaviour where the degree of impulsive decision making is determined by the relative strength of reward desire and executive control. A dual-parameter model of discounting behaviour is consistent with this theory. In this study, the fit of the commonly used one-parameter model was compared to a new dual-parameter model for the first time in a sample of adults with wide ranging BMI. Delay discounting data from 79 males and females (males=26) across a wide age (M=28.44years (SD=8.81)) and BMI range (M=25.42 (SD=5.16)) was analysed. A dual-parameter model (saturating-hyperbolic; Doya, [Doya (2008) ]) was applied to the data and compared on model fit indices to the single-parameter model. Discounting was significantly greater in the overweight/obese participants using both models, however, the two parameter model showed a superior fit to data (pdual-system account of inter-temporal choice behaviour. The dual-parameter model showed superior fit to data and the two parameters were shown to be related yet distinct indices sensitive to differences between weight groups. Findings are discussed in terms of the impulsive reward and executive control systems that contribute to unhealthy food choice and within the context of obesity related research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Study of the Characteristics of Cross-Linked, Oxidized and Dual-Modified Rice Starches

OpenAIRE

Xiao, Hua-Xi; Lin, Qin-Lu; Liu, Gao-Qiang; Yu, Feng-Xiang

2012-01-01

Rice starch was cross-linked with epichlorohydrin (0.3%, w/w, on a dry starch basis) and oxidized with sodium hypochlorite (2.5% w/w), respectively. Two dual-modified rice starch samples (oxidized cross-linked rice starch and cross-linked oxidized rice starch) were obtained by the oxidation of cross-linked rice starch and the cross-linking of oxidized rice starch at the same level of reagents. The physicochemical properties of native rice starch, cross-linked rice starch and oxidized rice sta...

Predicting sugar consumption: Application of an integrated dual-process, dual-phase model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagger, Martin S; Trost, Nadine; Keech, Jacob J; Chan, Derwin K C; Hamilton, Kyra

2017-09-01

Excess consumption of added dietary sugars is related to multiple metabolic problems and adverse health conditions. Identifying the modifiable social cognitive and motivational constructs that predict sugar consumption is important to inform behavioral interventions aimed at reducing sugar intake. We tested the efficacy of an integrated dual-process, dual-phase model derived from multiple theories to predict sugar consumption. Using a prospective design, university students (N = 90) completed initial measures of the reflective (autonomous and controlled motivation, intentions, attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control), impulsive (implicit attitudes), volitional (action and coping planning), and behavioral (past sugar consumption) components of the proposed model. Self-reported sugar consumption was measured two weeks later. A structural equation model revealed that intentions, implicit attitudes, and, indirectly, autonomous motivation to reduce sugar consumption had small, significant effects on sugar consumption. Attitudes, subjective norm, and, indirectly, autonomous motivation to reduce sugar consumption predicted intentions. There were no effects of the planning constructs. Model effects were independent of the effects of past sugar consumption. The model identified the relative contribution of reflective and impulsive components in predicting sugar consumption. Given the prominent role of the impulsive component, interventions that assist individuals in managing cues-to-action and behavioral monitoring are likely to be effective in regulating sugar consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Persistency and flexibility of complex brain networks underlie dual-task interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Alavash, Mohsen; Hilgetag, Claus C; Thiel, Christiane M; Gießing, Carsten

2015-09-01

Previous studies on multitasking suggest that performance decline during concurrent task processing arises from interfering brain modules. Here, we used graph-theoretical network analysis to define functional brain modules and relate the modular organization of complex brain networks to behavioral dual-task costs. Based on resting-state and task fMRI we explored two organizational aspects potentially associated with behavioral interference when human subjects performed a visuospatial and speech task simultaneously: the topological overlap between persistent single-task modules, and the flexibility of single-task modules in adaptation to the dual-task condition. Participants showed a significant decline in visuospatial accuracy in the dual-task compared with single visuospatial task. Global analysis of topological similarity between modules revealed that the overlap between single-task modules significantly correlated with the decline in visuospatial accuracy. Subjects with larger overlap between single-task modules showed higher behavioral interference. Furthermore, lower flexible reconfiguration of single-task modules in adaptation to the dual-task condition significantly correlated with larger decline in visuospatial accuracy. Subjects with lower modular flexibility showed higher behavioral interference. At the regional level, higher overlap between single-task modules and less modular flexibility in the somatomotor cortex positively correlated with the decline in visuospatial accuracy. Additionally, higher modular flexibility in cingulate and frontal control areas and lower flexibility in right-lateralized nodes comprising the middle occipital and superior temporal gyri supported dual-tasking. Our results suggest that persistency and flexibility of brain modules are important determinants of dual-task costs. We conclude that efficient dual-tasking benefits from a specific balance between flexibility and rigidity of functional brain modules. © 2015 Wiley

Dual resolution cone beam breast CT: A feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Lingyun; Shen Youtao; Lai, Chao-Jen; Han Tao; Zhong Yuncheng; Ge Shuaiping; Liu Xinming; Wang Tianpeng; Yang, Wei T.; Whitman, Gary J.; Shaw, Chris C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: In this study, the authors investigated the feasibility of a dual resolution volume-of-interest (VOI) cone beam breast CT technique and compared two implementation approaches in terms of dose saving and scatter reduction. Methods: With this technique, a lead VOI mask with an opening is inserted between the x-ray source and the breast to deliver x-ray exposure to the VOI while blocking x rays outside the VOI. A CCD detector is used to collect the high resolution projection data of the VOI. Low resolution cone beam CT (CBCT) images of the entire breast, acquired with a flat panel (FP) detector, were used to calculate the projection data outside the VOI with the ray-tracing reprojection method. The Feldkamp-Davis-Kress filtered backprojection algorithm was used to reconstruct the dual resolution 3D images. Breast phantoms with 180 μm and smaller microcalcifications (MCs) were imaged with both FP and FP-CCD dual resolution CBCT systems, respectively. Two approaches of implementing the dual resolution technique, breast-centered approach and VOI-centered approach, were investigated and evaluated for dose saving and scatter reduction with Monte Carlo simulation using a GEANT4 package. Results: The results showed that the breast-centered approach saved more breast absorbed dose than did VOI-centered approach with similar scatter reduction. The MCs in fatty breast phantom, which were invisible with FP CBCT scan, became visible with the FP-CCD dual resolution CBCT scan. Conclusions: These results indicate potential improvement of the image quality inside the VOI with reduced breast dose both inside and outside the VOI.

A Differentially Driven Dual-Polarized Dual-Wideband Complementary Antenna for 2G/3G/LTE Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Botao Feng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A novel differentially driven dual-polarized dual-wideband complementary patch antenna with high isolation is proposed for 2G/3G/LTE applications. In order to generate dual-polarization and dual-wideband properties, a pair of biorthogonal dual-layer η-shaped tapered line feeding structures is utilized to feed two pairs of dual-layer U-shaped patches, respectively. The upper-layer U-shaped patches mainly serve the upper frequency band, while the lower-layer ones chiefly work for the lower frequency band. Besides, a horned reflector is introduced to improve radiation patterns and provide stable gain. The prototype antenna can achieve a bandwidth of 25.7% (0.78 GHz–1.01 GHz with a stable gain of 7.8±0.7 dBi for the lower band, and a bandwidth of 45.7% (1.69 GHz–2.69 GHz with a gain of 9.5±1.1 dBi for the upper band. Input isolation exceeding 30 dB has been obtained in the wide bandwidth. Thus, it can be potentially used as a base station antenna for 2G/3G/LTE networks.

Algorithm-enabled partial-angular-scan configurations for dual-energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Buxin; Zhang, Zheng; Xia, Dan; Sidky, Emil Y; Pan, Xiaochuan

2018-05-01

We seek to investigate an optimization-based one-step method for image reconstruction that explicitly compensates for nonlinear spectral response (i.e., the beam-hardening effect) in dual-energy CT, to investigate the feasibility of the one-step method for enabling two dual-energy partial-angular-scan configurations, referred to as the short- and half-scan configurations, on standard CT scanners without involving additional hardware, and to investigate the potential of the short- and half-scan configurations in reducing imaging dose and scan time in a single-kVp-switch full-scan configuration in which two full rotations are made for collection of dual-energy data. We use the one-step method to reconstruct images directly from dual-energy data through solving a nonconvex optimization program that specifies the images to be reconstructed in dual-energy CT. Dual-energy full-scan data are generated from numerical phantoms and collected from physical phantoms with the standard single-kVp-switch full-scan configuration, whereas dual-energy short- and half-scan data are extracted from the corresponding full-scan data. Besides visual inspection and profile-plot comparison, the reconstructed images are analyzed also in quantitative studies based upon tasks of linear-attenuation-coefficient and material-concentration estimation and of material differentiation. Following the performance of a computer-simulation study to verify that the one-step method can reconstruct numerically accurately basis and monochromatic images of numerical phantoms, we reconstruct basis and monochromatic images by using the one-step method from real data of physical phantoms collected with the full-, short-, and half-scan configurations. Subjective inspection based upon visualization and profile-plot comparison reveals that monochromatic images, which are used often in practical applications, reconstructed from the full-, short-, and half-scan data are largely visually comparable except for some

Flow structure and heat transfer in a square duct fitted with dual/quadruple twisted-tapes: Influence of tape configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eiamsa-ard, S.; Changcharoen, W.

2015-01-01

Numerical predictions reported of thermohydraulic characteristics of square ducts equipped with dual and quadruple twisted tapes (DTs and QTs) with different configurations. The studied cases include (1) dual co-tapes (Co-DTs), (2) dual counter-tapes (C-DTs), (3) diagonal dual counter-tapes (C-DDTs), (4) diagonal dual co-tapes (Co-DDTs), (5) quadruple co-tapes (Co-QTs), (6) quadruple counter tapes (CC-QTs) and (7) quadruple counter-tapes (PC-QTs). The results of these cases are compared with those of a smooth duct (a duct without tape insert) and also the one with a single tape (ST). The prediction involves using the RNG k-ε turbulent model under constant wall heat flux condition in the turbulent flow regime for the Reynolds number ranging from 6000 to 14000. The prediction indicates that thermohydraulic characteristics in ducts with twisted tape are strongly dependent on number and configuration of tapes. However, the influence of tape number is more significant than that of tape configuration. Heat transfer and friction increase as tape number increases. QTs offer superior heat transfer to DTs but their thermal performance factors are lower. For the tape inserts determined, DTs with diagonal configuration (Co-DDTs and C-DDTs) is the best design as the tapes offer the best thermal performance. The highest thermal performance factors given by Co-DTs, Co-DDTs, C-DTs, C-DDTs, Co-QTs, PC-QTs and CC-QTs, are around 1.21, 1.35, 1.25, 1.38, 1.08, 1.18, and 1.22, respectively

On Tesnière on the dual

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frans Plank

1994-12-01

Full Text Available Duals come and go almost everywhere, or have done so some time or other, but it is rare for such events to be chronicled so circumstantially as Lucien Tesnière did for Slovenian in his well-known chef-d'oeuvre of 1925. Tesniere's chief interest was to collect enough information to be able to chart comprehensively the dual's demise and partial renaissance in the varietie of Slovenian, dialectal as well as literary, and to identify the changes concerned as phonological, morphological (in particular analogical, or syntactic. Although he would sometimes compare Slovenian patterns and developments to others, especially Slavonic and Indo-European ones, he was reluctant to draw general conclusions from the particulars so amply at his disposal other than implicitly, occasionally hinting at "tendences" or "causes profondes" supposedly giving direction to the vagaries of phonetics and morphology.

Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of budesonide in experimental colitis with enzyme/pH dual-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naeem M

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Muhammad Naeem, Jiafu Cao, Moonjeong Choi, Woo Seong Kim, Hyung Ryong Moon, Bok Luel Lee, Min-Soo Kim, Yunjin Jung, Jin-Wook Yoo College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea Abstract: Current colon-targeted drug-delivery approaches for colitis therapy often utilize single pH-triggered systems, which are less reliable due to the variation of gut pH in individuals and in disease conditions. Herein, we prepared budesonide-loaded dual-sensitive nanoparticles using enzyme-sensitive azo-polyurethane and pH-sensitive methacrylate copolymer for the treatment of colitis. The therapeutic potential of the enzyme/pH dual-sensitive nanoparticles was evaluated using a rat colitis model and compared to single pH-triggered nanoparticles. Clinical activity scores, colon/body weight ratios, myeloperoxidase activity, and proinflammatory cytokine levels were markedly decreased by dual-sensitive nanoparticles compared to single pH-triggered nanoparticles and budesonide solution. Moreover, dual-sensitive nanoparticles accumulated selectively in inflamed segments of the colon. In addition, dual-sensitive nanoparticle plasma concentrations were lower than single pH-triggered nanoparticles, and no noticeable in vitro or in vivo toxicity was observed. Our results demonstrate that enzyme/pH dual-sensitive nanoparticles are an effective and safe colon-targeted delivery system for colitis therapy. Keywords: azo-polyurethane, methacrylate copolymer, budesonide, colon-targeted nanoparticles, colitis

Microstructure and mechanical property of dual-directional-extruded Mg alloy AZ31

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Liwei; Liu Tianmo; Jiang Shan; Pan Fushen; Liu Qing; Wang Zhongchang

2010-01-01

We report microstructure evolution and mechanical property of Mg alloy AZ31 processed by a new deformation technique, dual-directional extrusion (DDE). Using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron back scatter diffraction technique, we attribute the significant refinement of original coarse grains in the DDE-processed alloy to the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization. Moreover, we find that low temperature is crucial for yielding fine grain, which consequently results in high micro-hardness and yield stress, large fracture strain, and enhanced elongation. The improved mechanical properties are comparable or even superior to those of the alloy subjected to other deformation techniques, rendering the DDE a promising way for further tailoring properties of Mg-based alloys.

Effects of a multicomponent exercise on dual-task performance and executive function among older adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ray-Yau Wang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Summary: Background: Previous studies showed that multicomponent exercise enhanced physical and cognitive functions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a multicomponent exercise on dual-task performance and executive function and to demonstrate the relationship between improvement in dual-task performance and enhancement in executive function among the elderly. Methods: A total of 27 people completed the intervention, with 16 in the experimental group and 11 in the control group. The 12-week multicomponent exercise lasted 1 h per day and 3 days per week. Participants' gait performance was assessed in dual-task conditions and executive function was examined at both pre- and post-intervention. Results: Results showed significant interaction effects of time x group on all selected gait parameters in both dual-task conditions and the Executive Interview. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed greater improvements in most measures following intervention. Improved dual-task performance was correlated with enhanced executive function (r = 0.46–0.75. Conclusion: Our results suggested that a multicomponent exercise positively affects dual-task performance and executive function in the elderly. Keywords: Dual-task, Executive function, Exercise, Gait, Older adults

Dual-core Itanium Processor

CERN Multimedia

2006-01-01

Intel’s first dual-core Itanium processor, code-named "Montecito" is a major release of Intel's Itanium 2 Processor Family, which implements the Intel Itanium architecture on a dual-core processor with two cores per die (integrated circuit). Itanium 2 is much more powerful than its predecessor. It has lower power consumption and thermal dissipation.

Development of compatibilized SBR and EPR nanocomposites containing dual filler system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajasekar, R.; Nayak, G.C.; Malas, A.; Das, C.K.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Nanoclay is dispersed in non-polar rubbers by utilizing a polar compatibilizer. ► Effect of dual fillers [nanoclay and carbon black] on the rubber properties. ► Comparison of the results of single and dual filler containing rubber compounds. -- Abstract: The study described in this paper is an analysis of the role of a compatibilizer for dispersing organically modified nanoclay in styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) matrices. The normal mixing of non-polar rubbers and organically modified nanoclay may not lead to improved distribution of the nanofiller in the rubbery matrix. Hence, a polar rubber such as epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) can be used as a compatibilizer for dispersing nanoclay in the non-polar rubber matrices. ENR–organically modified nanoclay composites (EC) were prepared by solution mixing. The nanoclay used in this study is Cloisite 20A. The obtained ENR–nanoclay composites were incorporated in SBR and EPR matrices along with carbon black. The morphological studies proved the intercalation of nanoclay platelets in ENR and further incorporation of EC in SBR and EPR matrices leads to partial exfoliation of nanoclay platelets. A curing study demonstrated faster scorch time, cure time and increased maximum torque for the compatibilized SBR and EPR nanocomposites containing a dual filler system compared to the control. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis showed increase in storage modulus for the SBR and EPR compounds containing dual fillers compared to rubber compounds containing pure and single filler. The same compounds show substantial improvement in mechanical properties. The tensile fractured surface of the rubber compounds containing single and dual filler observed by scanning electron microscopy, (SEM) showed highly rough and irregular fracture paths, which proved the physical interaction between filler and rubber.

The design and analysis of AVTMR (all voting triple modular redundancy) and dual-duplex system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyunki; Lee, Hyeuntae; Lee, Keyseo

2005-01-01

In this paper, we design AVTMR (All Voting Triple Modular Redundancy) and dual-duplex system which have a fault-tolerant characteristic, and two systems are compared in the evaluation of RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety) and MTTF (Mean Time To Failure). AVTMR system is designed in a triplicated voter technique and dual-duplex system in a comparator, and two systems are based on MC68000. To evaluate system characteristic, Markov modeling method is designed for reliability, availability, safety and MTTF (Mean Time To Failure), and RELEX6.0 tool is used for the calculation of failure rate of electrical components that is based on MILSPEC-217F. In this paper, we can see two systems are more high dependability than a single system, and AVTMR or dual-duplex system can be selected for a specific application system. Especially, because AVTMR and dual-duplex system have high RAMS better than a single system, they can be applied to life critical system such as an airplane and a high-speed railway system

Dual hit lipopolysaccharide & oleic acid combination induced rat model of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagawane, T N; Gaikwad, R V; Kshirsagar, N A

2016-05-01

Despite advances in therapy and overall medical care, acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) management remains a problem. Hence the objective of this study was to develop a rat model that mimics human ALI/ARDS. Four groups of Wistar rats, 48 per group were treated with (i) intratracheal (IT) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (5 mg/kg) dissolved in normal saline (NS), (ii) intravenous (iv) oleic acid (OA) (250 μl/kg) suspension in bovine serum albumin (BSA), (iii) dual hit: IT LPS (2 mg/kg) dissolved in NS and iv OA (100 μl/kg) and (iv) control group: IT NS and iv BSA. From each group at set periods of time various investigations like chest x-rays, respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (TV), total cell count, differential cell count, total protein count and cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung wet/dry weight ratio and histopathological examination were done. It was noted that the respiratory rate, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were significantly higher at 4 h in the dual hit group as compared to LPS, OA and control groups. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were significantly higher in the dual hit group as compared to LPS at 8 and 24 h, OA at 8 h and control (at all time intervals) group. IL-1β levels were significantly higher in LPS and dual hit groups at all time intervals, but not in OA and control groups. The injury induced in dual hit group was earlier and more sustained as compared to LPS and OA alone. The lung pathology and changes in respiration functions produced by the dual hit model were closer to the diagnostic criteria of ALI/ARDS in terms of clinical manifestations and pulmonary injury and the injury persisted longer as compared to LPS and OA single hit model. Therefore, the ARDS model produced by the dual hit method was closer to the diagnostic criteria of ARDS in terms of clinical manifestations and pulmonary injury.

Dual-band absorber for multispectral plasmon-enhanced infrared photodetection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Peng; Ashalley, Eric; Wang, Zhiming; Wu, Jiang; Govorov, Alexander

2016-01-01

For most of the reported metamaterial absorbers, the peak absorption only occurs at one single wavelength. Here, we investigated a dual-band absorber which is based on simple gold nano-rings. Two absorption peaks can be readily achieved in 3–5 µ m and 8–14 µ m via tuning the width and radius of gold nano-rings and dielectric constant. The average maximum absorption of two bands can be as high as 95.1% (−0.22 dB). Based on the simulation results, the perfect absorber with nano-rings demonstrates great flexibility to create dual-band or triple-band absorption, and thus holds potential for further applications in thermophotovoltaics, multicolor infrared focal plane arrays, optical filters, and biological sensing applications. (paper)

The Design of a Permanent Magnet In-Wheel Motor with Dual-Stator and Dual-Field-Excitation Used in Electric Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Gao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The in-wheel motor has received more attention owing to its simple structure, high transmission efficiency, flexible control, and easy integration design. It is difficult to achieve high performance with conventional motors due to their dimensions and structure. This paper presents a new dual-stator and dual-field-excitation permanent-magnet in-wheel motor (DDPMIM that is based on the structure of the conventional in-wheel motor and the structure of both the radial and axial magnetic field motor. The finite element analysis (FEA model of the DDPMIM is established and compared with that of the conventional in-wheel motor. The results show that the DDPMIM achieves a higher output torque at low speeds and that the flux-weakening control strategy is not needed in the full speed range.

The Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of a Dual-Tasking Paradigm in a Memory Clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Malene Schjnning; Simonsen, Anja Hviid; Siersma, Volkert; Hasselbalch, Steen Gregers; Hoegh, Peter

2018-01-01

Daily living requires the ability to perform dual-tasking. As cognitive skills decrease in dementia, performing a cognitive and motor task simultaneously become increasingly challenging and subtle gait abnormalities may even be present in pre-dementia stages. Therefore, a dual-tasking paradigm, such as the Timed Up and Go-Dual Task (TUG-DT), may be useful in the diagnostic assessment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic ability of a dual-tasking paradigm in patients with MCI or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to evaluate the association between the dual-tasking paradigm and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers. The study is a prospective cohort study conducted in a clinical setting in two memory clinics. Eighty-six patients were included (28 MCI, 17 AD, 41 healthy controls (HC)). The ability to perform dual-tasking was evaluated by the TUG-DT. Patients underwent a standardized diagnostic assessment and were evaluated to determine progression yearly. ROC curve analysis illustrated a high discriminative ability of the dual-tasking paradigm in separating MCI patients from HC (AUC: 0.78, AUC: 0.82) and a moderate discriminative ability in separating MCI from AD (AUC: 0.73, AUC: 0.55). Performance discriminated clearly between all groups (p paradigm for progression and rate of cognitive decline. A moderately strong correlation between the dual-tasking paradigm and CSF AD biomarkers was observed. In our study, we found that patients with MCI and mild AD have increasing difficulties in dual-tasking compared to healthy elderly. Hence, the dual-tasking paradigm may be a potential complement in the diagnostic assessment in a typical clinical setting.

