Relationship between the Pedaling Biomechanics and Strain of Bicycle Frame during Submaximal Tests

OpenAIRE

Manolova, Aneliya; Crequy, Samuel; Lestriez, Philippe; Debraux, Pierre; Bertucci, William

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of forces applied to pedals and cranks on the strain imposed to an instrumented bicycle motocross (BMX) frame. Using results from a finite element analysis to determine the localisation of highest stress, eight strain gauges were located on the down tube, the seat tube and the right chain stay. Before the pedaling tests, static loads were applied to the frame during bench tests. Two pedaling conditions have been analysed. In the first, the rider...

Does pedalling on a recumbent bicycle influence the cyclist’s steering behaviour?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boon, K.M.; Klap, P.; Van Lanen, J.A.; Letsoin, G.J.; Jansen, A.J.

2014-01-01

The paper presents the answer to the question how pedalling on a specific recumbent bicycle, such as the VeloX3, influences a cyclist’s ability to steer the bicycle. The research aims to find the correlation between pedalling and the undesired steering movements it creates. To test this assumption a

Combined Radial-Pedal Access Strategy and Radial-Pedal Rendezvous in the Revascularization of Complex Total Occlusions of the Superficial Femoral Artery (the "No Femoral Access" Strategy).

Science.gov (United States)

Hanna, Elias B; Prout, Davey L

2016-04-01

To describe the combined use of radial-pedal access for recanalization of complex superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusions unsuitable for transfemoral recanalization. Patients are selected for this strategy if they have a long (≥ 10 cm) SFA occlusion with unfavorable aortoiliac anatomy, an absent ostial stump, or severely diseased and calcified distal reconstitution. Left radial artery and distal anterior or posterior tibial artery are accessed with 6-F and 4-F sheaths, respectively. The SFA lesion is crossed retrogradely with a 0.035-inch wire system. If retrograde crossing is not immediately successful, transradial subintimal tracking and radial-pedal subintimal rendezvous are used to allow retrograde reentry. Fifteen patients (mean age 62 ± 5 years; 11 men) have been treated in this fashion, and frequently stented, through the tibiopedal access. Seven patients required radial-pedal rendezvous to facilitate retrograde reentry. Two patients underwent transradial iliac stenting during the same session, and 1 patient underwent transradial kissing angioplasty of the profunda. No major complication occurred in any patient. After the procedure, the pulse across the accessed tibial artery was palpable in all patients. In patients with long and complex SFA occlusion unsuitable for transfemoral recanalization, a radial-pedal strategy can overcome revascularization obstacles. © The Author(s) 2016.

Recurrence of Diabetic Pedal Ulcerations Following Tendo-Achilles Lengthening

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Richard D. Weiner

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Foot and ankle surgeons are frequently challenged by the devastating systemic consequences of diabetes mellitus manifested through neuropathy, integumentary and joint breakdown, delayed healing, decreased ability to fight infection, and fragile tendon/ligaments. Diabetic neuropathic pedal ulcerations lead to amputations at an alarming rate and also carry a high mortality rate. This article will discuss causes of diabetic pedal ulcerations that persist or recur after tendo-Achilles lengthening and will highlight areas that need to be addressed by the practitioner such as infection, vascular and nutritional status, glucose control, off-loading, biomechanics, and patient compliance.

Pedal indirect lymphangiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kil Woo; Hong, Myung Sun; Kim, In Jae

1994-01-01

Recently, indirect lymphangiography has been developed as a relatively good and noninvasive imaging modality of the lymphatic system at extremities. But the disadvantage of the indirect lymphangiography is a low contrast ratio between the surrounding tissues and the contrast media in lymphatic vessels, because dimeric nonionic contrast media is water soluble and diluted in the proximal leg lymphatic vessels. We could have relatively better image than previously published images for the leg lymphatic system, when we injected contrast media with adequate high pressure in intradermal space of the interdigital areas at the foot dorsum. So, we would like to report the results. We could study all 9 lymphedemas(primary: 6, secondary: 3) from April 1990 to May 1993 on outpatient base. They were diagnosed as lymphedema clinically and radiologically. Ten ml of dimeric nonionic aget, iotrolan(Isovist 300) was injected into intradermal space with five 30-gauge needles. The injection speed was more than 0.2 ml/min. We have done one side pedal lymphangiogram in 30 minutes. The evaluation of the anterior superficial lymphatics was according to the criteria of the Weissleder. The results were as follows: 1. All lymphatic vessels from foot to inguinal area could be visualized. 2. Two or three inferior inguinal lymph nodes could be visualized about 42%. 3. The most common abnormal finding of the lymphedma was the neovascularization of the lymphatics on indirect pedal lymphangiogram. If we use adequate technique relatively high pressure injection, correct intradermal needle insertion, adequate soft tissue exposure technique indirect lymphangiography is considered to be a safe and noninvasive imaging modality for the evaluation of the lymphedema of lower extremity lymphatics including inferior inguinal lymph nodes

INFLUENCE OF PEDALING TECHNIQUE ON METABOLIC EFFICIENCY IN ELITE CYCLISTS

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Jesús Cámara

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Our objective was to investigate the influence of pedaling technique on gross efficiency (GE at various exercise intensities in twelve elite cyclists (  ·VO2max=75.7 ± 6.2 mL·kg-1·min-1. Each cyclist completed a   ·VO2max assessment, skinfold measurements, and an incremental test to determine their lactate threshold (LT and onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA values. The GE was determined during a three-phase incremental exercise test (below LT, at LT, and at OBLA. We did not find a significant relationship between pedaling technique and GE just below the LT. However, at the LT, there was a significant correlation between GE and mean torque and evenness of torque distribution (r=0.65 and r=0.66, respectively; p < 0.05. At OBLA, as the cadence frequency increased, the GE declined (r=-0.81, p < 0.05. These results suggest that exercise intensity plays an important role in the relationship between pedaling technique and GE.

A prospective comparison of pedal ergometry with conventional treadmill testing in the investigation of lower extremity pain.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Manning, B J

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Investigation of lower extremity pain is compromised by comorbid disorders that may interfere with conventional testing. AIMS: To compare pedal ergometry with conventional treadmill testing. METHODS: A prospective study was performed where patients presenting with a diagnosis of intermittent claudication were assessed by both methods of testing. RESULTS: Of 78 patients studied with both tests, no exercise-induced ankle pressure changes occurred in 26, two were unable to complete either test despite normal pressure measurements, while 24 had exercise-induced pressure drop detected by both tests. Of patients who completed pedal ergometry, 21 were unable to complete the treadmill test, 14 of whom had negative ergometry, while seven had a pressure drop detected by pedal ergometry. Three had pressure changes with pedal ergometry, but not with treadmill testing and two had pressure changes on the treadmill not reproduced by pedal ergometry. CONCLUSIONS: Pedal ergometer is more sensitive than treadmill testing in detecting arterial insufficiency, as indicated by a 20% or greater fall in ankle pressure, and more suitable in a subgroup of patients unable to tolerate conventional treadmill testing.

Simulation of tendon energy storage in pedaling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, John; Damsgaard, Michael; Christensen, Søren Tørholm

2001-01-01

The role of elastic energy stored in tendons during pedaling is investigated by means of numerical simulation using the AnyBody body modeling system. The loss of metabolic energy due to tendon elasticity is computed and compared to the mechanical work involved in the process. The AnyBody simulati...

Asymmetrical Pedaling Patterns in Parkinson's Disease Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Penko, Amanda L.; Hirsch, Joshua R.; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia; Martin, Philip E.; Blackburn, Gordon; Alberts, Jay L.

2015-01-01

Background Approximately 1.5 million Americans are affected by Parkinson's disease [1] which includes the symptoms of postural instability and gait dysfunction. Currently, clinical evaluations of postural instability and gait dysfunction consist of a subjective rater assessment of gait patterns using items from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, and assessments can be insensitive to the effectiveness of medical interventions. Current research suggests the importance of cycling for Parkinson's disease patients, and while Parkinson's gait has been evaluated in previous studies, little is known about lower extremity control during cycling. The purpose of this study is to examine the lower extremity coordination patterns of Parkinson's patients during cycling. Methods Twenty five participants, ages 44-72, with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease participated in an exercise test on a cycle ergometer that was equipped with pedal force measurements. Crank torque, crank angle and power produced by right and left leg were measured throughout the test to calculate Symmetry Index at three stages of exercise (20 Watt, 60 Watt, maximum performance). Findings Decreases in Symmetry Index were observed for average power output in Parkinson's patients as workload increased. Maximum power Symmetry Index showed a significant difference in symmetry between performance at both the 20 Watt and 60 Watt stage and the maximal resistance stage. Minimum power Symmetry Index did not show significant differences across the stages of the test. While lower extremity asymmetries were present in Parkinson's patients during pedaling, these asymmetries did not correlate to postural instability and gait dysfunction Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores. Interpretation This pedaling analysis allows for a more sensitive measure of lower extremity function than the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and may help to provide unique insight into current and

Changes of pedaling technique and muscle coordination during an exhaustive exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorel, Sylvain; Drouet, Jean-Marc; Couturier, Antoine; Champoux, Yvan; Hug, François

2009-06-01

Alterations of the mechanical patterns during an exhaustive pedaling exercise have been previously shown. We designed the present study to test the hypothesis that these alterations in the biomechanics of pedaling, which occur during exhaustive exercise, are linked to changes in the activity patterns of lower limb muscles. Ten well-trained cyclists were tested during a limited time to exhaustion, performing 80% of maximal power tolerated. Pedal force components were measured continuously using instrumented pedals and were synchronized with surface EMG signals measured in 10 lower limb muscles. The results confirmed most of the alterations of the mechanical patterns previously described in the literature. The magnitude of the root mean squared of the EMG during the complete cycle (RMScycle) for tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from 85% and 75% of Tlim, respectively. A higher RMScycle was obtained for gluteus maximus (P < 0.01) and biceps femoris (P < 0.05) from 75% of Tlim. The k values that resulted from the cross-correlation technique indicated that the activities of six muscles (gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris) were shifted forward in the cycle at the end of the exercise. The large increases in activity for gluteus maximus and biceps femoris, which are in accordance with the increase in force production during the propulsive phase, could be considered as instinctive coordination strategies that compensate for potential fatigue and loss of force of the knee extensors (i.e., vastus lateralis and vastus medialis) by a higher moment of the hip extensors.

Feedback of mechanical effectiveness induces adaptations in motor modules during cycling

Science.gov (United States)

De Marchis, Cristiano; Schmid, Maurizio; Bibbo, Daniele; Castronovo, Anna Margherita; D'Alessio, Tommaso; Conforto, Silvia

2013-01-01

Recent studies have reported evidence that the motor system may rely on a modular organization, even if this behavior has yet to be confirmed during motor adaptation. The aim of the present study is to investigate the modular motor control mechanisms underlying the execution of pedaling by untrained subjects in different biomechanical conditions. We use the muscle synergies framework to characterize the muscle coordination of 11 subjects pedaling under two different conditions. The first one consists of a pedaling exercise with a strategy freely chosen by the subjects (Preferred Pedaling Technique, PPT), while the second condition constrains the gesture by means of a real time visual feedback of mechanical effectiveness (Effective Pedaling Technique, EPT). Pedal forces, recorded using a pair of instrumented pedals, were used to calculate the Index of Effectiveness (IE). EMG signals were recorded from eight muscles of the dominant leg and Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) was applied for the extraction of muscle synergies. All the synergy vectors, extracted cycle by cycle for each subject, were pooled across subjects and conditions and underwent a 2-dimensional Sammon's non-linear mapping. Seven representative clusters were identified on the Sammon's projection, and the corresponding eight-dimensional synergy vectors were used to reconstruct the repertoire of muscle activation for all subjects and all pedaling conditions (VAF > 0.8 for each individual muscle pattern). Only 5 out of the 7 identified modules were used by the subjects during the PPT pedaling condition, while 2 additional modules were found specific for the pedaling condition EPT. The temporal recruitment of three identified modules was highly correlated with IE. The structure of the identified modules was found similar to that extracted in other studies of human walking, partly confirming the existence of shared and task specific muscle synergies, and providing further evidence on the modularity

Fully automatic control of paraplegic FES pedaling using higher-order sliding mode and fuzzy logic control.

Science.gov (United States)

Farhoud, Aidin; Erfanian, Abbas

2014-05-01

In this paper, a fully automatic robust control strategy is proposed for control of paraplegic pedaling using functional electrical stimulation (FES). The method is based on higher-order sliding mode (HOSM) control and fuzzy logic control. In FES, the strength of muscle contraction can be altered either by varying the pulse width (PW) or by the pulse amplitude (PA) of the stimulation signal. The proposed control strategy regulates simultaneously both PA and PW (i.e., PA/PW modulation). A HOSM controller is designed for regulating the PW and a fuzzy logic controller for the PA. The proposed control scheme is free-model and does not require any offline training phase and subject-specific information. Simulation studies on a virtual patient and experiments on three paraplegic subjects demonstrate good tracking performance and robustness of the proposed control strategy against muscle fatigue and external disturbances during FES-induced pedaling. The results of simulation studies show that the power and cadence tracking errors are 5.4% and 4.8%, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the proposed controller can improve pedaling system efficacy and increase the endurance of FES pedaling. The average of power tracking error over three paraplegic subjects is 7.4±1.4% using PA/PW modulation, while the tracking error is 10.2±1.2% when PW modulation is used. The subjects could pedal for 15 min with about 4.1% power loss at the end of experiment using proposed control strategy, while the power loss is 14.3% using PW modulation. The controller could adjust the stimulation intensity to compensate the muscle fatigue during long period of FES pedaling.

The natural history of pedal puncture wounds in diabetics: a cross-sectional survey

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East Jeffrey M

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Surgeons usually witness only the limb-threatening stages of infected, closed pedal puncture wounds in diabetics. Given that this catastrophic outcome often represents failure of conservative management of pre-infected wounds, some suggest consideration of invasive intervention (coring or laying-open for pre-infected wounds in hope of preventing contamination from evolving into infection, there being no evidence based guidelines. However, an invasive pre-emptive approach is only justifiable if the probability of progression to catastrophic infection is very high. Literature search revealed no prior studies on the natural history of closed pedal puncture wounds in diabetics. Methods A survey was conducted via an interviewer-administered questionnaire on 198 adult diabetics resident in the parish of St. James, Jamaica. The sample was selected using a purposive technique designed to mirror the social gradient and residential distribution of the target population and is twice the number needed to detect a prevalence of puncture wounds of 14% with a range of 7-21% in a random sample of the estimated adult diabetic population. Results The prevalence of a history of at least one closed pedal puncture wound since diagnosis of diabetes was 25.8% (CI; 19.6-31.9%. The only modifiable variable associated at the 5% level of significance with risk of pedal puncture wound, after adjustment by multivariable logistic regression, was site of interview/paying status, a variable substantially reflective of income more so than quality-of-care. Of 77 reported episodes of closed pedal puncture wound among 51 participants, 45.4% healed without medical intervention, 27.3% healed after non-surgical treatment by a doctor and 27.3% required surgical intervention ranging from debridement to below-knee amputation. Anesthetic foot (failure to feel the puncture and sole of the forefoot as site of puncture were the variables significantly associated with

Effect of pedal rate on primary and slow-component oxygen uptake responses during heavy-cycle exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Pringle, Jamie S M; Doust, Jonathan H; Carter, Helen; Tolfrey, Keith; Jones, Andrew M

2003-04-01

We hypothesized that a higher pedal rate (assumed to result in a greater proportional contribution of type II motor units) would be associated with an increased amplitude of the O(2) uptake (Vo(2)) slow component during heavy-cycle exercise. Ten subjects (mean +/- SD, age 26 +/- 4 yr, body mass 71.5 +/- 7.9 kg) completed a series of square-wave transitions to heavy exercise at pedal rates of 35, 75, and 115 rpm. The exercise power output was set at 50% of the difference between the pedal rate-specific ventilatory threshold and peak Vo(2), and the baseline power output was adjusted to account for differences in the O(2) cost of unloaded pedaling. The gain of the Vo(2) primary component was significantly higher at 35 rpm compared with 75 and 115 rpm (mean +/- SE, 10.6 +/- 0.3, 9.5 +/- 0.2, and 8.9 +/- 0.4 ml. min(-1). W(-1), respectively; P exercise at the same relative intensity, presumably by altering motor unit recruitment patterns.

Laboratory versus outdoor cycling conditions: differences in pedaling biomechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertucci, William; Grappe, Frederic; Groslambert, Alain

2007-05-01

The aim of our study was to compare crank torque profile and perceived exertion between the Monark ergometer (818 E) and two outdoor cycling conditions: level ground and uphill road cycling. Seven male cyclists performed seven tests in seated position at different pedaling cadences: (a) in the laboratory at 60, 80, and 100 rpm; (b) on level terrain at 80 and 100 rpm; and (c) on uphill terrain (9.25% grade) at 60 and 80 rpm. The cyclists exercised for 1 min at their maximal aerobic power. The Monark ergometer and the bicycle were equipped with the SRM Training System (Schoberer, Germany) for the measurement of power output (W), torque (Nxm), pedaling cadence (rpm), and cycling velocity (kmxh-1). The most important findings of this study indicate that at maximal aerobic power the crank torque profiles in the Monark ergometer (818 E) were significantly different (especially on dead points of the crank cycle) and generate a higher perceived exertion compared with road cycling conditions.

Museo a todo pedal: Calle 26

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Catalina Delgado

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Este texto reseña el proyecto urbano “MUSEO A TODO PEDAL: CALLE 26” realizado con la intención de promover el conocimiento y la apropiación crítica del patrimonio escultórico de la Avenida El Dorado en la ciudad de Bogotá, Colombia. La gestión dio inicio en octubre de 2014 con una serie de actividades, entre ellas, el lanzamiento oficial de la Guía de Monumentos y Sitios y la organización de una carrera ciclística de observación. Es del interés de RevistArquis, publicar este proyecto en diálogo con el ensayo de uno de los autores publicado en el Vol. 1 (2015 Número 07 “Usos Cotidianos y Populares de la Bicicleta en Bogotá”. This paper reviews the urban project “MUSEO A TODO PEDAL: CALLE 26” held to promote awareness and critical appropriation of the sculptural heritage of Avenida El Dorado in Bogota, Colombia. The urban project began in October 2014 with a series of activities including the official launch of the Guide on Monuments and Sites and the organization of a watching cycling road race. RevistArquis is honored to publish this project in dialogue with the essay by the same author published in Vol. 1 (2015 Number 07 “Usos Cotidianos y Populares de la Bicicleta en Bogotá”.

Effect of exhaustive exercise on the angular pedaling pattern: A preliminary study

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Matheus Joner Wiest

2009-01-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2009v11n4p386   Considering biomechanical aspects such as kinematics, fatigue can be characterized as a loss of efficiency in maintaining a movement pattern, such as pedaling technique, during exercise. The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate the effects of 1-h exhaustive cycling exercise at intensity of 80% VO2max on pedaling technique. The pedaling technique was evaluated in four skilled mountain-bike cyclists by 2D kinematics. The main hypothesis of this study was that angular changes in response to fatigue would occur mainly in the ankle joint. After achievement of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max, the cyclists were submitted to a submaximal protocol at intensity corresponding to 80% VO2max for 1 h. The cyclists were filmed throughout 10 complete consecutive crank cycles at intervals of 10 min. Images were acquired from the right lower limb and the hip, knee and ankle joint angles were measured after kinematic processing. The Shapiro-Wilk test, ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey HSD test were used for statistical analysis, with the level of significance set at 0.05. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference only for ankle kinematics after 40 min of exercise, with an increase in the range of motion from 20° at the beginning of exercise to 35° at the end of exercise. This result confirms the hypothesis proposed and suggests that only the ankle joint was affected by the exercise. The characteristics of ankle movement suggest that this joint plays a compensatory role in an attempt to maintain the pedaling technique and to sustain the exercise workload.

Cars Gone Wild: The Major Contributor to Unintended Acceleration in Automobiles is Pedal Error.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Richard A; Young, Douglas E

2010-01-01

"Unintended-acceleration" automobile accidents typically begin when the driver first enters the car, starts the engine, and intends to press his/her right foot on the brake while shifting from Park to a drive gear (Drive or Reverse). The driver reports an unintended (uncommanded) full-throttle acceleration, coupled with a loss of braking, until the episode ends in a crash. Pedal misapplications - where the right foot contacts the accelerator instead of the brake that was intended - have been linked to these accidents (Schmidt, 1989, 1993) which, in the 1980s, were thought to occur only at the start of a driving cycle (and/or with the car in Park). But, in 1997, we identified over 200 pedal errors as the cause of accidents reported in the North Carolina database; these crashes occurred during the driving cycle (Schmidt et al., 1997), and/or with the vehicle in a gear other than Park. Our present work provides a more thorough analysis of these North Carolina Police Accident Reports from 1979 to 1995. The vast majority of pedal misapplications (over 92%) (a) occurred during the driving cycle, (b) were generally in "unhurried" conditions, and (c) were categorically separate from those events referred to as unintended-acceleration episodes at start-up. These ideas are explanatory for the recent (2009-2010) surge of unintended-acceleration reports, perhaps even suggesting that all of these crashes are caused by pedal errors, and that none of them are based on some vehicle defect(s).

Is The Bovine Pedal Bone Sinking Around Calving?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bach, Kurt; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Capion, Nynne

weeks. The correlation between “days from calving” and “thickness of the soft tissue” was 0.31 (Pearson’s, p...Introduction Softening of connective tissue of the claw suspensory apparatus around calving as described by Tarlton, et al. (2002) may lead to sinking of the bovine pedal bone resulting in compression of the digital cushion. The objective of this study was to describe changes in the thickness...

PyPedal, an open source software package for pedigree analysis

Science.gov (United States)

The open source software package PyPedal (http://pypedal.sourceforge.net/) was first released in 2002, and provided users with a set of simple tools for manipulating pedigrees. Its flexibility has been demonstrated by its used in a number of settings for large and small populations. After substantia...

Clinical efficacy and prognostic indicators for lower limb pedalling exercise early after stroke: Study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myint Phyo

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is known that repetitive, skilled, functional movement is beneficial in driving functional reorganisation of the brain early after stroke. This study will investigate a whether pedalling an upright, static exercise cycle, to provide such beneficial activity, will enhance recovery and b which stroke survivors might be able to participate in pedalling. Methods/Design Participants (n = 24 will be up to 30 days since stroke onset, with unilateral weakness and unable to walk without assistance. This study will use a modified exercise bicycle fitted with a UniCam crank. All participants will give informed consent, then undergo baseline measurements, and then attempt to pedal. Those able to pedal will be entered into a single-centre, observer-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT. All participants will receive routine rehabilitation. The experimental group will, in addition, pedal daily for up to ten minutes, for up to ten working days. Prognostic indicators, measured at baseline, will be: site of stroke lesion, trunk control, ability to ambulate, and severity of lower limb paresis. The primary outcome for the RCT is ability to voluntarily contract paretic lower limb muscle, measured by the Motricity Index. Secondary outcomes include ability to ambulate and timing of onset and offset of activity in antagonist muscle groups during pedalling, measured by EMG. Discussion This protocol is for a trial of a novel therapy intervention. Findings will establish whether there is sufficient evidence of benefit to justify proceeding with further research into clinical efficacy of upright pedalling exercise early after stroke. Information on potential prognostic indicators will suggest which stroke survivors could benefit from the intervention. Trial Registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN45392701

A physiological counterpoint to mechanistic estimates of "internal power" during cycling at different pedal rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ernst Albin; Jørgensen, Lars Vincents; Sjøgaard, Gisela

2004-01-01

metabolic variables and to perform a physiological evaluation of five different kinematic models for calculating IP in cycling. Results showed that IP was statistically different between the kinematic models applied. IP based on metabolic variables (IP(met)) was 15, 41, and 91 W at 61, 88, and 115 rpm...... significantly with pedal rate - leg movements accounting for the largest fraction. Further, external power (EP) affected IP significantly such that IP was larger at moderate than at low EP at the majority of the pedal rates applied but on average this difference was only 8%....

Undergraduates as Environmental Educators: The Pedal and Paddle Pollution Tour Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Cronje, Ruth Johnson; Neff, Paula Kleintjes; Mowry, Donald; Running, Garry L.

2016-01-01

Undergraduates can become effective agents of environmental outreach when challenged to produce evidence-based messages to inform the public about local environmental issues. We recount our experience partnering our undergraduate students with community organizations dedicated to water stewardship to create a "Pedal and Paddle Pollution…

Pre-impact lower extremity posture and brake pedal force predict foot and ankle forces during an automobile collision.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardin, E C; Su, A; van den Bogert, A J

2004-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how a driver's foot and ankle forces during a frontal vehicle collision depend on initial lower extremity posture and brake pedal force. A 2D musculoskeletal model with seven segments and six right-side muscle groups was used. A simulation of a three-second braking task found 3647 sets of muscle activation levels that resulted in stable braking postures with realistic pedal force. These activation patterns were then used in impact simulations where vehicle deceleration was applied and driver movements and foot and ankle forces were simulated. Peak rearfoot ground reaction force (F(RF)), peak Achilles tendon force (FAT), peak calcaneal force (F(CF)) and peak ankle joint force (F(AJ)) were calculated. Peak forces during the impact simulation were 476 +/- 687 N (F(RF)), 2934 +/- 944 N (F(CF)) and 2449 +/- 918 N (F(AJ)). Many simulations resulted in force levels that could cause fractures. Multivariate quadratic regression determined that the pre-impact brake pedal force (PF), knee angle (KA) and heel distance (HD) explained 72% of the variance in peak FRF, 62% in peak F(CF) and 73% in peak F(AJ). Foot and ankle forces during a collision depend on initial posture and pedal force. Braking postures with increased knee flexion, while keeping the seat position fixed, are associated with higher foot and ankle forces during a collision.

Validity and reliability of the look Keo power pedal system for measuring power output during incremental and repeated sprint cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, S Andy; Dove, Benjamin; Bridge, Craig A; Midgely, Adrian W; McNaughton, Lars R

2015-01-01

Power meters have traditionally been integrated into the crank set, but several manufacturers have designed new systems located elsewhere on the bike, such as inside the pedals. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Keo power pedals during several laboratory cycling tasks. Ten active male participants (mean ± SD age 34.0 ± 10.6 y, height 1.77 ± 0.04 m, body mass 76.5 ± 10.7 kg) familiar with laboratory cycling protocols completed this study. Each participant was required to complete 2 laboratory cycling trials on an SRM ergometer (SRM, Germany) that was also fitted with the Keo power pedals (Look, France). The trials consisted of an incremental test to exhaustion followed by 10 min rest and then three 10-s sprint tests separated by 3 min of cycling at 100 W. Over power ranges of 75 to 1147 W, the Keo power-pedal system produced typical error values of 0.40, 0.21, and 0.21 for the incremental, sprint, and combined trials, respectively, compared with the SRM. Mean differences of 21.0 and 18.6 W were observed between trials 1 and 2 with the Keo system in the incremental and combined protocols, respectively. In contrast, the SRM produced differences of 1.3 and 0.6 W for the same protocols. The power data from the Keo power pedals should be treated with some caution given the presence of mean differences between them and the SRM. Furthermore, this is exacerbated by poorer reliability than that of the SRM power meter.

Penetrating injury caused by the gear pedal of a motor-cycle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This is a case of a penetrating injury to the left lower extremity caused by the gear pedal of a motor-cycle that pierced through the foot of one of the 3 passengers on a motor-cycle involved in a road traffic accident. He had no neurovascular injury but was found radiologically to have an ipsilateral tibia fracture. The object was ...

Research tool for the investigation of the driver/brake pedal interface; Forschungswerkzeug zur Untersuchung der Schnittstelle Fahrer/Bremspedal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bill, K.H.; Breuer, B. [Technische Hochschule Darmstadt (Germany). Fachgebiet Fahrzeugtechnik; Leber, M. [DaimlerChrysler AG, Stuttgart (Germany); Becker, H. [Ford-Werke AG, Koeln (Germany)

1999-02-01

The driver/brake pedal interface gains increasing importance when one considers the increasing demands for driver safety and comfort in the vehicle, as well as Brake-by-Wire and braking assistance systems. The decoupling of the brake pedal from the rest of the brake system in the Brake-by-Wire power control braking system makes it necessary to give the brake pedal a specific characteristic. While this can only be slightly influenced in conventional brake systems due to the energetic coupling with the brake hydraulics, in future concepts this interface must be completely re-designed. At the Department of Automotive Engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt (fzd), supported by the automobile producer Ford, Inc., new methods for the investigation of brake pedal feel under actual conditions with a specially designed test vehicle have been the subject of research. (orig.) [Deutsch] Mit der absehbaren Einfuehrung von Brake-by-Wire und Bremsassistenzsystemen gewinnt die Schnittstelle Fahrer / Bremspedal zunehmend an Bedeutung. Die Entkopplung des Bremspedals vom restlichen Bremssystem macht bei Brake-by-Wire-Anlagen eine gezielte Auslegung der Bremspedalcharakteristik notwendig. Waehrend diese bei konventionellen Bremssystemen infolge der energetischen Kopplung mit der Bremsenhydraulik nur in engen Grenzen beeinflusst werden kann, muss bei zukuenftigen Konzepten diese Schnittstelle vollstaendig neu ueberdacht werden. Am Fachgebiet Fahrzeugtechnik der Technischen Universitaet Darmstadt (fzd) wird, unterstuetzt durch die Ford-Werke AG, an neuen Ansaetzen zur Untersuchung des Bremspedalgefuehls unter realen Bedingungen mit einem speziell hierfuer aufgebauten Versuchstraeger geforscht. (orig.)

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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Macmillan International Edition. Pergamon Press. Oxford, 1989. Which Direction Does the Frictional Force Act? Consider a bicycle moving from the West to East. What is the frictional force acting on each wheel, when a) The cycle is being pedalled? and b) When it is moving freely (without being pedalled)?. In the August 96 ...

Kinematic analysis and bilateral differences in pedaling technique of professional cyclists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Yanci Irigoyen

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to describe the maximal angulations of knee and ankle in the flexions and extensions in pedaling performed by professional cyclists and to compare the differences in these angulations between the right and left leg. Thirteen cyclists, who all belonged to a professional team which regularly competed in the “Vuelta Ciclista a España”, took part in this study. Measurements were taken of the length of the crank arms, height and saddle height of the cyclists’ bicycles. A 2D kinematic analysis was also performed of their pedaling to study the angulations of knee and ankle. No significant differences were found between the right and the left leg with regard to the angulations of flexion or extension of the knees or the flexion of the ankles. However, contrary to other studies, differences were found in the ankle angulation of extension (p < 0.05, difference between means = 14.53%, d = 0.37, moderate between the two legs. In future research it would be interesting to complement the kinematic analysis with a kinetic study to observe if the differences in the angulations are accompanied by differences in the force applied by each leg.

Pedal proportions of Poposaurus gracilis: convergence and divergence in the feet of archosaurs.

Science.gov (United States)

Farlow, James O; Schachner, Emma R; Sarrazin, John Cody; Klein, Hendrik; Currie, Philip J

2014-06-01

The crocodile-line basal suchian Poposaurus gracilis had body proportions suggesting that it was an erect, bipedal form like many dinosaurs, prompting questions of whether its pedal proportions, and the shape of its footprint, would likewise "mimic" those of bipedal dinosaurs. We addressed these questions through a comparison of phalangeal, digital, and metatarsal proportions of Poposaurus with those of extinct and extant crocodile-line archosaurs, obligate or facultatively bipedal non-avian dinosaurs, and ground birds of several clades, as well as a comparison of the footprint reconstructed from the foot skeleton of Poposaurus with known early Mesozoic archosaurian ichnotaxa. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of phalangeal and digital dimensions showed numerous instances of convergence in pedal morphology among disparate archosaurian clades. Overall, the foot of Poposaurus is indeed more like that of bipedal dinosaurs than other archosaur groups, but is not exactly like the foot of any particular bipedal dinosaur clade. Poposaurus likely had a digitigrade stance, and its footprint shape could have resembled grallatorid ichnotaxa, unless digit I of the foot of Poposaurus commonly left an impression. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Time-to-collision analysis of pedestrian and pedal-cycle accidents for the development of autonomous emergency braking systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenard, James; Welsh, Ruth; Danton, Russell

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to describe the position of pedestrians and pedal cyclists relative to the striking vehicle in the 3 s before impact. This information is essential for the development of effective autonomous emergency braking systems and relevant test conditions for consumer ratings. The UK RAIDS-OTS study provided 175 pedestrian and 127 pedal-cycle cases based on in-depth, at-scene investigations of a representative sample of accidents in 2000-2010. Pedal cyclists were scattered laterally more widely than pedestrians (90% of cyclists within around ±80° compared to ±20° for pedestrians), however their distance from the striking vehicle in the seconds before impact was no greater (90% of cyclists within 42 m at 3 s compared to 50 m for pedestrians). This data is consistent with a greater involvement of slow moving vehicles in cycle accidents. The implication of the results is that AEB systems for cyclists require almost complete 180° side-to-side vision but do not need a longer distance range than for pedestrians. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Freely oriented portable superconducting magnet

Science.gov (United States)

Schmierer, Eric N [Los Alamos, NM; Prenger, F Coyne [Los Alamos, NM; Hill, Dallas D [Los Alamos, NM

2010-01-12

A freely oriented portable superconducting magnet is disclosed. Coolant is supplied to the superconducting magnet from a repository separate from the magnet, enabling portability of the magnet. A plurality of support assemblies structurally anchor and thermally isolate the magnet within a thermal shield. A plurality of support assemblies structurally anchor and thermally isolate the thermal shield within a vacuum vessel. The support assemblies restrain movement of the magnet resulting from energizing and cooldown, as well as from changes in orientation, enabling the magnet to be freely orientable.

Production of freely-migrating defects during irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehn, L.E.; Okamoto, P.R.

1986-09-01

During irradiation at elevated temperatures, vacancy and interstitial defects that escape can produce several different types of microstructural changes. Hence the production rate of freely-migrating defects must be known as a function of irradiating particle species and energy before quantitative correlations can be made between microstructural changes. Our fundamental knowledge of freely-migrating defect production has increased substantially in recent years. Critical experimental findings that led to the improved understanding are reviewed in this paper. A strong similarity is found for the dependence of freely-migrating defect production on primary recoil energy as measured in a variety of metals and alloys by different authors. The efficiency for producing freely-migrating defects decreases much more strongly with increasing primary recoil energy than does the efficiency for creating stable defects at liquid helium temperatures. The stronger decrease can be understood in terms of additional intracascade recombination that results from the nonrandom distribution of defects existing in the primary damage state for high primary recoil energies. Although the existing data base is limited to fcc materials, the strong similarity in the reported investigations suggests that the same dependence of freely-migrating defect production on primary recoil energy may be characteristic of a wide variety of other alloy systems as well. 52 refs., 4 figs

VRACK: measuring pedal kinematics during stationary bike cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Farjadian, Amir B; Kong, Qingchao; Gade, Venkata K; Deutsch, Judith E; Mavroidis, Constantinos

2013-06-01

Ankle impairment and lower limb asymmetries in strength and coordination are common symptoms for individuals with selected musculoskeletal and neurological impairments. The virtual reality augmented cycling kit (VRACK) was designed as a compact mechatronics system for lower limb and mobility rehabilitation. The system measures interaction forces and cardiac activity during cycling in a virtual environment. The kinematics measurement was added to the system. Due to the constrained problem definition, the combination of inertial measurement unit (IMU) and Kalman filtering was recruited to compute the optimal pedal angular displacement during dynamic cycling exercise. Using a novel benchmarking method the accuracy of IMU-based kinematics measurement was evaluated. Relatively accurate angular measurements were achieved. The enhanced VRACK system can serve as a rehabilitation device to monitor biomechanical and physiological variables during cycling on a stationary bike.

Effects of low strength pedaling exercise on stress sensitivity and pain threshold

OpenAIRE

坂野, 裕洋

2017-01-01

　This study conducted a comparative assessment of the effects of low intensity lower limb pedaling exercise on the stress sensitivity and pain threshold in healthy subjects and those with chronic stiff neck or lower back pain. The results showed a reduction in pain threshold depending on the applied mechanical stress in both healthy and chronic pain groups. The individuals with chronic pain felt pain more intensely compared to the healthy individuals, and showed a significant reduction in pai...