Muscles Activity in the elderly with Balance Impairments in walking under Dual tasks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaheh Azadian

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Each step during gait requires different attention demands that will affect muscles activity. The study of changes in the timing and intensity of the muscles activity in walking with dual task has received less attention from researchers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in electromyography patterns of gait with cognitive dual tasks in balance impaired elderly. Methods: Thirty older adults were recruited for this study. People were selected through berg balance test. Subjects walked 12-meters in two conditions, normal walking and walking with a cognitive dual task. Spatial-temporal kinematic parameters were recorded through the motion analysis and muscles activities were recorded through electromyography system. The data obtained was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA at a significant level of p< 0.05.  Results: The results showed that walking under dual tasks would decrease gait speed and increase stride time and stance time. Also muscle activity in Tibialis anterior and Vastus lateralis in stance-phase would decrease significantly in dual tasks as compared with single task (p< 0.05, but timing of muscle activity would not change in dual task conditions.  Conclusions: Based on the results, it can be argued that walking under a dual task can change spatial-temporal parameters and muscle activity in gait pattern in the elderly with balance impairment. One explanation could be that the decreased control of the central nervous system on muscle activity in stance phase due to the performing of a dual task.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION DUAL-FREQUENCY DUAL-POLARIZED DOPPLER RADAR (D3R) IFLOODS V1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GPM Ground Validation Dual-frequency Dual-polarized Doppler Radar (D3R) IFloodS data set contain radar reflectivity and doppler velocity measurements. The D3R...

Dual vs. single computer monitor in a Canadian hospital Archiving Department: a study of efficiency and satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Poder, Thomas G; Godbout, Sylvie T; Bellemare, Christian

This paper describes a comparative study of clinical coding by Archivists (also known as Clinical Coders in some other countries) using single and dual computer monitors. In the present context, processing a record corresponds to checking the available information; searching for the missing physician information; and finally, performing clinical coding. We collected data for each Archivist during her use of the single monitor for 40 hours and during her use of the dual monitor for 20 hours. During the experimental periods, Archivists did not perform other related duties, so we were able to measure the real-time processing of records. To control for the type of records and their impact on the process time required, we categorised the cases as major or minor, based on whether acute care or day surgery was involved. Overall results show that 1,234 records were processed using a single monitor and 647 records using a dual monitor. The time required to process a record was significantly higher (p= .071) with a single monitor compared to a dual monitor (19.83 vs.18.73 minutes). However, the percentage of major cases was significantly higher (p= .000) in the single monitor group compared to the dual monitor group (78% vs. 69%). As a consequence, we adjusted our results, which reduced the difference in time required to process a record between the two systems from 1.1 to 0.61 minutes. Thus, the net real-time difference was only 37 seconds in favour of the dual monitor system. Extrapolated over a 5-year period, this would represent a time savings of 3.1% and generate a net cost savings of $7,729 CAD (Canadian dollars) for each workstation that devoted 35 hours per week to the processing of records. Finally, satisfaction questionnaire responses indicated a high level of satisfaction and support for the dual-monitor system. The implementation of a dual-monitor system in a hospital archiving department is an efficient option in the context of scarce human resources and has the

Microhardness of light- and dual-polymerizable luting resins polymerized through 7.5-mm-thick endocrowns.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregor, Ladislav; Bouillaguet, Serge; Onisor, Ioana; Ardu, Stefano; Krejci, Ivo; Rocca, Giovanni Tommaso

2014-10-01

The complete polymerization of luting resins through thick indirect restorations is still questioned. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of polymerization of light- and dual-polymerizable luting resins under thick indirect composite resin and ceramic endocrowns by means of Vickers microhardness measurements. The Vickers microhardness measurements of a light-polymerizable microhybrid composite resin and a dual-polymerizable luting cement directly polymerized in a natural tooth mold for 40 seconds with a high-power light-emitting diode lamp (control) were compared with measurements after indirect irradiation through 7.5-mm-thick composite resin and ceramic endocrowns for 3 × 90 seconds. A test-to-control microhardness values ratio of 0.80 at a depth of 0.5 mm below the surface was assumed as the criterion for adequate conversion. For the Vickers microhardness measurements of a dual-polymerizable luting cement, no differences (P>.05) were found between Vickers microhardness control values and values reported after polymerization through composite resin and ceramic endocrowns. For The Vickers microhardness measurements (±SD) of a light-polymerizable microhybrid composite resin, control values were significantly (P.05). Under the conditions of this in vitro study, Vickers microhardness values of the dual-polymerizable resin cement and the light-polymerizable restorative composite resin irradiated for 3 × 90 seconds with a high irradiance light-emitting diode lamp through 7.5-mm-thick endocrowns reached at least 80% of the control Vickers microhardness values, which means that both materials can be adequately polymerized when they are used for luting thick indirect restorations. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-species versus dual-species probiotic supplementation as an emerging therapeutic strategy for obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Karimi, G; Jamaluddin, R; Mohtarrudin, N; Ahmad, Z; Khazaai, H; Parvaneh, M

2017-10-01

Recent studies have reported beneficial effects of specific probiotics on obesity. However, the difference in the anti-obesity effects of probiotics as single species and dual species is still uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy of single and dual species of bacteria on markers of obesity in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. A total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of five groups of varying diets as follows: standard diet, high fat diet (HFD), HFD supplemented with Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, HFD supplemented with Bifidobacterium longum and HFD supplemented with a mixture of these two bacterial species. After 15 weeks of supplementation, the animals were examined for changes in body weight, body fat, total count of bacteria in fecal, blood serum lipid profile, leptin, adiponectin and inflammatory biomarkers. Histological analysis of the liver and adipose tissue was performed and the hepatic mRNA expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism were measured. It was found that probiotic supplementation of either B. longum or a mixture of B. longum and LcS bacteria significantly reduced weight and triglycerides in the HFD groups. Supplementation of B. longum bacteria showed better results in terms of modulating leptin level, fat mass, adipocyte size and lipoprotein lipase expression, as well as increasing adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ expression compared to dual species of bacteria. No significant differences were observed in the total count of fecal bacteria, glucose and inflammatory biomarker levels between supplemented groups. B. longum supplementation in obesity was more beneficial in metabolic profile changes than the mixture species. Copyright © 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B

Random Matrix Approach for Primal-Dual Portfolio Optimization Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Tada, Daichi; Yamamoto, Hisashi; Shinzato, Takashi

2017-12-01

In this paper, we revisit the portfolio optimization problems of the minimization/maximization of investment risk under constraints of budget and investment concentration (primal problem) and the maximization/minimization of investment concentration under constraints of budget and investment risk (dual problem) for the case that the variances of the return rates of the assets are identical. We analyze both optimization problems by the Lagrange multiplier method and the random matrix approach. Thereafter, we compare the results obtained from our proposed approach with the results obtained in previous work. Moreover, we use numerical experiments to validate the results obtained from the replica approach and the random matrix approach as methods for analyzing both the primal and dual portfolio optimization problems.

Preliminary study of single contrast enhanced dual energy heart imaging using dual-source CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Jin; Zhang Longjiang; Zhou Changsheng; Lu Guangming; Ma Yan; Gu Haifeng

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary applications of single contrast enhanced dual energy heart imaging using dual-source CT (DSCT). Methods: Thirty patients underwent dual energy heart imaging with DSCT, of which 6 cases underwent SPECT or DSA within one week. Two experienced radiologists assessed image quality of coronary arteries and iodine map of myocardium. and correlated the coronary artery stenosis with the perfusion distribution of iodine map. Results: l00% (300/300) segments reached diagnostic standards. The mean score of image for all patients was 4.68±0.57. Mural coronary artery was present in 10 segments in S cases, atherosclerotic plaques in 32 segments in 12 cases, of which 20 segments having ≥50% stenosis, 12 segments ≤50% stenosis; dual energy CT coronary angiography was consistent with the DSA in 3 patients. 37 segmental perfusion abnormalities on iodine map were found in 15 cases, including 28 coronary blood supply segment narrow segment and 9 no coronary stenosis (including three negative segments in SPECD. Conclusion: Single contrast enhanced dual energy heart imaging can provide good coronary artery and myocardium perfusion images in the patients with appropriate heart rate, which has a potential to be used in the clinic and further studies are needed. (authors)

Tunable narrow band difference frequency THz wave generation in DAST via dual seed PPLN OPG.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolasinski, Brian; Powers, Peter E; Haus, Joseph W; Cooney, Adam

2015-02-09

We report a widely tunable narrowband terahertz (THz) source via difference frequency generation (DFG). A narrowband THz source uses the output of dual seeded periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) optical parametric generators (OPG) combined in the nonlinear crystal 4-dimthylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium-tosylate (DAST). We demonstrate a seamlessly tunable THZ output that tunes from 1.5 THz to 27 THz with a minimum bandwidth of 3.1 GHz. The effects of dispersive phase matching, two-photon absorption, and polarization were examined and compared to a power emission model that consisted of the current accepted parameters of DAST.

Performance evaluation of a 'dual-side read' dedicated mammography computed radiography system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fetterly, Kenneth A.; Schueler, Beth A.

2003-01-01

The image quality of a dedicated mammography computed radiography (CR) system was characterized. A unique feature of this system is that it collects image signals from both sides of the storage phosphor. Measurements of the modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were made. This work included improvements in our measurement methods to specifically account for the detrimental effects of system glare on the MTF and to accurately characterize the low-frequency NPS components. Image quality measurements were performed using a 25 kVp beam filtered with 2 mm Al and an exposure range of 1 to 100 mR (87 to 870 μGy). The DQE was found to decrease with increasing exposure due to an increased contribution of storage phosphor structure noise. The DQE of this system was compared to similar measurements made using a standard CR system. The dual-side read system demonstrated superior DQE compared to the standard system. The decrease in DQE with increasing exposure was more severe for the standard system than the dual-side read system. This finding suggests that the CR system noise was reduced for the dual-side read system compared to the standard system

Dual education and industrial cooperation in electrical engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Váradiné Szarka, A.

2016-11-01

Dual education in higher education is a new system in Hungary introduced by Mercedes Benz with cooperation of Kecskemet College. In the new system companies support certain number of students and provide them strong practical education in their field. Students applying successfully for dual education study together with non-dual students at the university, so they go through the same university courses as their non-dual colleagues, but while non-dual students’ academic year includes 2×14 weeks active semester and 2×6 weeks exam session, all over 40 weeks, dual students have 48 working weeks including study at the university and practicing at the company. The main question of the success which one is the most effective model to be applied. This paper summarises 2 models of dual education with their advantages and disadvantages and also it presents practical realization at the University of Debrecen with special attention to measurement and instrumentation. Dual education in BSc level electrical engineering course cooperates with 6 multinational companies of the region in four specialization. Dual education also has great impact to the modernisation of engineering education. Detailed study of dual education in field of instrumentation and measurement is provided in the paper.

Dual energy CT: New horizon in medical imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goo, Hyun Woo [Dept. of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Goo, Jin Mo [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-01

Dual-energy CT has remained underutilized over the past decade probably due to a cumbersome workflow issue and current technical limitations. Clinical radiologists should be made aware of the potential clinical benefits of dual-energy CT over single-energy CT. To accomplish this aim, the basic principle, current acquisition methods with advantages and disadvantages, and various material-specific imaging methods as clinical applications of dual-energy CT should be addressed in detail. Current dual-energy CT acquisition methods include dual tubes with or without beam filtration, rapid voltage switching, dual-layer detector, split filter technique, and sequential scanning. Dual-energy material-specific imaging methods include virtual monoenergetic or monochromatic imaging, effective atomic number map, virtual non-contrast or unenhanced imaging, virtual non-calcium imaging, iodine map, inhaled xenon map, uric acid imaging, automatic bone removal, and lung vessels analysis. In this review, we focus on dual-energy CT imaging including related issues of radiation exposure to patients, scanning and post-processing options, and potential clinical benefits mainly to improve the understanding of clinical radiologists and thus, expand the clinical use of dual-energy CT; in addition, we briefly describe the current technical limitations of dual-energy CT and the current developments of photon-counting detector.