Comparative study of pedaling and gait, related to the physical medical programmes and rehabilitation ESTUDIO COMPARADO DEL PEDALEO CON LA MARCHA, EN RELACIÓN A LOS PROGRAMAS DE MEDICINA FÍSICA Y REHABILITACIÓN.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Villarroya

2010-09-01

Full Text Available

We have done a study in healthy, young adult volunteers by filming their pedalling and gait and the electromyography of the main muscles of the lower limb. The gait analyse was divided in 7 phases and the pedalling in 8 sectors. The results show that the range of motion in flexion of the hip and knee joints is larger during pedalling than during stepping and in the ankle is larger in extension.
The mean muscular activity is larger during pedalling than during the gait being statistically significant in the gluteus maximus (27.4%± 8,5 when pedalling and 11.3%± 7.8º during gait. p< 0.05. And in the cuadriceps: rectus femoris (21.3%± 5.9 during pedalling and 6.5% ± 3.3 with pedalling and. p<0.05. Vastus medialis (26.2% ± 9 with pedalling and 10.1% ± 7.6 with gait. p<0,01.
The maximal activity of each muscle excepting tibialis anterior and hip adductors is longer during pedalling than during gait being significant in the cuadriceps or rectus femoris (37.0% ± 12,1 in the sectors 1 and 2 and 12.4% ± 8.1 in phases A and G. p< 0,05 of pedalling and gait; Vastus medialis (48.4% ±10.8 sectors 1 and 2 and 16.7% ± 7.1 in phases A and G. p<0.05 of pedalling and gait.
We consider the usefulness of pedalling in the programs of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to achieve a larger range of joint movement with less over stress and charge and the respons of the muscular efficacy with submaximal activities and without changing the heart rate.
KEY WORDS: Cycling. Pedalling. Gait. Biomechanics. Electromyography.

RESUMEN

Se efectúa un estudio en sujetos sanos voluntarios adultos jóvenes (x: 21,5 años mediante filmación del pedaleo y de la marcha, así como del registro electromiográfico de los principales músculos de la extremidad inferior. El análisis de

Piezogenic pedal papules with mitral valve prolapse

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Cihan Altin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Piezogenic pedal papules (PPP are herniations of subcutaneous adipose tissue into the dermis. PPP are skin-colored to yellowish papules and nodules on lateral surfaces of feet that typically become apparent when the patient stands flat on his/her feet. Some connective tissue diseases and syndromes have been reported in association with PPP. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP is a myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve, characterized by the displacement of an abnormally thickened mitral valve leaflet into the left atrium during systole. MVP may be isolated or part of a heritable connective tissue disorder. PPP, which is generally considered as an isolated lesion, might be also a predictor of some cardiac diseases associated with connective tissue abnormalities such as MVP. A detailed systemic investigation including cardiac examination should be done in patients with PPP. Since in the literature, there are no case reports of association of PPP with MVP, we report these cases.

Gadofosveset-enhanced MR angiography of the pedal arteries in patients with diabetes mellitus and comparison with selective intraarterial DSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roehrl, Boris; Kunz, Rainer Peter; Oberholzer, Katja; Pitton, Michael Bernhard; Dueber, Christoph; Kreitner, Karl-Friedrich; Neufang, Achim

2009-01-01

To compare gadofosveset-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the pedal vasculature with selective intraarterial DSA. Eighteen patients with PAOD and type II diabetes were prospectively examined at 1.5 T. For contrast enhancement, 0.03 mmol/kg body weight gadofosveset was used. MR imaging consisted of dynamic and of high-resolution steady-state imaging. Selective digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed within 5 days and served as standard of reference. Image analysis was done by two observers. There were no differences between MRA and DSA regarding overall image quality. First-pass MRA detected significantly more patent vessel segments than did DSA (P < 0.001, kappa = 0.46). Interobserver agreement of MRA was very good with respect to the detection of patent vessel segments and the assessment of hemodynamically relevant stenoses (kappa = 0.97 and 0.89, respectively). Steady-state imaging depicted significantly more patent metatarsal arteries than did dynamic imaging, and delineated inflammatory complications including osteomyelitis, soft-tissue abscesses, and fistulas related to the diabetic foot. Gadofosveset-enhanced MRA of the pedal vasculature proved to be superior to DSA. It offered a long imaging time window, and allowed for better depiction of the pedal outflow. Steady-state imaging delineated inflammatory complications associated with the diabetic foot. (orig.)

Gadofosveset-enhanced MR angiography of the pedal arteries in patients with diabetes mellitus and comparison with selective intraarterial DSA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roehrl, Boris; Kunz, Rainer Peter; Oberholzer, Katja; Pitton, Michael Bernhard; Dueber, Christoph; Kreitner, Karl-Friedrich [Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Mainz (Germany); Neufang, Achim [Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Mainz (Germany)

2009-12-15

To compare gadofosveset-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the pedal vasculature with selective intraarterial DSA. Eighteen patients with PAOD and type II diabetes were prospectively examined at 1.5 T. For contrast enhancement, 0.03 mmol/kg body weight gadofosveset was used. MR imaging consisted of dynamic and of high-resolution steady-state imaging. Selective digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed within 5 days and served as standard of reference. Image analysis was done by two observers. There were no differences between MRA and DSA regarding overall image quality. First-pass MRA detected significantly more patent vessel segments than did DSA (P < 0.001, kappa = 0.46). Interobserver agreement of MRA was very good with respect to the detection of patent vessel segments and the assessment of hemodynamically relevant stenoses (kappa = 0.97 and 0.89, respectively). Steady-state imaging depicted significantly more patent metatarsal arteries than did dynamic imaging, and delineated inflammatory complications including osteomyelitis, soft-tissue abscesses, and fistulas related to the diabetic foot. Gadofosveset-enhanced MRA of the pedal vasculature proved to be superior to DSA. It offered a long imaging time window, and allowed for better depiction of the pedal outflow. Steady-state imaging delineated inflammatory complications associated with the diabetic foot. (orig.)

Optimal Design of an Axial-Flux Permanent-Magnet Middle Motor Integrated in a Cycloidal Reducer for a Pedal Electric Cycle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yee-Pien Yang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an optimal design of a middle motor integrated into a mid-drive unit for pedal electric cycles. This middle motor is an axial-flux permanent magnet brushless DC motor with a stator plate. Facing this plate is a rotor plate that acts as an eccentric component of a cycloidal reducer next to the stator. Both the middle motor and cycloidal reducer are easily installed on the same axle of the bike crankset. In the preliminary design, driving requirements are used to make the middle motor specifications. The numbers of stator slots and magnet poles on the rotor were chosen to achieve the best winding factor, and the winding layout was determined accordingly. A one-dimensional magnetic circuit model of the middle motor was built, and its shape was optimized utilizing a multifunctional optimization system tool. Finally, the resulting design was verified and refined by a finite element analysis. A prototype of the middle motor was fabricated with a stator made of a soft magnetic composite and integrated with a cycloidal reducer. Experimental results show that the motor has a sinusoidal back electromotive force. Additionally, it is easily controlled by sinusoidal currents with acceptable torque and speed curves.

Integrated inertial sensors and mobile computing for real-time cycling performance guidance via pedaling profile classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, James Y; Nan, Xiaomeng; Ebken, Victor; Wang, Yan; Pottie, Greg J; Kaiser, William J

2015-03-01

Today, the bicycle is utilized as a daily commute tool, a physical rehabilitation asset, and sporting equipment, prompting studies into the biomechanics of cycling. Of the number of important parameters that affect cycling efficiency, the foot angle profile is one of the most important as it correlates directly with the effective force applied to the bike. However, there has been no compact and portable solution for measuring the foot angle and for providing the cyclist with real-time feedback due to a number of difficulties of the current tracking and sensing technologies and the myriad types of bikes available. This paper presents a novel sensing and mobile computing system for classifying the foot angle profiles during cycling and for providing real-time guidance to the user to achieve the correct profile. Continuous foot angle tracking is firstly converted into a discrete problem requiring only recognition of acceleration profiles of the foot using a single shoe mounted tri-axial accelerometer during each pedaling cycle. A classification method is then applied to identify the pedaling profile. Finally, a mobile solution is presented to provide real-time signal processing and guidance.

Proposta metodológica para a avaliação da técnica da pedalada de ciclistas: estudo de caso Methodological proposal for evaluation of the pedaling technique of cyclists: a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Diefenthaeler

2008-04-01

Full Text Available No estudo da biomecânica do ciclismo diversas técnicas têm sido utilizadas para descrever e compreender o movimento da pedalada. O objetivo deste estudo é propor uma metodologia para a avaliação de ciclistas sob o ponto de vista das forças aplicadas no pedal. Um ciclista de elite foi avaliado por meio de um protocolo que consistiu em alterar o selim em quatro diferentes posições (deslocado para cima, para baixo, para frente e para trás a partir da posição de referência, especificamente, aquela adotada para treinamento pelo ciclista. A mudança no ajuste do selim foi de 1 cm. A bicicleta do atleta foi acoplada a um ciclossimulador magnético. A carga do teste foi normalizada por um critério fisiológico (segundo limiar ventilatório, simulando o ritmo de prova do atleta. O pedal direito foi substituído por um pedal bidimensional instrumentado para registrar as forças normal e tangencial. A média do impulso angular da força efetiva foi calculada a partir de dez ciclos consecutivos de pedalada. As mudanças na posição do selim modificaram o impulso da força efetiva em relação à posição de referência. Sendo assim, o protocolo é eficaz e pode ser aplicado em diferentes situações.Many techniques have been used in biomechanics to describe the cycling movement. The purpose of this study is to proposal a specific methodology to evaluation the forces applied on the pedal. An experienced elite cyclist was submitted to a protocol which consisted of four different saddle positions (upward, downward, forward, and backward assuming as reference position the one used by the cyclist in training and competition. The displacement of the saddle was of 1cm in all tests. The individual's bicycle was connected to a magnetic cycle simulator. The load was normalized by a physiological criterion (ventilatory threshold, to simulate the cyclist's race rhythm. The right regular pedal was replaced by a 2D instrumented pedal to record the force

Freely tunable broadband polarization rotator for terahertz waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Ren-Hao; Zhou, Yu; Ren, Xiao-Ping; Peng, Ru-Wen; Jiang, Shang-Chi; Xu, Di-Hu; Xiong, Xiang; Huang, Xian-Rong; Wang, Mu

2015-02-18

A freely tunable polarization rotator for broadband terahertz waves is demonstrated using a three-rotating-layer metallic grating structure, which can conveniently rotate the polarization of a linearly polarized terahertz wave to any desired direction with nearly perfect conversion efficiency. This low-cost, high-efficiency, and freely tunable device has potential applications as material analysis, wireless communication, and THz imaging. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Freely flowing conversations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aakjær, Marie Kirstejn; Andrade, David; Dexters, Peter

and in regards to rehabilitation efforts. In the context of prisons UDI is inspired by the complexity approach (Stacey 2005). We seek to facilitate freely flowing conversations between inmates, staff and managers – pushing the boundaries of existing norms, roles and beliefs. In the end however we rely...... relations by changing conversations. Through the theoretical framework of the complexity approach, we discuss how this may lead to organizational change. Finally we suggest that inviting inmates to take part in conversations about core organizational development may be a fundamental strategy in trying...

Freely-migrating defects: Their production and interaction with cascade remnants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehn, L.E.; Wiedersich, H.

1991-05-01

Many microstructural changes that occur during irradiation are driven primarily by freely-migrating defects, i.e. those defects which escape from nascent cascades to migrate over distances that are large relative to typical cascade dimensions. Several measurements during irradiation at elevated temperatures have shown that the survival rate of freely-migrating defects decreases much more strongly with increasing primary recoil energy than does the survival rate for defects generated at liquid helium temperatures. For typical fission or fusion recoil spectra, and for heavy-ion bombardment, the fraction of defects that migrate long-distances is apparently only ∼1% of the calculated dpa. This small surviving fraction of freely-migrating defects results at least partially from additional intracascade recombination at elevated temperatures. However, cascade remnants, e.g., vacancy and interstitial clusters, also contribute by enhancing intercascade defect annihilation. A recently developed rate-theory approach is used to discuss the relative importance of intra- and intercascade recombination to the survival rate of freely-migrating defects. Within the validity of certain simplifying assumptions, the additional sink density provided by defect clusters produced directly within individual cascades can explain the difference between a defect survival rate of about 30% for low dose, low temperature irradiations with heavy ions, and a survival rate of only ∼1% for freely-migrating defects at elevated temperatures. The status of our current understanding of freely-migrating defects, including remaining unanswered questions, is also discussed. 33 refs., 5 figs

Relationship between oxygen uptake slow component and surface EMG during heavy exercise in humans: influence of pedal rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Vercruyssen, Fabrice; Missenard, Olivier; Brisswalter, Jeanick

2009-08-01

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that extreme pedal rates contributed to the slow component of oxygen uptake (VO(2) SC) in association with changes in surface electromyographic (sEMG) during heavy-cycle exercise. Eight male trained cyclists performed two square-wave transitions at 50 and 110 rpm at a work rate that would elicit a VO(2) corresponding to 50% of the difference between peak VO(2) and the ventilatory threshold. Pulmonary gas exchange was measured breath-by-breath and sEMG was obtained from the vastus lateralis and medialis muscles. Integrated EMG flow (QiEMG) and mean power frequency (MPF) were computed. The relative amplitude of the VO(2) SC was significantly higher during the 110-rpm bout (556+/-186 ml min(-1), Pexercise only during the 110-rpm bout and were associated with the greater amplitude of the VO(2) SC observed for this condition (Pmotor units recruitment pattern, muscle energy turnover and muscle temperature have been suggested to explain the different VO(2) SC to heavy pedal rate bouts.

Evaluation of the pedal artery: comparison of three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography with digital subtraction angiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jeong Min; Kang, Sung Gwon; Byun, Joo Nam; Kim, Young Cheol; Choi, Jeong Yeol; Kim, Dong Hyun [College of Medicine, Chosun Univ., Kwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2002-07-01

To compare the three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for evaluation of the pedal artery. In 12 extremities of 11 patients, both digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MR angiography) were performed during the same week. Among ten of the 11 patients, the following conditions were present: atherosclerosis (n=4), diabetic foot (n=3), Buerger's disease (n=1), calciphylactic arteriopathy (n=1) and arteriovenous malformation of the foot (n=1). The remaining patient underwent angiography prior to flap surgery. For MR angiography, a 1.5T system using an extremity or head coil was used. A three-dimensional FISP (fast imaging with steady state precession) sequence was obtained before enhancement, followed by four sequential acquisitions (scan time, 20 secs, scan interval time, 10 secs) 10 seconds after intravenous bolus injection of normal saline (total 10 cc), following intravenous administration of gadolinium (0.02 mmol/kg, 3 ml/sec). Arterial segments of the ankle and foot were classified as the anterior or posterior tibial artery, the distal peroneal artery, the medial or lateral plantar artery, the pedal arch, and the dorsalis pedis artery. Two radiologists independently analysed visualization of each arteraial segment and the mean of visible arterial segments in one extreminty using CE-MR angiography and DSA. Among 84 arterial segments, 16 were invisible at both CE-MR angiography and DSA, while 39 were demonstrated by both modalities. Twenty-six segments were visible only at CE-MR angiography and three only at DSA. CE-MR angiography displayed a higher number of arterial segments than DSA (mean, 5.42 vs. mean 3.50, respectively), a difference which was statistically significant (p<0.000). The difference between each arterial segment was not statistically significant, except for the dorsalis pedis artery (t test, p<0.000). In that it provides additional information for

The unique sound of the uni-vibe pedal: Part II. Transient behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Hahlweg, Cornelius F.; Rothe, Hendrik

2013-09-01

The Uni-Vibe is an effect pedal mostly used by electric guitar players. It is based on an opto-electronically controlled all-pass chain. In last year's paper on the subject an idealized system model was derived, which lead to deeper discussion of the musical consequences of the effect in terms of harmonic analysis of single tones and chords in clean and distorted mode. As a direct continuation the present paper deals with the transient behaviour of the device. The transient response is essential for understanding the special sound character, the reaction on picking techniques and the interaction with certain instruments. Therefore the system model is expanded and the pulse response of the idealized time invariant system is derived.

Cavity Resonator Wireless Power Transfer System for Freely Moving Animal Experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Henry; Thackston, Kyle A; Bercich, Rebecca A; Jefferys, John G R; Irazoqui, Pedro P

2017-04-01

The goal of this paper is to create a large wireless powering arena for powering small devices implanted in freely behaving rodents. We design a cavity resonator based wireless power transfer (WPT) system and utilize our previously developed optimal impedance matching methodology to achieve effective WPT performance for operating sophisticated implantable devices, made with miniature receive coils (powering fidelity of 93.53% over nine recording sessions across nine weeks, indicating nearly continuous device operation for a freely behaving rat within the large cavity resonator space. We have developed and demonstrated a cavity resonator based WPT system for long term experiments involving freely behaving small animals. This cavity resonator based WPT system offers an effective and simple method for wirelessly powering miniaturized devices implanted in freely moving small animals within the largest space.

Gravitational waves from freely precessing neutron stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, D.I.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the likely detectability of gravitational waves from freely precessing neutron stars. We begin by presenting a neutron star model of sufficient complexity to take into account both the elasticity and fluidity of a realistic neutron star. We then examine the effect of internal dissipation (i.e. heat generation within the star) and gravitational radiation reaction on the wobble. This is followed by an examination of various astrophysical scenarios where some mechanism might pump the precessional motion. We estimate the gravitational wave amplitude in these situations. Finally, we conclude that gravitational radiation from freely precessing neutron stars is almost certainly limited to a level undetectable by a LIGO II detector by internal dissipation. (author)

Outcomes of tibial endovascular intervention in patients with poor pedal runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Baer-Bositis, Hallie E; Hicks, Taylor D; Haidar, Georges M; Sideman, Matthew J; Pounds, Lori L; Davies, Mark G

2018-06-01

Tibial interventions for critical limb ischemia are now commonplace. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of pedal runoff on patient-centered outcomes after tibial endovascular intervention. A database of patients undergoing lower extremity endovascular interventions at a single urban academic medical center between 2006 and 2016 was retrospectively queried. Patients with critical ischemia (Rutherford 5 and 6) were identified. Preintervention angiograms were reviewed in all cases to assess pedal runoff. Each dorsalis pedis, lateral plantar, and medial plantar artery was assigned a score according to the reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery (0, no stenosis >20%; 1, 21%-49% stenosis; 2, 50%-99% stenosis; 2.5, half or less of the vessel length occluded; 3, more than half the vessel length occluded). A foot score (dorsalis pedis + medial plantar + lateral plantar + 1) was calculated for each foot (1-10). Two runoff score groups were identified: good vs poor, runoff score of 6 (47% had a runoff score ≥7). Overall major adverse cardiac events were equivalent at 30 days after the procedure in both groups. At 5 years, vessels with compromised runoff (score ≥7) had significantly lower ulcer healing (25% ± 3% vs 73% ± 4%, mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]) and a lower 5-year limb salvage rate (45% ± 6% vs 69% ± 4%, mean ± SEM) compared with those with good runoff (score runoff (score ≥7) had significantly lower clinical efficacy (23% ± 8% vs 38% ± 4%, mean ± SEM), amputation-free survival (32% ± 6% vs 48% ± 5%, mean ± SEM), and freedom from major adverse limb events (23% ± 9% vs 41% ± 8%, mean ± SEM) at 5 years compared with patients with good runoff (score runoff score can identify those patients who will not achieve ulcer healing and patient-centered outcomes after tibial intervention. Defining such subgroups will allow stratification of the patients and appropriate application of

Concurrent reflectance imaging and microdialysis in the freely behaving cat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poe, G R; Nitz, D A; Rector, D M

1996-01-01

We present a method to perform simultaneous microdialysis with light reflectance imaging of neural activity in a discrete brain region of the freely behaving animal. We applied this method to the dorsal hippocampus of freely behaving cats to (1) measure extracellular glutamate and reflectance...... imaged neural activity. Sequential images showed that cocaine perfusion elicited a propagating reflectance change as cocaine reached the tissue. Microperfusion of hypo-osmotic solution ( - 100 mOsm), which increases cell volume, decreased reflectance. Microperfusion of hyperosmotic sucrose solutions...

Soot Formation in Freely-Propagating Laminar Premixed Flames

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, K.-C.; Hassan, M. I.; Faeth, G. M.

1997-01-01

Soot formation within hydrocarbon-fueled flames is an important unresolved problem of combustion science. Thus, the present study is considering soot formation in freely-propagating laminar premixed flames, exploiting the microgravity environment to simplify measurements at the high-pressure conditions of interest for many practical applications. The findings of the investigation are relevant to reducing emissions of soot and continuum radiation from combustion processes, to improving terrestrial and spacecraft fire safety, and to developing methods of computational combustion, among others. Laminar premixed flames are attractive for studying soot formation because they are simple one-dimensional flows that are computationally tractable for detailed numerical simulations. Nevertheless, studying soot-containing burner-stabilized laminar premixed flames is problematical: spatial resolution and residence times are limited at the pressures of interest for practical applications, flame structure is sensitive to minor burner construction details so that experimental reproducibility is not very good, consistent burner behavior over the lengthy test programs needed to measure soot formation properties is hard to achieve, and burners have poor durability. Fortunately, many of these problems are mitigated for soot-containing, freely-propagating laminar premixed flames. The present investigation seeks to extend work in this laboratory for various soot processes in flames by observing soot formation in freely-propagating laminar premixed flames. Measurements are being made at both Normal Gravity (NG) and MicroGravity (MG), using a short-drop free-fall facility to provide MG conditions.

Chosen-Prefix Collisions for MD5 and Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.M.J. Stevens (Marc); A.K. Lenstra (Arjen); B. de Weger (Benne)

2012-01-01

textabstractWe present a novel, automated way to find differential paths for MD5. Its main application is in the construction of \\emph{chosen-prefix collisions}. We have shown how, at an approximate expected cost of $2^{39}$ calls to the MD5 compression function, for any two chosen

Effect of pedaling rates and myosin heavy chain composition in the vastus lateralis muscle on the power generating capability during incremental cycling in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Majerczak, J; Szkutnik, Z; Duda, K; Komorowska, M; Kolodziejski, L; Karasinski, J; Zoladz, J A

2008-01-01

In this study, we have determined power output reached at maximal oxygen uptake during incremental cycling exercise (P(I, max)) performed at low and at high pedaling rates in nineteen untrained men with various myosin heavy chain composition (MyHC) in the vastus lateralis muscle. On separate days, subjects performed two incremental exercise tests until exhaustion at 60 rev min(-1) and at 120 rev min(-1). In the studied group of subjects P(I, max) reached during cycling at 60 rev min(-1) was significantly higher (p=0.0001) than that at 120 rev min(-1) (287+/-29 vs. 215+/-42 W, respectively for 60 and 120 rev min(-1)). For further comparisons, two groups of subjects (n=6, each) were selected according to MyHC composition in the vastus lateralis muscle: group H with higher MyHC II content (56.8+/-2.79 %) and group L with lower MyHC II content in this muscle (28.6+/-5.8 %). P(I, max) reached during cycling performed at 60 rev min(-1) in group H was significantly lower than in group L (p=0.03). However, during cycling at 120 rev min(-1), there was no significant difference in P(I, max) reached by both groups of subjects (p=0.38). Moreover, oxygen uptake (VO(2)), blood hydrogen ion [H(+)], plasma lactate [La(-)] and ammonia [NH(3)] concentrations determined at the four highest power outputs completed during the incremental cycling performed at 60 as well as 120 rev min(-1), in the group H were significantly higher than in group L. We have concluded that during an incremental exercise performed at low pedaling rates the subjects with lower content of MyHC II in the vastus lateralis muscle possess greater power generating capabilities than the subjects with higher content of MyHC II. Surprisingly, at high pedaling rate, power generating capabilities in the subjects with higher MyHC II content in the vastus lateralis muscle did not differ from those found in the subjects with lower content of MyHC II in this muscle, despite higher blood [H(+)], [La(-)] and [NH(3

Rancang Bangun dan Uji Kinerja Mekanisme Pengendali Otomatis Pedal Rem dan Tuas Transmisi Maju Mundur pada Traktor Roda Empat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Dewa Made Subrata

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Most of the four wheeled tractors were operated manually for many agricultural applications. Therefore the operator’s fatigue during operating tractor can’t be avoided. To decrease operator’s fatigue it was necessary to operate tractor automatically for forward and backward motion. This research focus on the automatic backward motion and decrease turning radius by modify the brake pedal and forward-backward transmission mechanisms, which were controlled using DC motor with H-bridge actuator. Functional test was done by lifting up the tractor so that it was not move sideways while the tires were rotated. Performance test was done on the field to know the ability of the tractor to move forward and backward automatically and to know the turning radius when the left or right brake pedal was pushed down automatically. Experimental result showed that the time required to push the brake was about 0.47 s for left brake and 0.61 s for right brake. Field test result showed that the tractor was able to control automatically for forward motion with average speed of 0.62 m/s, backward motion with average speed of 0.63 m/s, to turn left with average turning radius of 2.2 m, and turn right with average turning radius of 2.4 m.

Freely Accessible Chemical Database Resources of Compounds for in Silico Drug Discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, JingFang; Wang, Di; Jia, Chenyang; Wang, Mengyao; Hao, GeFei; Yang, GuangFu

2018-05-07

In silico drug discovery has been proved to be a solidly established key component in early drug discovery. However, this task is hampered by the limitation of quantity and quality of compound databases for screening. In order to overcome these obstacles, freely accessible database resources of compounds have bloomed in recent years. Nevertheless, how to choose appropriate tools to treat these freely accessible databases are crucial. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on this issue. The existed advantages and drawbacks of chemical databases were analyzed and summarized based on the collected six categories of freely accessible chemical databases from literature in this review. Suggestions on how and in which conditions the usage of these databases could be reasonable were provided. Tools and procedures for building 3D structure chemical libraries were also introduced. In this review, we described the freely accessible chemical database resources for in silico drug discovery. In particular, the chemical information for building chemical database appears as attractive resources for drug design to alleviate experimental pressure. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Freely migrating defects in ion-irradiated Cu3Au

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, L.C.; Lang, E.; Flynn, C.P.; Averback, R.S.

1999-01-01

The efficiency of producing freely migrating vacancy defects in irradiated Cu 3 Au was examined using electrical resistivity measurements of radiation-induced ordering on highly perfect single-crystal films. Relative efficiencies for He, Ne, and Ar bombardments at different ion energy and specimen temperature were obtained. The ratio of the efficiencies of 0.6 MeV Ne to He increased with temperature from ∼0.25 at 340 K to a saturation value of ∼0.40 at 520 K. For Ar and He, the ratio increased from ∼0.11 at 360 K to ∼0.18 at 540 K. Estimates indicate that about half of all defects created in cascades are freely migrating. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Influence of extreme pedal rates on pulmonary O(2) uptake kinetics during transitions to high-intensity exercise from an elevated baseline.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimenna, Fred J; Wilkerson, Daryl P; Burnley, Mark; Bailey, Stephen J; Jones, Andrew M

2009-10-31

We used extreme pedal rates to investigate the influence of muscle fibre recruitment on pulmonary V(O)(2) kinetics during unloaded-to-moderate-intensity (U-->M), unloaded-to-high-intensity (U-->H), and moderate-intensity to high-intensity (M-->H) cycling transitions. Seven healthy men completed transitions to 60% of the difference between gas-exchange threshold and peak V(O)(2) from both an unloaded and a moderate-intensity (95% GET) baseline at cadences of 35 and 115rpm. Pulmonary gas exchange was measured breath-by-breath and iEMG of the m. vastus lateralis and m. gluteus maximus was measured during all tests. At 35rpm, the phase II time constant (tau(p)) values for U-->M, U-->H, and M-->H were 26+/-7, 31+/-7 and 36+/-8s with the value for M-->H being longer than for U-->M (PM, U-->H, and M-->H were 29+/-8, 48+/-16 and 53+/-20s with the value for U-->M being shorter than for the other two conditions (Pinfluenced by an interaction of exercise intensity and pedal rate and are consistent with the notion that changes in muscle fibre recruitment are responsible for slower phase II V(O)(2) kinetics during high-intensity and work-to-work exercise transitions.

Emotions in freely varying and mono-pitched vowels, acoustic and EGG analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Waaramaa, Teija; Palo, Pertti; Kankare, Elina

2015-12-01

Vocal emotions are expressed either by speech or singing. The difference is that in singing the pitch is predetermined while in speech it may vary freely. It was of interest to study whether there were voice quality differences between freely varying and mono-pitched vowels expressed by professional actors. Given their profession, actors have to be able to express emotions both by speech and singing. Electroglottogram and acoustic analyses of emotional utterances embedded in expressions of freely varying vowels [a:], [i:], [u:] (96 samples) and mono-pitched protracted vowels (96 samples) were studied. Contact quotient (CQEGG) was calculated using 35%, 55%, and 80% threshold levels. Three different threshold levels were used in order to evaluate their effects on emotions. Genders were studied separately. The results suggested significant gender differences for CQEGG 80% threshold level. SPL, CQEGG, and F4 were used to convey emotions, but to a lesser degree, when F0 was predetermined. Moreover, females showed fewer significant variations than males. Both genders used more hypofunctional phonation type in mono-pitched utterances than in the expressions with freely varying pitch. The present material warrants further study of the interplay between CQEGG threshold levels and formant frequencies, and listening tests to investigate the perceptual value of the mono-pitched vowels in the communication of emotions.

Plasma growth hormone, cortisol and testosterone responses to repeated and intermittent ergometer exercise at different pedalling rates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BH Opaszowski

2003-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was the evaluation of the hormonal response to the repeated and intermittent exercises at different rates. Nine students of the physical education (age: 24.1±0.39 years; body mass: 81.2±10.17kg; height: 182.1±7.32 cm; VO2max – 4.121±0.697 l O2/min performed in the laboratory conditions series of 5 efforts on the cycle ergometer lasting for 3 min with the loading of 250 W and divided with 2 min intervals. In the first day the pedalling rate amounted to 45circ/min (W45, in the second day to 80circ/min (W80. In both cases the work performed (225 kJ, time lasting and power of efforts were the same. The growth hormone (GH, testosterone (T and cortisol (C were denoted in the capillary blood taken with the immuno-enzymatic methods from the finger tip. The anabolic – catabolic index (T/C was also determined. The blood acid – alkali balance parameters were registered using the gas analyser Ciba-Corning 248. The blood was taken: before effort, after third effort (13 min, immediately after fifth effort (23 min and 30 min after the test. Series of the repeated and intermittent exercises caused the significant (P<0.05 lowering of the capillary blood pH, respectively from: 7.392–7.409 before effort to: 7.316±0.092 (W45 and 7.287±0.068 (W80 after fifth effort. The differences between W45 and W80 were statistically insignificant. The highest concentrations of GH and T were noticed after all efforts in both series. The T concentration grew significantly, similarly in both series: W45 –5.8±1.93 and W80 –5.9±1.59 ng/ml from the restful level ≈ 4.6 ng/ml. The significant differentiation of the response on different pedalling rates was observed in case of GH. The highest GH concentration amounted to: 7.7±5.43 ng/ml after W45 and after W80 to: 16.8±6.68 ng/ml. The GH concentration changes presented lower level (P<0.05 during work performed with the smaller rate i.e.: 45circ/min. As regards cortisol (C, the significant

The evolution of prestige: freely conferred deference as a mechanism for enhancing the benefits of cultural transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Henrich, J; Gil-White, F J.

2001-05-01

This paper advances an "information goods" theory that explains prestige processes as an emergent product of psychological adaptations that evolved to improve the quality of information acquired via cultural transmission. Natural selection favored social learners who could evaluate potential models and copy the most successful among them. In order to improve the fidelity and comprehensiveness of such ranked-biased copying, social learners further evolved dispositions to sycophantically ingratiate themselves with their chosen models, so as to gain close proximity to, and prolonged interaction with, these models. Once common, these dispositions created, at the group level, distributions of deference that new entrants may adaptively exploit to decide who to begin copying. This generated a preference for models who seem generally "popular." Building on social exchange theories, we argue that a wider range of phenomena associated with prestige processes can more plausibly be explained by this simple theory than by others, and we test its predictions with data from throughout the social sciences. In addition, we distinguish carefully between dominance (force or force threat) and prestige (freely conferred deference).

CHARACTERISTICS OF MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE OF PEDALING EXERCISE IN RECUMBENT AND SUPINE POSITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morimasa Kato

2011-09-01

Full Text Available To determine the characteristics of maximum pedaling performance in the recumbent and supine positions, maximum isokinetic leg muscle strength was measured in eight healthy male subjects during pedaling at three velocities (300°/s, 480°/s, and 660°/s, and maximum incremental tests were performed for each position. The maximum isokinetic muscle strength in the recumbent position was 210.0 ± 29.2 Nm at 300°/s, 158.4 ± 19.8 Nm at 480°/s, and 110.6 ± 13.2 at 660°/s. In contrast, the muscle strength in the supine position was 229.3 ± 36.7 Nm at 300°/s, 180. 7 ± 20.3 Nm at 480°/s, and 129.6 ± 14.0 Nm at 660°/s. Thus, the maximum isokinetic muscle strength showed significantly higher values in the supine position than in the recumbent position at all angular velocities. The knee and hip joint angles were measured at peak torque using a goniometer; the knee joint angle was not significantly different between both positions, whereas the hip joint angle was greater in the supine position than in the recumbent position (Supine position: 137.3 ± 9. 33 degree at 300°/s, 140.0 ± 11.13 degrees at 480°/s, and 141.0 ± 9.61 degrees at 660°/s. Recumbent position: 99.5 ± 12.21 degrees at 300°/s, 101.6 ± 12.29 degrees at 480°/s, and 105.8 ± 14.28 degrees at 660°/s. Peak oxygen uptake was higher in the recumbent position (50.3 ± 4.43 ml·kg-1·min-1 than in the supine position (48.7 ± 5.10 ml·kg-1·min-1. At maximum exertion, the heart rate and whole-body rate of perceived exertion (RPE were unaffected by position, but leg muscle RPE was higher in the supine position (19.5 ± 0.53 than in the recumbent position (18.8 ± 0.71. These results suggest that the supine position is more suitable for muscle strength exertion than the recumbent position, and this may be due to different hip joint angles between the positions. On the contrary, the endurance capacity was higher in the recumbent position than in the supine position. Since leg muscle

Associative self-anchoring interacts with obtainability of chosen objects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dean eMobbs

2016-01-01

Full Text Available While there is evidence that implicit self-esteem transfers to chosen objects (associative self-anchoring, it is still unknown whether this phenomenon extends to explicit self-esteem. Moreover, whether the knowledge that these objects might belong to the self in the future or not affects the evaluation of these objects has yet to be tested. Here, we demonstrate that evaluations of chosen objects are further enhanced when they are obtainable as compared to when they are not in participants with high explicit self-esteem, whereas participants with low explicit self-esteem exhibit the opposite pattern. These findings extend previous results and shed new light on the role of self-esteem in altering preferences for chosen objects depending on their obtainability.

Clustering impact regime with shocks in freely evolving granular gas

Science.gov (United States)

Isobe, Masaharu

2017-06-01

A freely cooling granular gas without any external force evolves from the initial homogeneous state to the inhomogeneous clustering state, at which the energy decay deviates from the Haff's law. The asymptotic behavior of energy in the inelastic hard sphere model have been predicted by several theories, which are based on the mode coupling theory or extension of inelastic hard rods gas. In this study, we revisited the clustering regime of freely evolving granular gas via large-scale molecular dynamics simulation with up to 16.7 million inelastic hard disks. We found novel regime regarding on collisions between "clusters" spontaneously appearing after clustering regime, which can only be identified more than a few million particles system. The volumetric dilatation pattern of semicircular shape originated from density shock propagation are well characterized on the appearing of "cluster impact" during the aggregation process of clusters.

An investigation of the challenges in reconstructing PET images of a freely moving animal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhtar, Mahmood; Kyme, Andre; Meikle, Steven; Zhou, Victor; Fulton, Roger

2013-01-01

Imaging the brain of a freely moving small animal using positron emission tomography (PET) while simultaneously observing its behaviour is an important goal for neuroscience. While we have successfully demonstrated the use of line-of-response (LOR) rebinning to correct the head motion of confined animals, a large proportion of events may need to be discarded because they either 'miss' the detector array after transformation or fall out of the acceptance range of a sinogram. The proportion of events that would have been measured had motion not occurred, so-called 'lost events', is expected to be even larger for freely moving animals. Moreover, the data acquisition in the case of a freely moving animal is further complicated by a complex attenuation field. The aims of this study were (a) to characterise the severity of 'lost events' problem for the freely moving animal scenario, and (b) to investigate the relative impact of attenuation correction errors on quantitative accuracy of reconstructed images. A phantom study was performed to simulate the uncorrelated motion of a target and non-target source volume. A small animal PET scanner was used to acquire list-mode data for different sets of phantom positions. The list-mode data were processed using the standard LOR rebinning approach, and multiple frame variants of this designed to reduce discarded events. We found that LOR rebinning caused up to 86 % 'lost events', and artifacts that we attribute to incomplete projections, when applied to a freely moving target. This fraction was reduced by up to 18 % using the variant approaches, resulting in slightly reduced image artifacts. The effect of the non-target compartment on attenuation correction of the target volume was surprisingly small. However, for certain poses where the target and non-target volumes are aligned transaxially in the field-of-view, the attenuation problem becomes more complex and sophisticated correction methods will be required. We conclude that

Effect and limitation of tuning accelerator pedal sensitivity by DBW; DBW ni yoru akuseru kando settei no koka to genkai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takada, Y; Morita, S [Osaka City University, Osaka (Japan)

1997-10-01

DBW (Drive By Wire) system makes the constraint of direct connection between an accelerator pedal and the throttle valve free, so that optionally turning of throttle valve sensitivity becomes possible in automobiles driving. Reported here is the discussion of the effect and the limitation of this optionally tuning. As the former result, it became clear that the tuning method using torque signal and speed signal of the drive shaft, was easier than the method using only speed signal by PD control action. And as the latter result, upper limit was bound by the low gear ratio and tire spin. 2 refs., 11 figs.