Dual-Energy CT: New Horizon in Medical Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Goo, Hyun Woo; Goo, Jin Mo

2017-01-01

Dual-energy CT has remained underutilized over the past decade probably due to a cumbersome workflow issue and current technical limitations. Clinical radiologists should be made aware of the potential clinical benefits of dual-energy CT over single-energy CT. To accomplish this aim, the basic principle, current acquisition methods with advantages and disadvantages, and various material-specific imaging methods as clinical applications of dual-energy CT should be addressed in detail. Current dual-energy CT acquisition methods include dual tubes with or without beam filtration, rapid voltage switching, dual-layer detector, split filter technique, and sequential scanning. Dual-energy material-specific imaging methods include virtual monoenergetic or monochromatic imaging, effective atomic number map, virtual non-contrast or unenhanced imaging, virtual non-calcium imaging, iodine map, inhaled xenon map, uric acid imaging, automatic bone removal, and lung vessels analysis. In this review, we focus on dual-energy CT imaging including related issues of radiation exposure to patients, scanning and post-processing options, and potential clinical benefits mainly to improve the understanding of clinical radiologists and thus, expand the clinical use of dual-energy CT; in addition, we briefly describe the current technical limitations of dual-energy CT and the current developments of photon-counting detector.

Novel CFT duals for extreme black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Bin; Zhang Jiaju

2012-01-01

In this paper, we study the CFT duals for extreme black holes in the stretched horizon formalism. We consider the extremal RN, Kerr-Newman-AdS-dS, as well as the higher dimensional Kerr-AdS-dS black holes. In all these cases, we reproduce the well-established CFT duals. Actually we show that for stationary extreme black holes, the stretched horizon formalism always gives rise to the same dual CFT pictures as the ones suggested by ASG of corresponding near horizon geometries. Furthermore, we propose new CFT duals for 4D Kerr-Newman-AdS-dS and higher dimensional Kerr-AdS-dS black holes. We find that every dual CFT is defined with respect to a rotation in certain angular direction, along which the translation defines a U(1) Killing symmetry. In the presence of two sets of U(1) symmetry, the novel CFT duals are generated by the modular group SL(2,Z), and for n sets of U(1) symmetry there are general CFT duals generated by T-duality group SL(n,Z).

Nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma jet using a combination of 50 kHz/2 MHz dual-frequency power sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Yong-Jie; Yuan, Qiang-Hua; Li, Fei; Wang, Xiao-Min; Yin, Gui-Qin; Dong, Chen-Zhong

2013-01-01

An atmospheric pressure plasma jet is generated by dual sinusoidal wave (50 kHz and 2 MHz). The dual-frequency plasma jet exhibits the advantages of both low frequency and radio frequency plasmas, namely, the long plasma plume and the high electron density. The radio frequency ignition voltage can be reduced significantly by using dual-frequency excitation compared to the conventional radio frequency without the aid of the low frequency excitation source. A larger operating range of α mode discharge can be obtained using dual-frequency excitation which is important to obtain homogeneous and low-temperature plasma. A larger controllable range of the gas temperature of atmospheric pressure plasma could also be obtained using dual-frequency excitation

Effects of dual-task training on balance and executive functions in Parkinson's disease: a pilot study

OpenAIRE

Ângela Fernandes; Nuno Rocha; Rubim Santos; João Manuel R. S. Tavares

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of cognitive-motor dual-task training compared with single-task training on balance and executive functions in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Fifteen subjects, aged between 39 and 75 years old, were randomly assigned to the dual-task training group (n = 8) and single-task training group (n = 7). The training was run twice a week for 6 weeks. The single-task group received balance training and the dual-task group performed cognitive task...

Advanced virtual monoenergetic images: improving the contrast of dual-energy CT pulmonary angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, A.; Wurnig, M.; Desbiolles, L.; Leschka, S.; Frauenfelder, T.; Alkadhi, H.

2015-01-01

Aim: To investigate the value of advanced virtual monoenergetic image reconstruction (mono-plus) from dual-energy computed tomography (CT) for improving the contrast of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Materials and methods: Forty consecutive patients (25 women, mean 62.5 years, range 28–87 years) underwent 192-section dual-source CTPA with dual-energy CT (90/150 SnkVp) after the administration of 60 ml contrast media (300 mg iodine/ml). Conventional virtual monochromatic images at 60 keV and 17 mono-plus image datasets from 40–190 keV (in 10 keV steps) were reconstructed. Subjective image quality (artefacts, subjective noise) was rated. Attenuation was measured in the pulmonary trunk and in the right lower lobe pulmonary artery; noise was measured in the periscapular musculature. The signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were calculated for each patient and dataset. Comparisons between monochromatic images and mono-plus images were performed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc Bonferroni correction. Results: Interreader agreement was good to excellent for subjective image quality (ICC: 0.616–0.889). As compared to conventional 60 keV images, artefacts occurred less (p=0.001) and subjective noise was rated lower (p<0.001) in mono-plus 40 keV images. Noise was lower (p<0.001), and the SNR and CNR in the pulmonary trunk and right lower lobe pulmonary artery were higher (both, p<0.001) in mono-plus 40 keV images compared to conventional monoenergetic 60 keV images. Transient interruption of contrast (TIC) was found in 14/40 (35%) of patients, with subjective contrast being similar 8/40 (20%) or higher 32/40 (80%) in mono-plus 40 keV as compared to conventional monoenergetic 60 keV images. Conclusions: Compared to conventional virtual monoenergetic imaging, mono-plus images at 40 keV improve the contrast of dual-energy CTPA. - Highlights: • Advanced monoenergetic image reconstruction from dual-energy CT

Are factors related to dual-task performance in people with Parkinson's disease dependent on the type of dual task?

Science.gov (United States)

Strouwen, Carolien; Molenaar, Esther A L M; Keus, Samyra H J; Münks, Liesbeth; Heremans, Elke; Vandenberghe, Wim; Bloem, Bastiaan R; Nieuwboer, Alice

2016-02-01

Impaired dual-task performance significantly impacts upon functional mobility in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to identify determinants of dual-task performance in people with PD in three different dual tasks to assess their possible task-dependency. We recruited 121 home-dwelling patients with PD (mean age 65.93 years; mean disease duration 8.67 years) whom we subjected to regular walking (control condition) and to three dual-task conditions: walking combined with a backwards Digit Span task, an auditory Stroop task and a Mobile Phone task. We measured dual-task gait velocity using the GAITRite mat and dual-task reaction times and errors on the concurrent tasks as outcomes. Motor, cognitive and descriptive variables which correlated to dual-task performance (p task gait velocity and executive function, tested by the alternating intake test, was significantly associated with gait velocity during the Digit Span (R(2) = 0.65; p task (R(2) = 0.62; p task. Age was a surplus determinant of gait velocity while using a mobile phone. Single-task gait velocity and executive function as measured by a verbal fluency switching task were independent determinants of dual-task gait performance in people with PD. In contrast to expectation, these factors were the same across different tasks, supporting the robustness of the findings. Future study needs to determine whether these factors predict dual-task abnormalities prospectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual Water Systems: Characterization and Performance for Distribution of Reclaimed Water (WaterRF Report 4333)

Science.gov (United States)

The research tasks included: an inventory of cases where dual systems have been implemented; formulation of a protocol to identify claimed benefits, costs, and risks; collection of data (quantitative and anecdotal) to assess performance; display of data in the form of performance...

Juggling the dual role of practitioner and educator: practice teachers' perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Helen; Gidman, Janice

2012-02-01

This paper reports on a study exploring the role (caseload manager; practitioner; educator) of Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) Practice Teachers (PTs) and mentors for Specialist Practice Community (SPC) district nursing students. Methodological triangulation was used, comprising questionnaires completed by 15 PTs and mentors, followed by six semistructured interviews, to provide quantitative and qualitative data. The results of the study identify that post-registration students demanded considerable time due to their need to develop leadership and higher cognitive skills in practice. PTs and mentors identified feeling undervalued by the organisation and colleagues as they tried to maintain their dual role with limited time or resources allocated. Respondents reported that they often worked over their hours to maintain both roles which impacted on their work life balance. They reported that both peer and university support groups were valuable and suggested that increased contact from lecturers and greater flexibility in university courses would accommodate their continuing professional development. It is, therefore, concluded that further support is needed by both the organisation and the university to enable this dual role.

Interference of Spin-2 Self-Dual Modes

OpenAIRE

Ilha, Anderson; Wotzasek, Clovis

2001-01-01

We study the effects of interference between the self-dual and anti self-dual massive modes of the linearized Einstein-Chern-Simons topological gravity. The dual models to be used in the interference process are carefully analyzed with special emphasis on their propagating spectrum. We identify the opposite dual aspects, necessary for the application of the interference formalism on this model. The soldered theory so obtained displays explicitly massive modes of the Proca type. It may also be...

Case report

African Journals Online (AJOL)

abp

2015-08-31

Aug 31, 2015 ... Dual intersection syndrome of the forearm: a case report. Bouchra Zhari1,& ... We reported a case of a 60-year-old man presented to our formation with painful swelling on .... With a fiddling clinical observation and diagnosis.

Effects of cross talk on dual energy SPECT imaging between [sup 123]I-BMIPP and [sup 201]Tl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morita, Masato; Narita, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Juro; Fukutake, Naoshige; Ohyanagi, Mitsumasa; Iwasaki, Tadaaki; Fukuchi, Minoru (Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya (Japan))

1994-01-01

The study was undertaken to determine how much cross talk influences the visual assessment of dual energy single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) images with iodine 123 beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (I-123 BMIPP) and thallium-201 in 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction. After single SPECT with I-123 BMIPP was undertaken, simultaneous dual SPECT with I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 were undertaken in all patients. Three patients also underwent single SPECT with Tl-201. I-123 BMIPP and Tl-201 uptake was graded in four-score for the comparison between single and dual SPECT images. There was good correlation between dual energy SPECT and both single I-123 BMIPP SPECT (pS=0.97) and single Tl-201 SPECT (pS=0.59). Uptake scores were increased on dual energy SPECT, compared with single I-123 SPECT (8 out of 132 segments) and single Tl-201 SPECT (12 out of 36 segments). Overall, there was a comparatively well correlation between single SEPCT with either I-123 BMIPP or Tl-201 and dual energy SPECT images. However, one tracer uptake sometimes increased in the other tracer defect areas. This was noticeable when I-123 BMIPP exerted an effect on Tl-201. (N.K.).

A Bayesian consistent dual ensemble Kalman filter for state-parameter estimation in subsurface hydrology

KAUST Repository

Ait-El-Fquih, Boujemaa; El Gharamti, Mohamad; Hoteit, Ibrahim

2016-01-01

Ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF) is an efficient approach to addressing uncertainties in subsurface ground-water models. The EnKF sequentially integrates field data into simulation models to obtain a better characterization of the model's state and parameters. These are generally estimated following joint and dual filtering strategies, in which, at each assimilation cycle, a forecast step by the model is followed by an update step with incoming observations. The joint EnKF directly updates the augmented state-parameter vector, whereas the dual EnKF empirically employs two separate filters, first estimating the parameters and then estimating the state based on the updated parameters. To develop a Bayesian consistent dual approach and improve the state-parameter estimates and their consistency, we propose in this paper a one-step-ahead (OSA) smoothing formulation of the state-parameter Bayesian filtering problem from which we derive a new dual-type EnKF, the dual EnKF(OSA). Compared with the standard dual EnKF, it imposes a new update step to the state, which is shown to enhance the performance of the dual approach with almost no increase in the computational cost. Numerical experiments are conducted with a two-dimensional (2-D) synthetic groundwater aquifer model to investigate the performance and robustness of the proposed dual EnKFOSA, and to evaluate its results against those of the joint and dual EnKFs. The proposed scheme is able to successfully recover both the hydraulic head and the aquifer conductivity, providing further reliable estimates of their uncertainties. Furthermore, it is found to be more robust to different assimilation settings, such as the spatial and temporal distribution of the observations, and the level of noise in the data. Based on our experimental setups, it yields up to 25% more accurate state and parameter estimations than the joint and dual approaches.

A Bayesian consistent dual ensemble Kalman filter for state-parameter estimation in subsurface hydrology

KAUST Repository

Ait-El-Fquih, Boujemaa

2016-08-12

Ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF) is an efficient approach to addressing uncertainties in subsurface ground-water models. The EnKF sequentially integrates field data into simulation models to obtain a better characterization of the model\\'s state and parameters. These are generally estimated following joint and dual filtering strategies, in which, at each assimilation cycle, a forecast step by the model is followed by an update step with incoming observations. The joint EnKF directly updates the augmented state-parameter vector, whereas the dual EnKF empirically employs two separate filters, first estimating the parameters and then estimating the state based on the updated parameters. To develop a Bayesian consistent dual approach and improve the state-parameter estimates and their consistency, we propose in this paper a one-step-ahead (OSA) smoothing formulation of the state-parameter Bayesian filtering problem from which we derive a new dual-type EnKF, the dual EnKF(OSA). Compared with the standard dual EnKF, it imposes a new update step to the state, which is shown to enhance the performance of the dual approach with almost no increase in the computational cost. Numerical experiments are conducted with a two-dimensional (2-D) synthetic groundwater aquifer model to investigate the performance and robustness of the proposed dual EnKFOSA, and to evaluate its results against those of the joint and dual EnKFs. The proposed scheme is able to successfully recover both the hydraulic head and the aquifer conductivity, providing further reliable estimates of their uncertainties. Furthermore, it is found to be more robust to different assimilation settings, such as the spatial and temporal distribution of the observations, and the level of noise in the data. Based on our experimental setups, it yields up to 25% more accurate state and parameter estimations than the joint and dual approaches.

Dual Enrollment Programs and Courses for High School Students at Postsecondary Institutions: 2010-11. First Look. NCES 2013-002

Science.gov (United States)

Marken, Stephanie; Gray, Lucinda; Lewis, Laurie

2013-01-01

This report provides descriptive national data on the prevalence and characteristics of dual enrollment programs at postsecondary institutions in the United States. For this survey, dual enrollment refers to high school students earning college credits for courses taken through a postsecondary institution. The National Center for Education…

Limitations in dual-task performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pannebakker, Merel Mathilde

2009-01-01

In this thesis, the effect of information-processing overload on working-memory dependent information processing was examined using dual-task paradigms. The experiments described strengthen the importance of a functional explanation for dual-task limitations. First, it showed evidence for a unified

Characterization of liver lesions with mangafodipir trisodium-enhanced MR imaging: multicenter study comparing MR and dual-phase spiral CT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Oudkerk (Matthijs); C.G. Torres; B. Song; M. Konig; J. Grimm; J. Fernandez-Cuadrado; B. op de Beeck; M. Marquardt; P. van Dijk (Pieter); J.C. de Groot (Jan Cees)

2002-01-01

textabstractPURPOSE: To evaluate whether mangafodipir trisodium (Mn-DPDP)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging surpasses dual-phase spiral computed tomography (CT) in differentiating focal liver lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred forty-five patients who had or were

Carbon Nanodots as Dual-Mode Nanosensors for Selective Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Cheng-Long; Su, Li-Xia; Zang, Jin-Hao; Li, Xin-Jian; Lou, Qing; Shan, Chong-Xin

2017-07-01

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important product of oxidase-based enzymatic reactions, such as glucose/glucose oxidase (GOD) reaction. Therefore, the probing of generated H2O2 for achieving the detection of various carbohydrates and their oxidases is very significative. Herein, we report one kind of dual-emission carbon nanodots (CDs) that can serve as novel dual-mode nanosensors with both fluorometric and colorimetric output for the selective detection of H2O2. The dual-model nanosensors are established only by the undecorated dual-emission CDs, where significant fluorometric and colorimetric changes are observed with the addition of different concentrations of H2O2 in the CD solution, which benefit to the achievement of the naked-eye detection for H2O2. The mechanism of the nanosensors can be attributed to the fact that the external chemical stimuli like hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 bring about the change of surface properties and the aggregation of CDs, which dominate the emission and absorption of CDs. The constructed dual-mode nanosensors exhibit good biocompatibility and high selectivity toward H2O2 with a linear detection range spanning from 0.05 to 0.5 M and allow the detection of H2O2 as low as 14 mM.

Aerial Triangulation Close-range Images with Dual Quaternion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SHENG Qinghong

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A new method for the aerial triangulation of close-range images based on dual quaternion is presented. Using dual quaternion to represent the spiral screw motion of the beam in the space, the real part of dual quaternion represents the angular elements of all the beams in the close-range area networks, the real part and the dual part of dual quaternion represents the line elements corporately. Finally, an aerial triangulation adjustment model based on dual quaternion is established, and the elements of interior orientation and exterior orientation and the object coordinates of the ground points are calculated. Real images and large attitude angle simulated images are selected to run the experiments of aerial triangulation. The experimental results show that the new method for the aerial triangulation of close-range images based on dual quaternion can obtain higher accuracy.

Connection between Einstein equations, nonlinear sigma models, and self-dual Yang-Mills theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, N.; Whiting, B.

1986-01-01

The authors analyze the connection between nonlinear sigma models self-dual Yang-Mills theory, and general relativity (self-dual and non-self-dual, with and without killing vectors), both at the level of the equations and at the level of the different type of solutions (solitons and calorons) of these theories. They give a manifestly gauge invariant formulation of the self-dual gravitational field analogous to that given by Yang for the self-dual Yang-Mills field. This formulation connects in a direct and explicit way the self-dual Yang-Mills and the general relativity equations. They give the ''R gauge'' parametrization of the self-dual gravitational field (which corresponds to modified Yang's-type and Ernst equations) and analyze the correspondence between their different types of solutions. No assumption about the existence of symmetries in the space-time is needed. For the general case (non-self-dual), they show that the Einstein equations contain an O nonlinear sigma model. This connection with the sigma model holds irrespective of the presence of symmetries in the space-time. They found a new class of solutions of Einstein equations depending on holomorphic and antiholomorphic functions and we relate some subclasses of these solutions to solutions of simpler nonlinear field equations that are well known in other branches of physics, like sigma models, SineGordon, and Liouville equations. They include gravitational plane wave solutions. They analyze the response of different accelerated quantum detector models, compare them to the case when the detectors are linterial in an ordinary Planckian gas at a given temperature, and discuss the anisotropy of the detected response for Rindler observers

Patología dual en poblaciones especiales: una revisión narrativa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Néstor Szerman

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Introducción:l la patología dual se refiere a la concurrencia de un trastorno por consumo de sustancias con otro trastorno psiquiátrico. Estudios epidemiológicos en población general reportan una alta prevalencia de patología dual. Sin embargo, la información disponible sobre el tema en poblaciones especiales es limitada. Objetivo: revisar la evidencia disponible sobre la epidemiología, la atención y los aspectos relevantes para la salud pública acerca de la patología dual en las siguientes poblaciones especiales: personas en situación de indigencia, en prisión, con VIH, VHB y VHC, mujeres y adultos mayores. Método: búsqueda en bases de datos bibliográficos (PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCO y OVID de reportes de investigación enfocados en la prevalencia y el tratamiento de patología dual en las poblaciones mencionadas. Resultados: la prevalencia de la patología dual se presenta de manera diferenciada en estas poblaciones, en comparación con la población general; además está altamente asociada con mayores tasas de morbilidad y mortalidad. La mayoría de los estudios específicos sobre patología dual y las poblaciones especiales, tanto de epidemiología como de tratamientos, se ha realizado en países de alto ingreso. Discusión y conclusiones: se requiere de políticas públicas que contemplen la medición epidemiológica de la patología dual en estas poblaciones, sobre todo en países de mediano y bajo ingreso, e incluyan intervenciones integradas adecuadas a las necesidades específicas de cada población.

Performance Enhancements Under Dual-task Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, A. F.; Wickens, C. D.; Donchin, E.

1984-01-01

Research on dual-task performance has been concerned with delineating the antecedent conditions which lead to dual-task decrements. Capacity models of attention, which propose that a hypothetical resource structure underlies performance, have been employed as predictive devices. These models predict that tasks which require different processing resources can be more successfully time shared than tasks which require common resources. The conditions under which such dual-task integrality can be fostered were assessed in a study in which three factors likely to influence the integrality between tasks were manipulated: inter-task redundancy, the physical proximity of tasks and the task relevant objects. Twelve subjects participated in three experimental sessions in which they performed both single and dual-tasks. The primary task was a pursuit step tracking task. The secondary tasks required the discrimination between different intensities or different spatial positions of a stimulus. The results are discussed in terms of a model of dual-task integrality.

Evaluation of Myc Gene Amplification in Prostate Cancer Using a Dual Color Chromogenic in-Situ Hybridization (Dual CISH) Assay

OpenAIRE

Daniel Lerda; Marta Cabrera; Jorge Flores; Luis Gutierrez; Armando Chierichetti; Martin Revol; Hernan Garcia Onto

2013-01-01

Objetive: The overall purpose of the study was to demonstrate applicability of the Dako dual-color chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) assay (DAKO Denmark, Glostrup) with respect to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes MYC-C. Methods: MYC gene amplification by FISH and Dako dual-color CISH Results: The study showed that the dual-color CISH assay can convert Texas red and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) signals into chromogenic signals. The dual –color CISH assay was p...

The effects of iodine attenuation on pulmonary nodule volumetry using novel dual-layer computed tomography reconstructions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harder, A.M. den; Hamersvelt, R.W. van; Leiner, T.; Schilham, A.M.R.; Willemink, M.J.; Jong, P.A. de [University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Radiology, Utrecht (Netherlands); Bangert, F. [Sint Antonius Ziekenhuis, Department of Radiology, Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Milles, Julien [Philips Healthcare, Best (Netherlands)

2017-12-15

To assess the effect of iodine attenuation on pulmonary nodule volumetry using virtual non-contrast (VNC) and mono-energetic reconstructions. A consecutive series of patients who underwent a contrast-enhanced chest CT scan were included. Images were acquired on a novel dual-layer spectral CT system. Conventional reconstructions as well as VNC and mono-energetic images at different keV levels were used for nodule volumetry. Twenty-four patients with a total of 63 nodules were included. Conventional reconstructions showed a median (interquartile range) volume and diameter of 174 (87 - 253) mm{sup 3} and 6.9 (5.4 - 9.9) mm, respectively. VNC reconstructions resulted in a significant volume reduction of 5.5% (2.6 - 11.2%; p<0.001). Mono-energetic reconstructions showed a correlation between nodule attenuation and nodule volume (Spearman correlation 0.77, (0.49 - 0.94)). Lowering the keV resulted in increased volumes while higher keV levels resulted in decreased pulmonary nodule volumes compared to conventional CT. Novel dual-layer spectral CT offers the possibility to reconstruct VNC and mono-energetic images. Those reconstructions show that higher pulmonary nodule attenuation results in larger nodule volumes. This may explain the reported underestimation in nodule volume on non-contrast enhanced compared to contrast-enhanced acquisitions. (orig.)