Freely-migrating-defect production during irradiation at elevated temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, T.; Rehn, L. E.; Okamoto, P. R.

1988-12-01

Radiation-induced segregation in a Cu-1 at. % Au alloy was investigated using in situ Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The amount of Au atom depletion in the near surface region was measured as a function of dose during irradiation at 350 °C with four ions of substantially different masses. Relative efficiencies for producing freely migrating defects were evaluated for 1.8-MeV 1H, 4He, 20Ne, and 84Kr ions by determining beam current densities that gave similar radiation-induced segregation rates. Irradiations with primary knock-on atom median energies of 1.7, 13, and 79 keV yielded relative efficiencies of 53, 7, and 6 %, respectively, compared to the irradiation with a 0.83-keV median energy. Despite quite different defect and host alloy properties, the relative efficiencies for producing freely migrating defects determined in Cu-Au are remarkably similar to those found previously in Ni-Si alloys. Hence, the reported efficiencies appear to offer a reliable basis for making quantitative correlations of microstructural changes induced in different alloy systems by a wide variety of irradiation particles.

Chosen-plaintext attack on a joint transform correlator encrypting system

Science.gov (United States)

Barrera, John Fredy; Vargas, Carlos; Tebaldi, Myrian; Torroba, Roberto

2010-10-01

We demonstrate that optical encryption methods based on the joint transform correlator architecture are vulnerable to chosen-plaintext attack. An unauthorized user, who introduces three chosen plaintexts in the accessible encryption machine, can obtain the security key code mask. In this contribution, we also propose an alternative method to eliminate ambiguities that allows obtaining the right decrypting key.

Efecto del pedaleo de brazos sobre el sistema cardiorrespiratorio de las personas con tetraplejia. (Effect of armcrank pedaling on the cardiorespiratory system of the people with tetraplegia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Brizuela Costa

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Resumen Objetivos: Determinar el efecto de un programa de entrenamiento de pedaleo de brazos (PB estacionario, sobre el sistema cardiorrespiratorio de personas con tetraplejia. Método: Se estudiaron 11 participantes con tetraplejia por lesión medular (LM de origen traumático a niveles entre C4 y C6. Se midieron variables espirométricas (VC, FVC y MVV y de Variabilidad de la Frecuencia Cardíaca VFC (HR, STDHR, RMSSD, LF, HF y HRVPOWER, antes y después de 8 semanas de entrenamiento. Resultados: Todas las variables mostraron cambios significativos (p Abstract Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effect, in subjects with tetraplejia, of a stationary armcrank pedaling (AP training program on their cardiorespiratory system. Method: 11 participants with tetraplegia, originated by traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI at levels between C4 and C6, were included in the study. Spirometric (VC, FVC and MVV and Heart Rate Variability (HRV indices (HR, STDHR, RMSSD, LF, HF, HRVPOWER were measured before and after an 8 weeks of armcrank pedaling training program. Results: Spirometric and HRV variables showed changes (p

Relaxing Chosen-Ciphertext Security

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canetti, Ran; Krawczyk, Hugo; Nielsen, Jesper Buus

2003-01-01

Security against adaptive chosen ciphertext attacks (or, CCA security) has been accepted as the standard requirement from encryption schemes that need to withstand active attacks. In particular, it is regarded as the appropriate security notion for encryption schemes used as components within...... general protocols and applications. Indeed, CCA security was shown to suffice in a large variety of contexts. However, CCA security often appears to be somewhat too strong: there exist encryption schemes (some of which come up naturally in practice) that are not CCA secure, but seem sufficiently secure...... “for most practical purposes.” We propose a relaxed variant of CCA security, called Replayable CCA (RCCA) security. RCCA security accepts as secure the non-CCA (yet arguably secure) schemes mentioned above; furthermore, it suffices for most existing applications of CCA security. We provide three...

Implantable fiber-optic interface for parallel multisite long-term optical dynamic brain interrogation in freely moving mice

Science.gov (United States)

Doronina-Amitonova, L. V.; Fedotov, I. V.; Ivashkina, O. I.; Zots, M. A.; Fedotov, A. B.; Anokhin, K. V.; Zheltikov, A. M.

2013-01-01

Seeing the big picture of functional responses within large neural networks in a freely functioning brain is crucial for understanding the cellular mechanisms behind the higher nervous activity, including the most complex brain functions, such as cognition and memory. As a breakthrough toward meeting this challenge, implantable fiber-optic interfaces integrating advanced optogenetic technologies and cutting-edge fiber-optic solutions have been demonstrated, enabling a long-term optogenetic manipulation of neural circuits in freely moving mice. Here, we show that a specifically designed implantable fiber-optic interface provides a powerful tool for parallel long-term optical interrogation of distinctly separate, functionally different sites in the brain of freely moving mice. This interface allows the same groups of neurons lying deeply in the brain of a freely behaving mouse to be reproducibly accessed and optically interrogated over many weeks, providing a long-term dynamic detection of genome activity in response to a broad variety of pharmacological and physiological stimuli. PMID:24253232

Schlieren photography on freely flying hawkmoth.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yun; Roll, Jesse; Van Kooten, Stephen; Deng, Xinyan

2018-05-01

The aerodynamic force on flying insects results from the vortical flow structures that vary both spatially and temporally throughout flight. Due to these complexities and the inherent difficulties in studying flying insects in a natural setting, a complete picture of the vortical flow has been difficult to obtain experimentally. In this paper, Schlieren , a widely used technique for highspeed flow visualization, was adapted to capture the vortex structures around freely flying hawkmoth ( Manduca ). Flow features such as leading-edge vortex, trailing-edge vortex, as well as the full vortex system in the wake were visualized directly. Quantification of the flow from the Schlieren images was then obtained by applying a physics-based optical flow method, extending the potential applications of the method to further studies of flying insects. © 2018 The Author(s).

Diagnosis of pedal osteomyelitis in diabetic patients using current scintigraphic techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keenan, A.M.; Tindel, N.L.; Alavi, A.

1989-01-01

Seventy-seven diabetic patients with suspected osteomyelitis of the foot were evaluated by three-phase bone scintigraphy (TPBS), indium 111-labeled white blood cell scintigraphy (WBCS), roentgenography, or some combination thereof. Retrospective analysis after clinical and pathologic follow-up indicated that the sensitivity of TPBS alone in the diagnosis of osteomyelitis was 100%, with a specificity of only 38% and an accuracy of 63%; the sensitivity of WBCS alone was 100%, with a specificity of 78% and an accuracy of 87%; and the combination of TPBS and WBCS yielded a sensitivity of 100%, with a specificity of 79% and an accuracy of 87%. Roentgenography yielded a sensitivity of 69%, with a specificity of 82% and an accuracy of 76%. The results of this study demonstrate that WBCS is superior to TPBS in the diagnosis of osteomyelitis in the diabetic foot, and TPBS adds little when viewed in conjunction with WBCS. Based on our observations and because of the high prevalence of neuropathic joint disease and other causes of false-positive bone scans, we believe that WBCS alone is adequate for evaluation of suspected pedal osteomyelitis in diabetic patients, particularly when the suspected lesion is located in the tarsometatarsal region in contrast to the toe region (7% vs 44% specificity and 28% vs 69% accuracy, respectively, for TPBS in these two regions, compared with 100% vs 68% specificity and 100% vs 80% accuracy, respectively, for WBCS in the same two regions)

Error-tolerant pedal for a brake-by-wire system; Fehlertolerante Pedaleinheit fuer ein elektromechanisches Bremssystem (Brake-by-Wire)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoelzl, S.

2000-07-01

The author describes the development of an error-tolerant brake-by-wire system with pedal consolidation, including the development of a monitoring and safety concept. [German] Die zunehmende Entwicklung aktiver Fahrerassistenzsysteme im Automobilbereich (z.B. ABS, ESP) zur Erhoehung der Fahrsicherheit erfordert ein staendig wachsendes Funktionspotential. Die Bremsanlagen werden dadurch immer komplexer. Parallel steigen die Anforderungen an den Bremspedalkomfort. Einen Ausweg aus dieser Problematik verspricht die Elektromechanische Bremsanlage (EMB) mit rueckwirkungsfreier Entkopplung des Fahrers von den Radbremsen (Brake-by-Wire). Das Bremskommando des Fahrers wird bei Betaetigung des Bremspedals rein sensorisch erfasst. Da es keine mechanische Rueckfallebene mehr gibt, muessen Fehler der Pedaleinheit erkannt und toleriert werden. Neu an dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung der fehlertoleranten elektromechanischen Pedaleinheit der EMB mit Pedalsensorkonsolidierung und Erstellung des dazu notwendigen Sicherheits- und Ueberwachungskonzepts. (orig.)

ChemoPy: freely available python package for computational biology and chemoinformatics.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Dong-Sheng; Xu, Qing-Song; Hu, Qian-Nan; Liang, Yi-Zeng

2013-04-15

Molecular representation for small molecules has been routinely used in QSAR/SAR, virtual screening, database search, ranking, drug ADME/T prediction and other drug discovery processes. To facilitate extensive studies of drug molecules, we developed a freely available, open-source python package called chemoinformatics in python (ChemoPy) for calculating the commonly used structural and physicochemical features. It computes 16 drug feature groups composed of 19 descriptors that include 1135 descriptor values. In addition, it provides seven types of molecular fingerprint systems for drug molecules, including topological fingerprints, electro-topological state (E-state) fingerprints, MACCS keys, FP4 keys, atom pairs fingerprints, topological torsion fingerprints and Morgan/circular fingerprints. By applying a semi-empirical quantum chemistry program MOPAC, ChemoPy can also compute a large number of 3D molecular descriptors conveniently. The python package, ChemoPy, is freely available via http://code.google.com/p/pychem/downloads/list, and it runs on Linux and MS-Windows. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Pan-neuronal calcium imaging with cellular resolution in freely swimming zebrafish.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dal Hyung; Kim, Jungsoo; Marques, João C; Grama, Abhinav; Hildebrand, David G C; Gu, Wenchao; Li, Jennifer M; Robson, Drew N

2017-11-01

Calcium imaging with cellular resolution typically requires an animal to be tethered under a microscope, which substantially restricts the range of behaviors that can be studied. To expand the behavioral repertoire amenable to imaging, we have developed a tracking microscope that enables whole-brain calcium imaging with cellular resolution in freely swimming larval zebrafish. This microscope uses infrared imaging to track a target animal in a behavior arena. On the basis of the predicted trajectory of the animal, we applied optimal control theory to a motorized stage system to cancel brain motion in three dimensions. We combined this motion-cancellation system with differential illumination focal filtering, a variant of HiLo microscopy, which enabled us to image the brain of a freely swimming larval zebrafish for more than an hour. This work expands the repertoire of natural behaviors that can be studied with cellular-resolution calcium imaging to potentially include spatial navigation, social behavior, feeding and reward.

Freely accessible water does not decrease consumption of ethanol liquid diets.

Science.gov (United States)

de Fiebre, NancyEllen C; de Fiebre, Christopher M

2003-02-01

In experimental studies, liquid ethanol diets are usually given as the sole source of nutrition and fluid. Two series of experiments were conducted to examine the effect of freely accessible water on the consumption of ethanol liquid diets in male Long-Evans rats. The consumption of diets and subsequent learning ability of rats were first examined in animals given twice-daily saline injections. One group received diet with no access to water for 12 weeks and was subsequently given free access to water with diets for an additional 12 weeks. A second group was given diet and water ad libitum for 24 weeks. Control animals received an isocaloric sucrose-containing diet (with or without ad libitum access to water). Subsequently, rats were tested for active avoidance learning. In the first 12 weeks, animals with ad libitum access to water drank more diet than did water-restricted animals, and previously water-restricted animals increased their diet consumption when access to water was freely available. All water-restricted animals, in both ethanol- and sucrose-treated groups, showed deficits in active avoidance learning, whereas only ethanol-treated animals in groups with ad libitum access to water showed learning deficits. In the second series of experiments, the effect of saline injections on diet consumption, both in the presence and absence of water, was examined. Although saline injections were associated with decreased diet consumption, there was no effect of free access to water. No differences in blood ethanol concentration were seen among groups. Findings obtained from both series of studies demonstrate that consumption of a Sustacal-based liquid ethanol diet does not decrease if access to water is freely available.

Freely floating structures trapping time-harmonic water waves (revisited)

OpenAIRE

Kuznetsov, Nikolay; Motygin, Oleg

2014-01-01

We study the coupled small-amplitude motion of the mechanical system consisting of infinitely deep water and a structure immersed in it. The former is bounded above by a free surface, whereas the latter is formed by an arbitrary finite number of surface-piercing bodies floating freely. The mathematical model of time-harmonic motion is a spectral problem in which the frequency of oscillations serves as the spectral parameter. It is proved that there exist axisymmetric structures consisting of ...

A Review of Freely Available Quantum Computer Simulation Software

OpenAIRE

Brandhorst-Satzkorn, Johan

2012-01-01

A study has been made of a few different freely available Quantum Computer simulators. All the simulators tested are available online on their respective websites. A number of tests have been performed to compare the different simulators against each other. Some untested simulators of various programming languages are included to show the diversity of the quantum computer simulator applications. The conclusion of the review is that LibQuantum is the best of the simulators tested because of ea...

Hippocampal activity during transient respiratory events in the freely behaving cat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poe, G R; Kristensen, Morten Pilgaard; Rector, D M

1996-01-01

We measured dorsal hippocampal activity accompanying sighs and apnea using reflectance imaging and electrophysiologic measures in freely behaving cats. Reflected 660-nm light from a 1-mm2 area of CA1 was captured during sighs and apnea at 25 Hz through a coherent image conduit coupled to a charge...

Concentration of frequencies of trapped waves in problems on freely floating bodies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nazarov, Sergei A [Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering, Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2012-09-30

It is shown that by choosing the shape of two identical bodies floating freely in a channel with symmetric cross-section it is possible to form any pre-assigned number of linearly independent trapped waves (localized solutions). Bibliography: 27 titles.

Prey capture by freely swimming flagellates

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Anders; Dolger, Julia; Nielsen, Lasse Tor; Kiorboe, Thomas

2017-11-01

Flagellates are unicellular microswimmers that propel themselves using one or several beating flagella. Here, we explore the dependence of swimming kinematics and prey clearance rate on flagellar arrangement and determine optimal flagellar arrangements and essential trade-offs. To describe near-cell flows around freely swimming flagellates we consider a model in which the cell is represented by a no-slip sphere and each flagellum by a point force. For uniflagellates pulled by a single flagellum the model suggests that a long flagellum favors fast swimming, whereas high clearance rate is favored by a very short flagellum. For biflagellates with both a longitudinal and a transversal flagellum we explore the helical swimming kinematics and the prey capture sites. We compare our predictions with observations of swimming kinematics, prey capture, and flows around common marine flagellates. The Centre for Ocean Life is a VKR Centre of Excellence supported by the Villum Foundation.

Virtual reality for freely moving animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Stowers, John R; Hofbauer, Maximilian; Bastien, Renaud; Griessner, Johannes; Higgins, Peter; Farooqui, Sarfarazhussain; Fischer, Ruth M; Nowikovsky, Karin; Haubensak, Wulf; Couzin, Iain D; Tessmar-Raible, Kristin; Straw, Andrew D

2017-10-01

Standard animal behavior paradigms incompletely mimic nature and thus limit our understanding of behavior and brain function. Virtual reality (VR) can help, but it poses challenges. Typical VR systems require movement restrictions but disrupt sensorimotor experience, causing neuronal and behavioral alterations. We report the development of FreemoVR, a VR system for freely moving animals. We validate immersive VR for mice, flies, and zebrafish. FreemoVR allows instant, disruption-free environmental reconfigurations and interactions between real organisms and computer-controlled agents. Using the FreemoVR platform, we established a height-aversion assay in mice and studied visuomotor effects in Drosophila and zebrafish. Furthermore, by photorealistically mimicking zebrafish we discovered that effective social influence depends on a prospective leader balancing its internally preferred directional choice with social interaction. FreemoVR technology facilitates detailed investigations into neural function and behavior through the precise manipulation of sensorimotor feedback loops in unrestrained animals.

Navier-Stokes hydrodynamics of thermal collapse in a freely cooling granular gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolvin, Itamar; Livne, Eli; Meerson, Baruch

2010-08-01

We show that, in dimension higher than one, heat diffusion and viscosity cannot arrest thermal collapse in a freely evolving dilute granular gas, even in the absence of gravity. Thermal collapse involves a finite-time blowup of the gas density. It was predicted earlier in ideal, Euler hydrodynamics of dilute granular gases in the absence of gravity, and in nonideal, Navier-Stokes granular hydrodynamics in the presence of gravity. We determine, analytically and numerically, the dynamic scaling laws that characterize the gas flow close to collapse. We also investigate bifurcations of a freely evolving dilute granular gas in circular and wedge-shaped containers. Our results imply that, in general, thermal collapse can only be arrested when the gas density becomes comparable with the close-packing density of grains. This provides a natural explanation to the formation of densely packed clusters of particles in a variety of initially dilute granular flows.

Proposal of Solidification/Stabilisation Process of Chosen Hazardous Waste by Cementation

OpenAIRE

Bozena Dohnalkova

2015-01-01

This paper presents a part of the project solving which is dedicated to the identification of the hazardous waste with the most critical production within the Czech Republic with the aim to study and find the optimal composition of the cement matrix that will ensure maximum content disposal of chosen hazardous waste. In the first stage of project solving – which represents this paper – a specific hazardous waste was chosen, its properties were identified and suitable soli...

Assessment of Mining Extent and Expansion in Myanmar Based on Freely-Available Satellite Imagery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine J. LaJeunesse Connette

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Using freely-available data and open-source software, we developed a remote sensing methodology to identify mining areas and assess recent mining expansion in Myanmar. Our country-wide analysis used Landsat 8 satellite data from a select number of mining areas to create a raster layer of potential mining areas. We used this layer to guide a systematic scan of freely-available fine-resolution imagery, such as Google Earth, in order to digitize likely mining areas. During this process, each mining area was assigned a ranking indicating our certainty in correct identification of the mining land use. Finally, we identified areas of recent mining expansion based on the change in albedo, or brightness, between Landsat images from 2002 and 2015. We identified 90,041 ha of potential mining areas in Myanmar, of which 58% (52,312 ha was assigned high certainty, 29% (26,251 ha medium certainty, and 13% (11,478 ha low certainty. Of the high-certainty mining areas, 62% of bare ground was disturbed (had a large increase in albedo since 2002. This four-month project provides the first publicly-available database of mining areas in Myanmar, and it demonstrates an approach for large-scale assessment of mining extent and expansion based on freely-available data.

Digits lost or gained? Evidence for pedal evolution in the dwarf salamander complex (Eurycea, Plethodontidae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trip Lamb

Full Text Available Change in digit number, particularly digit loss, has occurred repeatedly over the evolutionary history of tetrapods. Although digit loss has been documented among distantly related species of salamanders, it is relatively uncommon in this amphibian order. For example, reduction from five to four toes appears to have evolved just three times in the morphologically and ecologically diverse family Plethodontidae. Here we report a molecular phylogenetic analysis for one of these four-toed lineages--the Eurycea quadridigitata complex (dwarf salamanders--emphasizing relationships to other species in the genus. A multilocus phylogeny reveals that dwarf salamanders are paraphyletic with respect to a complex of five-toed, paedomorphic Eurycea from the Edwards Plateau in Texas. We use this phylogeny to examine evolution of digit number within the dwarf-Edwards Plateau clade, testing contrasting hypotheses of digit loss (parallelism among dwarf salamanders versus digit gain (re-evolution in the Edwards Plateau complex. Bayes factors analysis provides statistical support for a five-toed common ancestor at the dwarf-Edwards node, favoring, slightly, the parallelism hypothesis for digit loss. More importantly, our phylogenetic results pinpoint a rare event in the pedal evolution of plethodontid salamanders.

"Go Somewhere, Do Something". How Students Responded to the Opportunity to Complete an Unstructured, Five-Day, Wilderness Solo in the Cantabrian Mountains, Northern Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Liz

2010-01-01

This study explored the response of 28, second year undergraduate students to an innovative approach to a five-day solo. Periods of solitude are more likely to lead to positive outcomes when they are freely chosen than when they are programmed as part of a course. The extent to which a programmed solo can be "freely chosen" by the…

Eco-efficiency analysis methodology on the example of the chosen polyolefins production

OpenAIRE

K. Czaplicka-Kolarz; D. Burchart-Korol; P. Krawczyk

2010-01-01

the chosen polyolefins production. The article presents also main tools of eco-efficiency analysis: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Net Present Value (NPV).Design/methodology/approach: On the basis of LCA and NPV of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) production, eco-efficiency analysis is conducted.Findings: In this article environmental and economic performance of the chosen polyolefins production was presented. The basis phases of eco-efficiency methodology...

Effects of dissolved organic matter from a eutrophic lake on the freely dissolved concentrations of emerging organic contaminants.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Yi-Hua; Huang, Qing-Hui; Vähätalo, Anssi V; Li, Fei-Peng; Chen, Ling

2014-08-01

The authors studied the effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the bioavailability of bisphenol A (BPA) and chloramphenicol by measuring the freely dissolved concentrations of the contaminants in solutions containing DOM that had been isolated from a mesocosm in a eutrophic lake. The abundance and aromaticity of the chromophoric DOM increased over the 25-d mesocosm experiment. The BPA freely dissolved concentration was 72.3% lower and the chloramphenicol freely dissolved concentration was 56.2% lower using DOM collected on day 25 than using DOM collected on day 1 of the mesocosm experiment. The freely dissolved concentrations negatively correlated with the ultraviolent absorption coefficient at 254 nm and positively correlated with the spectral slope of chromophoric DOM, suggesting that the bioavailability of these emerging organic contaminants depends on the characteristics of the DOM present. The DOM-water partition coefficients (log KOC ) for the emerging organic contaminants positively correlated with the aromaticity of the DOM, measured as humic acid-like fluorescent components C1 (excitation/emission=250[313]/412 nm) and C2 (excitation/emission=268[379]/456 nm). The authors conclude that the bioavailability of emerging organic contaminants in eutrophic lakes can be affected by changes in the DOM. © 2014 SETAC.

An Alternative Method for Understanding User-Chosen Passwords

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhixiong Zheng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We present in this paper an alternative method for understanding user-chosen passwords. In password research, much attention has been given to increasing the security and usability of individual passwords for common users. Few of them focus on the relationships between passwords; therefore we explore the relationships between passwords: modification-based, similarity-based, and probability-based. By regarding passwords as vertices, we shed light on how to transform a dataset of passwords into a password graph. Subsequently, we introduce some novel notions from graph theory and report on a number of inner properties of passwords from the perspective of graph. With the assistance of Python Graph-tool, we are able to visualize our password graph to deliver an intuitive grasp of user-chosen passwords. Five real-world password datasets are used in our experiments to fulfill our thorough experiments. We discover that (1 some passwords in a dataset are tightly connected with each other; (2 they have the tendency to gather together as a cluster like they are in a social network; (3 password graph has logarithmic distribution for its degrees. Top clusters in password graph could be exploited to obtain the effective mangling rules for cracking passwords. Also, password graph can be utilized for a new kind of password strength meter.

Columnar transmitter based wireless power delivery system for implantable device in freely moving animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Kyungsik; Jeong, Joonsoo; Lee, Tae Hyung; Lee, Sung Eun; Jun, Sang Bum; Kim, Sung June

2013-01-01

A wireless power delivery system is developed to deliver electrical power to the neuroprosthetic devices that are implanted into animals freely moving inside the cage. The wireless powering cage is designed for long-term animal experiments without cumbersome wires for power supply or the replacement of batteries. In the present study, we propose a novel wireless power transmission system using resonator-based inductive links to increase power efficiency and to minimize the efficiency variations. A columnar transmitter coil is proposed to provide lateral uniformity of power efficiency. Using this columnar transmitter coil, only 7.2% efficiency fluctuation occurs from the maximum transmission efficiency of 25.9%. A flexible polymer-based planar type receiver coil is fabricated and assembled with a neural stimulator and an electrode. Using the designed columnar transmitter coil, the implantable device successfully operates while it moves freely inside the cage.

Passive sampling methods for contaminated sediments: Scientific rationale supporting use of freely dissolved concentrations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mayer, Philipp; Parkerton, Thomas F.; Adams, Rachel G.

2014-01-01

Passive sampling methods (PSMs) allow the quantification of the freely dissolved concentration (Cfree ) of an organic contaminant even in complex matrices such as sediments. Cfree is directly related to a contaminant's chemical activity, which drives spontaneous processes including diffusive upta...

Vibration transmission characteristics of the legs of freely standing honeybees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rohrseitz, Kristin; Kilpinen, Ole

1997-01-01

as the stimulator. This was also the case in freely standing honeybees, except around 400 Hz, where an average attenuation of approximately 6 dB was observed. In the fixed bee preparation, the vertical movements of the legs were also measured during horizontal stimulation. The vertical vibration amplitude...... of the legs was 15-20 dB lower than the horizontal stimulation amplitude. The electrophysiologically and behaviourally determined thresholds for vibration stimulation increased by approximately 10 dB, when the stimulus direction was changed from vertical to horizontal. These observations support the notion...

Influence of Motivation on the Effectiveness of Work in a chosen Firm

OpenAIRE

Hrutkaiová, Gabriela

2011-01-01

This bachelor thesis is concerned with motivation of employees, describes factors, which can directly or indirectly influence workers and instigate them to efficient work. Theory engages with the definition of motivation term, and its importance, motivation progression and also describes concrete tools, which stimulate increase in employee's motivation. The practical part evaluates system of motivation and its effect in chosen company and also decides whether chosen methods succeeded.

Downhole instrument including a flexible probe which can travel freely around bends in a borehole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickinson III, B. W. O.

1985-01-01

Bore hole instrument and methods of manufacturing and using the same. The instrument includes an elongated flexible probe which is inserted into a bore hole and can travel freely around bends of relatively short radius in the hole. The probe includes a plurality of sensors, explosive charges or the like which are spaced apart and embedded in a flexible body comprising a mass of cushioning material, with a flexible outer casing of fabric having a high tensile strength. The probe is driven into a bore hole in piston-like fashion, and the flexible body enables the probe to travel freely around bends of relatively short radius. Instrumentation for processing signals from the probe is located at the surface of the earth, and a flexible cable interconnects the instrumentation with the probe

A lightweight telemetry system for recording neuronal activity in freely behaving small animals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schregardus, D.S.; Pieneman, A.W.; ter Maat, A.; Brouwer, T.J.F.; Gahr, M.L.

2006-01-01

A miniature lightweight radio telemetric device is described which is shown to be suitable for recording neuronal activity in freely behaving animals. Its size (12 × 5 × 8 mm) and weight (1.0-1.1 g with batteries, 0.4-0.5 g without) make the device particularly suitable for recording neuronal units

Flutter instability of freely hanging articulated pipes conveying fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Schouveiler, Lionel; Chermette, Félix

2018-03-01

We experimentally investigate the stability of freely hanging articulated pipes made of rigid segments connected by flexible joints and with their displacements constrained in a vertical plane. When the velocity of the fluid conveyed by the pipe is increased, flutter-type instability occurs above a critical value. The critical velocity and the characteristics of the flutter modes (frequency, amplitude, and shape) are determined as a function of the number n of segments into the pipe which is varied from 2 to 5. Experimental results are compared to predictions from linear stability analysis extending previous studies by taking into account damping due to the dissipation in the joints. Qualitative agreement is found and the limits of the analysis are discussed.

Biopython: freely available Python tools for computational molecular biology and bioinformatics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cock, Peter J A; Antao, Tiago; Chang, Jeffrey T

2009-01-01

SUMMARY: The Biopython project is a mature open source international collaboration of volunteer developers, providing Python libraries for a wide range of bioinformatics problems. Biopython includes modules for reading and writing different sequence file formats and multiple sequence alignments......, dealing with 3D macro molecular structures, interacting with common tools such as BLAST, ClustalW and EMBOSS, accessing key online databases, as well as providing numerical methods for statistical learning. AVAILABILITY: Biopython is freely available, with documentation and source code at (www...

Mass and heat transfer between a fluidized bed and a freely moving submerged sphere

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prins, W.; Valk, M.

1995-01-01

For fluidized bed combustion and gasification of solid fuels, but also for various other fluidized bed processes such as drying, granulation and evaporation, mass and heat transport to (or from) a particle freely moving in the fluidized bed is of great importance. The combustion rate of a

"Just Google It"--The Scope of Freely Available Information Sources for Doctoral Thesis Writing

Science.gov (United States)

Grigas, Vincas; Juzeniene, Simona; Velickaite, Jone

2017-01-01

Introduction: Recent developments in the field of scientific information resource provision lead us to the key research question, namely,what is the coverage of freely available information sources when writing doctoral theses, and whether the academic library can assume the leading role as a direct intermediator for information users. Method:…

Using the Visualization Software Evaluation Rubric to explore six freely available visualization applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thea P. Atwood

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: As a variety of visualization tools become available to librarians and researchers, it can be challenging to select a tool that is robust and flexible enough to provide the desired visualization outcomes for work or personal use. In this article, the authors provide guidance on several freely available tools, and offer a rubric for use in evaluating visualization tools. Methods: A rubric was generated to assist the authors in assessing the selected six freely available visualization tools. Each author analyzed three tools, and discussed the differences, similarities, challenges, and successes of each. Results: Of the six visualization tools, two tools emerged with high marks. The authors found that the rubric was a successful evaluation tool, and facilitated discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of the six selected visualization pieces of software. Conclusions: Of the six different visualization tools analyzed, all had different functions and features available to best meet the needs of users. In a situation where there are many options available, and it is difficult at first glance to determine a clear winner, a rubric can be useful in providing a method to quickly assess and communicate the effectiveness of a tool.

The Impact of Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome on Cold Sensation in the Pedal Extremities.

Science.gov (United States)

Kokubo, Rinko; Kim, Kyongsong; Isu, Toyohiko; Morimoto, Daijiro; Iwamoto, Naotaka; Kobayashi, Shiro; Morita, Akio

2016-08-01

Tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) is an entrapment neuropathy of the posterior tibial nerve in the tarsal tunnel. It is not known whether vascular or neuropathic factors are implicated in the cause of a cold sensation experienced by patients. Therefore, we studied the cold sensation in the pedal extremities of patients who did or did not undergo TTS surgery. Our study population comprised 20 patients with TTS (38 feet); 1 foot was affected in 2 patients and both feet in 18 patients. We acquired the toe-brachial pressure index to evaluate perfusion of the sole and toe perfusion under 4 conditions: the at-rest position (condition 1); the at-rest position with compression of the foot dorsal artery (condition 2); the Kinoshita foot position (condition 3); and the Kinoshita foot position with foot dorsal artery compression (condition 4). Patients who reported abatement in the cold sensation during surgery underwent intraoperative reocclusion of the tibial artery to check for the return of the cold sensation. The toe-brachial pressure index for conditions 1 and 3 averaged 0.82 ± 0.09 and 0.81 ± 0.11, respectively; for conditions 2 and 4, it averaged 0.70 ± 0.11 and 0.71 ± 0.09, respectively. Among the 16 operated patients, the cold sensation in 7 feet improved intraoperatively; transient reocclusion of the tibial artery did not result in the reappearance of the cold sensation. Our findings suggest that the cold sensation in the feet of our patients with TTS was associated with neuropathic rather than vascular factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cardiac Troponin and Creatine Kinase Response to the Three Modes of Training (Running, Pedaling and Swimming in Young Girls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Saremi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Cardiac troponin T and creatine kinase are used as biological markers for cardiomyocytes and its levels in serum are used as indicators of myocardial cell injury. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 3 different training protocols (runing, swimming, and pedaling training on myocardial cell injury biomarkers in young girls. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study with pretest–posttest design, ten healthy young girls (aged 23.0±1.6 y were selected in a convenience sampling way. The subjects performed three types of exercise in 7 days interval. Blood sample was assessed before and after the exercise sessions. Data were analyzed using t-test and analysis of variance. Results: Our results indicated that creatin kinase increased significantly after three types of exercise (p0.05. Conclusion: Our data suggest that intensive exercise is associated with cardiac damage in less trained girls and the type of exercise is determinants of the magnitude of myocardial injury biomarkers release.

Flood Inundation Modelling Under Uncertainty Using Globally and Freely Available Remote Sensing Data

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, K.; Di Baldassarre, G.; Giustarini, L.; Solomatine, D. P.

2012-04-01

The extreme consequences of recent catastrophic events have highlighted that flood risk prevention still needs to be improved to reduce human losses and economic damages, which have considerably increased worldwide in recent years. Flood risk management and long term floodplain planning are vital for living with floods, which is the currently proposed approach to cope with floods. To support the decision making processes, a significant issue is the availability of data to build appropriate and reliable models, from which the needed information could be obtained. The desirable data for model building, calibration and validation are often not sufficient or available. A unique opportunity is offered nowadays by globally available data which can be freely downloaded from internet. This might open new opportunities for filling the gap between available and needed data, in order to build reliable models and potentially lead to the development of global inundation models to produce floodplain maps for the entire globe. However, there remains the question of what is the real potential of those global remote sensing data, characterized by different accuracy, for global inundation monitoring and how to integrate them with inundation models. This research aims at contributing to understand whether the current globally and freely available remote sensing data (e.g. SRTM, SAR) can be actually used to appropriately support inundation modelling. In this study, the SRTM DEM is used for hydraulic model building, while ENVISAT-ASAR satellite imagery is used for model validation. To test the usefulness of these globally and freely available data, a model based on the high resolution LiDAR DEM and ground data (high water marks) is used as benchmark. The work is carried out on a data-rich test site: the River Alzette in the north of Luxembourg City. Uncertainties are estimated for both SRTM and LiDAR based models. Probabilistic flood inundation maps are produced under the framework of

An Ambulatory Electroencephalography System for Freely Moving Horses: An Innovating Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugo Cousillas

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Electroencephalography (EEG that has been extensively studied in humans presents also a large interest for studies on animal brain processes. However, since the quality of the recordings is altered by muscular activity, most EEG recordings on animals are obtained using invasive methods with deeply implanted electrodes. This requires anesthesia and can thus only be used in laboratory or clinical settings. As EEG is a very useful tool both for detecting brain alterations due to diseases or accidents and to evaluate the arousal and attentional state of the animal, it seemed crucial to develop a tool that would make such recordings possible in the horse’s home environment, with a freely moving horse. Such a tool should neither be invasive nor cause discomforts to the horse as the usual other practice which consists, after shaving the zone, in gluing the electrodes to the skin. To fulfill these requirements, we developed a novel EEG headset adapted to the horse’s head that allows an easy and fast positioning of the electrodes and that can be used in the home environment on a freely moving horse. In this study, we show that this EEG headset allows to obtain reliable recordings, and we propose an original evaluation of an animal’s “EEG profile” that allows comparisons between individuals and situations. This EEG headset opens new possibilities of investigation on horse cognition, and it can also become a useful tool for veterinarians to evaluate cerebral disorders or check the anesthesia level during a surgery.

Implementation of Active Workstations in University Libraries—A Comparison of Portable Pedal Exercise Machines and Standing Desks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camille Bastien Tardif

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Sedentary behaviors are an important issue worldwide, as prolonged sitting time has been associated with health problems. Recently, active workstations have been developed as a strategy to counteract sedentary behaviors. The present study examined the rationale and perceptions of university students’ and staff following their first use of an active workstation in library settings. Ninety-nine volunteers completed a self-administered questionnaire after using a portable pedal exercise machine (PPEM or a standing desk (SD. Computer tasks were performed on the SD (p = 0.001 and paperwork tasks on a PPEM (p = 0.037 to a larger extent. Men preferred the SD and women chose the PPEM (p = 0.037. The appreciation of the PPEM was revealed to be higher than for the SD, due to its higher scores for effective, useful, functional, convenient, and comfortable dimensions. Younger participants (<25 years of age found the active workstation more pleasant to use than older participants, and participants who spent between 4 to 8 h per day in a seated position found active workstations were more effective and convenient than participants sitting fewer than 4 h per day. The results of this study are a preliminary step to better understanding the feasibility and acceptability of active workstations on university campuses.