The effects of iodine attenuation on pulmonary nodule volumetry using novel dual-layer computed tomography reconstructions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harder, A.M. den; Hamersvelt, R.W. van; Leiner, T.; Schilham, A.M.R.; Willemink, M.J.; Jong, P.A. de; Bangert, F.; Milles, Julien

2017-01-01

To assess the effect of iodine attenuation on pulmonary nodule volumetry using virtual non-contrast (VNC) and mono-energetic reconstructions. A consecutive series of patients who underwent a contrast-enhanced chest CT scan were included. Images were acquired on a novel dual-layer spectral CT system. Conventional reconstructions as well as VNC and mono-energetic images at different keV levels were used for nodule volumetry. Twenty-four patients with a total of 63 nodules were included. Conventional reconstructions showed a median (interquartile range) volume and diameter of 174 (87 - 253) mm 3 and 6.9 (5.4 - 9.9) mm, respectively. VNC reconstructions resulted in a significant volume reduction of 5.5% (2.6 - 11.2%; p<0.001). Mono-energetic reconstructions showed a correlation between nodule attenuation and nodule volume (Spearman correlation 0.77, (0.49 - 0.94)). Lowering the keV resulted in increased volumes while higher keV levels resulted in decreased pulmonary nodule volumes compared to conventional CT. Novel dual-layer spectral CT offers the possibility to reconstruct VNC and mono-energetic images. Those reconstructions show that higher pulmonary nodule attenuation results in larger nodule volumes. This may explain the reported underestimation in nodule volume on non-contrast enhanced compared to contrast-enhanced acquisitions. (orig.)

Dual-Mode Combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Trefny, Charles J (Inventor); Dippold, Vance F (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A new dual-mode ramjet combustor used for operation over a wide flight Mach number range is described. Subsonic combustion mode is usable to lower flight Mach numbers than current dual-mode scramjets. High speed mode is characterized by supersonic combustion in a free-jet that traverses the subsonic combustion chamber to a variable nozzle throat. Although a variable combustor exit aperture is required, the need for fuel staging to accommodate the combustion process is eliminated. Local heating from shock-boundary-layer interactions on combustor walls is also eliminated.

Nonlinear oscillation and interfacial stability of an encapsulated microbubble under dual-frequency ultrasound

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yunqiao [MOE Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Calvisi, Michael L [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, United States of America (United States); Wang, Qianxi, E-mail: yunqiaoliu@sjtu.edu.cn [School of Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

2017-04-15

Encapsulated microbubbles (EMBs) are widely used in medical ultrasound imaging as contrast-enhanced agents. However, the potential damaging effects of violent collapsing EMBs to cells and tissues in clinical settings have remained a concern. Dual-frequency ultrasound is a promising technique for improving the efficacy and safety of sonography. The system modeled consists of the external liquid, membrane and internal gases of an EMB. The microbubble dynamics are simulated using a simple nonlinear interactive theory, considering the compressibility of the internal gas, viscosity of the liquid flow and viscoelasticity of the membrane. The radial oscillation and interfacial stability of an EMB under single- and dual-frequency excitations are compared. The simulation results show that the dual-frequency technique produces larger backscatter pressure at higher harmonics of the primary driving frequency—this enriched acoustic spectrum can enhance blood-tissue contrast and improve the quality of sonographic images. The results further show that the acoustic pressure threshold associated with the onset of shape instability is greater for dual-frequency driving. This suggests that the dual-frequency technique stabilizes the encapsulated bubble, thereby improving the efficacy and safety of contrast-enhanced agents. (paper)

Two separate outflows in the dual supermassive black hole system NGC 6240.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller-Sánchez, F; Nevin, R; Comerford, J M; Davies, R I; Privon, G C; Treister, E

2018-04-01

Theoretical models and numerical simulations have established a framework of galaxy evolution in which galaxies merge and create dual supermassive black holes (with separations of one to ten kiloparsecs), which eventually sink into the centre of the merger remnant, emit gravitational waves and coalesce. The merger also triggers star formation and supermassive black hole growth, and gas outflows regulate the stellar content 1-3 . Although this theoretical picture is supported by recent observations of starburst-driven and supermassive black hole-driven outflows 4-6 , it remains unclear how these outflows interact with the interstellar medium. Furthermore, the relative contributions of star formation and black hole activity to galactic feedback remain unknown 7-9 . Here we report observations of dual outflows in the central region of the prototypical merger NGC 6240. We find a black-hole-driven outflow of [O III] to the northeast and a starburst-driven outflow of Hα to the northwest. The orientations and positions of the outflows allow us to isolate them spatially and study their properties independently. We estimate mass outflow rates of 10 and 75 solar masses per year for the Hα bubble and the [O III] cone, respectively. Their combined mass outflow is comparable to the star formation rate 10 , suggesting that negative feedback on star formation is occurring.

Dual Headquarters Involvement in Multibusiness Firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nell, Phillip Christopher; Kappen, Philip; Dellestrand, Henrik

The strategy literature has shown that headquarters involve themselves into subsidiary operations to add value. Yet, little is known about the extent to which multiple headquarters do so. Therefore, we investigate antecedents of corporate and divisional headquarters’ involvement in innovation...... development projects of subsidiaries. Analyses of 85 innovation development projects reveal that dual innovation importance (innovation that is important for the division and the rest of the firm), and dual dual embeddedness (innovating subsidiary is embedded both within the division and in the rest...... of the firm) lead to greater dual headquarters involvement, especially when the innovation development network is large. The results contribute to the literature on complex parenting and theory of selective headquarters involvement....

The Effects of Iodine Attenuation on Pulmonary Nodule Volumetry using Novel Dual-Layer Computed Tomography Reconstructions.

Science.gov (United States)

den Harder, A M; Bangert, F; van Hamersvelt, R W; Leiner, T; Milles, Julien; Schilham, A M R; Willemink, M J; de Jong, P A

2017-12-01

To assess the effect of iodine attenuation on pulmonary nodule volumetry using virtual non-contrast (VNC) and mono-energetic reconstructions. A consecutive series of patients who underwent a contrast-enhanced chest CT scan were included. Images were acquired on a novel dual-layer spectral CT system. Conventional reconstructions as well as VNC and mono-energetic images at different keV levels were used for nodule volumetry. Twenty-four patients with a total of 63 nodules were included. Conventional reconstructions showed a median (interquartile range) volume and diameter of 174 (87 - 253) mm 3 and 6.9 (5.4 - 9.9) mm, respectively. VNC reconstructions resulted in a significant volume reduction of 5.5% (2.6 - 11.2%; p<0.001). Mono-energetic reconstructions showed a correlation between nodule attenuation and nodule volume (Spearman correlation 0.77, (0.49 - 0.94)). Lowering the keV resulted in increased volumes while higher keV levels resulted in decreased pulmonary nodule volumes compared to conventional CT. Novel dual-layer spectral CT offers the possibility to reconstruct VNC and mono-energetic images. Those reconstructions show that higher pulmonary nodule attenuation results in larger nodule volumes. This may explain the reported underestimation in nodule volume on non-contrast enhanced compared to contrast-enhanced acquisitions. • Pulmonary nodule volumes were measured on virtual non-contrast and mono-energetic reconstructions • Mono-energetic reconstructions showed that higher attenuation results in larger volumes • This may explain the reported nodule volume underestimation on non-contrast enhanced CT • Mostly metastatic pulmonary nodules were evaluated, results might differ for benign nodules.

Dual Mechanism of Action of Resveratrol in Notch Signaling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: The results revealed that resveratrol treatment exhibited dual mechanisms of action on the activation of Notch signaling in osteosarcoma cells. The osteosarcoma cell lines, MG-63 and U2OS, when exposed to 20 μM concentration of resveratrol for 48 h showed significant toxicity compared to untreated cells.

Calcium scoring with dual-energy CT in men and women: an anthropomorphic phantom study

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qin; Liu, Songtao; Myers, Kyle; Gavrielides, Marios A.; Zeng, Rongping; Sahiner, Berkman; Petrick, Nicholas

2016-03-01

This work aimed to quantify and compare the potential impact of gender differences on coronary artery calcium scoring with dual-energy CT. An anthropomorphic thorax phantom with four synthetic heart vessels (diameter 3-4.5 mm: female/male left main and left circumflex artery) were scanned with and without female breast plates. Ten repeat scans were acquired in both single- and dual-energy modes and reconstructed at six reconstruction settings: two slice thicknesses (3 mm, 0.6 mm) and three reconstruction algorithms (FBP, IR3, IR5). Agatston and calcium volume scores were estimated from the reconstructed data using a segmentation-based approach. Total calcium score (summation of four vessels), and male/female calcium scores (summation of male/female vessels scanned in phantom without/with breast plates) were calculated accordingly. Both Agatston and calcium volume scores were found comparable between single- and dual-energy scans (Pearson r= 0.99, pwomen and men in calcium scoring, and for standardizing imaging protocols for improved gender-specific calcium scoring.

In vitro and In Silico Studies on Curcumin and Its Analogues as Dual Inhibitors for cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nunung Yuniarti

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Curcumin has been widely reported as an anti-inflammatory agent isolated from the plant Curcuma longa L. (turmeric. This anti-inflammatory activity was associated with the ability of this compound to inhibit the activity of both cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2 in arachidonic acid metabolism. Dual COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors are preferred to be employed in the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases compared to selective inhibitors, since it was reported that the use of selective inhibitors led to severe adverse side effect. In the present study, in vitro and in silico assays on curcumin and its analogues as dual inhibitors for both COX-1 and COX-2 were performed. The results provide theoretical contribution in understanding the ligand-protein interactions at the molecular level to develop new curcumin analogues which possess better anti-inflammatory activity as well as to avoid unsolicited side effects.

Fat-free mass prediction equations for bioelectric impedance analysis compared to dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in obese adolescents: a validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofsteenge, Geesje H; Chinapaw, Mai J M; Weijs, Peter J M

2015-10-15

In clinical practice, patient friendly methods to assess body composition in obese adolescents are needed. Therefore, the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) related fat-free mass (FFM) prediction equations (FFM-BIA) were evaluated in obese adolescents (age 11-18 years) compared to FFM measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (FFM-DXA) and a new population specific FFM-BIA equation is developed. After an overnight fast, the subjects attended the outpatient clinic. After measuring height and weight, a full body scan by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and a BIA measurement was performed. Thirteen predictive FFM-BIA equations based on weight, height, age, resistance, reactance and/or impedance were systematically selected and compared to FFM-DXA. Accuracy of FFM-BIA equations was evaluated by the percentage adolescents predicted within 5% of FFM-DXA measured, the mean percentage difference between predicted and measured values (bias) and the Root Mean Squared prediction Error (RMSE). Multiple linear regression was conducted to develop a new BIA equation. Validation was based on 103 adolescents (60% girls), age 14.5 (sd1.7) years, weight 94.1 (sd15.6) kg and FFM-DXA of 56.1 (sd9.8) kg. The percentage accurate estimations varied between equations from 0 to 68%; bias ranged from -29.3 to +36.3% and RMSE ranged from 2.8 to 12.4 kg. An alternative prediction equation was developed: FFM = 0.527 * H(cm)(2)/Imp + 0.306 * weight - 1.862 (R(2) = 0.92, SEE = 2.85 kg). Percentage accurate prediction was 76%. Compared to DXA, the Gray equation underestimated the FFM with 0.4 kg (55.7 ± 8.3), had an RMSE of 3.2 kg, 63% accurate prediction and the smallest bias of (-0.1%). When split by sex, the Gray equation had the narrowest range in accurate predictions, bias, and RMSE. For the assessment of FFM with BIA, the Gray-FFM equation appears to be the most accurate, but 63% is still not at an acceptable accuracy level for obese adolescents. The new equation appears to

Dual-sided reading versus single-sided reading: comparison of image quality and radiation dose between the two computed radiography system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Shaojuan; Qi Hengtao; Zhao Yongxia; Jiao Fanglian

2007-01-01

Objective: To assess and compare the difference in image quality and exposure dose between single-sided reading image plate (IP) and dual-sided reading IP. Methods: A contrast-detail phantom CDRAD 2.0 was exposed by single-sided and dual-sided reading IP with different mAs sets. The entrance surface doses were recorded for all images. Images were then presented to two radiologists on a high resolution monitor of diagnosis workstation. The image quality figure (IQF) was measured for each image. Statistical analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare the difference in image quality and exposure dose between single-sided IP and dual-sided reading IP. Results: With different tube current dosage of 5.6, 12.0, 20.0, 25.0, and 40.0 mAs, IQF values of single-sided reading IP were 47.95, 37.68, 34.31, 28.61, and 24.65, respectively, while those of dual- sided reading IP were 38.83, 29.81, 29.65, 25.16, and 21.43, respectively. The IQF difference between them showed statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Image quality of dual-sided reading IP has been proved to be far superior to that of single-sided reading IP, in particular for low contrast detail. The image quality of single-sided reading IP is similar to that of dual-sided reading IP only at high dose levels. The clinical application of dual-sided reading IP will reduce the exposure dose by about 25% compared with single-sided reading IP. (authors)

Greenhouse Gas and Noxious Emissions from Dual Fuel Diesel and Natural Gas Heavy Goods Vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Stettler, Marc E J; Midgley, William J B; Swanson, Jacob J; Cebon, David; Boies, Adam M

2016-02-16

Dual fuel diesel and natural gas heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) operate on a combination of the two fuels simultaneously. By substituting diesel for natural gas, vehicle operators can benefit from reduced fuel costs and as natural gas has a lower CO2 intensity compared to diesel, dual fuel HGVs have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the freight sector. In this study, energy consumption, greenhouse gas and noxious emissions for five after-market dual fuel configurations of two vehicle platforms are compared relative to their diesel-only baseline values over transient and steady state testing. Over a transient cycle, CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 9%; however, methane (CH4) emissions due to incomplete combustion lead to CO2e emissions that are 50-127% higher than the equivalent diesel vehicle. Oxidation catalysts evaluated on the vehicles at steady state reduced CH4 emissions by at most 15% at exhaust gas temperatures representative of transient conditions. This study highlights that control of CH4 emissions and improved control of in-cylinder CH4 combustion are required to reduce total GHG emissions of dual fuel HGVs relative to diesel vehicles.

Dual Coding and Bilingual Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Paivio, Allan; Lambert, Wallace

1981-01-01

Describes study which tested a dual coding approach to bilingual memory using tasks that permit comparison of the effects of bilingual encoding with verbal-nonverbal dual encoding items. Results provide strong support for a version of the independent or separate stories view of bilingual memory. (Author/BK)

Switchable dual-wavelength single-longitudinal-mode erbium fiber laser utilizing a dual-ring scheme with a saturable absorber

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zi-Qing; Huang, Tzu-Jung; Chang, Yao-Jen; Yeh, Chien-Hung; Chow, Chi-Wai; Chen, Jing-Heng; Chen, Kun-Huang

2018-06-01

In this work, we propose and demonstrate a switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber (EDF) ring laser with stable single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) output. Here, a dual-ring (DR) structure with an unpumped EDF of 2 m is designed to achieve SLM oscillation. Five fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are applied in the laser cavity serving as the reflective element to generate different dual-wavelength outputs. In the measurement, six sets of generated dual-wavelengths with various mode-spacing (Δλ) can be achieved via the five FBGs. Additionally, the stability performance of the proposed EDF DR laser is also demonstrated.

Comparative Genome Analyses of Streptococcus suis Isolates from Endocarditis Demonstrate Persistence of Dual Phenotypic Clones.

Science.gov (United States)

Tohya, Mari; Watanabe, Takayasu; Maruyama, Fumito; Arai, Sakura; Ota, Atsushi; Athey, Taryn B T; Fittipaldi, Nahuel; Nakagawa, Ichiro; Sekizaki, Tsutomu

2016-01-01

Many bacterial species coexist in the same niche as heterogeneous clones with different phenotypes; however, understanding of infectious diseases by polyphenotypic bacteria is still limited. In the present study, encapsulation in isolates of the porcine pathogen Streptococcus suis from persistent endocarditis lesions was examined. Coexistence of both encapsulated and unencapsulated S. suis isolates was found in 26 out of 59 endocarditis samples. The isolates were serotype 2, and belonged to two different sequence types (STs), ST1 and ST28. The genomes of each of the 26 pairs of encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates from the 26 samples were sequenced. The data showed that each pair of isolates had one or more unique nonsynonymous mutations in the cps gene, and the encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates from the same samples were closest to each other. Pairwise comparisons of the sequences of cps genes in 7 pairs of encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates identified insertion/deletions (indels) ranging from one to 104 bp in different cps genes of unencapsulated isolates. Capsule expression was restored in a subset of unencapsulated isolates by complementation in trans with cps expression vectors. Examination of gene content common to isolates indicated that mutation frequency was higher in ST28 pairs than in ST1 pairs. Genes within mobile genetic elements were mutation hot spots among ST28 isolates. Taken all together, our results demonstrate the coexistence of dual phenotype (encapsulated and unencapsulated) bacterial clones and suggest that the dual phenotypes arose independently in each farm by means of spontaneous mutations in cps genes.

Comparative Genome Analyses of Streptococcus suis Isolates from Endocarditis Demonstrate Persistence of Dual Phenotypic Clones.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari Tohya

Full Text Available Many bacterial species coexist in the same niche as heterogeneous clones with different phenotypes; however, understanding of infectious diseases by polyphenotypic bacteria is still limited. In the present study, encapsulation in isolates of the porcine pathogen Streptococcus suis from persistent endocarditis lesions was examined. Coexistence of both encapsulated and unencapsulated S. suis isolates was found in 26 out of 59 endocarditis samples. The isolates were serotype 2, and belonged to two different sequence types (STs, ST1 and ST28. The genomes of each of the 26 pairs of encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates from the 26 samples were sequenced. The data showed that each pair of isolates had one or more unique nonsynonymous mutations in the cps gene, and the encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates from the same samples were closest to each other. Pairwise comparisons of the sequences of cps genes in 7 pairs of encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates identified insertion/deletions (indels ranging from one to 104 bp in different cps genes of unencapsulated isolates. Capsule expression was restored in a subset of unencapsulated isolates by complementation in trans with cps expression vectors. Examination of gene content common to isolates indicated that mutation frequency was higher in ST28 pairs than in ST1 pairs. Genes within mobile genetic elements were mutation hot spots among ST28 isolates. Taken all together, our results demonstrate the coexistence of dual phenotype (encapsulated and unencapsulated bacterial clones and suggest that the dual phenotypes arose independently in each farm by means of spontaneous mutations in cps genes.

Comparative Genome Analyses of Streptococcus suis Isolates from Endocarditis Demonstrate Persistence of Dual Phenotypic Clones

Science.gov (United States)

Tohya, Mari; Watanabe, Takayasu; Maruyama, Fumito; Arai, Sakura; Ota, Atsushi; Athey, Taryn B. T.; Fittipaldi, Nahuel; Nakagawa, Ichiro; Sekizaki, Tsutomu

2016-01-01

Many bacterial species coexist in the same niche as heterogeneous clones with different phenotypes; however, understanding of infectious diseases by polyphenotypic bacteria is still limited. In the present study, encapsulation in isolates of the porcine pathogen Streptococcus suis from persistent endocarditis lesions was examined. Coexistence of both encapsulated and unencapsulated S. suis isolates was found in 26 out of 59 endocarditis samples. The isolates were serotype 2, and belonged to two different sequence types (STs), ST1 and ST28. The genomes of each of the 26 pairs of encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates from the 26 samples were sequenced. The data showed that each pair of isolates had one or more unique nonsynonymous mutations in the cps gene, and the encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates from the same samples were closest to each other. Pairwise comparisons of the sequences of cps genes in 7 pairs of encapsulated and unencapsulated isolates identified insertion/deletions (indels) ranging from one to 104 bp in different cps genes of unencapsulated isolates. Capsule expression was restored in a subset of unencapsulated isolates by complementation in trans with cps expression vectors. Examination of gene content common to isolates indicated that mutation frequency was higher in ST28 pairs than in ST1 pairs. Genes within mobile genetic elements were mutation hot spots among ST28 isolates. Taken all together, our results demonstrate the coexistence of dual phenotype (encapsulated and unencapsulated) bacterial clones and suggest that the dual phenotypes arose independently in each farm by means of spontaneous mutations in cps genes. PMID:27433935

Komputasi Aliran Daya Optimal Sistem Tenaga Skala Besar dengan Metode Primal Dual Interior Point

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syafii Syafii

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the use of Primal Dual Interior Point method in the analysis of optimal power flow. Optimal power flow analysis with Primal Dual Interior Point method then compared with Linear Programming Method using Matpower program. The simulation results show that the computation results of Primal Dual Interior Point similar with Linear Programming Method for total cost of generation and large power generated by each power plant. But in terms of computation time Primal Dual Interior Point method is faster than the method of Linear Programming, especially for large systems. Primal Dual Interior Point method have solved the problem in 40.59 seconds, while Linear Programming method takes longer 239.72 seconds for large-scale system 9241 bus. This is because the settlement PDIP algorithm starts from the starting point x0, which is located within the area of feasible move towards the optimal point, in contrast to the simplex method that moves along the border of the feasible from one extreme point to the other extreme point. Thus Primal Dual Interior Point method have more efficient in solving optimal power flow problem of large-scale power systems.