Calculating Puerto Rico’s Ecological Footprint (1970–2010 Using Freely Available Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew E. Hopton

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA is appealing as a metric of sustainability because it is straightforward in theory and easy to conceptualize. However, EFA is difficult to implement because it requires extensive data. A simplified approach to EFA that requires fewer data can serve as a perfunctory analysis allowing researchers to examine a system with relatively little cost and effort. We examined whether a simplified approach using freely available data could be applied to Puerto Rico, a densely populated island with limited land resources. Forty-one years of data were assembled to compute the ecological footprint from 1970 to 2010. According to EFA, individuals in Puerto Rico were moving toward sustainability over time, as the per capita ecological footprint decreased from 3.69 ha per capita (ha/ca in 1970 to 3.05 ha/ca in 2010. However, due to population growth, the population’s footprint rose from 1.00 × 107 ha in 1970 to 1.14 × 107 ha in 2010, indicating Puerto Rico as a whole was moving away from sustainability. Our findings demonstrate the promise for conducting EFA using a simplified approach with freely available data, and we discuss potential limitations on data quality and availability that should be addressed to further improve the science.

ECG-ViEW II, a freely accessible electrocardiogram database

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Man Young; Lee, Sukhoon; Jeon, Min Seok; Yoon, Dukyong; Park, Rae Woong

2017-01-01

The Electrocardiogram Vigilance with Electronic data Warehouse II (ECG-ViEW II) is a large, single-center database comprising numeric parameter data of the surface electrocardiograms of all patients who underwent testing from 1 June 1994 to 31 July 2013. The electrocardiographic data include the test date, clinical department, RR interval, PR interval, QRS duration, QT interval, QTc interval, P axis, QRS axis, and T axis. These data are connected with patient age, sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index, prescribed drugs, and electrolyte levels. This longitudinal observational database contains 979,273 electrocardiograms from 461,178 patients over a 19-year study period. This database can provide an opportunity to study electrocardiographic changes caused by medications, disease, or other demographic variables. ECG-ViEW II is freely available at http://www.ecgview.org. PMID:28437484

3D-e-Chem-VM: Structural Cheminformatics Research Infrastructure in a Freely Available Virtual Machine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McGuire, R.; Verhoeven, S.; Vass, M.; Vriend, G.; Esch, I.J. de; Lusher, S.J.; Leurs, R.; Ridder, L.; Kooistra, A.J.; Ritschel, T.; Graaf, C. de

2017-01-01

3D-e-Chem-VM is an open source, freely available Virtual Machine ( http://3d-e-chem.github.io/3D-e-Chem-VM/ ) that integrates cheminformatics and bioinformatics tools for the analysis of protein-ligand interaction data. 3D-e-Chem-VM consists of software libraries, and database and workflow tools

3D-e-Chem-VM : Structural Cheminformatics Research Infrastructure in a Freely Available Virtual Machine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McGuire, Ross; Verhoeven, Stefan; Vass, Márton; Vriend, Gerrit; De Esch, Iwan J P; Lusher, Scott J.; Leurs, Rob; Ridder, Lars; Kooistra, Albert J.; Ritschel, Tina; de Graaf, C.

2017-01-01

3D-e-Chem-VM is an open source, freely available Virtual Machine ( http://3d-e-chem.github.io/3D-e-Chem-VM/ ) that integrates cheminformatics and bioinformatics tools for the analysis of protein-ligand interaction data. 3D-e-Chem-VM consists of software libraries, and database and workflow tools

Eight-Week Remote Monitoring Using a Freely Worn Device Reveals Unstable Gait Patterns in Older Fallers.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodie, Matthew A; Lord, Stephen R; Coppens, Milou J; Annegarn, Janneke; Delbaere, Kim

2015-11-01

Develop algorithms to detect gait impairments remotely using data from freely worn devices during long-term monitoring. Identify statistical models that describe how gait performances are distributed over several weeks. Determine the data window required to reliably assess an increased propensity for falling. 1085 days of walking data were collected from eighteen independent-living older people (mean age 83 years) using a freely worn pendant sensor (housing a triaxial accelerometer and pressure sensor). Statistical distributions from several accelerometer-derived gait features (encompassing quantity, exposure, intensity, and quality) were compared for those with and without a history of falling. Participants completed more short walks relative to long walks, as approximated by a power law. Walks less than 13.1 s comprised 50% of exposure to walking-related falls. Daily-life cadence was bimodal and step-time variability followed a log-normal distribution. Fallers took significantly fewer steps per walk and had relatively more exposure from short walks and greater mode of step-time variability. Using a freely worn device and wavelet-based analysis tools allowed long-term monitoring of walks greater than or equal to three steps. In older people, short walks constitute a large proportion of exposure to falls. To identify fallers, mode of variability may be a better measure of central tendency than mean of variability. A week's monitoring is sufficient to reliably assess the long-term propensity for falling. Statistical distributions of gait performances provide a reference for future wearable device development and research into the complex relationships between daily-life walking patterns, morbidity, and falls.

Preoperative diagnosis and radiographic findings of a freely movable mucocele of the vermiform appendix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shukunami, K.-I.; Kaneshima, M.; Kotsuji, F. [Fukui Medical Univ., Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Matsuoka-Cho, Yoshida-Gun, Fukui (Japan)

2000-10-01

Mucocele of the vermiform appendix is rarely diagnosed before surgery, although radiologic and ultrasonographic (US) findings have been reported. To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of 2 different radiologic images of the cyst in the same patient during the preoperative period. We present 2 different shapes and locations of a freely movable mucocele of the appendix as it appeared before surgery. (author)

Eavesdropping on the "Ping-Pong" Quantum Communication Protocol Freely in a Noise Channel

OpenAIRE

Deng, Fu-Guo; Li, Xi-Han; Li, Chun-Yan; Zhou, Ping; Zhou, Hong-Yu

2005-01-01

We introduce an attack scheme for eavesdropping the ping-pong quantum communication protocol proposed by Bostr$\\ddot{o}$m and Felbinger [Phys. Rev. Lett. \\textbf{89}, 187902 (2002)] freely in a noise channel. The vicious eavesdropper, Eve, intercepts and measures the travel photon transmitted between the sender and the receiver. Then she replaces the quantum signal with a multi-photon signal in a same state, and measures the photons return with the measuring basis with which Eve prepares the ...

Subject-chosen activities in occupational therapy for the improvement of psychiatric symptoms of inpatients with chronic schizophrenia: a controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoshii, Junko; Yotsumoto, Kayano; Tatsumi, Eri; Tanaka, Chito; Mori, Takashi; Hashimoto, Takeshi

2013-07-01

To compare the therapeutic effects of subject-chosen and therapist-chosen activities in occupational therapy for inpatients with chronic schizophrenia. Prospective comparative study. A psychiatric hospital in Japan. Fifty-nine patients with chronic schizophrenia who had been hospitalized for many years. The subjects received six-months occupational therapy, participating in either activities of their choice (subject-chosen activity group, n = 30) or activities chosen by occupational therapists based on treatment recommendations and patient consent (therapist-chosen activity group, n = 29). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale were used to evaluate psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial function, respectively. After six-months occupational therapy, suspiciousness and hostility scores of the positive scale and preoccupation scores of the general psychopathology scale significantly improved in the subject-chosen activity group compared with the therapist-chosen activity group, with 2(2) (median (interquartile range)) and 3(1.25), 2(1) and 2.5(1), and 2(1) and 3(1), respectively. There were no significant differences in psychosocial functions between the two groups. In within-group comparisons before and after occupational therapy, suspiciousness scores of the positive scale, preoccupation scores of the general psychopathology scale, and psychosocial function significantly improved only in the subject-chosen activity group, with 3(1) to 2(2), 3(1) to 2(1), and 40(9) to 40(16) respectively, but not in the therapist-chosen activity group. The results suggested that the subject-chosen activities in occupational therapy could improve the psychiatric symptoms, suspiciousness, and preoccupation of the inpatients with chronic schizophrenia.

Automatic Moving Object Segmentation for Freely Moving Cameras

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanli Wan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a new moving object segmentation algorithm for freely moving cameras which is very common for the outdoor surveillance system, the car build-in surveillance system, and the robot navigation system. A two-layer based affine transformation model optimization method is proposed for camera compensation purpose, where the outer layer iteration is used to filter the non-background feature points, and the inner layer iteration is used to estimate a refined affine model based on the RANSAC method. Then the feature points are classified into foreground and background according to the detected motion information. A geodesic based graph cut algorithm is then employed to extract the moving foreground based on the classified features. Unlike the existing global optimization or the long term feature point tracking based method, our algorithm only performs on two successive frames to segment the moving foreground, which makes it suitable for the online video processing applications. The experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm in both of the high accuracy and the fast speed.

Chosen interval methods for solving linear interval systems with special type of matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Szyszka, Barbara

2013-10-01

The paper is devoted to chosen direct interval methods for solving linear interval systems with special type of matrix. This kind of matrix: band matrix with a parameter, from finite difference problem is obtained. Such linear systems occur while solving one dimensional wave equation (Partial Differential Equations of hyperbolic type) by using the central difference interval method of the second order. Interval methods are constructed so as the errors of method are enclosed in obtained results, therefore presented linear interval systems contain elements that determining the errors of difference method. The chosen direct algorithms have been applied for solving linear systems because they have no errors of method. All calculations were performed in floating-point interval arithmetic.

Investigating pianists' individuality in the performance of five timbral nuances through patterns of articulation, touch, dynamics and pedalling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel eBernays

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Timbre is an essential expressive feature in piano performance. Concert pianists use a vast palette of timbral nuances to colour their performances at the microstructural level. Although timbre is generally envisioned in the pianistic community as an abstract concept carried through an imaged vocabulary, performers may share some common strategies of timbral expression in piano performance. Yet there may remain further leeway for idiosyncratic processes in the production of piano timbre nuances. In this study, we examined the patterns of timbral expression in performances by four expert pianists. Each pianist performed four short pieces, each with five different timbral intentions (bright, dark, dry, round, and velvety. The performances were recorded with the high-accuracy Bösendorfer CEUS system. Fine-grained performance features of dynamics, touch, articulation and pedalling were extracted. Reduced PCA performance spaces and descriptive performance portraits confirmed that pianists exhibited unique, specific profiles for different timbral intentions, derived from underlying traits of general individuality, while sharing some broad commonalities of dynamics and articulation for each timbral intention. These results confirm that pianists’ abstract notions of timbre correspond to reliable patterns of performance technique. Furthermore, these effects suggest that pianists can express individual styles while complying with specific timbral intentions.

Decoring Behaviour of Chosen Moulding Materials with Alkali Silicate Based Inorganic Binders

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Conev M.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper contains basic information about new processes for cores for cylinder heads production with alkali silicate based inorganic binders. Inorganic binders are coming back to the foreground due to their ecologically friendly nature and new technologies for cores production and new binder systems were developed. Basically these binder systems are modified alkali silicates and therefore they carry some well-known unfavourable properties with their usage. To compensate these disadvantages, the binder systems are working with additives which are most often in powder form and are added in the moulding material. This paper deals with decoring behaviour of different moulding sands as well as the influence of chosen additives on knock-out properties in laboratory terms. For this purpose, specific methods of specimen production are described. Developed methods are then used to compare decoring behaviour of chosen sands and binder systems.

High channel count microphone array accurately and precisely localizes ultrasonic signals from freely-moving mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Megan R; Sangiamo, Daniel T; Neunuebel, Joshua P

2018-03-01

An integral component in the assessment of vocal behavior in groups of freely interacting animals is the ability to determine which animal is producing each vocal signal. This process is facilitated by using microphone arrays with multiple channels. Here, we made important refinements to a state-of-the-art microphone array based system used to localize vocal signals produced by freely interacting laboratory mice. Key changes to the system included increasing the number of microphones as well as refining the methodology for localizing and assigning vocal signals to individual mice. We systematically demonstrate that the improvements in the methodology for localizing mouse vocal signals led to an increase in the number of signals detected as well as the number of signals accurately assigned to an animal. These changes facilitated the acquisition of larger and more comprehensive data sets that better represent the vocal activity within an experiment. Furthermore, this system will allow more thorough analyses of the role that vocal signals play in social communication. We expect that such advances will broaden our understanding of social communication deficits in mouse models of neurological disorders. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implementation KMES Quality system for acquisition and processing data in chosen foundry

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R. Sika

2008-08-01

Full Text Available In the paper, main assumptions, algorithms and functions of author’s KMES Quality system are discussed. Its working version is tested in chosen foundry by near 2 years. This system is applied to enlarge the use of chosen technological data accessible during foundry processes. The data can be introduced by means of keyboard directly in the fields (windows present on the PC screen according to program commands, instead of report-manuscripts containing measured results, or from the automated measurement recording system by direct data import to KMES Quality system. In the paper, a way of technological data acquisition with their further integration into main foundry databases and their processing, with taking into consideration e.g. kind of casting assortment, current time, sequences of measurements, are presented. Also the capabilities of linking KMES Quality system with SAP R/3 system existing in this foundry useful to quality assurance is show.

Separated centers of ossification caudal to the wing of the pedal bone in horses - a help [to] rule out fractures of the wings and ossification in the accessory cartilages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hertsch, B.; Neuberth, M.

1991-01-01

Radiographic evaluation of a lat-med. x-ray of the digits of 278 normal three year old standard bred stallions (group I) and of 300 mares and geldings over the age of six years (group II) was made in view of frequency and clinical relevance of a separated center of ossification caudal to each wing of the pedal bone. The material served both age associated judgement and localisation dependant morphological description of these separated ossified bone piece. Through comparative measurements of the angle of the dorsal hoof wall in the two groups of horses, a possible etiological aspect especially concerning the hoof form is discussed, to true nature of this small separated ossified bone piece

One-electron densities of freely rotating Wigner molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Cioslowski, Jerzy

2017-12-01

A formalism enabling computation of the one-particle density of a freely rotating assembly of identical particles that vibrate about their equilibrium positions with amplitudes much smaller than their average distances is presented. It produces densities as finite sums of products of angular and radial functions, the length of the expansion being determined by the interplay between the point-group and permutational symmetries of the system in question. Obtaining from a convolution of the rotational and bosonic components of the parent wavefunction, the angular functions are state-dependent. On the other hand, the radial functions are Gaussians with maxima located at the equilibrium lengths of the position vectors of individual particles and exponents depending on the scalar products of these vectors and the eigenvectors of the corresponding Hessian as well as the respective eigenvalues. Although the new formalism is particularly useful for studies of the Wigner molecules formed by electrons subject to weak confining potentials, it is readily adaptable to species (such as ´balliums’ and Coulomb crystals) composed of identical particles with arbitrary spin statistics and permutational symmetry. Several examples of applications of the present approach to the harmonium atoms within the strong-correlation regime are given.

Spectrum of relativistic radiation from electric charges and dipoles as they fall freely into a black hole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shatskiy, A. A., E-mail: shatskiy@asc.rssi.ru; Novikov, I. D.; Lipatova, L. N. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Astrospace Center, Lebedev Physical Institute (Russian Federation)

2013-06-15

The motion of electric charges and dipoles falling radially and freely into a Schwarzschild black hole is considered. The inverse effect of the electromagnetic fields on the black hole is neglected. Since the dipole is assumed to be a point particle, the deformation due to the action of tidal forces on it is neglected. According to the theorem stating that 'black holes have no hair', the multipole electromagnetic fields should be completely radiated as a multipole falls into a black hole. The electromagnetic radiation power spectrum for these multipoles (a monopole and a dipole) has been found. Differences have been found in the spectra for different orientations of the falling dipole. A general method has been developed to find the radiated multipole electromagnetic fields for multipoles (including higher-order multipoles-quadrupoles, etc.) falling freely into a black hole. The calculated electromagnetic spectra can be compared with observational data from stellar-mass and smaller black holes.

Wireless multi-channel single unit recording in freely moving and vocalizing primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Sabyasachi; Wang, Xiaoqin

2012-01-15

The ability to record well-isolated action potentials from individual neurons in naturally behaving animals is crucial for understanding neural mechanisms underlying natural behaviors. Traditional neurophysiology techniques, however, require the animal to be restrained which often restricts natural behavior. An example is the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a highly vocal New World primate species, used in our laboratory to study the neural correlates of vocal production and sensory feedback. When restrained by traditional neurophysiological techniques marmoset vocal behavior is severely inhibited. Tethered recording systems, while proven effective in rodents pose limitations in arboreal animals such as the marmoset that typically roam in a three-dimensional environment. To overcome these obstacles, we have developed a wireless neural recording technique that is capable of collecting single-unit data from chronically implanted multi-electrodes in freely moving marmosets. A lightweight, low power and low noise wireless transmitter (headstage) is attached to a multi-electrode array placed in the premotor cortex of the marmoset. The wireless headstage is capable of transmitting 15 channels of neural data with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparable to a tethered system. To minimize radio-frequency (RF) and electro-magnetic interference (EMI), the experiments were conducted within a custom designed RF/EMI and acoustically shielded chamber. The individual electrodes of the multi-electrode array were periodically advanced to densely sample the cortical layers. We recorded single-unit data over a period of several months from the frontal cortex of two marmosets. These recordings demonstrate the feasibility of using our wireless recording method to study single neuron activity in freely roaming primates. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chosen Ciphertext Security with Optimal Ciphertext Overhead

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, Masayuki; Kiltz, Eike; Okamoto, Tatsuaki

Every public-key encryption scheme has to incorporate a certain amount of randomness into its ciphertexts to provide semantic security against chosen ciphertext attacks (IND-CCA). The difference between the length of a ciphertext and the embedded message is called the ciphertext overhead. While a generic brute-force adversary running in 2t steps gives a theoretical lower bound of t bits on the ciphertext overhead for IND-CPA security, the best known IND-CCA secure schemes demand roughly 2t bits even in the random oracle model. Is the t-bit gap essential for achieving IND-CCA security? We close the gap by proposing an IND-CCA secure scheme whose ciphertext overhead matches the generic lower bound up to a small constant. Our scheme uses a variation of a four-round Feistel network in the random oracle model and hence belongs to the family of OAEP-based schemes. Maybe of independent interest is a new efficient method to encrypt long messages exceeding the length of the permutation while retaining the minimal overhead.

A Novel and Freely Available Interactive 3d Model of the Internal Carotid Artery.

Science.gov (United States)

Valera-Melé, Marc; Puigdellívol-Sánchez, Anna; Mavar-Haramija, Marija; Juanes-Méndez, Juan A; San-Román, Luis; de Notaris, Matteo; Prats-Galino, Alberto

2018-03-05

We describe a new and freely available 3D interactive model of the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) and the skull base that also allows to display and compare its main segment classifications. High-resolution 3D human angiography (isometric voxel's size 0.36 mm) and Computed Tomography angiography images were exported to Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) format for processing in a 3D software platform and embedding in a 3D Portable Document Format (PDF) document that can be freely downloaded at http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/handle/2445/112442 and runs under Acrobat Reader on Mac and Windows computers and Windows 10 tablets. The 3D-PDF allows for visualisation and interaction through JavaScript-based functions (including zoom, rotation, selective visualization and transparentation of structures or a predefined sequence view of the main segment classifications if desired). The ICA and its main branches and loops, the Gasserian ganglion, the petrolingual ligament and the proximal and distal dural rings within the skull base environment (anterior and posterior clinoid processes, silla turcica, ethmoid and sphenoid bones, orbital fossae) may be visualized from different perspectives. This interactive 3D-PDF provides virtual views of the ICA and becomes an innovative tool to improve the understanding of the neuroanatomy of the ICA and surrounding structures.

Rodent scope: a user-configurable digital wireless telemetry system for freely behaving animals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Ball

Full Text Available This paper describes the design and implementation of a wireless neural telemetry system that enables new experimental paradigms, such as neural recordings during rodent navigation in large outdoor environments. RoSco, short for Rodent Scope, is a small lightweight user-configurable module suitable for digital wireless recording from freely behaving small animals. Due to the digital transmission technology, RoSco has advantages over most other wireless modules of noise immunity and online user-configurable settings. RoSco digitally transmits entire neural waveforms for 14 of 16 channels at 20 kHz with 8-bit encoding which are streamed to the PC as standard USB audio packets. Up to 31 RoSco wireless modules can coexist in the same environment on non-overlapping independent channels. The design has spatial diversity reception via two antennas, which makes wireless communication resilient to fading and obstacles. In comparison with most existing wireless systems, this system has online user-selectable independent gain control of each channel in 8 factors from 500 to 32,000 times, two selectable ground references from a subset of channels, selectable channel grounding to disable noisy electrodes, and selectable bandwidth suitable for action potentials (300 Hz-3 kHz and low frequency field potentials (4 Hz-3 kHz. Indoor and outdoor recordings taken from freely behaving rodents are shown to be comparable to a commercial wired system in sorting for neural populations. The module has low input referred noise, battery life of 1.5 hours and transmission losses of 0.1% up to a range of 10 m.

Augmented Cognition - Phase 4 Cognitive Assessment and Task Management (CAT-M)

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-01

Angle Brake Pedal Force Accelerator Pedal ...Wheel Angle • Brake Pedal Force • Accelerator Pedal Deflection Note that we are using the controls as input to the prediction system. This means... Angle . At time >2.5 seconds, the Accelerator Pedal and Brake Pedal become statistically significantly easier to predict than Steering Wheel Angle .

Critical comparison of hydrodynamic models for gas-solid fluidized beds - Part II: freely bubbling gas-solid fluidized beds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patil, D.J.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2005-01-01

Correct prediction of spontaneous bubble formation in freely bubbling gas¿solid fluidized beds using Eulerian models, strongly depends on the description of the internal momentum transfer in the particulate phase. In this part, the comparison of the simple classical model, describing the solid phase

The use of load patterns to identify residential customers in a chosen area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michalik, G.; Lech, M.; Mielczarski, W. [Monash Univ., Clayton, VIC (Australia). Centre for Electrical Power Engineering

1995-12-31

Information on customers` categories and energy use patterns is a basis for the development of any Demand Side Management program. This paper presents an application of energy consumption patterns to identification of customers in a chosen area. Customers have been segmented into four main categories with six subgroups in each category. A total pattern of energy use can be achieved by the combination of characteristic patterns for each subgroup with multiplication by the number of customers in each subgroup. The paper proposes to apply characteristic patterns developed and nonlinear programming techniques to identify customers in a chosen area from patterns measured at distribution feeders. The procedure can be applied as an alternative to surveys and measurements at the mains of particular customers but may also be implemented as an accompanying system to verify results from other procedures of customer identification. (author). 1 tab., 6 figs., 4 refs.

Proposta metodológica para a avaliação da técnica da pedalada de ciclistas: estudo de caso Methodological proposal for evaluation of the pedaling technique of cyclists: a case study

OpenAIRE

Fernando Diefenthaeler; Rodrigo Rico Bini; Eduardo Nabinger; Orlando Laitano; Felipe Pivetta Carpes; Carlos Bolli Mota; Antônio Carlos Stringhini Guimarães

2008-01-01

No estudo da biomecânica do ciclismo diversas técnicas têm sido utilizadas para descrever e compreender o movimento da pedalada. O objetivo deste estudo é propor uma metodologia para a avaliação de ciclistas sob o ponto de vista das forças aplicadas no pedal. Um ciclista de elite foi avaliado por meio de um protocolo que consistiu em alterar o selim em quatro diferentes posições (deslocado para cima, para baixo, para frente e para trás) a partir da posição de referência, especificamente, aque...

Recovery time after intra-abdominal transmitter placement for telemetric (neuro)physiological measurement in freely moving common marmosets (Callitrix jacchus).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, Jaco; Arndt, Saskia; Klomp, Rianne; Rijnbeek, Milene, W.M.; Philippens, Ingrid, H.C.H.M.; Langermans, Jan, A.

2014-01-01

Background Telemetry is very important for monitoring physiological functions in awake and freely moving laboratory animals. Although implantable transmitters reduce stress resulting from daily handling and restraint, the procedure requires invasive surgery, which affects behaviour and wellbeing of

A portable telemetry system for brain stimulation and neuronal activity recording in freely behaving small animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Xuesong; Wang, Peng; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Shaomin; Jiang, Jun; Wang, Qingbo; Chen, Weidong; Zheng, Xiaoxiang

2008-09-30

A portable multi-channel telemetry system which can be used for brain stimulation and neuronal activity recording in freely behaving small animals is described here. This system consists of three major components of headstage, backpack and portable Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The headstage contains high precision instrument amplifiers with high input impedance. The backpack is comprised of two parts: (1) a main board (size: 36 mm x 22 mm x 3.5 mm and weight: 40 g with batteries, 20 g without), with current/voltage stimulator and special circuit suitable for neuronal activity recording and (2) and a bluetooth transceiver, with a high data transmission rate up to 70 kb/s, suitable for downloading stimulation commands and uploading acquired data. We recorded neuronal activities of the primary motor area of a freely behaving rat with 12-bit resolution at 12 k samples/s. The recorded data and analysis results showed that the system was successful by comparing with the commercial equipment Cerebus 128-Channel Data Acquisition System (Cyberkinetics Inc.). Using the PDA, we can control stimulation and recording. It provides a flexible method to do some research work in the circumstances where other approaches would be difficult or impossible.

Climate change impacts on chosen activities from the energy sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonte Hernandez, Aramis; Rivero Vega, Roger

2006-01-01

The present work, results of a study carried out about the possible impact of climate change on the energy sector in the province Camaguey are shown. First of all, the main activities in companies, utilities, and farms related to the most significant energy consumption were chosen in order to model corresponding equivalent fuel consumption. Impacts were determined taking into account differences between present and future consumptions for each kind of energy. In developed countries, this kind of work is done using well-known empirical-statistical models, which usually require a lot of data at a nation-wide scale, but to attempt it in an undeveloped country demands the use of specific methodology, which in this case was non-existent and required us to create it. This resulted in a carefully posed question since we had to take into consideration that the spatial scale is only that of a province, and so it was necessary, above all, to study specific characteristics of provincial fuel consumption. We used the Magic-Scengen system and SRES scenarios, and outputs of general circulation models like HadCM2 to obtain values of chosen climatic variables for use in energy consumption regression models, previously developed for each kind of activity in the corresponding companies, firm, and facilities included in the present research. It made possible to estimate energy consumption in each activity at the selected time periods centered at 2020, 2050, and 2080. The study shows that impact could rise the consumption by 2,5% of the present energy level in this territory

ASSESSMENT OF SURFACE QUALITY FOR CHOSEN MILLING STRATEGIES WHEN PRODUCING RELIEF SURFACES

OpenAIRE

Jan Varga; Jozef Stahovec; Jozef Beno; Marek Vrabeľ

2014-01-01

The paper deals with design and modeling of the relief surfaces that are produced in milling. Modeled and real surface quality is presented for the chosen fragments of the relief surfaces. Fragmentation of the relief surfaces has been made by the surface sampling. Milling strategies are compared with regard to surface formation. Surface quality was checked with regard to applied cutting conditions.

Academic Achievement and Classification of Students from the Freely Associated States in Guam Schools. REL 2017-260

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Joshua; Stringer, Katie; Arens, Sheila A.; Cicchinelli, Louis F.; San Nicolas, Heidi; Flores, Nieves

2017-01-01

Guam is home to the largest population of migrants from the Freely Associated States (FAS): the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. FAS students made up 22 percent of total student enrollment in Guam public schools in 2012. FAS students face a number of challenges when they enter Guam…

An image-free opto-mechanical system for creating virtual environments and imaging neuronal activity in freely moving Caenorhabditis elegans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serge Faumont

Full Text Available Non-invasive recording in untethered animals is arguably the ultimate step in the analysis of neuronal function, but such recordings remain elusive. To address this problem, we devised a system that tracks neuron-sized fluorescent targets in real time. The system can be used to create virtual environments by optogenetic activation of sensory neurons, or to image activity in identified neurons at high magnification. By recording activity in neurons of freely moving C. elegans, we tested the long-standing hypothesis that forward and reverse locomotion are generated by distinct neuronal circuits. Surprisingly, we found motor neurons that are active during both types of locomotion, suggesting a new model of locomotion control in C. elegans. These results emphasize the importance of recording neuronal activity in freely moving animals and significantly expand the potential of imaging techniques by providing a mean to stabilize fluorescent targets.

Activation of the serotonergic system by pedaling exercise changes anterior cingulate cortex activity and improves negative emotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohmatsu, Satoko; Nakano, Hideki; Tominaga, Takanori; Terakawa, Yuzo; Murata, Takaho; Morioka, Shu

2014-08-15

Pedaling exercise (PE) of moderate intensity has been shown to ease anxiety and discomfort; however, little is known of the changes that occur in brain activities and in the serotonergic (5-HT) system after PE. Therefore, this study was conducted for the following reasons: (1) to localize the changes in the brain activities induced by PE using a distributed source localization algorithm, (2) to examine the changes in frontal asymmetry, as used in the Davidson model, with electroencephalography (EEG) activity, and (3) to examine the effect of PE on the 5-HT system. A 32-channel EEG was used to record before and after PE. Profile of Mood States tests indicated that there was a significant decrease in tension-anxiety and a significant increase in vigor after PE. A standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis showed a significant decrease in brain activities after PE in the alpha-2 band (10-12.5 Hz) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Moreover, a significant increase in frontal EEG asymmetry was observed after PE in the alpha-1 band (7.5-10 Hz). Urine 5-HT levels significantly increased after PE. Urine 5-HT levels positively correlated with the degree of frontal EEG asymmetry in the alpha-1 band and negatively correlated with brain activity in ACC. Our results suggested that PE activates the 5-HT system and consequently induces increases in frontal EEG asymmetry in the alpha-1 band and reductions of brain activity in the alpha-2 band in the ACC region. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THE STUDY FOR THE ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARDS THE CHOSEN PROFESSION OF PHARMACIST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. N. Grigoruk

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article examines the dynamics of students’ attitude to the profession of pharmacist. Motivation factors for the choice of this profession were described. We have substantiated the stability of professional choice, and studied the satisfaction of students with the chosen profession.

A freely-available authoring system for browser-based CALL with speech recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myles O'Brien

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A system for authoring browser-based CALL material incorporating Google speech recognition has been developed and made freely available for download. The system provides a teacher with a simple way to set up CALL material, including an optional image, sound or video, which will elicit spoken (and/or typed answers from the user and check them against a list of specified permitted answers, giving feedback with hints when necessary. The teacher needs no HTML or Javascript expertise, just the facilities and ability to edit text files and upload to the Internet. The structure and functioning of the system are explained in detail, and some suggestions are given for practical use. Finally, some of its limitations are described.

Firing properties of dopamine neurons in freely moving dopamine-deficient mice: Effects of dopamine receptor activation and anesthesia

OpenAIRE

Robinson, Siobhan; Smith, David M.; Mizumori, Sheri J. Y.; Palmiter, Richard D.

2004-01-01

To examine the regulation of midbrain dopamine neurons, recordings were obtained from single neurons of freely moving, genetically engineered dopamine-deficient (DD) mice. DD mice were tested without dopamine signaling (basal state) and with endogenous dopamine signaling (after L-dopa administration). In the basal state, when dopamine concentration in DD mice is

Continuous Force Decoding from Local Field Potentials of the Primary Motor Cortex in Freely Moving Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Khorasani, Abed; Heydari Beni, Nargess; Shalchyan, Vahid; Daliri, Mohammad Reza

2016-10-21

Local field potential (LFP) signals recorded by intracortical microelectrodes implanted in primary motor cortex can be used as a high informative input for decoding of motor functions. Recent studies show that different kinematic parameters such as position and velocity can be inferred from multiple LFP signals as precisely as spiking activities, however, continuous decoding of the force magnitude from the LFP signals in freely moving animals has remained an open problem. Here, we trained three rats to press a force sensor for getting a drop of water as a reward. A 16-channel micro-wire array was implanted in the primary motor cortex of each trained rat, and obtained LFP signals were used for decoding of the continuous values recorded by the force sensor. Average coefficient of correlation and the coefficient of determination between decoded and actual force signals were r = 0.66 and R 2  = 0.42, respectively. We found that LFP signal on gamma frequency bands (30-120 Hz) had the most contribution in the trained decoding model. This study suggests the feasibility of using low number of LFP channels for the continuous force decoding in freely moving animals resembling BMI systems in real life applications.

Addition of biochar to sewage sludge decreases freely dissolved PAHs content and toxicity of sewage sludge-amended soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefaniuk, Magdalena; Oleszczuk, Patryk

2016-11-01

Due to an increased content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) frequently found in sewage sludges, it is necessary to find solutions that will reduce the environmental hazard associated with their presence. The aim of this study was to determine changes of total and freely dissolved concentration of PAHs in sewage sludge-biochar-amended soil. Two different sewage sludges and biochars with varying properties were tested. Biochars (BC) were produced from biogas residues at 400 °C or 600 °C and from willow at 600 °C. The freely dissolved PAH concentration was determined by means of passive sampling using polyoxymethylene (POM). Total and freely dissolved PAH concentration was monitored at the beginning of the experiment and after 90 days of aging of the sewage sludge with the biochar and soil. Apart from chemical evaluation, the effect of biochar addition on the toxicity of the tested materials on bacteria - Vibrio fischeri (Microtox ® ), plants - Lepidium sativum (Phytotestkit F, Phytotoxkit F), and Collembola - Folsomia candida (Collembolan test) was evaluated. The addition of biochar to the sewage sludges decreased the content of C free PAHs. A reduction from 11 to 43% of sewage sludge toxicity or positive effects on plants expressed by root growth stimulation from 6 to 25% to the control was also found. The range of reduction of C free PAHs and toxicity was dependent on the type of biochar. After 90 days of incubation of the biochars with the sewage sludge in the soil, C free PAHs and toxicity were found to further decrease compared to the soil with sewage sludge alone. The obtained results show that the addition of biochar to sewage sludges may significantly reduce the risk associated with their environmental use both in terms of PAH content and toxicity of the materials tested. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new minimal-stress freely-moving rat model for preclinical studies on intranasal administration of CNS drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Jasper; Suidgeest, Ernst; van der Graaf, Piet Hein; Danhof, Meindert; de Lange, Elizabeth C M

2009-08-01

To develop a new minimal-stress model for intranasal administration in freely moving rats and to evaluate in this model the brain distribution of acetaminophen following intranasal versus intravenous administration. Male Wistar rats received one intranasal cannula, an intra-cerebral microdialysis probe, and two blood cannulas for drug administration and serial blood sampling respectively. To evaluate this novel model, the following experiments were conducted. 1) Evans Blue was administered to verify the selectivity of intranasal exposure. 2) During a 1 min infusion 10, 20, or 40 microl saline was administered intranasally or 250 microl intravenously. Corticosterone plasma concentrations over time were compared as biomarkers for stress. 3) 200 microg of the model drug acetaminophen was given in identical setup and plasma, and brain pharmacokinetics were determined. In 96% of the rats, only the targeted nasal cavity was deeply colored. Corticosterone plasma concentrations were not influenced, neither by route nor volume of administration. Pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen were identical after intravenous and intranasal administration, although the Cmax in microdialysates was reached a little earlier following intravenous administration. A new minimal-stress model for intranasal administration in freely moving rats has been successfully developed and allows direct comparison with intravenous administration.

Direct magnitude estimates of speech intelligibility in dysarthria: effects of a chosen standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Weismer, Gary; Laures, Jacqueline S

2002-06-01

Direct magnitude estimation (DME) has been used frequently as a perceptual scaling technique in studies of the speech intelligibility of persons with speech disorders. The technique is typically used with a standard, or reference stimulus, chosen as a good exemplar of "midrange" intelligibility. In several published studies, the standard has been chosen subjectively, usually on the basis of the expertise of the investigators. The current experiment demonstrates that a fixed set of sentence-level utterances, obtained from 4 individuals with dysarthria (2 with Parkinson disease, 2 with traumatic brain injury) as well as 3 neurologically normal speakers, is scaled differently depending on the identity of the standard. Four different standards were used in the main experiment, three of which were judged qualitatively in two independent evaluations to be good exemplars of midrange intelligibility. Acoustic analyses did not reveal obvious differences between these four standards but suggested that the standard with the worst-scaled intelligibility had much poorer voice source characteristics compared to the other three standards. Results are discussed in terms of possible standardization of midrange intelligibility exemplars for DME experiments.

Design and validation of Segment - freely available software for cardiovascular image analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heiberg, Einar; Sjögren, Jane; Ugander, Martin; Carlsson, Marcus; Engblom, Henrik; Arheden, Håkan

2010-01-01

Commercially available software for cardiovascular image analysis often has limited functionality and frequently lacks the careful validation that is required for clinical studies. We have already implemented a cardiovascular image analysis software package and released it as freeware for the research community. However, it was distributed as a stand-alone application and other researchers could not extend it by writing their own custom image analysis algorithms. We believe that the work required to make a clinically applicable prototype can be reduced by making the software extensible, so that researchers can develop their own modules or improvements. Such an initiative might then serve as a bridge between image analysis research and cardiovascular research. The aim of this article is therefore to present the design and validation of a cardiovascular image analysis software package (Segment) and to announce its release in a source code format. Segment can be used for image analysis in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). Some of its main features include loading of DICOM images from all major scanner vendors, simultaneous display of multiple image stacks and plane intersections, automated segmentation of the left ventricle, quantification of MRI flow, tools for manual and general object segmentation, quantitative regional wall motion analysis, myocardial viability analysis and image fusion tools. Here we present an overview of the validation results and validation procedures for the functionality of the software. We describe a technique to ensure continued accuracy and validity of the software by implementing and using a test script that tests the functionality of the software and validates the output. The software has been made freely available for research purposes in a source code format on the project home page (http://segment.heiberg.se). Segment

Strong activation of vascular prejunctional beta 2-adrenoceptors in freely moving rats by adrenaline released as a co-transmitter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

COPPES, RP; SMIT, J; KHALI, NN; Brouwer, F.; ZAAGSMA, J

1993-01-01

The effect of adrenaline on the electrically evoked noradrenaline overflow in the portal vein of adrenal demedullated freely moving rats was studied. Adrenaline (100 ng/min) was infused for 2 h into the portal vein. After a 1-h interval when plasma adrenaline had returned to pre-infusion

Pedaling rate is an important determinant of human oxygen uptake during exercise on the cycle ergometer.

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Formenti, Federico; Minetti, Alberto E; Borrani, Fabio

2015-09-01

Estimation of human oxygen uptake (V˙o2) during exercise is often used as an alternative when its direct measurement is not feasible. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests estimating human V˙o2 during exercise on a cycle ergometer through an equation that considers individual's body mass and external work rate, but not pedaling rate (PR). We hypothesized that including PR in the ACSM equation would improve its V˙o2 prediction accuracy. Ten healthy male participants' (age 19-48 years) were recruited and their steady-state V˙o2 was recorded on a cycle ergometer for 16 combinations of external work rates (0, 50, 100, and 150 W) and PR (50, 70, 90, and 110 revolutions per minute). V˙o2 was calculated by means of a new equation, and by the ACSM equation for comparison. Kinematic data were collected by means of an infrared 3-D motion analysis system in order to explore the mechanical determinants of V˙o2. Including PR in the ACSM equation improved the accuracy for prediction of sub-maximal V˙o2 during exercise (mean bias 1.9 vs. 3.3 mL O2 kg(-1) min(-1)) but it did not affect the accuracy for prediction of maximal V˙o2 (P > 0.05). Confirming the validity of this new equation, the results were replicated for data reported in the literature in 51 participants. We conclude that PR is an important determinant of human V˙o2 during cycling exercise, and it should be considered when predicting oxygen consumption. © 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

Pedal claw curvature in birds, lizards and mesozoic dinosaurs--complicated categories and compensating for mass-specific and phylogenetic control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandra V Birn-Jeffery

Full Text Available Pedal claw geometry can be used to predict behaviour in extant tetrapods and has frequently been used as an indicator of lifestyle and ecology in Mesozoic birds and other fossil reptiles, sometimes without acknowledgement of the caveat that data from other aspects of morphology and proportions also need to be considered. Variation in styles of measurement (both inner and outer claw curvature angles has made it difficult to compare results across studies, as have over-simplified ecological categories. We sought to increase sample size in a new analysis devised to test claw geometry against ecological niche. We found that taxa from different behavioural categories overlapped extensively in claw geometry. Whilst most taxa plotted as predicted, some fossil taxa were recovered in unexpected positions. Inner and outer claw curvatures were statistically correlated, and both correlated with relative claw robusticity (mid-point claw height. We corrected for mass and phylogeny, as both likely influence claw morphology. We conclude that there is no strong mass-specific effect on claw curvature; furthermore, correlations between claw geometry and behaviour are consistent across disparate clades. By using independent contrasts to correct for phylogeny, we found little significant relationship between claw geometry and behaviour. 'Ground-dweller' claws are less curved and relatively dorsoventrally deep relative to those of other behavioural categories; beyond this it is difficult to assign an explicit category to a claw based purely on geometry.

Multispot single-molecule FRET: High-throughput analysis of freely diffusing molecules.

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Antonino Ingargiola

Full Text Available We describe an 8-spot confocal setup for high-throughput smFRET assays and illustrate its performance with two characteristic experiments. First, measurements on a series of freely diffusing doubly-labeled dsDNA samples allow us to demonstrate that data acquired in multiple spots in parallel can be properly corrected and result in measured sample characteristics consistent with those obtained with a standard single-spot setup. We then take advantage of the higher throughput provided by parallel acquisition to address an outstanding question about the kinetics of the initial steps of bacterial RNA transcription. Our real-time kinetic analysis of promoter escape by bacterial RNA polymerase confirms results obtained by a more indirect route, shedding additional light on the initial steps of transcription. Finally, we discuss the advantages of our multispot setup, while pointing potential limitations of the current single laser excitation design, as well as analysis challenges and their solutions.

The gravitational wave spectrum of non-axisymmetric, freely precessing neutron stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broeck, Chris van den

2005-01-01

Evidence for free precession has been observed in the radio signature of several pulsars. Freely precessing pulsars radiate gravitationally at frequencies near the rotation rate and twice the rotation rate, which for rotation frequencies greater than ∼10 Hz is in the LIGO band. In older work, the gravitational wave spectrum of a precessing neutron star has been evaluated to first order in a small precession angle. Here, we calculate the contributions to second order in the wobble angle, and we find that a new spectral line emerges. We show that for reasonable wobble angles, the second-order line may well be observable with the proposed advanced LIGO detectors for precessing neutron stars as far away as the galactic centre. Observation of the full second-order spectrum permits a direct measurement of the star's wobble angle, oblateness and deviation from axisymmetry, with the potential to significantly increase our understanding of neutron star structure

THE CHOSEN INSTRUMENT? RECONSIDERING THE EARLY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

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Erik Benson

2004-01-01

Full Text Available During the late I920s and early 1930s, Pan American Airways became known as the U.S. “chosen instrument” for international commercial aviation. Most scholarly work about the U.S. government/Pan Am relationship presents the airline as the government’s instrument. This article challenges this traditional perspective. In certain ways Pan Am was an “instrument,” yet in others it defied such categorization. Thus, any notion that Pan Am was a “chosen instrument” merits qualification. Drawing upon the “corporatist” historical model, this study will present a more sophisticated account of this relationship, one that considers the role of business elites in shaping U.S. policy.

Comparative study between CardiaMed valves (freely floating valve leaflets versus St. Jude Medical (fixed valve leaflets in mitral valve replacement surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafa Ahmed

2017-09-01

Conclusions: CardiaMed freely floating leaflet prostheses showed good hemodynamic characteristics. The prosthesis adequately corrects hemodynamics and is safe and no worse than the St. Jude Medical valve in the mitral valve position.

A novel fiber-free technique for brain activity imaging in multiple freely behaving mice

Science.gov (United States)

Inagaki, Shigenori; Agetsuma, Masakazu; Nagai, Takeharu

2018-02-01

Brain functions and related psychiatric disorders have been investigated by recording electrophysiological field potential. When recording it, a conventional method requires fiber-based apparatus connected to the brain, which however hampers the simultaneous measurement in multiple animals (e.g. by a tangle of fibers). Here, we propose a fiber-free recording technique in conjunction with a ratiometric bioluminescent voltage indicator. Our method allows investigation of electrophysiological filed potential dynamics in multiple freely behaving animals simultaneously over a long time period. Therefore, this fiber-free technique opens up the way to investigate a new mechanism of brain function that governs social behaviors and animal-to-animal interaction.

Cortisol and prolactin concentrations during repeated blood sample collection from freely moving, mouse-sized mammals (Phodopus spp.).

Science.gov (United States)

Reburn, C J; Wynne-Edwards, K E

2000-04-01

Validation of a method for obtaining blood samples that does not change cortisol or prolactin concentrations yet allows serial blood samples to be collected from animals under anesthesia, without prior handling, from freely interacting social groups of small mammals. Results from five experiments are reported. Male dwarf hamsters (Phodopus spp.) were housed in modified home cages under continuous flow of compressed air that could be switched to isoflurane in O2 vehicle without approaching the cages. Dwarf hamsters respond to manual restraint with behavioral distress and increase in the concentration of the dominant glucocorticoid, cortisol, and decrease in prolactin concentration. Both effects are evident within one minute. In contrast, when this new method was used, neither cortisol nor prolactin changed in response to repeated sample collection (up to 8 successive samples at 2 hour intervals), prolonged isoflurane exposure, or substantial blood volume reduction (30%). Prolactin concentration was suppressed and cortisol concentration was increased in response to stimuli from other hamsters tested without anesthesia. Suppression of prolactin concentration was graded in response to the degree of stress and equaled the pharmacologic reduction caused by bromocryptine mesylate (50 microg of CB154 x 3 days). The technique is superior to alternatives for studies of behavioral endocrinology of freely interacting small mammals.

Chronic monitoring of cortical hemodynamics in behaving, freely-moving rats using a miniaturized head-mounted optical microscope

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Sigal, Iliya; Gad, Raanan; Koletar, Margaret; Ringuette, Dene; Stefanovic, Bojana; Levi, Ofer

2016-03-01

Growing interest within the neurophysiology community in assessing healthy and pathological brain activity in animals that are awake and freely-behaving has triggered the need for optical systems that are suitable for such longitudinal studies. In this work we report label-free multi-modal imaging of cortical hemodynamics in the somatosensory cortex of awake, freely-behaving rats, using a novel head-mounted miniature optical microscope. The microscope employs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) at three distinct wavelengths (680 nm, 795 nm, and 850 nm) to provide measurements of four hemodynamic markers: blood flow speeds, HbO, HbR, and total Hb concentration, across a > 2 mm field of view. Blood flow speeds are extracted using Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI), while oxygenation measurements are performed using Intrinsic Optical Signal Imaging (IOSI). Longitudinal measurements on the same animal are made possible over the course of > 6 weeks using a chronic window that is surgically implanted into the skull. We use the device to examine changes in blood flow and blood oxygenation in superficial cortical blood vessels and tissue in response to drug-induced absence-like seizures, correlating motor behavior with changes in blood flow and blood oxygenation in the brain.

Combined, but not individual, blockade of ASIC3, P2X, and EP4 receptors attenuates the exercise pressor reflex in rats with freely perfused hindlimb muscles

OpenAIRE

Stone, Audrey J.; Copp, Steven W.; Kim, Joyce S.; Kaufman, Marc P.

2015-01-01

In healthy humans, tests of the hypothesis that lactic acid, PGE2, or ATP plays a role in evoking the exercise pressor reflex proved controversial. The findings in humans resembled ours in decerebrate rats that individual blockade of the receptors to lactic acid, PGE2, and ATP had only small effects on the exercise pressor reflex provided that the muscles were freely perfused. This similarity between humans and rats prompted us to test the hypothesis that in rats with freely perfused muscles ...

GABAergic inhibition of leg motoneurons is required for normal walking behavior in freely moving Drosophila.

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Gowda, Swetha B M; Paranjpe, Pushkar D; Reddy, O Venkateswara; Thiagarajan, Devasena; Palliyil, Sudhir; Reichert, Heinrich; VijayRaghavan, K

2018-02-27

Walking is a complex rhythmic locomotor behavior generated by sequential and periodical contraction of muscles essential for coordinated control of movements of legs and leg joints. Studies of walking in vertebrates and invertebrates have revealed that premotor neural circuitry generates a basic rhythmic pattern that is sculpted by sensory feedback and ultimately controls the amplitude and phase of the motor output to leg muscles. However, the identity and functional roles of the premotor interneurons that directly control leg motoneuron activity are poorly understood. Here we take advantage of the powerful genetic methodology available in Drosophila to investigate the role of premotor inhibition in walking by genetically suppressing inhibitory input to leg motoneurons. For this, we have developed an algorithm for automated analysis of leg motion to characterize the walking parameters of wild-type flies from high-speed video recordings. Further, we use genetic reagents for targeted RNAi knockdown of inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in leg motoneurons together with quantitative analysis of resulting changes in leg movement parameters in freely walking Drosophila Our findings indicate that targeted down-regulation of the GABA A receptor Rdl (Resistance to Dieldrin) in leg motoneurons results in a dramatic reduction of walking speed and step length without the loss of general leg coordination during locomotion. Genetically restricting the knockdown to the adult stage and subsets of motoneurons yields qualitatively identical results. Taken together, these findings identify GABAergic premotor inhibition of motoneurons as an important determinant of correctly coordinated leg movements and speed of walking in freely behaving Drosophila . Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

A new rapid kindling variant for induction of cortical epileptogenesis in freely moving rats

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Juan Carlos Morales

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Kindling, one of the most used models of experimental epilepsy is based on daily electrical stimulation in several brain structures. Unlike the classic or slow kindling protocols (SK, the rapid kindling types (RK described until now require continuous stimulation at suprathreshold intensities applied directly to the same brain structure used for subsequent electrophysiological and inmunohistochemical studies, usually the hippocampus. However, the cellular changes observed in these rapid protocols, such as astrogliosis and neuronal loss, could be due to experimental manipulation more than to epileptogenesis-related alterations. Here, we developed a new RK protocol in order to generate an improved model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE which allows gradual progression of the epilepsy as well as obtaining an epileptic hippocampus, thus avoiding direct surgical manipulation and electric stimulation over this structure. This new protocol consists of basolateral amygdala (BLA stimulation with 10 trains of biphasic pulses (10s;50Hz per day with 20 minutes-intervals, during 3 consecutive days, using a subconvulsive and subthreshold intensity, which guarantees tissue integrity. The progression of epileptic activity was evaluated in freely moving rats through EEG recordings from cortex and amygdala, accompanied with synchronized video recordings. Moreover, we assessed the effectiveness of RK protocol and the establishment of epilepsy by evaluating cellular alterations of hippocampal slices from kindled rats. RK protocol induced convulsive states similar to SK protocols but in 3 days, with persistently lowered threshold to seizure induction and epileptogenic-dependent cellular changes in amygdala projection areas. We concluded that this novel RK protocol introduces a new variant of the chronic epileptogenesis models in freely moving rats, which is faster, highly reproducible and causes minimum cell damage with respect to that observed in other experimental

Sustained prejunctional facilitation of noradrenergic neurotransmission by adrenaline as a co-transmitter in the portal vein of freely moving rats

NARCIS (Netherlands)

COPPES, RP; Freie, I.; SMIT, J; ZAAGSMA, J

1994-01-01

1 The duration of the facilitatory effect of adrenaline on the electrically evoked overflow of noradrenaline was studied in the portal vein of permanently adreno-demedullated freely moving rats. 2 Rats were infused with adrenaline (20 or 100 ng min(-1)) for 2 h. After an interval of 1 h, when plasma

The effects of cellulase on capsaicin production in freely suspended cells and immobilized cell cultures of capsicum annuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Islek, C.

2014-01-01

The effect of different concentrations of cellulase on the production of capsaicin in freely suspended cell and immobilized cell cultures of Kahramanmara pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum L.) were studied. Calluses were obtained from in vitro germinated hypocotyl explants of pepper seedlings and cell suspensions were prepared from these calluses. Immobilized cell suspension cultures with calcium alginate and free cell suspension cultures were obtained by using cell suspensions. Elicitor such as cellulase (5-30 micro g/ml), was applied both for the free and immobilized cell suspensions and control group without elicitor was prepared. The concentration of capsaicin in freely suspended cells, immobilized cells and their filtrates were identified by HPLC after extraction with ethyl acetate. It was found that the immobilization process had an increasing effect on the capsaicin accumulation. The concentration of capsaicin in the immobilized cells for both control groups and elicitor added samples was higher than the free cells. In general, capsaicin concentration in the filtrate for free cells was higher than the immobilized cells. When all the cellulase and the sampling hours were compared, the highest capsaicin concentration for the immobilized cells was determined as 362,91 micro g/ml f.w. at the 24th hour for 30 micro g/ml cellulase applied samples. (author)

The signature of positive selection at randomly chosen loci.

Science.gov (United States)

Przeworski, Molly

2002-03-01

In Drosophila and humans, there are accumulating examples of loci with a significant excess of high-frequency-derived alleles or high levels of linkage disequilibrium, relative to a neutral model of a random-mating population of constant size. These are features expected after a recent selective sweep. Their prevalence suggests that positive directional selection may be widespread in both species. However, as I show here, these features do not persist long after the sweep ends: The high-frequency alleles drift to fixation and no longer contribute to polymorphism, while linkage disequilibrium is broken down by recombination. As a result, loci chosen without independent evidence of recent selection are not expected to exhibit either of these features, even if they have been affected by numerous sweeps in their genealogical history. How then can we explain the patterns in the data? One possibility is population structure, with unequal sampling from different subpopulations. Alternatively, positive selection may not operate as is commonly modeled. In particular, the rate of fixation of advantageous mutations may have increased in the recent past.

Effect of atropine or atenolol on cardiovascular responses to novelty stress in freely-moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Buuse, Maarten

2002-09-01

Cardiac hemodynamic mechanisms involved in cardiovascular responses to stress were studied in conscious, freely-moving female spontaneously hypertensive rats exposed for 15 min to an open-field. When pretreated with saline, the rats displayed a rapid rise in blood pressure, heart rate, aortic dP/dt and locomotor activity. In rats pretreated with 0.5 mg/kg of methylatropine, the tachycardia was slightly, but significantly reduced. In rats pretreated with 1 mg/kg of atenolol, the tachycardis and rise in dP/dt were markedly reduced. These data suggest that the cardiac responses to stress include predominantly cardiac sympathetic activation and a minor component of vagal withdrawal.

A wireless power transmission system for implantable devices in freely moving rodents.

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Kyungsik; Jeong, Joonsoo; Lee, Tae Hyung; Kim, Jinhyung; Kim, Junghoon; Lee, Sung Eun; Kim, Sung June

2014-08-01

Reliable wireless power delivery for implantable devices in animals is highly desired for safe and effective experimental use. Batteries require frequent replacement; wired connections are inconvenient and unsafe, and short-distance inductive coupling requires the attachment of an exterior transmitter to the animal's body. In this article, we propose a solution by which animals with implantable devices can move freely without attachments. Power is transmitted using coils attached to the animal's cage and is received by a receiver coil implanted in the animal. For a three-dimensionally uniform delivery of power, we designed a columnar dual-transmitter coil configuration. A resonator-based inductive link was adopted for efficient long-range power delivery, and we used a novel biocompatible liquid crystal polymer substrate as the implantable receiver device. Using this wireless power delivery system, we obtain an average power transfer efficiency of 15.2% (minimum efficiency of 10% and a standard deviation of 2.6) within a cage of 15×20×15 cm3.

FlyMAD: rapid thermogenetic control of neuronal activity in freely walking Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Bath, Daniel E; Stowers, John R; Hörmann, Dorothea; Poehlmann, Andreas; Dickson, Barry J; Straw, Andrew D

2014-07-01

Rapidly and selectively modulating the activity of defined neurons in unrestrained animals is a powerful approach in investigating the circuit mechanisms that shape behavior. In Drosophila melanogaster, temperature-sensitive silencers and activators are widely used to control the activities of genetically defined neuronal cell types. A limitation of these thermogenetic approaches, however, has been their poor temporal resolution. Here we introduce FlyMAD (the fly mind-altering device), which allows thermogenetic silencing or activation within seconds or even fractions of a second. Using computer vision, FlyMAD targets an infrared laser to freely walking flies. As a proof of principle, we demonstrated the rapid silencing and activation of neurons involved in locomotion, vision and courtship. The spatial resolution of the focused beam enabled preferential targeting of neurons in the brain or ventral nerve cord. Moreover, the high temporal resolution of FlyMAD allowed us to discover distinct timing relationships for two neuronal cell types previously linked to courtship song.

Pigeons exhibit higher accuracy for chosen memory tests than for forced memory tests in duration matching-to-sample.

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Adams, Allison; Santi, Angelo

2011-03-01

Following training to match 2- and 8-sec durations of feederlight to red and green comparisons with a 0-sec baseline delay, pigeons were allowed to choose to take a memory test or to escape the memory test. The effects of sample omission, increases in retention interval, and variation in trial spacing on selection of the escape option and accuracy were studied. During initial testing, escaping the test did not increase as the task became more difficult, and there was no difference in accuracy between chosen and forced memory tests. However, with extended training, accuracy for chosen tests was significantly greater than for forced tests. In addition, two pigeons exhibited higher accuracy on chosen tests than on forced tests at the short retention interval and greater escape rates at the long retention interval. These results have not been obtained in previous studies with pigeons when the choice to take the test or to escape the test is given before test stimuli are presented. It appears that task-specific methodological factors may determine whether a particular species will exhibit the two behavioral effects that were initially proposed as potentially indicative of metacognition.

49 CFR 571.208a - Optional test procedures for vehicles manufactured between January 27, 2004 and August 31, 2004.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... with the vehicles brake or clutch pedal, rotate the test dummy's left foot about the leg. If there is... pedal in that position. S16.3.2.2.2 If the ball of the foot does not contact the pedal, change the angle... the vehicle's brake or clutch pedal, rotate the test dummy's left foot about the lower leg. If there...

Canonical Naimark extension for generalized measurements involving sets of Pauli quantum observables chosen at random

Science.gov (United States)

Sparaciari, Carlo; Paris, Matteo G. A.

2013-01-01

We address measurement schemes where certain observables Xk are chosen at random within a set of nondegenerate isospectral observables and then measured on repeated preparations of a physical system. Each observable has a probability zk to be measured, with ∑kzk=1, and the statistics of this generalized measurement is described by a positive operator-valued measure. This kind of scheme is referred to as quantum roulettes, since each observable Xk is chosen at random, e.g., according to the fluctuating value of an external parameter. Here we focus on quantum roulettes for qubits involving the measurements of Pauli matrices, and we explicitly evaluate their canonical Naimark extensions, i.e., their implementation as indirect measurements involving an interaction scheme with a probe system. We thus provide a concrete model to realize the roulette without destroying the signal state, which can be measured again after the measurement or can be transmitted. Finally, we apply our results to the description of Stern-Gerlach-like experiments on a two-level system.

Two-dimensional model of a freely expanding plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid, Q.

1975-01-01

The free expansion of an initially confined plasma is studied by the computer experiment technique. The research is an extension to two dimensions of earlier work on the free expansion of a collisionless plasma in one dimension. In the two-dimensional rod model, developed in this research, the plasma particles, electrons and ions are modeled as infinitely long line charges or rods. The line charges move freely in two dimensions normal to their parallel axes, subject only to a self-consistent electric field. Two approximations, the grid approximation and the periodic boundary condition are made in order to reduce the computation time. In the grid approximation, the space occupied by the plasma at a given time is divided into boxes. The particles are subject to an average electric field calculated for that box assuming that the total charge within each box is located at the center of the box. However, the motion of each particle is exactly followed. The periodic boundary condition allows us to consider only one-fourth of the total number of particles of the plasma, representing the remaining three-fourths of the particles as symmetrically placed images of those whose positions are calculated. This approximation follows from the expected azimuthal symmetry of the plasma. The dynamics of the expansion are analyzed in terms of average ion and electron positions, average velocities, oscillation frequencies and relative distribution of energy between thermal, flow and electric field energies. Comparison is made with previous calculations of one-dimensional models which employed plane, spherical or cylindrical sheets as charged particles. In order to analyze the effect of the grid approximation, the model is solved for two different grid sizes and for each grid size the plasma dynamics is determined. For the initial phase of expansion, the agreement for the two grid sizes is found to be good

Local field potentials in the ventral tegmental area during cocaine-induced locomotor activation: Measurements in freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris Bozer, Amber L; Li, Ai-Ling; Sibi, Jiny E; Bobzean, Samara A M; Peng, Yuan B; Perrotti, Linda I

2016-03-01

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) has been established as a critical nucleus for processing behavioral changes that occur during psychostimulant use. Although it is known that cocaine induced locomotor activity is initiated in the VTA, not much is known about the electrical activity in real time. The use of our custom-designed wireless module for recording local field potential (LFP) activity provides an opportunity to confirm and identify changes in neuronal activity within the VTA of freely moving rats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in VTA LFP activity in real time that underlie cocaine induced changes in locomotor behavior. Recording electrodes were implanted in the VTA of rats. Locomotor behavior and LFP activity were simultaneously recorded at baseline, and after saline and cocaine injections. Results indicate that cocaine treatment caused increases in both locomotor behavior and LFP activity in the VTA. Specifically, LFP activity was highest during the first 30 min following the cocaine injection and was most robust in Delta and Theta frequency bands; indicating the role of low frequency VTA activity in the initiation of acute stimulant-induced locomotor behavior. Our results suggest that LFP recording in freely moving animals can be used in the future to provide valuable information pertaining to drug induced changes in neural activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diversity of poverty in the chosen European Union countries within the period 2006-2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Iwacewicz-Orłowska

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the study is to analyse the poverty level changes in the chosen European Union countries in years 2006-2014. The poverty and inequality issue gained a global dimension. Income inequality in most countries is significantly higher than thirty years ago. Analysis was based on the statistical data source The European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC for four countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia and the method of the data analysis has been used. The Gini coefficient and a people at-risk-of- poverty or social exclusion indexes were used for this analysis. Differences in the level of poverty depends on the following determinants: the age, the territorial location, the size of the town and the most frequent activity status. Results of research shows that main groups exposed to the poverty in the chosen EU countries are above all unemployed persons and their families, young persons, children and inhabitants of towns, suburbs and rural areas. Inhabitants from outlying districts, far from the capital city of the country are threatened with the higher level of poverty in each analysed country. The results of the research prove that the poverty at different levels afflict different social groups.

Feasibility of retrofitting a university library with active workstations to reduce sedentary behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeda, Hotaka; Quartiroli, Alessandro; Vos, Paul W; Carr, Lucas J; Mahar, Matthew T

2014-05-01

Libraries are an inherently sedentary environment, but are an understudied setting for sedentary behavior interventions. To investigate the feasibility of incorporating portable pedal machines in a university library to reduce sedentary behaviors. The 11-week intervention targeted students at a university library. Thirteen portable pedal machines were placed in the library. Four forms of prompts (e-mail, library website, advertisement monitors, and poster) encouraging pedal machine use were employed during the first 4 weeks. Pedal machine use was measured via automatic timers on each machine and momentary time sampling. Daily library visits were measured using a gate counter. Individualized data were measured by survey. Data were collected in fall 2012 and analyzed in 2013. Mean (SD) cumulative pedal time per day was 95.5 (66.1) minutes. One or more pedal machines were observed being used 15% of the time (N=589). Pedal machines were used at least once by 7% of students (n=527). Controlled for gate count, no linear change of pedal machine use across days was found (b=-0.1 minutes, p=0.75) and the presence of the prompts did not change daily pedal time (p=0.63). Seven of eight items that assessed attitudes toward the intervention supported intervention feasibility (plibrary with pedal machines to reduce sedentary behavior seems feasible, but improvement of its effectiveness is needed. This study could inform future studies aimed at reshaping traditionally sedentary settings to improve public health. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polyoxymethylene passive samplers to assess the effectiveness of biochar by reducing the content of freely dissolved fipronil and ethiprole.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shasha; Wang, Pingping; Liu, Xingang; Wu, Xiaohu; Dong, Fengshou; Xu, Jun; Zheng, Yongquan

2018-07-15

An equilibrium passive sampler based on polyoxymethylene (POM) was used to determine the freely dissolved concentrations (C free ) of fipronil and ethiprole. The sorption equilibrium times of fipronil and ethiprole in POM were 14.2d and 24.0d, respectively. The POM-water partitioning coefficients (logK POM-water ) were 2.6 for fipronil and 1.4 for ethiprole. The method was further used to evaluate the sorption behavior of biochars which produced by pyrolysis of Magnolia wood (Magnolia denudata) at 300°C, 500°C and 700°C. The amounts of target compounds adsorbed increased with increasing pyrolysis temperature of the biochars. Biochars characterized by a low polarity index had better sorption capacity for the target compounds. The additions of biochars to sediment were effective in reducing C free , and the enhancement was found to be more pronounced with high biochar content. C free in sediment with more organic matter was significantly higher after biochar addition. Increasing the sediment-biochar contact time from 7 to 30d resulted in an increase in sorption of the compounds. We conclude that Magnolia wood biochar effectively reduces the content of freely dissolved fipronil and ethiprole content in sediment. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Don’t Always Prefer My Chosen Objects: Low Level of Trait Autonomy and Autonomy Deprivation Decreases Mere Choice Effect

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Zhe; Tao, Tuoxin; Wang, Lei

2016-01-01

Choice effect is a robust phenomenon in which even “mere choice” that does not include actual choosing actions could result in more preference for the self-chosen objects over other-chosen objects. In the current research, we proposed that autonomy would impact the mere choice effect. We conducted two studies to examine the hypothesis. The results showed that the mere choice effect measured by Implicit Association Test (IAT) significantly decreased for participants with lower levels of trait autonomy (Study 1) and when participants were primed to experience autonomy deprivation (Study 2). The theoretical and practical implications are discussed. PMID:27148132

Analysis of chosen urban bioclimatic conditions in Upper Silesian Industrial Region, Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Zimnol, Jan

2013-04-01

Due to the increasing urbanization, people spend more and more time in cities. Because of that fact during the last century the human bioclimatological approach had an important influence on the applied urban bioclimatology. The aim of the study was to analyze chosen thermal bioclimatic conditions in urban area of Upper Silesian Industrial Region in connection with the atmospheric circulation and air masses. The study was focused on the thermal conditions that are important for the bioclimatological research on human thermal comfort. They were the basis for making study on how to show the influence of the air masses and circulations types on frequency and variability of the chosen bioclimate indexes. That research was based on data (2004 - 2008) acquired by the Silesian University (Faculty of Earth Sciences) meteorological station located in the city of Sosnowiec (50°17'N, 19°08'E, h=263 m a.s.l.). The temperature measurements were made automatically every 10 minutes on the 2 meters above the ground level. Previous research showed that the station is a good representation of the local urban climate conditions in Upper Silesian Industrial Region. In the study the following air temperatures were taken into consideration: average day temperature, maximum day temperature, minimum day temperature and the average air temperature at 12 UTC. They were associated with atmospheric circulation types and masses typical for the region. Using the data mentioned above I conducted a classification to divide days into following objective categories: cool, cold, comfortable, hot, warm and very hot in the seasonal depiction. The final stage of the work was to find the answer to the following question: "When and how do the strong air masses and air circulations types modify bioclimatic conditions in the study area?" Answer to that question together with further results of the research will be presented on my poster.

Placing of aroma compounds by food sales promotion in chosen services business

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Jakub Berčík

2016-12-01

Full Text Available There are several ways to get higher sale involving human senses too. One of the options is a security of stimulating atmosphere of sale/ business environment. In addition to equipment, design and staff, the lighting, sound (noise, and last ones but not least smell, respectively air quality significantly take part on that. Aroma is the element that inherently belongs to the visual merchandising tools. It can influence not only emotions, memory, but total customers´ satisfaction and preferences as well as spending time in that place. In this context, it is important to find right compromise when choosing the aromatic compounds for various products, in the process of their application (intensity, process of aromatization and security of sufficient air quality, because everybody perceives the odours with different sensitivity. Properly chosen smell and factors of air quality bring for business operators (services trades many advantages; from staff, who more relax and friendly behave to the guests until making of various associations and stimulations of customers, who spend time inside of service. Fragrance or air quality looks like based on of present researches as the most important factor directly on point-of-sale, while aroma acquires the importance in case of memory too. On the one side, the thinks, which are seen or heard by customers, could be memorized by them few days or weeks, so on the second side, the thinks which are smelled, could be memorized by guests many decades. Except this, the Scientifics studies show, that over 75 % of all emotions are generated based on scent´ perception. The main aim of this paper is a research, how aroma influences customer purchasing decision (preferences in chosen service provider through the tracking of daily sales of baked baguettes (Paninis with using of aroma equipment; Aroma Dispenser.

Freely dissolved concentrations of anionic surfactants in seawater solutions: optimization of the non-depletive solid-phase microextraction method and application to linear alkylbenzene sulfonates.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rico Rico, A.; Droge, S.T.J.; Widmer, D.; Hermens, J.L.M.

2009-01-01

A solid-phase microextraction method (SPME) has been optimized for the analysis of freely dissolved anionic surfactants, namely linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), in seawater. An effect of the thermal conditioning treatment on the polyacrylate fiber coating was demonstrated for both uptake

A novel vibrotactile system for stimulating the glabrous skin of awake freely behaving rats during operant conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Devecioğlu, İsmail; Güçlü, Burak

2015-03-15

Rat skin is innervated by mechanoreceptive fibers similar to those in other mammals. Tactile experiments with behaving rats mostly focus on the vibrissal system which does not exist in humans. The aim of this study was to design and implement a novel vibrotactile system to stimulate the glabrous skin of behaving rats during operant conditioning. A computer-controlled vibrotactile system was developed for various tasks in which the volar surface of unrestrained rats' fore- and hindpaws was stimulated in an operant chamber. The operant chamber was built from off-the-shelf components. A highly accurate electrodynamic shaker with a novel multi-probe design was used for generating mechanical displacements. Twenty-five rats were trained for four sequential tasks: (A) middle-lever (trial start signal) press, (B) side-lever press with an associated visual cue, (C) similar to (B) with the addition of an auditory/tactile stimulus, (D) auditory/tactile detection (yes/no) task. Out of 9 rats which could complete the tactile version of this training schedule, 5 had over 70% accuracy in the tactile version of the detection task. Unlike actuators for stimulating whiskers, this system does not require a particular head/body alignment and can be used with freely behaving animals. The vibrotactile system was found to be effective for conditioning freely behaving rats based on stimuli applied on the glabrous skin. However, detection accuracies were lower compared to those in tasks involving whisker stimulation reported previously, probably due to differences in cortical processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous recording of the field-EPSP as well as the population spike in the CA1 region in freely moving rats by using a fixed "double"-recording electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherf, Thomas; Frey, Julietta U; Frey, Sabine

2010-04-30

The recording of field potentials in freely moving rats is a very appropriate and commonly used method to describe changes in cellular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity. Recently, we introduced a method for the simultaneous recording of both the field-EPSP as well as the population spike in the dentate gyrus of freely moving rats. We used self-made "double"-recording electrodes, consisting of two wires straighten together with a constant distance between both tips. This method was now further developed to obtain stable long-term recordings of CA1 field potentials. Rats were chronically implanted with a bipolar recording electrode; one tip of which reached the stratum radiatum to record the field-EPSP, the other tip was lowered into the stratum pyramidale of the same neuron population to record the population spike by stimulation of the contralateral CA3 (cCA3). In such prepared rats, simultaneously recorded field-EPSP as well as the population spike where thus obtained from their places of generation in a very reliable manner. This kind of preparation allowed a better standardization of stimulation intensities between different animals and stable electrophysiological recordings of both CA1-potentials over a time period of at least 24h in freely behaving animals. Furthermore, primed burst stimulation of the cCA3 (a single biphasic priming pulse was followed by a burst of 10 pulses (frequency of 100 Hz) 190 ms later; pulse duration per half-wave: 0.1 ms) resulted in an early-LTP of both measured parameters, the field-EPSP and the population spike in the CA1 region of freely moving rats. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploration of freely available web-interfaces for comparative homology modelling of microbial proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Nema, Vijay; Pal, Sudhir Kumar

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to find the best suited freely available software for modelling of proteins by taking a few sample proteins. The proteins used were small to big in size with available crystal structures for the purpose of benchmarking. Key players like Phyre2, Swiss-Model, CPHmodels-3.0, Homer, (PS)2, (PS)(2)-V(2), Modweb were used for the comparison and model generation. Benchmarking process was done for four proteins, Icl, InhA, and KatG of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and RpoB of Thermus Thermophilus to get the most suited software. Parameters compared during analysis gave relatively better values for Phyre2 and Swiss-Model. This comparative study gave the information that Phyre2 and Swiss-Model make good models of small and large proteins as compared to other screened software. Other software was also good but is often not very efficient in providing full-length and properly folded structure.

Effect of cascade remnants on freely migrating defects in Cu-1% Au alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwase, A; Rehn, L E; Baldo, P M; Funk, L [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Materials Science Div.

1997-03-01

The effects of cascade remnants on Freely Migrating Defects (FMD) were studied by measuring Radiation-Induced Segregation (RIS) in Cu-1%Au at 400degC during simultaneous irradiation with 1.5-MeV He and (400-800)-keV heavy ions (Ne, Ar or Cu). The large RIS observed during 1.5-MeV He-only irradiation was dramatically suppressed under simultaneous heavy ion irradiation. For Cu simultaneous irradiation, the suppression disappeared immediately after the Cu irradiation ceased, while for simultaneous inert gas (Ne or Ar) irradiation, the suppression persisted after the ion beam was turned off. These results demonstrate that the displacement cascades created by heavy ions introduce additional annihilation sites, which reduce the steady-state FMD concentrations. As the cascade remnants produced by Cu ions are thermally unstable at 400degC, the RIS suppression occurs only during simultaneous irradiation. On the other hand, the inert gas atoms which accumulate in the specimen apparently stabilize the cascade remnants, allowing the suppression to persist. (author)

[Clinical research IV. Relevancy of the statistical test chosen].