Data sharing and dual-use issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Bezuidenhout, Louise

2013-03-01

The concept of dual-use encapsulates the potential for well-intentioned, beneficial scientific research to also be misused by a third party for malicious ends. The concept of dual-use challenges scientists to look beyond the immediate outcomes of their research and to develop an awareness of possible future (mis)uses of scientific research. Since 2001 much attention has been paid to the possible need to regulate the dual-use potential of the life sciences. Regulation initiatives fall under two broad categories-those that develop the ethical education of scientists and foster an awareness and responsibility of dual-use issues, and those which assess the regulation of information being generated by current research. Both types of initiatives are premised on a cautious, risk-adverse philosophy which advocates careful examination of all future endpoints of research endeavors. This caution advocated within initiatives such as pre-publication review of journal articles contrasts to the obligation to share underpinning data sharing discussions. As the dual-use debate has yet to make a significant impact on data sharing discussions (and vice versa) it is possible that these two areas of knowledge control may present areas of ethical conflict for scientists, and thus need to be more closely examined. This paper examines the tension between the obligation to share exemplified by data sharing principles and the concerns raised by the risk-cautious culture of the dual-use debates. The paper concludes by reflecting on the issues of responsibility as raised by dual-use as relating to data sharing, such as the chain of custody for shared data.

Unraveling Executive Functioning in Dual Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Duijkers, Judith C L M; Vissers, Constance Th W M; Egger, Jos I M

2016-01-01

In mental health, the term dual-diagnosis is used for the co-occurrence of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) with another mental disorder. These co-occurring disorders can have a shared cause, and can cause/intensify each other's expression. Forming a threat to health and society, dual-diagnosis is associated with relapses in addiction-related behavior and a destructive lifestyle. This is due to a persistent failure to control impulses and the maintaining of inadequate self-regulatory behavior in daily life. Thus, several aspects of executive functioning like inhibitory, shifting and updating processes seem impaired in dual-diagnosis. Executive (dys-)function is currently even seen as a shared underlying key component of most mental disorders. However, the number of studies on diverse aspects of executive functioning in dual-diagnosis is limited. In the present review, a systematic overview of various aspects of executive functioning in dual-diagnosis is presented, striving for a prototypical profile of patients with dual-diagnosis. Looking at empirical results, inhibitory and shifting processes appear to be impaired for SUD combined with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or cluster B personality disorders. Studies involving updating process tasks for dual-diagnosis were limited. More research that zooms in to the full diversity of these executive functions is needed in order to strengthen these findings. Detailed insight in the profile of strengths and weaknesses that underlies one's behavior and is related to diagnostic classifications, can lead to tailor-made assessment and indications for treatment, pointing out which aspects need attention and/or training in one's self-regulative abilities.

Detection of pulmonary fat embolism with dual-energy CT: an experimental study in rabbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Chun Xiang; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Zhao, Yan E.; Han, Zong Hong; Qi, Li; Zhang, Long Jiang; Lu, Guang Ming [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Schoepf, U.J. [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); Mangold, Stefanie; Ball, B.D. [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States)

2017-04-15

To evaluate the use of dual-energy CT imaging of the lung perfused blood volume (PBV) for the detection of pulmonary fat embolism (PFE). Dual-energy CT was performed in 24 rabbits before and 1 hour, 1 day, 4 days and 7 days after artificial induction of PFE via the right ear vein. CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and lung PBV images were evaluated by two radiologists, who recorded the presence, number, and location of PFE on a per-lobe basis. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CTPA and lung PBV for detecting PFE were calculated using histopathological evaluation as the reference standard. A total of 144 lung lobes in 24 rabbits were evaluated and 70 fat emboli were detected on histopathological analysis. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 25.4 %, 98.6 %, and 62.5 % for CTPA, and 82.6 %, 76.0 %, and 79.2 % for lung PBV. Higher sensitivity (p < 0.001) and accuracy (p < 0.01), but lower specificity (p < 0.001), were found for lung PBV compared with CTPA. Dual-energy CT can detect PFE earlier than CTPA (all p < 0.01). Dual-energy CT provided higher sensitivity and accuracy in the detection of PFE as well as earlier detection compared with conventional CTPA in this animal model study. (orig.)

Reliable Dual Tensor Model Estimation in Single and Crossing Fibers Based on Jeffreys Prior

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jianfei; Poot, Dirk H. J.; Caan, Matthan W. A.; Su, Tanja; Majoie, Charles B. L. M.; van Vliet, Lucas J.; Vos, Frans M.

2016-01-01

Purpose This paper presents and studies a framework for reliable modeling of diffusion MRI using a data-acquisition adaptive prior. Methods Automated relevance determination estimates the mean of the posterior distribution of a rank-2 dual tensor model exploiting Jeffreys prior (JARD). This data-acquisition prior is based on the Fisher information matrix and enables the assessment whether two tensors are mandatory to describe the data. The method is compared to Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) of the dual tensor model and to FSL’s ball-and-stick approach. Results Monte Carlo experiments demonstrated that JARD’s volume fractions correlated well with the ground truth for single and crossing fiber configurations. In single fiber configurations JARD automatically reduced the volume fraction of one compartment to (almost) zero. The variance in fractional anisotropy (FA) of the main tensor component was thereby reduced compared to MLE. JARD and MLE gave a comparable outcome in data simulating crossing fibers. On brain data, JARD yielded a smaller spread in FA along the corpus callosum compared to MLE. Tract-based spatial statistics demonstrated a higher sensitivity in detecting age-related white matter atrophy using JARD compared to both MLE and the ball-and-stick approach. Conclusions The proposed framework offers accurate and precise estimation of diffusion properties in single and dual fiber regions. PMID:27760166

Dual curvature acoustically damped concentrating collector. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, G.A.; Rausch, R.A.

1980-05-01

A development program was conducted to investigate the design and performance parameters of a novel, dual curvature, concentrating solar collector. The reflector of the solar collector is achieved with a stretched-film reflective surface that approximates a hyperbolic paraboloid and is capable of line-focusing at concentration ratios ranging from 10 to 20X. A prototype collector was designed based on analytical and experimental component trade-off activities as well as economic analyses of solar thermal heating and cooling systems incorporating this type of collector. A prototype collector incorporating six 0.66 x 1.22 m (2 x 4 ft) was fabricated and subjected to a limited thermal efficiency test program. A peak efficiency of 36% at 121/sup 0/C (250/sup 0/F) was achieved based upon the gross aperture area. Commercialization activities were conducted, including estimated production costs of $134.44/m/sup 2/ ($12.49/ft/sup 2/) for the collector assembly (including a local suntracker and controls) and $24.33/m/sup 2/ ($2.26/ft/sup 2/) for the reflector subassembly.

Balancing the dual responsibilities of business unit controllers: field and survey evidence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, V.S.; Matejka, M.

2009-01-01

We examine how business unit (BU) controllers balance their dual roles of providing information for both local decision-making (local responsibility) and corporate control (functional responsibility). The existing literature suggests that organizations can improve the quality of financial reporting

Superplastic boronizing of duplex stainless steel under dual compression method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jauhari, I.; Yusof, H.A.M.; Saidan, R.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Superplastic boronizing. → Dual compression method has been developed. → Hard boride layer. → Bulk deformation was significantly thicker the boronized layer. → New data on boronizing could be expanded the application of DSS in industries. - Abstract: In this work, SPB of duplex stainless steel (DSS) under compression method is studied with the objective to produce ultra hard and thick boronized layer using minimal amount of boron powder and at a much faster boronizing time as compared to the conventional process. SPB is conducted under dual compression methods. In the first method DSS is boronized using a minimal amount of boron powder under a fix pre-strained compression condition throughout the process. The compression strain is controlled in such a way that plastic deformation is restricted at the surface asperities of the substrate in contact with the boron powder. In the second method, the boronized specimen taken from the first mode is compressed superplastically up to a certain compressive strain under a certain strain rate condition. The process in the second method is conducted without the present of boron powder. As compared with the conventional boronizing process, through this SPB under dual compression methods, a much harder and thicker boronized layer thickness is able to be produced using a minimal amount of boron powder.

Superplastic boronizing of duplex stainless steel under dual compression method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jauhari, I., E-mail: iswadi@um.edu.my [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Yusof, H.A.M.; Saidan, R. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2011-10-25

Highlights: {yields} Superplastic boronizing. {yields} Dual compression method has been developed. {yields} Hard boride layer. {yields} Bulk deformation was significantly thicker the boronized layer. {yields} New data on boronizing could be expanded the application of DSS in industries. - Abstract: In this work, SPB of duplex stainless steel (DSS) under compression method is studied with the objective to produce ultra hard and thick boronized layer using minimal amount of boron powder and at a much faster boronizing time as compared to the conventional process. SPB is conducted under dual compression methods. In the first method DSS is boronized using a minimal amount of boron powder under a fix pre-strained compression condition throughout the process. The compression strain is controlled in such a way that plastic deformation is restricted at the surface asperities of the substrate in contact with the boron powder. In the second method, the boronized specimen taken from the first mode is compressed superplastically up to a certain compressive strain under a certain strain rate condition. The process in the second method is conducted without the present of boron powder. As compared with the conventional boronizing process, through this SPB under dual compression methods, a much harder and thicker boronized layer thickness is able to be produced using a minimal amount of boron powder.

Properties of dual codes defined by nondegenerate forms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steve Szabo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Dual codes are defined with respect to non-degenerate sesquilinear or bilinear forms over a finite Frobenius ring. These dual codes have the properties one expects from a dual code: they satisfy a double-dual property, they have cardinality complementary to that of the primal code, and they satisfy the MacWilliams identities for the Hamming weight.

Dual Pathology in Rasmussen's Encephalitis: A Report of Coexistent Focal Cortical Dysplasia and Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Prayson, Richard A

2012-01-01

Rasmussen's encephalitis is a well-established, albeit rare cause of medically intractable epilepsy. In a small number of Rasmussen's cases, a second pathology is identified, which independently can cause medically intractable seizures (dual pathology). This paper documents a case of a 13-year-old male who presented with medically intractable epilepsy. The patient underwent a series of surgical resections, early on resulting in a diagnosis of focal cortical dysplasia and later yielding a diagnosis of coexistent Rasmussen's encephalitis, marked by chronic inflammation, microglial nodules, and focal cortical atrophy, combined with focal cortical dysplasia (Palmini et al. type IIA, ILAE type IIA). The literature on dual pathology in the setting of Rasmussen's encephalitis is reviewed.

Pensamiento constructivo como medida de inteligencia emocional en patología dual

OpenAIRE

Albalat Alcaraz, Caridad; Fernández Ros, Encarnación; López García, Juan José

2014-01-01

Introducción: El objetivo de este estudio es comparar el pensamiento constructivo, una medida de inteligencia emocional, entre una muestra clínica de pacientes adultos diagnosticados de patología dual y una muestra no clínica. Método: Mediante un diseño de investigación comparativo, una muestra no clínica de 835 sujetos se comparó con una muestra de 180 sujetos diagnosticados de patología dual: 78 con trastornos clínicos o del Eje I y102 con trastornos de la personalidad o del ...

An Efficient Construction of Self-Dual Codes

OpenAIRE

Lee, Yoonjin; Kim, Jon-Lark

2012-01-01

We complete the building-up construction for self-dual codes by resolving the open cases over $GF(q)$ with $q \\equiv 3 \\pmod 4$, and over $\\Z_{p^m}$ and Galois rings $\\GR(p^m,r)$ with an odd prime $p$ satisfying $p \\equiv 3 \\pmod 4$ with $r$ odd. We also extend the building-up construction for self-dual codes to finite chain rings. Our building-up construction produces many new interesting self-dual codes. In particular, we construct 945 new extremal self-dual ternary $[32,16,9]$ codes, each ...

Dual Kidney Allocation Score: A Novel Algorithm Utilizing Expanded Donor Criteria for the Allocation of Dual Kidneys in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Adam P; Price, Thea P; Lieby, Benjamin; Doria, Cataldo