Science.gov (United States)

Talavera, Juan O; Rivas-Ruiz, Rodolfo

2011-01-01

When we look at the difference between two therapies or the association of a risk factor or prognostic indicator with its outcome, we need to evaluate the accuracy of the result. This assessment is based on a judgment that uses information about the study design and statistical management of the information. This paper specifically mentions the relevance of the statistical test selected. Statistical tests are chosen mainly from two characteristics: the objective of the study and type of variables. The objective can be divided into three test groups: a) those in which you want to show differences between groups or inside a group before and after a maneuver, b) those that seek to show the relationship (correlation) between variables, and c) those that aim to predict an outcome. The types of variables are divided in two: quantitative (continuous and discontinuous) and qualitative (ordinal and dichotomous). For example, if we seek to demonstrate differences in age (quantitative variable) among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with and without neurological disease (two groups), the appropriate test is the "Student t test for independent samples." But if the comparison is about the frequency of females (binomial variable), then the appropriate statistical test is the χ(2).

THE USEFULNESS FOR ENSILING OF CHOSEN PLANT FORMS OF SPECIES OF SILPHIUM GENUS

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Jarosław Piłat

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Chemical composition and usefulness for ensiling of the chosen forms of species: S. perfoliatum was determined in different stages of vegetation. Forage fermantation coefficient of species form: I, II ,III during vegetation period from vegetative phase to seed setting phase was lower than 35. The fermentation coefficient IV form of species during the initial phase of seed setting amounted to 36,54, which ensured the correct fermentation. The high phenol acids content in I, II, III species form limits the possibility of using them for forage purposes. These species may constitute a potentially good raw material for the pharmaceutical industry.

Numerical modelling of ion transport in flames

KAUST Repository

Han, Jie; Belhi, Memdouh; Bisetti, Fabrizio; Sarathy, Mani

2015-01-01

that changes in polarizability propagate with decreasing effect from binary transport coefficients to species number densities. We conclude that the chosen polarizability value has a limited effect on the ion distribution in freely propagating flames. We expect

Using disposable solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to determine the freely dissolved concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Fang; Cui Xinyi; Wang Wei; Delgado-Moreno, Laura; Gan, Jay

2012-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The ubiquity and persistence of PBDEs in sediment have raised concerns over their environmental fate and ecological risks. Due to strong affinity for sediment organic matter, environmental fate and bioavailability of PBDEs closely depend on their phase distribution. In this study, disposable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber was used to derive the freely dissolved concentration (C free ) of PBDEs in sediment porewater as a measurement of bioavailability. The PDMS-to-water partition coefficient (log K PDMS ) was 5.46–5.83 for BDE 47, 99, and 153. In sediments, PBDEs were predominantly sorbed to the sediment phase, with C free accounting for free of PBDEs decreased as their bromination or sediment organic carbon content increased. The strong association with dissolved organic matter (DOM) implies a potential for facilitated offsite transport and dispersion in the environment that depends closely on the stability of sediment aggregates. - Highlights: ► A disposable SPME method was developed for measuring C free of PBDEs in sediment. ► C free decreased with increasing congener bromination or sediment OC content. ► C free of PBDEs accounted for DOC values suggest a high probability for DOM-facilitated offsite transport. - A SPME method based on disposable PDMS fibers was developed for measuring the freely dissolved concentration of PBDEs (C free ) in sediment porewater.

Freely-available, true-color volume rendering software and cryohistology data sets for virtual exploration of the temporal bone anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahrs, Lüder Alexander; Labadie, Robert Frederick

2013-01-01

Cadaveric dissection of temporal bone anatomy is not always possible or feasible in certain educational environments. Volume rendering using CT and/or MRI helps understanding spatial relationships, but they suffer in nonrealistic depictions especially regarding color of anatomical structures. Freely available, nonstained histological data sets and software which are able to render such data sets in realistic color could overcome this limitation and be a very effective teaching tool. With recent availability of specialized public-domain software, volume rendering of true-color, histological data sets is now possible. We present both feasibility as well as step-by-step instructions to allow processing of publicly available data sets (Visible Female Human and Visible Ear) into easily navigable 3-dimensional models using free software. Example renderings are shown to demonstrate the utility of these free methods in virtual exploration of the complex anatomy of the temporal bone. After exploring the data sets, the Visible Ear appears more natural than the Visible Human. We provide directions for an easy-to-use, open-source software in conjunction with freely available histological data sets. This work facilitates self-education of spatial relationships of anatomical structures inside the human temporal bone as well as it allows exploration of surgical approaches prior to cadaveric testing and/or clinical implementation. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

In vivo measurement of aerodynamic weight support in freely flying birds

Science.gov (United States)

Lentink, David; Haselsteiner, Andreas; Ingersoll, Rivers

2014-11-01

Birds dynamically change the shape of their wing during the stroke to support their body weight aerodynamically. The wing is partially folded during the upstroke, which suggests that the upstroke of birds might not actively contribute to aerodynamic force production. This hypothesis is supported by the significant mass difference between the large pectoralis muscle that powers the down-stroke and the much smaller supracoracoideus that drives the upstroke. Previous works used indirect or incomplete techniques to measure the total force generated by bird wings ranging from muscle force, airflow, wing surface pressure, to detailed kinematics measurements coupled with bird mass-distribution models to derive net force through second derivatives. We have validated a new method that measures aerodynamic force in vivo time-resolved directly in freely flying birds which can resolve this question. The validation of the method, using independent force measurements on a quadcopter with pulsating thrust, show the aerodynamic force and impulse are measured within 2% accuracy and time-resolved. We demonstrate results for quad-copters and birds of similar weight and size. The method is scalable and can be applied to both engineered and natural flyers across taxa. The first author invented the method, the second and third authors validated the method and present results for quadcopters and birds.

Attenuation correction for freely moving small animal brain PET studies based on a virtual scanner geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelis, G I; Kyme, A Z; Ryder, W J; Fulton, R R; Meikle, S R

2014-01-01

Attenuation correction in positron emission tomography brain imaging of freely moving animals is a very challenging problem since the torso of the animal is often within the field of view and introduces a non negligible attenuating factor that can degrade the quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed images. In the context of unrestrained small animal imaging, estimation of the attenuation correction factors without the need for a transmission scan is highly desirable. An attractive approach that avoids the need for a transmission scan involves the generation of the hull of the animal’s head based on the reconstructed motion corrected emission images. However, this approach ignores the attenuation introduced by the animal’s torso. In this work, we propose a virtual scanner geometry which moves in synchrony with the animal’s head and discriminates between those events that traversed only the animal’s head (and therefore can be accurately compensated for attenuation) and those that might have also traversed the animal’s torso. For each recorded pose of the animal’s head a new virtual scanner geometry is defined and therefore a new system matrix must be calculated leading to a time-varying system matrix. This new approach was evaluated on phantom data acquired on the microPET Focus 220 scanner using a custom-made phantom and step-wise motion. Results showed that when the animal’s torso is within the FOV and not appropriately accounted for during attenuation correction it can lead to bias of up to 10% . Attenuation correction was more accurate when the virtual scanner was employed leading to improved quantitative estimates (bias < 2%), without the need to account for the attenuation introduced by the extraneous compartment. Although the proposed method requires increased computational resources, it can provide a reliable approach towards quantitatively accurate attenuation correction for freely moving animal studies. (paper)

COMPARISON OF THE CHOSEN ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OF THE ARABLE LAND AND FALLOW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanisław Włodek

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The results and analysis of the chosen physico-chemical soil properties of the fallow, which was not cultivated for 7 years and of the arable land, situated close to it, are presented in this work. Soil moisture content was higher and the weed infestation rate was bigger on the arable land in comparison to fallow. Significant increase of C.org. as well as P, K and Mg availability for plant was noticed on the fallow. On the arable land segetal species were common, whereas on the fallow ruderal species occurred as well. In spite of the close neighborhood of fallow with Solidago gigantea and Solidago canadensis species domination, this species was not reported on the arable land.

Imaging brain activity during seizures in freely behaving rats using a miniature multi-modal imaging system.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigal, Iliya; Koletar, Margaret M; Ringuette, Dene; Gad, Raanan; Jeffrey, Melanie; Carlen, Peter L; Stefanovic, Bojana; Levi, Ofer

2016-09-01

We report on a miniature label-free imaging system for monitoring brain blood flow and blood oxygenation changes in awake, freely behaving rats. The device, weighing 15 grams, enables imaging in a ∼ 2 × 2 mm field of view with 4.4 μm lateral resolution and 1 - 8 Hz temporal sampling rate. The imaging is performed through a chronically-implanted cranial window that remains optically clear between 2 to > 6 weeks after the craniotomy. This imaging method is well suited for longitudinal studies of chronic models of brain diseases and disorders. In this work, it is applied to monitoring neurovascular coupling during drug-induced absence-like seizures 6 weeks following the craniotomy.

Hydrodynamic study of freely swimming shark fish propulsion for marine vehicles using 2D particle image velocimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Babu, Mannam Naga Praveen; Mallikarjuna, J M; Krishnankutty, P

Two-dimensional velocity fields around a freely swimming freshwater black shark fish in longitudinal (XZ) plane and transverse (YZ) plane are measured using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). By transferring momentum to the fluid, fishes generate thrust. Thrust is generated not only by its caudal fin, but also using pectoral and anal fins, the contribution of which depends on the fish's morphology and swimming movements. These fins also act as roll and pitch stabilizers for the swimming fish. In this paper, studies are performed on the flow induced by fins of freely swimming undulatory carangiform swimming fish (freshwater black shark, L  = 26 cm) by an experimental hydrodynamic approach based on quantitative flow visualization technique. We used 2D PIV to visualize water flow pattern in the wake of the caudal, pectoral and anal fins of swimming fish at a speed of 0.5-1.5 times of body length per second. The kinematic analysis and pressure distribution of carangiform fish are presented here. The fish body and fin undulations create circular flow patterns (vortices) that travel along with the body waves and change the flow around its tail to increase the swimming efficiency. The wake of different fins of the swimming fish consists of two counter-rotating vortices about the mean path of fish motion. These wakes resemble like reverse von Karman vortex street which is nothing but a thrust-producing wake. The velocity vectors around a C-start (a straight swimming fish bends into C-shape) maneuvering fish are also discussed in this paper. Studying flows around flapping fins will contribute to design of bioinspired propulsors for marine vehicles.

Electric motor assisted bicycle as an aerobic exercise machine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagata, T; Okada, S; Makikawa, M

2012-01-01

The goal of this study is to maintain a continuous level of exercise intensity around the aerobic threshold (AT) during riding on an electric motor assisted bicycle using a new control system of electrical motor assistance which uses the efficient pedaling rate of popular bicycles. Five male subjects participated in the experiment, and the oxygen uptake was measured during cycling exercise using this new pedaling rate control system of electrical motor assistance, which could maintain the pedaling rate within a specific range, similar to that in previous type of electrically assisted bicycles. Results showed that this new pedaling rate control system at 65 rpm ensured continuous aerobic exercise intensity around the AT in two subjects, and this intensity level was higher than that observed in previous type. However, certain subjects were unable to maintain the expected exercise intensity because of their particular cycling preferences such as the pedaling rate. It is necessary to adjust the specific pedaling rate range of the electrical motor assist control according to the preferred pedaling rate, so that this system becomes applicable to anyone who want continuous aerobic exercise.

A wireless multi-channel recording system for freely behaving mice and rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, David; Rich, Dylan; Holtzman, Tahl; Ruther, Patrick; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Lopez, Alberto; Rossi, Mark A; Barter, Joseph W; Salas-Meza, Daniel; Herwik, Stanislav; Holzhammer, Tobias; Morizio, James; Yin, Henry H

2011-01-01

To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is necessary to record brain activity in freely moving animals. Advances in implantable multi-electrode array technology have enabled researchers to record the activity of neuronal ensembles from multiple brain regions. The full potential of this approach is currently limited by reliance on cable tethers, with bundles of wires connecting the implanted electrodes to the data acquisition system while impeding the natural behavior of the animal. To overcome these limitations, here we introduce a multi-channel wireless headstage system designed for small animals such as rats and mice. A variety of single unit and local field potential signals were recorded from the dorsal striatum and substantia nigra in mice and the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex simultaneously in rats. This wireless system could be interfaced with commercially available data acquisition systems, and the signals obtained were comparable in quality to those acquired using cable tethers. On account of its small size, light weight, and rechargeable battery, this wireless headstage system is suitable for studying the neural basis of natural behavior, eliminating the need for wires, commutators, and other limitations associated with traditional tethered recording systems.

A wireless multi-channel recording system for freely behaving mice and rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Fan

Full Text Available To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is necessary to record brain activity in freely moving animals. Advances in implantable multi-electrode array technology have enabled researchers to record the activity of neuronal ensembles from multiple brain regions. The full potential of this approach is currently limited by reliance on cable tethers, with bundles of wires connecting the implanted electrodes to the data acquisition system while impeding the natural behavior of the animal. To overcome these limitations, here we introduce a multi-channel wireless headstage system designed for small animals such as rats and mice. A variety of single unit and local field potential signals were recorded from the dorsal striatum and substantia nigra in mice and the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex simultaneously in rats. This wireless system could be interfaced with commercially available data acquisition systems, and the signals obtained were comparable in quality to those acquired using cable tethers. On account of its small size, light weight, and rechargeable battery, this wireless headstage system is suitable for studying the neural basis of natural behavior, eliminating the need for wires, commutators, and other limitations associated with traditional tethered recording systems.

Noncircular Chainrings Do Not Influence Maximum Cycling Power.

Science.gov (United States)

Leong, Chee-Hoi; Elmer, Steven J; Martin, James C

2017-12-01

Noncircular chainrings could increase cycling power by prolonging the powerful leg extension/flexion phases, and curtailing the low-power transition phases. We compared maximal cycling power-pedaling rate relationships, and joint-specific kinematics and powers across 3 chainring eccentricities (CON = 1.0; LOW ecc  = 1.13; HIGH ecc  = 1.24). Part I: Thirteen cyclists performed maximal inertial-load cycling under 3 chainring conditions. Maximum cycling power and optimal pedaling rate were determined. Part II: Ten cyclists performed maximal isokinetic cycling (120 rpm) under the same 3 chainring conditions. Pedal and joint-specific powers were determined using pedal forces and limb kinematics. Neither maximal cycling power nor optimal pedaling rate differed across chainring conditions (all p > .05). Peak ankle angular velocity for HIGH ecc was less than CON (p pedal system allowed cyclists to manipulate ankle angular velocity to maintain their preferred knee and hip actions, suggesting maximizing extension/flexion and minimizing transition phases may be counterproductive for maximal power.

Fluvial sediments characterization of Hornád river in its chosen parts (preliminary study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stela Hanigovská

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of main river sedimentary characteristics is very important source of information for next study or potentialcommercial usage of fluvial sediments. In paper is shown characterization of sediment distribution in chosen part of the river Hornád.Three main facial types were studied and described – gravel, sand and clay. Model created in this study shows that Hornád is a riverwith predominant gravel transport. This model also shows a sufficient amount of gravel for commercial use in some parts of the river.

Collapsing a perfect superposition to a chosen quantum state without measurement.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Younes

Full Text Available Given a perfect superposition of [Formula: see text] states on a quantum system of [Formula: see text] qubits. We propose a fast quantum algorithm for collapsing the perfect superposition to a chosen quantum state [Formula: see text] without applying any measurements. The basic idea is to use a phase destruction mechanism. Two operators are used, the first operator applies a phase shift and a temporary entanglement to mark [Formula: see text] in the superposition, and the second operator applies selective phase shifts on the states in the superposition according to their Hamming distance with [Formula: see text]. The generated state can be used as an excellent input state for testing quantum memories and linear optics quantum computers. We make no assumptions about the used operators and applied quantum gates, but our result implies that for this purpose the number of qubits in the quantum register offers no advantage, in principle, over the obvious measurement-based feedback protocol.

A Comparison of Urge Intensity and the Probability of Tic Completion During Tic Freely and Tic Suppression Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Specht, Matt W; Nicotra, Cassandra M; Kelly, Laura M; Woods, Douglas W; Ricketts, Emily J; Perry-Parrish, Carisa; Reynolds, Elizabeth; Hankinson, Jessica; Grados, Marco A; Ostrander, Rick S; Walkup, John T

2014-03-01

Tic-suppression-based treatments (TSBTs) represent a safe and effective treatment option for Chronic Tic Disorders (CTDs). Prior research has demonstrated that treatment naive youths with CTDs have the capacity to safely and effectively suppress tics for prolonged periods. It remains unclear how tic suppression is achieved. The current study principally examines how effective suppression is achieved and preliminary correlates of the ability to suppress tics. Twelve youths, ages 10 to 17 years, with moderate-to-marked CTDs participated in an alternating sequence of tic freely and reinforced tic suppression conditions during which urge intensity and tic frequency were frequently assessed. Probability of tics occurring was half as likely following high-intensity urges during tic suppression (31%) in contrast to low-intensity urges during tic freely conditions (60%). Age was not associated with ability to suppress. Intelligence indices were associated with or trended toward greater ability to suppress tics. Attention difficulties were not associated with ability to suppress but were associated with tic severity. In contrast to our "selective suppression" hypothesis, we found participants equally capable of suppressing their tics regardless of urge intensity during reinforced tic suppression. Tic suppression was achieved with an "across-the-board" effort to resist urges. Preliminary data suggest that ability to suppress may be associated with general cognitive variables rather than age, tic severity, urge severity, and attention. Treatment naive youths appear to possess a capacity for robust tic suppression. TSBTs may bolster these capacities and/or enable their broader implementation, resulting in symptom improvement. © The Author(s) 2014.

Underwater Cycle Ergometry: Power Requirements With and Without Diver Thermal Dress

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

waterproofed Collins Pedal Mate ergometers that are no longer available. A pedal shaft drives the shaft of a hysteresis brake (HB210, Magtrol; Buffalo, NY...NEDU, regular bicycle pedals with toe straps/ over canvas shoes were used in Buffalo (personal 13 communication). The foot cups used at NEDU are

STUDIES OF CHOSEN TOXIC ELEMENTS CONCENTRATION IN MULTIFLOWER BEE HONEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Popiela

2011-04-01

Full Text Available 72 544x376 Normal 0 21 false false false  The aim of the study was to determine the bioaccumulation level of chosen toxic elements (Zn, Cu, Pb, As and Cd in multiflower honey collected from Brzeg area. Biological material (honey was mineralized using the microwave technique at an elevated pressure in the microprocessor station of pressure in the type Mars 5. Quantitative analysis of elements (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn was performed by plasma spectrometry method using a Varian ICP-AES apparatus. The presence of toxic elements was determined in examined biological materials. The elements fallowed the fallowing decreasing order with respect to their content of honey: Zn>Cu>Pb>As>Cd. The average concentrations of studied elements observed in multi-flower honey were as follows: 6.24 mg.kg-1 of zinc, 2.75 mg.kg-1 of copper, 0.53, 0.071, 0.042 mg.kg-1of lead, arsenic and cadmium, respectively. Lead was the most problematic in bee honey because its average content exceeded the maximum acceptable concentration. Additionally, this metal concentration was 60% higher in studied samples than allowable standard of lead content.doi:10.5219/134 

Chosen Aspects of Non‑Profit Sector and Volunteering in Slovakia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beata Gavurova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The significance of voluntary activities in Slovakia constantly increases as it is one of the fundamental areas, which is of particular interest to chosen communities as well as the general public, with the scope of these activities exceeding religious or social groups and national character. The current situation of voluntary activities is not satisfactory and there is an absence of primary research studies that would provide a relevant and complex overview of the volunteering system. Further worsening the situation is the fact that volunteering actions were not even defined in the legal system until 2011. Evaluation of the existing situation and development of voluntary activities realized in Slovakia is carried out using a questionnaire survey, identifying the fundamental barriers of its development and evaluating the potential for implementing new challenges and trends. The most problematic issue is area of financing, closely related to non‑governmental sector financing issues. A lack of understanding by the donors concerning the process of investing in volunteers, even in high quality programs, is also an important problem, along with the lack of legislation and mistrust. Organization and volunteer motivation was also investigated.

Heel and toe driving on fuel cell vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Tayoung; Chen, Dongmei

2012-12-11

A system and method for providing nearly instantaneous power in a fuel cell vehicle. The method includes monitoring the brake pedal angle and the accelerator pedal angle of the vehicle, and if the vehicle driver is pressing both the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal at the same time and the vehicle is in a drive gear, activating a heel and toe mode. When the heel and toe mode is activated, the speed of a cathode compressor is increased to a predetermined speed set-point, which is higher than the normal compressor speed for the pedal position. Thus, when the vehicle brake is removed, the compressor speed is high enough to provide enough air to the cathode, so that the stack can generate nearly immediate power.

Non-freely generated W-algebras and construction of N=2 super W-algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumenhagen, R.

1994-07-01

Firstly, we investigate the origin of the bosonic W-algebras W(2, 3, 4, 5), W(2, 4, 6) and W(2, 4, 6) found earlier by direct construction. We present a coset construction for all three examples leading to a new type of finitely, non-freely generated quantum W-algebras, which we call unifying W-algebras. Secondly, we develop a manifest covariant formalism to construct N = 2 super W-algebras explicitly on a computer. Applying this algorithm enables us to construct the first four examples of N = 2 super W-algebras with two generators and the N = 2 super W 4 algebra involving three generators. The representation theory of the former ones shows that all examples could be divided into four classes, the largest one containing the N = 2 special type of spectral flow algebras. Besides the W-algebra of the CP(3) Kazama-Suzuki coset model, the latter example with three generators discloses a second solution which could also be explained as a unifying W-algebra for the CP(n) models. (orig.)

The olfactory bulb theta rhythm follows all frequencies of diaphragmatic respiration in the freely behaving rat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel eRojas-Líbano

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Sensory-motor relationships are part of the normal operation of sensory systems. Sensing occurs in the context of active sensor movement, which in turn influences sensory processing. We address such a process in the rat olfactory system. Through recordings of the diaphragm electromyogram (EMG, we monitored the motor output of the respiratory circuit involved in sniffing behavior, simultaneously with the local field potential (LFP of the olfactory bulb (OB in rats moving freely in a familiar environment, where they display a wide range of respiratory frequencies. We show that the OB LFP represents the sniff cycle with high reliability at every sniff frequency and can therefore be used to study the neural representation of motor drive in a sensory cortex.

A Wearable Foot-mounted / Instrument-mounted Effect Controller

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Konovalovs, Kristians; Zovnercuka, Jelizaveta; Adjorlu, Ali

2017-01-01

. The classic foot activated effect pedals that are used to alter the sound of the instrument are stationary, forcing the performer to return to the same location in order to interact with the pedals. This paper presents a new design that enables the performer to interact with the effect pedals anywhere...

The organization of prospective thinking: evidence of event clusters in freely generated future thoughts.

Science.gov (United States)

Demblon, Julie; D'Argembeau, Arnaud

2014-02-01

Recent research suggests that many imagined future events are not represented in isolation, but instead are embedded in broader event sequences-referred to as event clusters. It remains unclear, however, whether the production of event clusters reflects the underlying organizational structure of prospective thinking or whether it is an artifact of the event-cuing task in which participants are explicitly required to provide chains of associated future events. To address this issue, the present study examined whether the occurrence of event clusters in prospective thought is apparent when people are left to think freely about events that might happen in their personal future. The results showed that the succession of events participants spontaneously produced when envisioning their future frequently included event clusters. This finding provides more compelling evidence that prospective thinking involves higher-order autobiographical knowledge structures that organize imagined events in coherent themes and sequences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cream or foam in pedal skin care: towards the ideal vehicle for urea used against dry skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Borelli, C; Bielfeldt, S; Borelli, S; Schaller, M; Korting, H C

2011-02-01

formulation of skin care preparations for not only dry skin but also in the context of pedal skin care. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation. © 2010 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Increased in vivo release of neuropeptide S in the amygdala of freely moving rats after local depolarisation and emotional stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebner, Karl; Rjabokon, Alesja; Pape, Hans-Christian; Singewald, Nicolas

2011-10-01

Intracerebral microdialysis in conjunction with a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay was used to study the in vivo release of neuropeptide S (NPS) within the amygdala of freely moving rats. NPS was consistently detected in basolateral amygdala dialysates and the release considerably enhanced in response to local depolarisation as well as exposure to forced swim stress. Thus, our data demonstrate for the first time emotional stress-induced release of NPS in the amygdala supporting a functional role of endogenous NPS in stress/anxiety-related phenomena.

Human endogenous retroviruses and chosen disease parameters in morphea

Science.gov (United States)

Dańczak-Pazdrowska, Aleksandra; Szramka-Pawlak, Beata; Żaba, Ryszard; Osmola-Mańkowska, Agnieszka; Silny, Wojciech

2017-01-01

Introduction Morphea (localized scleroderma) is a relatively rare disease characterized by excessive skin fibrosis. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) are largely distributed within the human genome with hundreds of thousands of elements. The HERV have been widely studied in autoimmune disorders, yet hardly ever assessed in diseases with a good prognosis such as morphea. Aim In this study we focus on the possible relations between the expression of chosen HERV and factors influencing the pathomechanism of the disease, such as age, sex, titres of anti-nuclear antibodies, as well as duration, activity, and severity of the disease (LoSSI index). Material and methods Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting six HERV sequences of interest were performed on samples derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and skin biopsies. Results In PBMC we found a statistically significant negative correlation between HERV-W env expression and LoSSI index (p = 0.01). Additionally, HERV-W env was downregulated in patients with the active form of morphea. In all other cases we found no correlation whatsoever nor statistically significant differences below the p = 0.05 threshold. Conclusions Morphea seems to be an autoimmune disease where the impact of HERV is not so apparent. It seems that probing many patients for the expression of just a few sequences is not as effective as previously expected. For initial studies of HERV in other diseases we recommend high throughput techniques such as HERV-dedicated DNA microarrays or massive parallel sequencing. PMID:28261031

Human endogenous retroviruses and chosen disease parameters in morphea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał J. Kowalczyk

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Morphea (localized scleroderma is a relatively rare disease characterized by excessive skin fibrosis. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV are largely distributed within the human genome with hundreds of thousands of elements. The HERV have been widely studied in autoimmune disorders, yet hardly ever assessed in diseases with a good prognosis such as morphea. Aim: In this study we focus on the possible relations between the expression of chosen HERV and factors influencing the pathomechanism of the disease, such as age, sex, titres of anti-nuclear antibodies, as well as duration, activity, and severity of the disease (LoSSI index. Material and methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR targeting six HERV sequences of interest were performed on samples derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC and skin biopsies. Results: In PBMC we found a statistically significant negative correlation between HERV-W env expression and LoSSI index (p = 0.01. Additionally, HERV-W env was downregulated in patients with the active form of morphea. In all other cases we found no correlation whatsoever nor statistically significant differences below the p = 0.05 threshold. Conclusions : Morphea seems to be an autoimmune disease where the impact of HERV is not so apparent. It seems that probing many patients for the expression of just a few sequences is not as effective as previously expected. For initial studies of HERV in other diseases we recommend high throughput techniques such as HERV-dedicated DNA microarrays or massive parallel sequencing.

78 FR 10692 - Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, as Required by Section 6039G

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-14

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, as Required by Section 6039G AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice is provided in accordance with IRC section 6039G of the Health...

De invloed van kortere remtijden op de verkeersveiligheid : beschouwingen over een gecombineerd gas- en rempedaal.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kampen, L.T.B. van & Schoon, C.C.

1991-01-01

A combined accelerator-brake pedal in passenger cars is a device that combines the accelerating and braking functions in one pedal. This device is known as the CAB system. The aim of the CAB system is to save the time that is normally spent in moving the foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal.

High content of MYHC II in vastus lateralis is accompanied by higher VO2/power output ratio during moderate intensity cycling performed both at low and at high pedalling rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Majerczak, J; Szkutnik, Z; Karasinski, J; Duda, K; Kolodziejski, L; Zoladz, J A

2006-06-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the content of various types of myosin heavy chain isoforms (MyHC) in the vastus lateralis muscle and pulmonary oxygen uptake during moderate power output incremental exercise, performed at low and at high pedalling rates. Twenty one male subjects (mean +/- SD) aged 24.1 +/- 2.8 years; body mass 72.9 +/- 7.2 kg; height 179.1 +/- 4.8 cm; BMI 22.69 +/- 1.89 kg.m(-2); VO2max 50.6 +/- 5.3 ml.kg.min(-1), participated in this study. On separate days, they performed two incremental exercise tests at 60 rev.min(-1) and at 120 rev.min(-1), until exhaustion. Gas exchange variables were measured continuously breath by breath. Blood samples were taken for measurements of plasma lactate concentration prior to the exercise test and at the end of each step of the incremental exercise. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle, using Bergström needle, and they were analysed for the content of MyHC I and MyHC II using SDS--PAGE and two groups (n=7, each) were selected: group H with the highest content of MyHC II (60.7 % +/- 10.5 %) and group L with the lowest content of MyHC II (27.6 % +/- 6.1 %). We have found that during incremental exercise at the power output between 30-120 W, performed at 60 rev.min(-1), oxygen uptake in the group H was significantly greater than in the group L (ANCOVA, p=0.003, upward shift of the intercept in VO2/power output relationship). During cycling at the same power output but at 120 rev.min(-1), the oxygen uptake was also higher in the group H, when compared to the group L (i.e. upward shift of the intercept in VO2/power output relationship, ANCOVA, p=0.002). Moreover, the increase in pedalling rate from 60 to 120 rev.min(-1) was accompanied by a significantly higher increase of oxygen cost of cycling and by a significantly higher plasma lactate concentration in subjects from group H. We concluded that the muscle mechanical efficiency, expressed by the VO2/PO ratio

Experimental determination of chosen document elements parameters from raster graphics sources

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Jiří Rybička

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Visual appearance of documents and their formal quality is considered to be as important as the content quality. Formal and typographical quality of documents can be evaluated by an automated system that processes raster images of documents. A document is described by a formal model that treats a page as an object and also as a set of elements, whereas page elements include text and graphic object. All elements are described by their parameters depending on elements’ type. For future evaluation, mainly text objects are important. This paper describes the experimental determination of chosen document elements parameters from raster images. Techniques for image processing are used, where an image is represented as a matrix of dots and parameter values are extracted. Algorithms for parameter extraction from raster images were designed and were aimed mainly at typographical parameters like indentation, alignment, font size or spacing. Algorithms were tested on a set of 100 images of paragraphs or pages and provide very good results. Extracted parameters can be directly used for typographical quality evaluation.

Impact of extraneous mispositioned events on motion-corrected brain SPECT images of freely moving animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelis, Georgios I.; Ryder, William J.; Bashar, Rezaul; Meikle, Steven R.; Fulton, Roger R.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain imaging of freely moving small animals would allow a wide range of important neurological processes and behaviors to be studied, which are normally inhibited by anesthetic drugs or precluded due to the animal being restrained. While rigid body motion of the head can be tracked and accounted for in the reconstruction, activity in the torso may confound brain measurements, especially since motion of the torso is more complex (i.e., nonrigid) and not well correlated with that of the head. The authors investigated the impact of mispositioned events and attenuation due to the torso on the accuracy of motion corrected brain images of freely moving mice. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations of a realistic voxelized mouse phantom and a dual compartment phantom were performed. Each phantom comprised a target and an extraneous compartment which were able to move independently of each other. Motion correction was performed based on the known motion of the target compartment only. Two SPECT camera geometries were investigated: a rotating single head detector and a stationary full ring detector. The effects of motion, detector geometry, and energy of the emitted photons (hence, attenuation) on bias and noise in reconstructed brain regions were evaluated. Results: The authors observed two main sources of bias: (a) motion-related inconsistencies in the projection data and (b) the mismatch between attenuation and emission. Both effects are caused by the assumption that the orientation of the torso is difficult to track and model, and therefore cannot be conveniently corrected for. The motion induced bias in some regions was up to 12% when no attenuation effects were considered, while it reached 40% when also combined with attenuation related inconsistencies. The detector geometry (i.e., rotating vs full ring) has a big impact on the accuracy of the reconstructed images, with the full ring detector being more

Comparative analysis of chosen transforms in the context of de-noising harmonic signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artur Zacniewski

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In the article, comparison of popular transforms used i.a. in denoising harmonical signals was presented. The division of signals submitted to mathematical analysis was shown and chosen transforms such as Short Time Fourier Transform, Wigner-Ville Distribution, Wavelet Transform and Discrete Cosine Transform were presented. Harmonic signal with white noise added was submitted for research. During research, the parameters of noise were changed to analyze the effects of using particular transform on noised signal. The importance of right choice for transform and its parameters (different for particular kind of transform was shown. Small changes in parameters or different functions used in transform can lead to considerably different results.[b]Keywords[/b]: denoising of harmonical signals, wavelet transform, discrete cosine transform, DCT

Gonadal hormones and heart rate as an emotional response

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Loos, Wolter Statius

1988-01-01

Animai experiments may give information on the physiology of hormones under stress conditions. The model for the investigation of acute emotional stress in animals that has been chosen permits the study of heart rate in freely moving laboratory rats as a sensitive psychophysiological parameter, This

Appraisal of Method of Flutter Analysis Based on Chosen Modes by Comparison with Experiment for Cases of Large Mass Coupling

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Woolston, Donald

1949-01-01

The present paper reports the results of a series of flutter studies including comparisons of experimental results with calculations based on a Rayleigh type analysis, in which chosen modes are assumed...

Cycling biomechanics: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wozniak Timmer, C A

1991-01-01

Submitted in partial fulfillment for a Master of Science degree at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Health Related Professions, Pittsburgh, PA 1.5213 This review of current literature on cycling biomechanics emphasizes lower extremity muscle actions and joint excursions, seat height, pedal position, pedaling rate, force application, and pedaling symmetry. Guidelines are discussed for optimal seat height, pedal position, and pedaling rate. Force application in the power and recovery phases of cycling and the relationship of force application to pedaling symmetry are discussed. The need for a biomechanical approach to cycling exists since a great deal of the literature is primarily physiologic in nature. The purpose of this review is to make cyclists and their advisors aware of the biomechanics of cycling and guidelines to follow. This approach is also important because cycling is a very common form of exercise prescribed by physical therapists for clinic or home programs. Biomechanical aspects of cycling should be considered by cyclists at any level of participation and by physical therapists in order for goal-oriented, efficient cycling to occur. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1991;14(3):106-113.

[Peculiar history to formation of 'Freely recuperate zone' in the National Sanatorium Kuryu Rakusen-en, Gunma, Japan (relation between the 'Old Yunosawa-ward' and 'Freely recuperate zone' in the National Sanatorium Kuryu Rakusen-en)].

Science.gov (United States)

Kitahara, Makoto

2011-09-01

Hansen's disease sufferers had been visiting the hot spring, Kusatsu-Spa, in Gunma, Japan, for Toji (which means 'hot springs treatment' in Japanese) since the middle ages, as it was known reportedly for a long time to be effective in curing the disease. In 1869, Kusatsu-Spa was hit by a massive fire. The innkeepers, who suffered devastating damages, were trying to reconstruct the economy quickly by promoting the medical benefits of the hot spring. This made many Hansen's disease patients to visit and of which many stayed on a long term bases. They would use the hot spring with ordinary visitors. And, they had received the treatment of the spotted moxa cautery with the hot-spring treatment. Later on, Kusatsu- Spa became well known throughout Japan and as the numbers of ordinary visitors increased, they voiced their concerns in sharing the hot spring with the Hansen's disease patients. Therefore, the innkeepers decided to move the patients to another district called Yunosawa and suggested to make a special village of just the patients. In 1887, the representative of the patients came to an agreement with the mayor of Yunosawa to establish a treatment centre there. Yunosawa became part of an administrative area of Kusatsu Town. The area seemed to become a local-governing area mainly shaped by Hansen's disease sufferers and the first legal residential area where Hansen's disease sufferers were given citizenships and may convalesce freely. However, in 1931, leprosy prevention law was passed, and the Japanese government built a new medical treatment centre of Hansen's disease, 4km away from Kusatsu- Spa, which is called National Sanatorium Kuryu Rakusen-en. After deliberations with the representative of the Hansen's disease patients living in the Yunosawa area and the governor of Gunma Prefecture, who received the order from the Japanese government to move them, had agreed to the mass relocation in 1941. This is how Yunosawa had closed its 55 years history and many

Fatigue during maximal sprint cycling: unique role of cumulative contraction cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomas, Aleksandar; Ross, Emma Z; Martin, James C

2010-07-01

Maximal cycling power has been reported to decrease more rapidly when performed with increased pedaling rates. Increasing pedaling rate imposes two constraints on the neuromuscular system: 1) decreased time for muscle excitation and relaxation and 2) increased muscle shortening velocity. Using two crank lengths allows the effects of time and shortening velocity to be evaluated separately. We conducted this investigation to determine whether the time available for excitation and relaxation or the muscle shortening velocity was mainly responsible for the increased rate of fatigue previously observed with increased pedaling rates and to evaluate the influence of other possible fatiguing constraints. Seven trained cyclists performed 30-s maximal isokinetic cycling trials using two crank lengths: 120 and 220 mm. Pedaling rate was optimized for maximum power for each crank length: 135 rpm for the 120-mm cranks (1.7 m x s(-1) pedal speed) and 109 rpm for the 220-mm cranks (2.5 m x s(-1) pedal speed). Power was recorded with an SRM power meter. Crank length did not affect peak power: 999 +/- 276 W for the 120-mm crank versus 1001 +/- 289 W for the 220-mm crank. Fatigue index was greater (58.6% +/- 3.7% vs 52.4% +/- 4.8%, P < 0.01), and total work was less (20.0 +/- 1.8 vs 21.4 +/- 2.0 kJ, P < 0.01) with the higher pedaling rate-shorter crank condition. Regression analyses indicated that the power for the two conditions was most highly related to cumulative work (r2 = 0.94) and to cumulative cycles (r2 = 0.99). These results support previous findings and confirm that pedaling rate, rather than pedal speed, was the main factor influencing fatigue. Our novel result was that power decreased by a similar increment with each crank revolution for the two conditions, indicating that each maximal muscular contraction induced a similar amount of fatigue.

Hand-rim Forces and Gross Mechanical Efficiency at Various Frequencies of Wheelchair Propulsion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lenton, J. P.; van der Woude, L. H. V.; Fowler, N. E.; Nicholson, G.; Tolfrey, K.; Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L.

To determine the effects of push frequency changes on force application, fraction of effective force (FEF) and gross efficiency (GE) during hand-rim propulsion. 8 male able-bodied participants performed five 4-min sub-maximal exercise bouts at 1.8 m.s(-1); the freely chosen frequency (FCF), followed

What's on Your Mind? Conversation Topics Chosen by People With Degenerative Cognitive-Linguistic Disorders for Communication Boards.

Science.gov (United States)

Fried-Oken, Melanie; Daniels, Darlene; Ettinger, Olivia; Mooney, Aimee; Noethe, Glory; Rowland, Charity

2015-05-01

Conversational topics chosen by a group of adults with degenerative cognitive-linguistic disorders for personalized communication board development were examined. The patient-generated themes commonly selected are presented to guide treatment planning and communication board development. Communication boards were created for 109 adults as part of a larger research project. One autobiographical topic that each participant would enjoy discussing multiple times was represented on each communication board with 16 pictures and word labels. For this review, topics were collapsed into general themes through a consensus process and examined by gender and age. Sixty unique conversational topics were identified from 109 participants and collapsed into 9 general themes: Hobbies, Family, Travel, Work, Home/Places I've Lived, Sports/Fitness, Religion, Animals, and World War II. Age and gender produced variations in themes chosen, though no significance in rank orders was found across groups. Topics selected by adults with degenerative cognitive-linguistic disorders for communication boards resemble common conversational adult themes and do not center around basic needs or medical issues. Differences in gender and age for topic selection tend to be based on traditional roles. These general themes should be used when creating personalized communication boards for those who benefit from conversational aids.

Biomechanical Evaluation of an Electric Power-Assisted Bicycle by a Musculoskeletal Model

Science.gov (United States)

Takehara, Shoichiro; Murakami, Musashi; Hase, Kazunori

In this study, we construct an evaluation system for the muscular activity of the lower limbs when a human pedals an electric power-assisted bicycle. The evaluation system is composed of an electric power-assisted bicycle, a numerical simulator and a motion capture system. The electric power-assisted bicycle in this study has a pedal with an attached force sensor. The numerical simulator for pedaling motion is a musculoskeletal model of a human. The motion capture system measures the joint angles of the lower limb. We examine the influence of the electric power-assisted force on each muscle of the human trunk and legs. First, an experiment of pedaling motion is performed. Then, the musculoskeletal model is calculated by using the experimental data. We discuss the influence on each muscle by electric power-assist. It is found that the muscular activity is decreased by the electric power-assist bicycle, and the reduction of the muscular force required for pedaling motion was quantitatively shown for every muscle.

Pediatric endurance and limb strengthening for children with cerebral palsy (PEDALS – a randomized controlled trial protocol for a stationary cycling intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simms Victoria

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past, effortful exercises were considered inappropriate for children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP due to concern that they would escalate abnormalities including spasticity and abnormal movement patterns. Current scientific evidence indicates that these concerns were unfounded and that therapeutic interventions focused on muscle strengthening can lead to improved functional ability. However, few studies have examined the potential benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness exercises in this patient population. Methods/design The rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial examining the effects of a stationary cycling intervention for children with CP are outlined here. Sixty children with spastic diplegic CP between the ages of 7 and 18 years and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS levels of I, II, or III will be recruited for this study. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention (cycling or a control (no cycling group. The cycling intervention will be divided into strengthening and cardiorespiratory endurance exercise phases. During the strengthening phase, the resistance to lower extremity cycling will be progressively increased using a uniquely designed limb-loaded mechanism. The cardiorespiratory endurance phase will focus on increasing the intensity and duration of cycling. Children will be encouraged to exercise within a target heart rate (HR range (70 – 80% maximum HR. Thirty sessions will take place over a 10–12 week period. All children will be evaluated before (baseline and after (follow-up the intervention period. Primary outcome measures are: knee joint extensor and flexor moments, or torque; the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM; the 600 Yard Walk-Run test and the Thirty-Second Walk test (30 sec WT. Discussion This paper presents the rationale, design and protocol for Pediatric Endurance and Limb Strengthening (PEDALS; a Phase I randomized controlled trial

Fictive Kinship as It Mediates Learning, Resiliency, Perseverance, and Social Learning of Inner-City High School Students of Color in a College Physics Class

Science.gov (United States)

Alexakos, Konstantinos; Jones, Jayson K.; Rodriguez, Victor H.

2011-01-01

In this hermeneutic study we explore how fictive kinship (kin-like close personal friendship) amongst high school students of color mediated their resiliency, perseverance, and success in a college physics class. These freely chosen, processual friendships were based on emotional and material support, motivation, and caring for each other, as well…

Integrated wireless fast-scan cyclic voltammetry recording and electrical stimulation for reward-predictive learning in awake, freely moving rats

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yu-Ting; Wickens, Jeffery R.; Huang, Yi-Ling; Pan, Wynn H. T.; Chen, Fu-Yu Beverly; Chen, Jia-Jin Jason

2013-08-01

Objective. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) is commonly used to monitor phasic dopamine release, which is usually performed using tethered recording and for limited types of animal behavior. It is necessary to design a wireless dopamine sensing system for animal behavior experiments. Approach. This study integrates a wireless FSCV system for monitoring the dopamine signal in the ventral striatum with an electrical stimulator that induces biphasic current to excite dopaminergic neurons in awake freely moving rats. The measured dopamine signals are unidirectionally transmitted from the wireless FSCV module to the host unit. To reduce electrical artifacts, an optocoupler and a separate power are applied to isolate the FSCV system and electrical stimulator, which can be activated by an infrared controller. Main results. In the validation test, the wireless backpack system has similar performance in comparison with a conventional wired system and it does not significantly affect the locomotor activity of the rat. In the cocaine administration test, the maximum electrically elicited dopamine signals increased to around 230% of the initial value 20 min after the injection of 10 mg kg-1 cocaine. In a classical conditioning test, the dopamine signal in response to a cue increased to around 60 nM over 50 successive trials while the electrically evoked dopamine concentration decreased from about 90 to 50 nM in the maintenance phase. In contrast, the cue-evoked dopamine concentration progressively decreased and the electrically evoked dopamine was eliminated during the extinction phase. In the histological evaluation, there was little damage to brain tissue after five months chronic implantation of the stimulating electrode. Significance. We have developed an integrated wireless voltammetry system for measuring dopamine concentration and providing electrical stimulation. The developed wireless FSCV system is proven to be a useful experimental tool for the continuous

How cheap is soaring flight in raptors? A preliminary investigation in freely-flying vultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Duriez, Olivier; Kato, Akiko; Tromp, Clara; Dell'Omo, Giacomo; Vyssotski, Alexei L; Sarrazin, François; Ropert-Coudert, Yan

2014-01-01

Measuring the costs of soaring, gliding and flapping flight in raptors is challenging, but essential for understanding their ecology. Among raptors, vultures are scavengers that have evolved highly efficient soaring-gliding flight techniques to minimize energy costs to find unpredictable food resources. Using electrocardiogram, GPS and accelerometer bio-loggers, we report the heart rate (HR) of captive griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus and G. himalayensis) trained for freely-flying. HR increased three-fold at take-off (characterized by prolonged flapping flight) and landing (>300 beats-per-minute, (bpm)) compared to baseline levels (80-100 bpm). However, within 10 minutes after the initial flapping phase, HR in soaring/gliding flight dropped to values similar to baseline levels, i.e. slightly lower than theoretically expected. However, the extremely rapid decrease in HR was unexpected, when compared with other marine gliders, such as albatrosses. Weather conditions influenced flight performance and HR was noticeably higher during cloudy compared to sunny conditions when prolonged soaring flight is made easier by thermal ascending air currents. Soaring as a cheap locomotory mode is a crucial adaptation for vultures who spend so long on the wing for wide-ranging movements to find food.

3D-e-Chem-VM: Structural Cheminformatics Research Infrastructure in a Freely Available Virtual Machine.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, Ross; Verhoeven, Stefan; Vass, Márton; Vriend, Gerrit; de Esch, Iwan J P; Lusher, Scott J; Leurs, Rob; Ridder, Lars; Kooistra, Albert J; Ritschel, Tina; de Graaf, Chris

2017-02-27

3D-e-Chem-VM is an open source, freely available Virtual Machine ( http://3d-e-chem.github.io/3D-e-Chem-VM/ ) that integrates cheminformatics and bioinformatics tools for the analysis of protein-ligand interaction data. 3D-e-Chem-VM consists of software libraries, and database and workflow tools that can analyze and combine small molecule and protein structural information in a graphical programming environment. New chemical and biological data analytics tools and workflows have been developed for the efficient exploitation of structural and pharmacological protein-ligand interaction data from proteomewide databases (e.g., ChEMBLdb and PDB), as well as customized information systems focused on, e.g., G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRdb) and protein kinases (KLIFS). The integrated structural cheminformatics research infrastructure compiled in the 3D-e-Chem-VM enables the design of new approaches in virtual ligand screening (Chemdb4VS), ligand-based metabolism prediction (SyGMa), and structure-based protein binding site comparison and bioisosteric replacement for ligand design (KRIPOdb).

SAGES: a suite of freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheri L Lewis

Full Text Available Public health surveillance is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in the field of information technology. Many countries have experienced vast improvements in the collection, ingestion, analysis, visualization, and dissemination of public health data. Resource-limited countries have lagged behind due to challenges in information technology infrastructure, public health resources, and the costs of proprietary software. The Suite for Automated Global Electronic bioSurveillance (SAGES is a collection of modular, flexible, freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings. One or more SAGES tools may be used in concert with existing surveillance applications or the SAGES tools may be used en masse for an end-to-end biosurveillance capability. This flexibility allows for the development of an inexpensive, customized, and sustainable disease surveillance system. The ability to rapidly assess anomalous disease activity may lead to more efficient use of limited resources and better compliance with World Health Organization International Health Regulations.

Performance and physiological effects of different descending strategies for cross-country mountain biking.

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Miller, Matthew C; Macdermid, Paul W; Fink, Phil W; Stannard, Stephen R

2017-04-01

This study investigated the performance-related feasibility and physiological benefits of purposefully eliminating propulsive work while descending in mountain biking and compared values to those measured during road descending. Participants cycled uphill on a road at race pace before descending over three conditions (off-road pedalling; off-road coasting; road coasting). Relatively low power output during off-road pedalling was associated with a greater oxygen uptake (p  .05). Importantly, pedalling did not invoke a performance benefit (p > .05) on the descent used in this study. Significantly greater heart rate and oxygen uptake (both p bike athletes focus on skills to increase descending speed without the addition of pedalling, and that equipment be used to decrease vibrations nearer to those seen on the road.

Computer controlled motor vehicle battery circuit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krueger, W.R.; McAuiliffe, G.N.; Schlageter, G.A.

1986-04-01

This patent consists of a motor vehicle having a DC motor, a pedal biased to a released position and depressed by the driver to increase speed. An alternate switching means affects the vehicle speed control, a foot switch is operated by the pedal and operative when the pedal is depressed to close a circuit enabling energization of the alternate switching means. A microprocessor includes a program for controlling operation of the alternate switching means, the foot switch is operative when the pedal is released to open the enabling circuit. The program includes a register which is incremented with each passage of the logic and is responsive to the incremented count in the register to instruct a change in position of the alternate switching means.

Combined, but not individual, blockade of ASIC3, P2X, and EP4 receptors attenuates the exercise pressor reflex in rats with freely perfused hindlimb muscles.

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Stone, Audrey J; Copp, Steven W; Kim, Joyce S; Kaufman, Marc P

2015-12-01

In healthy humans, tests of the hypothesis that lactic acid, PGE2, or ATP plays a role in evoking the exercise pressor reflex proved controversial. The findings in humans resembled ours in decerebrate rats that individual blockade of the receptors to lactic acid, PGE2, and ATP had only small effects on the exercise pressor reflex provided that the muscles were freely perfused. This similarity between humans and rats prompted us to test the hypothesis that in rats with freely perfused muscles combined receptor blockade is required to attenuate the exercise pressor reflex. We first compared the reflex before and after injecting either PPADS (10 mg/kg), a P2X receptor antagonist, APETx2 (100 μg/kg), an activating acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC) channel antagonist, or L161982 (2 μg/kg), an EP4 receptor antagonist, into the arterial supply of the hindlimb of decerebrated rats. We then examined the effects of combined blockade of P2X receptors, ASIC3 channels, and EP4 receptors on the exercise pressor reflex using the same doses, intra-arterial route, and time course of antagonist injections as those used for individual blockade. We found that neither PPADS (n = 5), APETx2 (n = 6), nor L161982 (n = 6) attenuated the reflex. In contrast, combined blockade of these receptors (n = 7) attenuated the peak (↓27%, P reflex. Combined blockade injected intravenously had no effect on the reflex. We conclude that combined blockade of P2X receptors, ASIC3 channels, and EP4 receptors on the endings of thin fiber muscle afferents is required to attenuate the exercise pressor reflex in rats with freely perfused hindlimbs. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Identity and Diversity in Today's World

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Gee, James Paul

2017-01-01

This paper develops a thesis about identity and diversity. I first look at activity-based identities, identities like being a gardener, birder, citizen scientist or fan-fiction writer. These are freely chosen identities and they are proliferating at a great rate today thanks to participatory culture, the Maker Movement and digital and social…

Page | 230 ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF NIGERIAN WOMEN IN THE ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fr. Ikenga

1993-06-29

Jun 29, 1993 ... and participation in public life.3. 3. ... this Convention aimed at removing the social 'shackles' on women with ... (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen ..... female world leader26 and president of New Zealand; Tsai Ing-Wen .... parents, guardians and other relations.

Free Choice or Adaptable Choice: Self-Determination Theory and Play

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King, Pete; Howard, Justine

2016-01-01

The authors explore the use of three basic tenets from Self-Determination Theory--competence, relatedness, and autonomy--for a definition of play that resists the current popular call for play to be freely chosen. They explore whether free play truly exists and whether complete choice constitutes an absolute requirement for children to consider…

Floristic Survey of Summer Aspect in Chosen China Clay Pits in Western Bohemia

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Kamila Botková

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Five different china clay pits in the western part of the Czech Republic were explored and plant species were determined. These chosen pits were: Hájek-western part, Chlumčany, Horní Bříza, Otovice and Podlesí II. China clay pits with active excavation represent a specific environment concerning both physical and chemical characteristics. This article is presenting a list of the higher plants which were found within active excavation or former excavation areas. Species with a protection status according to the Czech legislation are presented in more detail. 189 different species have been found in total, including 2 species from category C4 – potentially vulnerable taxa, 6 species from category C3 – endangered taxa and 1 species from the C1 – critically threatened taxa from the Red List of Vascular Plants of the Czech Republic. 28 different species occurred at each of the five sites. Predominant species favour sandy substratum and bare surface.

Symmetrical kinematics does not imply symmetrical kinetics in people with transtibial amputation using cycling model.

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Childers, W Lee; Kogler, Géza F

2014-01-01

People with amputation move asymmetrically with regard to kinematics (joint angles) and kinetics (joint forces and moments). Clinicians have traditionally sought to minimize kinematic asymmetries, assuming kinetic asymmetries would also be minimized. A cycling model evaluated locomotor asymmetries. Eight individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation pedaled with 172 mm-length crank arms on both sides (control condition) and with the crank arm length shortened to 162 mm on the amputated side (CRANK condition). Pedaling kinetics and limb kinematics were recorded. Joint kinetics, joint angles (mean and range of motion [ROM]), and pedaling asymmetries were calculated from force pedals and with a motion capture system. A one-way analysis of variance with tukey post hoc compared kinetics and kinematics across limbs. Statistical significance was set to p Pedaling asymmetries did not differ and were 23.0% +/= 9.8% and 23.2% +/= 12% for the control and CRANK conditions, respectively. Our results suggest that minimizing kinematic asymmetries does not relate to kinetic asymmetries as clinically assumed. We propose that future research should concentrate on defining acceptable asymmetry.

Head-mounted LED for optogenetic experiments of freely-behaving animal

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Kwon, Ki Yong; Gnade, Andrew G.; Rush, Alexander D.; Patten, Craig D.

2016-03-01

Recent developments in optogenetics have demonstrated the ability to target specific types of neurons with sub-millisecond temporal precision via direct optical stimulation of genetically modified neurons in the brain. In most applications, the beam of a laser is coupled to an optical fiber, which guides and delivers the optical power to the region of interest. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are an alternative light source for optogenetics and they provide many advantages over a laser based system including cost, size, illumination stability, and fast modulation. Their compact size and low power consumption make LEDs suitable light sources for a wireless optogenetic stimulation system. However, the coupling efficiency of an LED's output light into an optical fiber is lower than a laser due to its noncollimated output light. In typical chronic optogenetic experiment, the output of the light source is transmitted to the brain through a patch cable and a fiber stub implant, and this configuration requires two fiber-to-fiber couplings. Attenuation within the patch cable is potential source of optical power loss. In this study, we report and characterize a recently developed light delivery method for freely-behaving animal experiments. We have developed a head-mounted light source that maximizes the coupling efficiency of an LED light source by eliminating the need for a fiber optic cable. This miniaturized LED is designed to couple directly to the fiber stub implant. Depending on the desired optical power output, the head-mounted LED can be controlled by either a tethered (high power) or battery-powered wireless (moderate power) controller. In the tethered system, the LED is controlled through 40 gauge micro coaxial cable which is thinner, more flexible, and more durable than a fiber optic cable. The battery-powered wireless system uses either infrared or radio frequency transmission to achieve real-time control. Optical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal

The amount of 137Cs in chosen parts of food chains from localities in the East of Slovakia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cipakova, A.

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the amount of radiocaesium in chosen parts of food chains from localities in the Eastern Slovakia. Prevailing part of radiocaesium is in the upper layer of soils and specific activity of 137 Cs in the first layer for locality Stara Voda in 2000 achieved 152.4 Bq/kg 1 . On the base of results from modified Tessier sequential extraction method we determined that more than 50 % of this radionuclide is in the soil in not extractable fraction. From studied species of mushrooms the highest value was determined in sample of Rozites caperata the and specific activity achieved 1822.0 Bq/kg 1 d. w. The aim of our study was to determine the amount of caesium in chosen parts of food chains from localities in Eastern Slovakia for period 2000-2004. On the base of obtained results we can conclude that radiocaesium migrates vertically in soils very slowly and prevailing part of caesium is in the upper layer. Prevailing part of radiocaesium is in the not extractable fraction. Extremely low concentration of caesium in soil solution is the factor limiting caesium uptake by the root systems, too. Mushrooms are characterised by high ability to accumulate radiocaesium. (authors)

Sleeping dendrites: fiber-optic measurements of dendritic calcium activity in freely moving and sleeping animals

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Julie Seibt

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Dendrites are the post-synaptic sites of most excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the brain, making them the main location of cortical information processing and synaptic plasticity. Although current hypotheses suggest a central role for sleep in proper cognitive function and brain plasticity, virtually nothing is known about changes in dendritic activity across the sleep-wake cycle and how waking experience modifies this activity. To start addressing these questions, we developed a method that allows long-term recordings of EEGs/EMG combined with in vivo cortical calcium (Ca2+ activity in freely moving and sleeping rats. We measured Ca2+ activity from populations of dendrites of layer (L 5 pyramidal neurons (n = 13 rats that we compared with Ca2+ activity from populations of neurons in L2/3 (n = 11 rats. L5 and L2/3 neurons were labelled using bolus injection of OGB1-AM or GCaMP6 (1. Ca2+ signals were detected using a fiber-optic system (cannula diameter = 400µm, transmitting the changes in fluorescence to a photodiode. Ca2+ fluctuations could then be correlated with ongoing changes in brain oscillatory activity during 5 major brain states: active wake [AW], quiet wake [QW], NREM, REM and NREM-REM transition (or intermediate state, [IS]. Our Ca2+ recordings show large transients in L5 dendrites and L2/3 neurons that oscillate predominantly at frequencies In summary, we show that this technique is successful in monitoring fluctuations in ongoing dendritic Ca2+ activity during natural brain states and allows, in principle, to combine behavioral measurement with imaging from various brain regions (e.g. deep structures in freely behaving animals. Using this method, we show that Ca2+ transients from populations of L2/3 neurons and L5 dendrites are deferentially regulated across the sleep/wake cycle, with dendritic activity being the highest during the IS sleep. Our correlation analysis suggests that specific sleep EEG activity during NREM and IS

A problem for the idea of voluntary euthanasia.

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Campbell, N

1999-01-01

I question whether, in those cases where physician-assisted suicide is invoked to alleviate unbearable pain and suffering, there can be such a thing as voluntary euthanasia. The problem is that when a patient asks to die under such conditions there is good reason to think that the decision to die is compelled by the pain, and hence not freely chosen. Since the choice to die was not made freely it is inadvisable for physicians to act in accordance with it, for this may be contrary to the patient's genuine wishes. Thus, what were thought to be cases of voluntary euthanasia might actually be instances of involuntary euthanasia. PMID:10390679

The effect of exercise-induced arousal on chosen tempi for familiar melodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jakubowski, Kelly; Halpern, Andrea R; Grierson, Mick; Stewart, Lauren

2015-04-01

Many previous studies have shown that arousal affects time perception, suggesting a direct influence of arousal on the speed of the pacemaker of the internal clock. However, it is unknown whether arousal influences the mental representation of tempo (speed) for highly familiar and complex stimuli, such as well-known melodies, that have long-term representations in memory. Previous research suggests that mental representations of the tempo of familiar melodies are stable over time; the aim of the present study was to investigate whether these representations can be systematically altered via an increase in physiological arousal. Participants adjusted the tempo of 14 familiar melodies in real time until they found a tempo that matched their internal representation of the appropriate tempo for that piece. The task was carried out before and after a physiologically arousing (exercise) or nonarousing (anagrams) manipulation. Participants completed this task both while hearing the melodies aloud and while imagining them. Chosen tempi increased significantly following exercise-induced arousal, regardless of whether a melody was heard aloud or imagined. These findings suggest that a change in internal clock speed affects temporal judgments even for highly familiar and complex stimuli such as music.

Scaling in the sine-Gordon theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben-Abraham, S.I.

1976-01-01

It is shown that both the classical and the quantum sine-Gordon theory depend on a single scaling parameter and therefore the coupling constant cannot be freely chosen. To introduce a meaningful coupling constant it is proposed to include higher Fourier terms in the sine-Gordon potential. The two term case is exactly solvable. (Auth.)

40 CFR 60.4410 - How do I establish a valid parameter range if I have chosen to continuously monitor parameters?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How do I establish a valid parameter... § 60.4410 How do I establish a valid parameter range if I have chosen to continuously monitor... continuously monitored and recorded during each run of the initial performance test, to establish acceptable...

Analysis, Synthesis, and Classification of Nonlinear Systems Using Synchronized Swept-Sine Method for Audio Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novak Antonin

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A new method of identification, based on an input synchronized exponential swept-sine signal, is used to analyze and synthesize nonlinear audio systems like overdrive pedals for guitar. Two different pedals are studied; the first one exhibiting a strong influence of the input signal level on its input/output law and the second one exhibiting a weak influence of this input signal level. The Synchronized Swept Sine method leads to a Generalized Polynomial Hammerstein model equivalent to the pedals under test. The behaviors of both pedals are illustrated through model-based resynthesized signals. Moreover, it is also shown that this method leads to a criterion allowing the classification of the nonlinear systems under test, according to the influence of the input signal levels on their input/output law.

Vertical Finger Displacement Is Reduced in Index Finger Tapping During Repeated Bout Rate Enhancement.

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Mora-Jensen, Mark Holten; Madeleine, Pascal; Hansen, Ernst Albin

2017-10-01

The present study analyzed (a) whether a recently reported phenomenon of repeated bout rate enhancement in finger tapping (i.e., a cumulating increase in freely chosen finger tapping frequency following submaximal muscle activation in the form of externally unloaded voluntary tapping) could be replicated and (b) the hypotheses that the faster tapping was accompanied by changed vertical displacement of the fingertip and changed peak force during tapping. Right-handed, healthy, and recreationally active individuals (n = 24) performed two 3-min index finger tapping bouts at freely chosen tapping frequency, separated by 10-min rest. The recently reported phenomenon of repeated bout rate enhancement was replicated. The faster tapping (8.8 ± 18.7 taps/min, corresponding to 6.0 ± 11.0%, p = .033) was accompanied by reduced vertical displacement (1.6 ± 2.9 mm, corresponding to 6.3 ± 14.9%, p = .012) of the fingertip. Concurrently, peak force was unchanged. The present study points at separate control mechanisms governing kinematics and kinetics during finger tapping.

Strong Authentication Scheme Based on Hand Geometry and Smart Card Factors

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Ali A. Yassin

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In 2009, Xu et al. presented a safe, dynamic, id-based on remote user authentication method that has several advantages such as freely chosen passwords and mutual authentication. In this paper, we review the Xu–Zhu–Feng scheme and indicate many shortcomings in their scheme. Impersonation attacks and insider attacks could be effective. To overcome these drawbacks, we propose a secure biometric-based remote authentication scheme using biometric characteristics of hand-geometry, which is aimed at withstanding well-known attacks and achieving good performance. Furthermore, our work contains many crucial merits such as mutual authentication, user anonymity, freely chosen passwords, secure password changes, session key agreements, revocation by using personal biometrics, and does not need extra device or software for hand geometry in the login phase. Additionally, our scheme is highly efficient and withstands existing known attacks like password guessing, server impersonation, insider attacks, denial of service (DOS attacks, replay attacks, and parallel-session attacks. Compared with the other related schemes, our work is powerful both in communications and computation costs.

Systemic blockade of dopamine D2-like receptors increases high-voltage spindles in the globus pallidus and motor cortex of freely moving rats.

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Chen Yang

Full Text Available High-voltage spindles (HVSs have been reported to appear spontaneously and widely in the cortical-basal ganglia networks of rats. Our previous study showed that dopamine depletion can significantly increase the power and coherence of HVSs in the globus pallidus (GP and motor cortex of freely moving rats. However, it is unclear whether dopamine regulates HVS activity by acting on dopamine D₁-like receptors or D₂-like receptors. We employed local-field potential and electrocorticogram methods to simultaneously record the oscillatory activities in the GP and primary motor cortex (M1 in freely moving rats following systemic administration of dopamine receptor antagonists or saline. The results showed that the dopamine D₂-like receptor antagonists, raclopride and haloperidol, significantly increased the number and duration of HVSs, and the relative power associated with HVS activity in the GP and M1 cortex. Coherence values for HVS activity between the GP and M1 cortex area were also significantly increased by dopamine D₂-like receptor antagonists. On the contrary, the selective dopamine D₁-like receptor antagonist, SCH23390, had no significant effect on the number, duration, or relative power of HVSs, or HVS-related coherence between M1 and GP. In conclusion, dopamine D₂-like receptors, but not D₁-like receptors, were involved in HVS regulation. This supports the important role of dopamine D₂-like receptors in the regulation of HVSs. An siRNA knock-down experiment on the striatum confirmed our conclusion.

Systemic blockade of dopamine D2-like receptors increases high-voltage spindles in the globus pallidus and motor cortex of freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chen; Ge, Shun-Nan; Zhang, Jia-Rui; Chen, Lei; Yan, Zhi-Qiang; Heng, Li-Jun; Zhao, Tian-Zhi; Li, Wei-Xin; Jia, Dong; Zhu, Jun-Ling; Gao, Guo-Dong

2013-01-01

High-voltage spindles (HVSs) have been reported to appear spontaneously and widely in the cortical-basal ganglia networks of rats. Our previous study showed that dopamine depletion can significantly increase the power and coherence of HVSs in the globus pallidus (GP) and motor cortex of freely moving rats. However, it is unclear whether dopamine regulates HVS activity by acting on dopamine D₁-like receptors or D₂-like receptors. We employed local-field potential and electrocorticogram methods to simultaneously record the oscillatory activities in the GP and primary motor cortex (M1) in freely moving rats following systemic administration of dopamine receptor antagonists or saline. The results showed that the dopamine D₂-like receptor antagonists, raclopride and haloperidol, significantly increased the number and duration of HVSs, and the relative power associated with HVS activity in the GP and M1 cortex. Coherence values for HVS activity between the GP and M1 cortex area were also significantly increased by dopamine D₂-like receptor antagonists. On the contrary, the selective dopamine D₁-like receptor antagonist, SCH23390, had no significant effect on the number, duration, or relative power of HVSs, or HVS-related coherence between M1 and GP. In conclusion, dopamine D₂-like receptors, but not D₁-like receptors, were involved in HVS regulation. This supports the important role of dopamine D₂-like receptors in the regulation of HVSs. An siRNA knock-down experiment on the striatum confirmed our conclusion.

Dimension dependence of clustering dynamics in models of ballistic aggregation and freely cooling granular gas

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Subhajit; Das, Subir K.

2018-03-01

Via event-driven molecular dynamics simulations we study kinetics of clustering in assemblies of inelastic particles in various space dimensions. We consider two models, viz., the ballistic aggregation model (BAM) and the freely cooling granular gas model (GGM), for each of which we quantify the time dependence of kinetic energy and average mass of clusters (that form due to inelastic collisions). These quantities, for both the models, exhibit power-law behavior, at least in the long time limit. For the BAM, corresponding exponents exhibit strong dimension dependence and follow a hyperscaling relation. In addition, in the high packing fraction limit the behavior of these quantities become consistent with a scaling theory that predicts an inverse relation between energy and mass. On the other hand, in the case of the GGM we do not find any evidence for such a picture. In this case, even though the energy decay, irrespective of packing fraction, matches quantitatively with that for the high packing fraction picture of the BAM, it is inversely proportional to the growth of mass only in one dimension, and the growth appears to be rather insensitive to the choice of the dimension, unlike the BAM.

Effect of pyrolysis temperatures on freely dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in sewage sludge-derived biochars.

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Zielińska, Anna; Oleszczuk, Patryk

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge pyrolysis on freely dissolved (Cfree) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents in biochars. Four sewage sludges with varying properties and PAH contents were pyrolysed at temperatures of 500 °C, 600 °C or 700 °C. Cfree PAH contents were determined using polyoxymethylene (POM). The contents of Cfree PAHs in the sludges ranged from 262 to 294 ng L(-1). Sewage sludge-derived biochars have from 2.3- to 3.4-times lower Cfree PAH contents comparing to corresponding sewage sludges. The Cfree PAH contents in the biochars ranged between 81 ng L(-1) and 126 ng L(-1). As regards agricultural use of biochar, the lower contents of Cfree PAHs in the biochars compared to the sewage sludges makes biochar a safer material than sewage sludge in terms of PAH contents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

UNTERWEGS-­‐‑SEIN IN EUROPA ZWISCHEN VERGANGENHEIT UND ZUKUNFT. BENJAMINS UND BOBROWSKIS „WANDERER“

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Maria Behre

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In his Denkbilder, the Jewish philosopher and homme de lettre Walter Benjamin describes scenes from European metropolises. He offers a glance at quite heterogeneous and freely chosen life styles of the turbulent nineteen-twenties to sketch a possible future for Europe. Today’s reader of the Denkbilder can hardly suppress the memory of a political and personal crisis, namely that of Benjamin’s flight across the Pyrenees, which ended in the Spanish harbour town Portbou. In the poem Der Wanderer, the writer Johannes Bobrowski, a resident of East Berlin, captures the life of a wanderer who depends on the hospitality of others, because he is either persecuted or his freely chosen lifestyle requires him to roam about. For both authors, travelling becomes a substitute for “Heimat” and also a way of life that represents the future of Europe. This forward-looking attitude is based on the experience of cataclysmic events that have been memorably expressed in highly literate apocalyptic images. The writer and graphic designer Christoph Meckel emphasizes how life rises out of ruins only to return to them, by embedding the lyrical process in Eastern European villages, thereby creating a country for which Bobrowski had chosen the mythological name “Sarmatia”, which stands for a messianic utopian vision shared by Benjamin and others.

Direct measurement of the ballistic motion of a freely floating colloid in Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Andrew P; Corwin, Eric I

2017-10-01

A thermal colloid suspended in a liquid will transition from a short-time ballistic motion to a long-time diffusive motion. However, the transition between ballistic and diffusive motion is highly dependent on the properties and structure of the particular liquid. We directly observe a free floating tracer particle's ballistic motion and its transition to the long-time regime in both a Newtonian fluid and a viscoelastic Maxwell fluid. We examine the motion of the free particle in a Newtonian fluid and demonstrate a high degree of agreement with the accepted Clercx-Schram model for motion in a dense fluid. Measurements of the functional form of the ballistic-to-diffusive transition provide direct measurements of the temperature, viscosity, and tracer radius. We likewise measure the motion in a viscoelastic Maxwell fluid and find a significant disagreement between the theoretical asymptotic behavior and our measured values of the microscopic properties of the fluid. We observe a greatly increased effective mass for a freely moving particle and a decreased plateau modulus.

[Evaluation of influence of diet content and its supplementation with chosen group of B vitamins on lipids and lipoprtoteins concentration in female rat serum].

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Mariola; Goluch-Koniuszy, Zuzanna

2009-01-01

The influence of diet content and its supplementation with chosen group of B vitamins on the intake of feeding stuff increase, changes of body mass, accumulation of fat tissue, lipids and lipoproteins concentration in the blood of female rats were under research. The animals, aged 5 months, were divided into three groups (8 persons each) and fed ad libitum with granulated Labofeed B type mix. Group I with the basic mix containing among other things whole grain, Group II with a modified mix, where whole grain was replaced by wheat flour and saccharose and Group III with modified mix supplemented in excess with chosen vitamins of B group. This experiment took 6 weeks during which the amount of consumed feed was currently evaluated, and the body mass was controlled weekly. After finishing the experiment in the obtained serum the concentration of triacylglycerols, complete cholesterol with enzyme method and the content of cholesterol fractions with electrophoretic separation method were determined. Analysis of fat content in muscles and livers was conducted and the amount of round the bodily organ fat was determined. It was ascertained that change of the content of the feed and its supplementation with the chosen B group vitamins did not influence in a substantial way its intake and the increase of body mass, however it had influenced substantially, in animals fed with the modified feed the accumulation of round the organ fat and in supplemented the intramuscular fat. Analysis of the results enabled the ascertainment that the diet supplementation with chosen ingredients of the B group vitamins corrects the negative effect of accumulation of the visceral fat tissue as a result of the change of its contents, caused substantial increase in the concentration of triacylglycerols, complete cholesterol and its fractions VLDL- and LDL- with simultaneous decrease of the concentration of cholesterol HDL- fractions.

Beta oscillations in freely moving Parkinson's subjects are attenuated during deep brain stimulation.

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Quinn, Emma J; Blumenfeld, Zack; Velisar, Anca; Koop, Mandy Miller; Shreve, Lauren A; Trager, Megan H; Hill, Bruce C; Kilbane, Camilla; Henderson, Jaimie M; Brontë-Stewart, Helen

2015-11-01

Investigations into the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on subthalamic (STN) beta (13-30 Hz) oscillations have been performed in the perioperative period with the subject tethered to equipment. Using an embedded sensing neurostimulator, this study investigated whether beta power was similar in different resting postures and during forward walking in freely moving subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) and whether STN DBS attenuated beta power in a voltage-dependent manner. Subthalamic local field potentials were recorded from the DBS lead, using a sensing neurostimulator (Activa(®) PC+S, Medtronic, Inc., Food and Drug Administration- Investigational Device Exemption (IDE)-, institutional review board-approved) from 15 PD subjects (30 STNs) off medication during lying, sitting, and standing, during forward walking, and during randomized periods of 140 Hz DBS at 0 V, 1 V, and 2.5/3 V. Continuous video, limb angular velocity, and forearm electromyography recordings were synchronized with neural recordings. Data were parsed to avoid any movement or electrical artifact during resting states. Beta power was similar during lying, sitting, and standing (P = 0.077, n = 28) and during forward walking compared with the averaged resting state (P = 0.466, n = 24), although akinetic rigid PD subjects tended to exhibit decreased beta power when walking. Deep brain stimulation at 3 V and at 1 V attenuated beta power compared with 0 V (P closed-loop DBS. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Projected Crop Production under Regional Climate Change Using Scenario Data and Modeling: Sensitivity to Chosen Sowing Date and Cultivar

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Sulin Tao

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A sensitivity analysis of the responses of crops to the chosen production adaptation options under regional climate change was conducted in this study. Projections of winter wheat production for different sowing dates and cultivars were estimated for a major economic and agricultural province of China from 2021 to 2080 using the World Food Study model (WOFOST under representative concentration pathways (RCPs scenarios. A modeling chain was established and a correction method was proposed to reduce the bias of the resulting model-simulated climate data. The results indicated that adjusting the sowing dates and cultivars could mitigate the influences of climate change on winter wheat production in Jinagsu. The yield gains were projected from the chosen sowing date and cultivar. The following actions are recommended to ensure high and stable yields under future climate changes: (i advance the latest sowing date in some areas of northern Jiangsu; and (ii use heat-tolerant or heat-tolerant and drought-resistant varieties in most areas of Jiangsu rather than the currently used cultivar. Fewer of the common negative effects of using a single climate model occurred when using the sensitivity analysis because our bias correction method was effective for scenario data and because the WOFOST performed well for Jiangsu after calibration.

ISG hybrid powertrain: a rule-based driver model incorporating look-ahead information

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Shuiwen; Zhang, Junzhi; Chen, Xiaojiang; Zhong, Qing-Chang; Thornton, Roger

2010-03-01

According to European regulations, if the amount of regenerative braking is determined by the travel of the brake pedal, more stringent standards must be applied, otherwise it may adversely affect the existing vehicle safety system. The use of engine or vehicle speed to derive regenerative braking is one way to avoid strict design standards, but this introduces discontinuity in powertrain torque when the driver releases the acceleration pedal or applies the brake pedal. This is shown to cause oscillations in the pedal input and powertrain torque when a conventional driver model is adopted. Look-ahead information, together with other predicted vehicle states, are adopted to control the vehicle speed, in particular, during deceleration, and to improve the driver model so that oscillations can be avoided. The improved driver model makes analysis and validation of the control strategy for an integrated starter generator (ISG) hybrid powertrain possible.

Toward quantitative fast diffusion kurtosis imaging with b-values chosen in consideration of signal-to-noise ratio and model fidelity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Yen-Shu; Yang, Shun-Chung; Chung, Hsiao-Wen; Wu, Wen-Chau

2018-02-01

Diffusion kurtosis (DK) imaging is a variant of conventional diffusion magnetic resonance (MR) imaging that allows assessment of non-Gaussian diffusion. Fast DK imaging expedites the procedure by decreasing both scan time (acquiring the minimally required number of b-values) and computation time (obviating least-square curve fitting). This study aimed to investigate the applicability of fast DK imaging for both cerebral gray matter and white matter as a quantitative method. Seventeen healthy volunteers were recruited and each provided written informed consent before participation. On a 3-Tesla clinical MR system, diffusion imaging was performed with 12 b-values ranging from 0 to 4000 s/mm 2 . Diffusion encoding was along three orthogonal directions (slice selection, phase encoding, and frequency encoding) in separate series. Candidate b-values were chosen by first determining the maximum b-value (b max ) in the context of signal-to-noise ratio and then assessing the model fidelity for all b-value combinations within b max . Diffusion coefficient (D) and diffusion kurtosis coefficient (K) were derived from these candidates and assessed for their dependence on b-value combination. Our data suggested b max to be 2200 s/mm 2 as a trade-off between the percentage (~80%) of voxels statistically detectable against background and the sensitivity to non-Gaussian diffusion in both gray matter and white matter. The measurement dependence on b-value was observed predominantly in areas with a considerable amount of cerebrospinal fluid. In most gray matter and white matter, b-value combinations do not cause statistical difference in the calculated D and K. For fast DK imaging to be quantitatively applicable in both gray matter and white matter, b max should be chosen to ensure adequate signal-to-noise ratio in the majority of gray/white matter and the two nonzero b-values should be chosen in consideration of model fidelity to mitigate the dependence of derived indices on b

Pracoholizm w kategoriach deprecjacji pracy pielęgniarki. Wybrane aspekty = Workaholism in categories of nurses’ work depreciation. Chosen aspects

OpenAIRE

Stychno, Ewa; Kulczycka, Kinga

2016-01-01

Stychno Ewa, Kulczycka Kinga. Pracoholizm w kategoriach deprecjacji pracy pielęgniarki. Wybrane aspekty = Workaholism in categories of nurses’ work depreciation. Chosen aspects. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2016;6(10):11-21. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.159507 http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/3920 The journal has had 7 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. Part B item 755 (23.12....

Estimation of unsteady aerodynamics in the wake of a freely flying European starling (Sturnus vulgaris.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hadar Ben-Gida

Full Text Available Wing flapping is one of the most widespread propulsion methods found in nature; however, the current understanding of the aerodynamics in bird wakes is incomplete. The role of the unsteady motion in the flow and its contribution to the aerodynamics is still an open question. In the current study, the wake of a freely flying European starling has been investigated using long-duration high-speed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV in the near wake. Kinematic analysis of the wings and body of the bird has been performed using additional high-speed cameras that recorded the bird movement simultaneously with the PIV measurements. The wake evolution of four complete wingbeats has been characterized through reconstruction of the time-resolved data, and the aerodynamics in the wake have been analyzed in terms of the streamwise forces acting on the bird. The profile drag from classical aerodynamics was found to be positive during most of the wingbeat cycle, yet kinematic images show that the bird does not decelerate. It is shown that unsteady aerodynamics are necessary to satisfy the drag/thrust balance by approximating the unsteady drag term. These findings may shed light on the flight efficiency of birds by providing a partial answer to how they minimize drag during flapping flight.

Precision measurement of electric organ discharge timing from freely moving weakly electric fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, James J; Longtin, André; Maler, Leonard

2012-04-01

Physiological measurements from an unrestrained, untethered, and freely moving animal permit analyses of neural states correlated to naturalistic behaviors of interest. Precise and reliable remote measurements remain technically challenging due to animal movement, which perturbs the relative geometries between the animal and sensors. Pulse-type electric fish generate a train of discrete and stereotyped electric organ discharges (EOD) to sense their surroundings actively, and rapid modulation of the discharge rate occurs while free swimming in Gymnotus sp. The modulation of EOD rates is a useful indicator of the fish's central state such as resting, alertness, and learning associated with exploration. However, the EOD pulse waveforms remotely observed at a pair of dipole electrodes continuously vary as the fish swims relative to the electrodes, which biases the judgment of the actual pulse timing. To measure the EOD pulse timing more accurately, reliably, and noninvasively from a free-swimming fish, we propose a novel method based on the principles of waveform reshaping and spatial averaging. Our method is implemented using envelope extraction and multichannel summation, which is more precise and reliable compared with other widely used threshold- or peak-based methods according to the tests performed under various source-detector geometries. Using the same method, we constructed a real-time electronic pulse detector performing an additional online pulse discrimination routine to enhance further the detection reliability. Our stand-alone pulse detector performed with high temporal precision (<10 μs) and reliability (error <1 per 10(6) pulses) and permits longer recording duration by storing only event time stamps (4 bytes/pulse).

Active deceleration support in car following

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulder, M.; Pauwelussen, J.J.A.; Paassen, M.M. van; Mulder, M.; Abbink, D.A.

2010-01-01

A haptic gas pedal feedback system is developed that provides car-following information via haptic cues from the gas pedal. During normal car-following situations, the haptic feedback (HF) cues were sufficient to reduce control activity and improve car-following performance. However, in more

Evaluation of microwave detection equipment in terms of reliability, durability and pedestrian safety.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schagen, I. van & Sherborne, D.

1991-01-01

Urban traffic light cycle times are almost exclusively directed at maximizing throughput and minimizing delay of motorized traffic. The needs of pedestrians and pedal cyclists are of minor importance and their delay times are usually disregarded. Both safety and mobility of pedestrians and pedal

A low-cost multichannel wireless neural stimulation system for freely roaming animals

Science.gov (United States)

Alam, Monzurul; Chen, Xi; Fernandez, Eduardo

2013-12-01

Objectives. Electrical stimulation of nerve tissue and recording of neural activity are the basis of many therapies and neural prostheses. Conventional stimulation systems have a number of practical limitations, especially in experiments involving freely roaming subjects. Our main objective was to develop a modular, versatile and inexpensive multichannel wireless system able to overcome some of these constraints. Approach. We have designed and implemented a new multichannel wireless neural stimulator based on commercial components. The system is small (2 cm × 4 cm × 0.5 cm) and light in weight (9 g) which allows it to be easily carried in a small backpack. To test and validate the performance and reliability of the whole system we conducted several bench tests and in vivo experiments. Main results. The performance and accuracy of the stimulator were comparable to commercial threaded systems. Stimulation sequences can be constructed on-the-fly with 251 selectable current levels (from 0 to 250 µA) with 1 µA step resolution. The pulse widths and intervals can be as long as 65 ms in 2 µs time resolution. The system covers approximately 10 m of transmission range in a regular laboratory environment and 100 m in free space (line of sight). Furthermore it provides great flexibility for experiments since it allows full control of the stimulator and the stimulation parameters in real time. When there is no stimulation, the device automatically goes into low-power sleep mode to preserve battery power. Significance. We introduce the design of a powerful multichannel wireless stimulator assembled from commercial components. Key features of the system are their reliability, robustness and small size. The system has a flexible design that can be modified straightforwardly to tailor it to any specific experimental need. Furthermore it can be effortlessly adapted for use with any kind of multielectrode arrays.

Identification of behaviour in freely moving dogs (Canis familiaris using inertial sensors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda Gerencsér

Full Text Available Monitoring and describing the physical movements and body postures of animals is one of the most fundamental tasks of ethology. The more precise the observations are the more sophisticated the interpretations can be about the biology of a certain individual or species. Animal-borne data loggers have recently contributed much to the collection of motion-data from individuals, however, the problem of translating these measurements to distinct behavioural categories to create an ethogram is not overcome yet. The objective of the present study was to develop a "behaviour tracker": a system composed of a multiple sensor data-logger device (with a tri-axial accelerometer and a tri-axial gyroscope and a supervised learning algorithm as means of automated identification of the behaviour of freely moving dogs. We collected parallel sensor measurements and video recordings of each of our subjects (Belgian Malinois, N=12; Labrador Retrievers, N=12 that were guided through a predetermined series of standard activities. Seven behavioural categories (lay, sit, stand, walk, trot, gallop, canter were pre-defined and each video recording was tagged accordingly. Evaluation of the measurements was performed by support vector machine (SVM classification. During the analysis we used different combinations of independent measurements for training and validation (belonging to the same or different individuals or using different training data size to determine the robustness of the application. We reached an overall accuracy of above 90% perfect identification of all the defined seven categories of behaviour when both training and validation data belonged to the same individual, and over 80% perfect recognition rate using a generalized training data set of multiple subjects. Our results indicate that the present method provides a good model for an easily applicable, fast, automatic behaviour classification system that can be trained with arbitrary motion patterns and

Flexible Coupling of Respiration and Vocalizations with Locomotion and Head Movements in the Freely Behaving Rat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Andrews Alves

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Quadrupedal mammals typically synchronize their respiration with body movements during rhythmic locomotion. In the rat, fast respiration is coupled to head movements during sniffing behavior, but whether respiration is entrained by stride dynamics is not known. We recorded intranasal pressure, head acceleration, instantaneous speed, and ultrasonic vocalizations from male and female adult rats while freely behaving in a social environment. We used high-speed video recordings of stride to understand how head acceleration signals relate to locomotion and developed techniques to identify episodes of sniffing, walking, trotting, and galloping from the recorded variables. Quantitative analysis of synchrony between respiration and head acceleration rhythms revealed that respiration and locomotion movements were coordinated but with a weaker coupling than expected from previous work in other mammals. We have recently shown that rats behaving in social settings produce high rates of ultrasonic vocalizations during locomotion bouts. Accordingly, rats emitted vocalizations in over half of the respiratory cycles during fast displacements. We present evidence suggesting that emission of these calls disrupts the entrainment of respiration by stride. The coupling between these two variables is thus flexible, such that it can be overridden by other behavioral demands.

Synchrotron x-ray study of the orientational ordering D2-D1 structural phase transition of freely suspended discotic strands in triphenylene hexa-n-dodecanoate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Safinya, C.R.; Liang, K.S.; Varady, W.A.; Clark, N.A.; Andersson, G.

1984-01-01

We demonstrate the feasibility of x-ray scattering studies of freely suspended strands of discotic liquid crystals (of triphenylene hexa-n-dodecanoate). We are able to grow strands, which are stable for days, of diameter >50 μm with a few single crystal domains. Unexpectedly, we find that the quasi two-dimensional structural phase transition from columnar D2 to columnar D1 corresponds to the orientational ordering of columns of molecules with the molecules tilted at finite angles to the column axis in both phases

Pracoholizm w kategoriach deprecjacji pracy pielęgniarki. Wybrane aspekty = Workaholism in categories of nurses’ work depreciation. Chosen aspects

OpenAIRE

Ewa Stychno; Kinga Kulczycka

2016-01-01

Stychno Ewa, Kulczycka Kinga. Pracoholizm w kategoriach deprecjacji pracy pielęgniarki. Wybrane aspekty = Workaholism in categories of nurses’ work depreciation. Chosen aspects. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2016;6(10):11-21. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.159507 http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/3920       The journal has had 7 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. Part B item 755 (23.12.2...

The equation x^py^q = z^r and groups that act freely on Λ-trees

OpenAIRE

Brady, N.; Ciobanu, Laura; Martino, A.; Rourke, S. O

2009-01-01

Let G be a group that acts freely on a Λ-tree, where Λ is an ordered abelian group, and let x,y,z be elements in G. We show that if xpyq = zr with integers p, q, r ≥ 4, then x, y and z commute. As a result, the one-relator groups with xpyq = zr as relator, are examples of hyperbolic and CAT( − 1) groups which do not act freely on any Λ-tree.

Effects of frequency on gross efficiency and performance in roller ski skating.

Science.gov (United States)

Leirdal, S; Sandbakk, O; Ettema, G

2013-06-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of frequency on efficiency and performance during G3 roller ski skating. Eight well-trained male cross-country skiers performed three submaximal 5-min speeds (10, 13, and 16 km/h) and a time-to-exhaustion (TTE) performance (at 20 km/h) using the G3 skating technique using freely chosen, high, and low frequency at all four speeds. All tests were done using roller skis on a large treadmill at 5% incline. Gross efficiency (GE) was calculated as power divided by metabolic rate. Power was calculated as the sum of power against frictional forces and power against gravity. Metabolic rate was calculated from oxygen consumption and blood lactate concentration. Freely chosen frequency increased from 60 to 70 strokes/min as speed increased from 10 to 20 km/h. GE increased with power. At high power (20 km/h performance test), both efficiency and performance were significantly reduced by high frequency. In regard to choice of frequency during G3 roller ski skating, cross-country skiers seems to be self-optimized both in relation to energy saving (efficiency) and performance (TTE). © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Haloperidol-induced changes in neuronal activity in the striatum of the freely moving rat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorin eYael

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The striatum is the main input structure of the basal ganglia, integrating input from the cerebral cortex and the thalamus, which is modulated by midbrain dopaminergic input. Dopamine modulators, including agonists and antagonists, are widely used to relieve motor and psychiatric symptoms in a variety of pathological conditions. Haloperidol, a dopamine D2 antagonist, is commonly used in multiple psychiatric conditions and motor abnormalities. This article reports the effects of haloperidol on the activity of three major striatal subpopulations: medium spiny projection neurons (MSNs, fast spiking interneurons (FSIs and tonically active neurons (TANs. We implanted multi-wire electrode arrays in the rat dorsal striatum and recorded the activity of multiple single units in freely moving animals before and after systemic haloperidol injection. Haloperidol decreased the firing rate of FSIs and MSNs while increasing their tendency to fire in an oscillatory manner in the high voltage spindle (HVS frequency range of 7-9 Hz. Haloperidol led to an increased firing rate of TANs but did not affect their non-oscillatory firing pattern and their typical correlated firing activity. Our results suggest that dopamine plays a key role in tuning both single unit activity and the interactions within and between different subpopulations in the striatum in a differential manner. These findings highlight the heterogeneous striatal effects of tonic dopamine regulation via D2 receptors which potentially enable the treatment of diverse pathological states associated with basal ganglia dysfunction.

A Coordinated Control Architecture for Disaster Response Robots

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

to use these same algorithms to provide navigation Odometry for the vehicle motions when the robot is driving. Visual Odometry The YouTube link... depressed the accelerator pedal. We relied on the fact that the vehicle quickly comes to rest when the accelerator pedal is not being pressed. The

All you need to know on... EU regulations for e-bikes, pedelecs, and speed pedelecs.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2016-01-01

For clarity, in the following article pedelec means a bicycle with a motor that only functions on condition the cyclist pedals, whilst e-bike means a bicycle with a motor that functions by turning the throttle, so irrespective of the cyclist pedalling. The term electric bicycle is generic and

Soleus stretch reflex during cycling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grey, Michael James; Pierce, C. W.; Milner, T. E.

2001-01-01

The modulation and strength of the human soleus short latency stretch reflex was investigated by mechanically perturbing the ankle during an unconstrained pedaling task. Eight subjects pedaled at 60 rpm against a preload of 10 Nm. A torque pulse was applied to the crank at various positions durin...

Examining the use of evidence-based and social media supported tools in freely accessible physical activity intervention websites.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandelanotte, Corneel; Kirwan, Morwenna; Rebar, Amanda; Alley, Stephanie; Short, Camille; Fallon, Luke; Buzza, Gavin; Schoeppe, Stephanie; Maher, Carol; Duncan, Mitch J

2014-08-17

It has been shown that physical activity is more likely to increase if web-based interventions apply evidence-based components (e.g. self-monitoring) and incorporate interactive social media applications (e.g. social networking), but it is unclear to what extent these are being utilized in the publicly available web-based physical activity interventions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether freely accessible websites delivering physical activity interventions use evidence-based behavior change techniques and provide social media applications. In 2013, a systematic search strategy examined 750 websites. Data was extracted on a wide range of variables (e.g. self-monitoring, goal setting, and social media applications). To evaluate website quality a new tool, comprising three sub-scores (Behavioral Components, Interactivity and User Generated Content), was developed to assess implementation of behavior change techniques and social media applications. An overall website quality scored was obtained by summing the three sub-scores. Forty-six publicly available websites were included in the study. The use of self-monitoring (54.3%), goal setting (41.3%) and provision of feedback (46%) was relatively low given the amount of evidence supporting these features. Whereas the presence of features allowing users to generate content (73.9%), and social media components (Facebook (65.2%), Twitter (47.8%), YouTube (48.7%), smartphone applications (34.8%)) was relatively high considering their innovative and untested nature. Nearly all websites applied some behavioral and social media applications. The average Behavioral Components score was 3.45 (±2.53) out of 10. The average Interactivity score was 3.57 (±2.16) out of 10. The average User Generated Content Score was 4.02 (±2.77) out of 10. The average overall website quality score was 11.04 (±6.92) out of 30. Four websites (8.7%) were classified as high quality, 12 websites (26.1%) were classified as moderate

Ergonomic assessment of brake and accelerator mechanisms of MF285 and MF399 tractors using electromyography method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Nikkhah

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Too many people are working in the agricultural sector and therefore, pay more attention to the safety and health at work in the agricultural sector is important. This issue is more important in developing industrial countries where the level of the ergonomic working condition is less than that of developed countries. Attention to ergonomic condition of agricultural machinery drivers is one of the goals of agricultural mechanization. Therefore, in this study the ergonomic conditions of brake and accelerator mechanisms for MF285 and MF399 tractor's drivers were investigated using a new method. Materials and Methods: 25 people were selected for experiment. The electrical activity of Medialis gastrocnemius, Lateralis gastrocnemius, Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Quadratus Lumborum and Trapezius muscles of drivers before and during pressing the pedal and after rest time were recorded using Biovision device. Measurements were performed for each person on each muscle 30 seconds before pressing the pedal, 60 seconds after pressing the pedal and after 60 seconds of rest. For all drivers, the muscles on the right side (brake and accelerator side have been selected and tested. The measurements were performed in compliance with appropriate time intervals between the measurements. Results and Discussion: Ergonomic assessment of brake pedal: The results showed that the RMS electrical activity of muscles of Vastus medialis and Medial gastrocnemius, during 60 seconds braking were 2.47 and 1.97. So, Vastus medialis and Medial gastrocnemius had the highest stress during pressing the MF399 tractor's brake pedal. Moreover, the Medial gastrocnemius and Lateral gastrocnemius with RMS electrical activity ratio of 2.47 and 1.74 had the highest RMS electrical activity ratio respectively, during 60 seconds braking compared to before braking of MF285 tractor. The comparison of results showed that the Vastus medialis and Trapezius had the higher stress

23rd annual meeting of German Society for Neuroradiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehne, D.

1987-01-01

Book of abstracts of this annual meeting summarizing the 58 lectures that dealt with the following subjects: Pathologic changes of the cervical vertebral canal and of the cervico-occipital region, as detected by modern imaging techniques (18 papers); diagnostic examination of the urbita and the middle cranial fossa (12 papers); invasive methods of neuroradiology (13 papers); 15 papers on freely chosen subjects. (MG) [de

The importance of the chosen technique to estimate diffuse solar radiation by means of regression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arslan, Talha; Altyn Yavuz, Arzu [Department of Statistics. Science and Literature Faculty. Eskisehir Osmangazi University (Turkey)], email: mtarslan@ogu.edu.tr, email: aaltin@ogu.edu.tr; Acikkalp, Emin [Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. Engineering Faculty. Bilecik University (Turkey)], email: acikkalp@gmail.com

2011-07-01

The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method is one of the most frequently used for estimation of diffuse solar radiation. The data set must provide certain assumptions for the OLS method to work. The most important is that the regression equation offered by OLS error terms must fit within the normal distribution. Utilizing an alternative robust estimator to get parameter estimations is highly effective in solving problems where there is a lack of normal distribution due to the presence of outliers or some other factor. The purpose of this study is to investigate the value of the chosen technique for the estimation of diffuse radiation. This study described alternative robust methods frequently used in applications and compared them with the OLS method. Making a comparison of the data set analysis of the OLS and that of the M Regression (Huber, Andrews and Tukey) techniques, it was study found that robust regression techniques are preferable to OLS because of the smoother explanation values.

40 CFR 60.4405 - How do I perform the initial performance test if I have chosen to install a NOX-diluent CEMS?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How do I perform the initial... § 60.4405 How do I perform the initial performance test if I have chosen to install a NOX-diluent CEMS... of nine RATA reference method runs, with a minimum time per run of 21 minutes, at a single load level...

Analysis of different image-based biofeedback models for improving cycling performances

Science.gov (United States)

Bibbo, D.; Conforto, S.; Bernabucci, I.; Carli, M.; Schmid, M.; D'Alessio, T.

2012-03-01

Sport practice can take advantage from the quantitative assessment of task execution, which is strictly connected to the implementation of optimized training procedures. To this aim, it is interesting to explore the effectiveness of biofeedback training techniques. This implies a complete chain for information extraction containing instrumented devices, processing algorithms and graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to extract valuable information (i.e. kinematics, dynamics, and electrophysiology) to be presented in real-time to the athlete. In cycling, performance indexes displayed in a simple and perceivable way can help the cyclist optimize the pedaling. To this purpose, in this study four different GUIs have been designed and used in order to understand if and how a graphical biofeedback can influence the cycling performance. In particular, information related to the mechanical efficiency of pedaling is represented in each of the designed interfaces and then displayed to the user. This index is real-time calculated on the basis of the force signals exerted on the pedals during cycling. Instrumented pedals for bikes, already designed and implemented in our laboratory, have been used to measure those force components. A group of subjects underwent an experimental protocol and pedaled with (the interfaces have been used in a randomized order) and without graphical biofeedback. Preliminary results show how the effective perception of the biofeedback influences the motor performance.

Driving Skills of Young Adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Regulating Speed and Coping with Distraction

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira, Rita F.; Wann, John P.

2011-01-01

In two experiments, we used an automatic car simulator to examine the steering control, speed regulation and response to hazards of young adults with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and limited driving experience. In Experiment 1 participants either used the accelerator pedal to regulate their speed, or used the brake pedal when they…

A wireless beta-microprobe based on pixelated silicon for in vivo brain studies in freely moving rats

Science.gov (United States)

Märk, J.; Benoit, D.; Balasse, L.; Benoit, M.; Clémens, J. C.; Fieux, S.; Fougeron, D.; Graber-Bolis, J.; Janvier, B.; Jevaud, M.; Genoux, A.; Gisquet-Verrier, P.; Menouni, M.; Pain, F.; Pinot, L.; Tourvielle, C.; Zimmer, L.; Morel, C.; Laniece, P.

2013-07-01

The investigation of neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the functional specificity of brain regions requires the development of technologies that are well adjusted to in vivo studies in small animals. An exciting challenge remains the combination of brain imaging and behavioural studies, which associates molecular processes of neuronal communications to their related actions. A pixelated intracerebral probe (PIXSIC) presents a novel strategy using a submillimetric probe for beta+ radiotracer detection based on a pixelated silicon diode that can be stereotaxically implanted in the brain region of interest. This fully autonomous detection system permits time-resolved high sensitivity measurements of radiotracers with additional imaging features in freely moving rats. An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) allows for parallel signal processing of each pixel and enables the wireless operation. All components of the detector were tested and characterized. The beta+ sensitivity of the system was determined with the probe dipped into radiotracer solutions. Monte Carlo simulations served to validate the experimental values and assess the contribution of gamma noise. Preliminary implantation tests on anaesthetized rats proved PIXSIC's functionality in brain tissue. High spatial resolution allows for the visualization of radiotracer concentration in different brain regions with high temporal resolution.

[Choice between probability and value of alimentary reinforcement as means for revealing individual typological features of dog behavior].

Science.gov (United States)

Chilingarian, L I

2005-01-01

Individual typological features of behavior of dogs were investigated by the method of choice between the low-valuable food available constantly and food of high quality presented with low probability. Animals were subjected to instrumental conditioning with the same conditioned stimuli but different types of reinforcement. Depression of a white pedal was always reinforced with meat-bread-crumb mixture, depression of a black pedal was reinforced with two pieces of liver (with probabilities of 100, 40, 33, 20, or 0%). The choice of reinforcement depended on probability of valuable food and individual typological features of the nervous system of a dog. Decreasing the probability of the reinforcement value to 40-20% revealed differences in behavior of dogs. Dogs of the first group, presumably with the weak type of the nervous system, more frequently pressed the white pedal (always reinforced) than the black pedal thus "avoiding a situation of risk" to receive an empty cup. They displayed symptoms of neurosis: whimper, refusals of food or of the choice of reinforcement, and obtrusive movements. Dogs of the second group, presumably with the strong type of the nervous system, more frequently pressed the black pedal (more valuable food) for the low-probability reward until they obtained the valuable food. They did not show neurosis symptoms and were not afraid of "situation of risk". A decrease in probability of the valuable reinforcement increased a percentage of long-latency depressions of pedals. It can be probably suggested that this phenomenon was associated with increasing involvement of cognitive processes, when contributions of the assessments of probability and value of the reinforcement to decision making became approximately equal. Choice between the probability and value of alimentary reinforcement is a good method for revealing individual typological features of dogs.

Assessing Constraints on Soldier Cognitive and Perceptual Motor Performance During Vehicle Motion

Science.gov (United States)

2008-05-01

vehicle systems are biomechanical (Sirouspour & Salcudean, 2003; Sövényi & Gillespie, 2007), cognitive (Parasuraman & Riley, 1997), and psychomotor...vs. velocity), pedals for braking/acceleration Environmental constraints associated with the support surface (Seat): Damping, inclination...steering and secondarily, performance differences between a joystick and pedals for throttle and brake control. Eleven participants com- pleted three

Engineering Design Handbook: Analysis and Design of Automotive Brake Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

1976-12-01

Highway Safety Research institute, Uni- versity of Michigan, September 15, 1972. IF’vn = (I - #)WT’,Kk I1, J. E. Bernard , et al,, A Computer Based...systems involve the reduction in brake line pres- 4. E. L. Cornwell , "Automatic Load-Sensitive Air sure for a given pedal force, the pedal force/de

Synchronized Activity in The Main and Accessory Olfactory Bulbs and Vomeronasal Amygdala Elicited by Chemical Signals in Freely Behaving Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardo-Bellver, Cecília; Martínez-Bellver, Sergio; Martínez-García, Fernando; Lanuza, Enrique; Teruel-Martí, Vicent

2017-08-30

Chemosensory processing in mammals involves the olfactory and vomeronasal systems, but how the activity of both circuits is integrated is unknown. In our study, we recorded the electrophysiological activity in the olfactory bulbs and the vomeronasal amygdala in freely behaving mice exploring a battery of neutral and conspecific stimuli. The exploration of stimuli, including a neutral stimulus, induced synchronic activity in the olfactory bulbs characterized by a dominant theta rhythmicity, with specific theta-gamma coupling, distinguishing between vomeronasal and olfactory structures. The correlated activation of the bulbs suggests a coupling between the stimuli internalization in the nasal cavity and the vomeronasal pumping. In the amygdala, male stimuli are preferentially processed in the medial nucleus, whereas female cues induced a differential response in the posteromedial cortical amygdala. Thus, particular theta-gamma patterns in the olfactory network modulates the integration of chemosensory information in the amygdala, allowing the selection of an appropriate behaviour.

The Influence of the Phase Difference between the Crank Angle of the Pilot and that of the Stoker on the Drag Acting on a Tandem Bike

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuya Seo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Two wind tunnel experiments were carried out to investigate the drag acting on a tandem bike. One experiment involved measurement of the drag acting on two full-scale human models on a tandem. These two human models can pedal the tandem. In the other experiment, two oscillating cylinders were used as a simplified model of the legs of the pilot and the stoker. These were arranged to represent the legs of the riders on a tandem. Measurements of the drag on this model were made. It was found that the drag decreases when the crank angle of the stoker’s pedal is delayed with respect to the pilot’s pedal.

A REFLECTION ON UNIVERSITY STUDIES AND FURTHER CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF CHOSEN CULS FACULTIES’ GRADUATES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rymešová, Pavla

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The article is focused on professional orientation and direction of the careers of graduates of Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM and Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources (FAFNR at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS. The general information and theoretical part is devoted to the topic of career, its concept and definition, and it deals with chosen determinants of career orientation and career development. The concept of career is considered within the sphere of specialized terminology mainly used in humanities disciplines, it defines subjective and objective career. Moreover, the concepts of life developmental tasks and career maturity are being mapped. The existence of typical stages of development is also discussed, for which there are typical qualitative differences on the level of information, in relation to a given profession and in motivation towards the profession (with regard to the stage that includes university studies. Significant influence of objective and situational factors, which interfere with career orientation and the choice of a profession, is further included. A look at a person’s personality with respect to the determinants of career orientation and career development also forms a part of the general information part. In its first part of the empirical section, the article is focused on the concept and definition of career from the beginning of the 1990s. This includes the views of Czech as well as foreign authors. In the second part, the article tries to present practical consequences of students’ career orientation and it deals with processing an estimate whether the observed faculties’ graduates remain working in the field related to what they studied within five years from graduation. A part of the study is also formed by a description of the main motives leading to choosing a profession during university studies. The chosen attributes were monitored among a selected group of

Visit ALEPH experiment on the LEP collider by twenty-eight young scientists chosen to represent their respective countries

CERN Multimedia

Laurent Guiraud

1998-01-01

Following an international meeting of secondary school pupils on the theme of "Future Scientists: Women and Men" in Paris on 23 and 24 April. The aim of this meeting, which was organised by UNESCO, was to encourage young people, and girls in particular, to choose scientific studies and careers. Twenty-eight young scientists chosen to represent their respective countries visited the CERN site this week following an international meeting of secondary school pupils on the theme of "Future Scientists: Women and Men" in Paris on 23 and 24 April. The aim of this meeting, which was organised by UNESCO, was to encourage young people, and girls in particular, to choose scientific studies and careers.

Chosen aspects of quality of life in patients with venous leg ulcers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaela Miertová

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of the paper was to describe chosen aspects of quality of life in patients with venous leg ulcers treated at home in the Turiec region, and to find differences in assessing quality of life in relation to degree of adherence to external compression therapy. Design: A quantitative cross-sectional study. Methods: There were 61 patients with venous leg ulcers at 68.59 ± 9.49 years of age, with an average length of wound treatment of 6.34 ± 5.51 years. The adapted self-assessment questionnaire, the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment wound module (FLQA-w, was used to gain empirical data. Results: The findings revealed that the worst score was achieved in the category of everyday life (3.61 ± 0.93. Statistically significant differences were found between the group of respondents who apply bandages on a daily basis and those who did not use them at all. Regular bandage application is closely connected with positive assessment of wound therapy (p = 0.043, psychosocial life (p = 0.023, verbalisation of well-being in various categories (p = 0.001, assessment of state of the wound (p = 0.032, assessment of health condition (p = 0.019, and overall quality of life (p = 0.014. Length of wound treatment is related to assessments of quality of life. Conclusion: Non-healing wounds, the associated therapy and financial means required to treat them, and the pain resulting from them, are connected with physical difficulty, experience of negative emotions, and, thus, the worsening of patientsʼ quality of life. The results of the study could form the basis for further studies on similar issues.

Calcium signals can freely cross the nuclear envelope in hippocampal neurons: somatic calcium increases generate nuclear calcium transients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bading Hilmar

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In hippocampal neurons, nuclear calcium signaling is important for learning- and neuronal survival-associated gene expression. However, it is unknown whether calcium signals generated by neuronal activity at the cell membrane and propagated to the soma can unrestrictedly cross the nuclear envelope to invade the nucleus. The nuclear envelope, which allows ion transit via the nuclear pore complex, may represent a barrier for calcium and has been suggested to insulate the nucleus from activity-induced cytoplasmic calcium transients in some cell types. Results Using laser-assisted uncaging of caged calcium compounds in defined sub-cellular domains, we show here that the nuclear compartment border does not represent a barrier for calcium signals in hippocampal neurons. Although passive diffusion of molecules between the cytosol and the nucleoplasm may be modulated through changes in conformational state of the nuclear pore complex, we found no evidence for a gating mechanism for calcium movement across the nuclear border. Conclusion Thus, the nuclear envelope does not spatially restrict calcium transients to the somatic cytosol but allows calcium signals to freely enter the cell nucleus to trigger genomic events.

Prediction of crank torque and pedal angle profiles during pedaling movements by biomechanical optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farahani, Saeed Davoudabadi; Bertucci, William; Andersen, Michael Skipper

2015-01-01

This paper introduces the inverse-inverse dynamics method for prediction of human movement and applies it to prediction of cycling motions. Inverse-inverse dynamics optimizes a performance criterion by variation of a parameterized movement. First, a musculoskeletal model of cycling is built in th...

A magnetorheological haptic cue accelerator for manual transmission vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Young-Min; Noh, Kyung-Wook; Choi, Seung-Bok; Lee, Yang-Sub

2010-01-01

This paper proposes a new haptic cue function for manual transmission vehicles to achieve optimal gear shifting. This function is implemented on the accelerator pedal by utilizing a magnetorheological (MR) brake mechanism. By combining the haptic cue function with the accelerator pedal, the proposed haptic cue device can transmit the optimal moment of gear shifting for manual transmission to a driver without requiring the driver's visual attention. As a first step to achieve this goal, a MR fluid-based haptic device is devised to enable rotary motion of the accelerator pedal. Taking into account spatial limitations, the design parameters are optimally determined using finite element analysis to maximize the relative control torque. The proposed haptic cue device is then manufactured and its field-dependent torque and time response are experimentally evaluated. Then the manufactured MR haptic cue device is integrated with the accelerator pedal. A simple virtual vehicle emulating the operation of the engine of a passenger vehicle is constructed and put into communication with the haptic cue device. A feed-forward torque control algorithm for the haptic cue is formulated and control performances are experimentally evaluated and presented in the time domain

Effect of sprint training: training once daily versus twice every second day.

Science.gov (United States)

Ijichi, Toshiaki; Hasegawa, Yuta; Morishima, Takuma; Kurihara, Toshiyuki; Hamaoka, Takafumi; Goto, Kazushige

2015-01-01

This study compared training adaptations between once daily (SINGLE) and twice every second day (REPEATED) sprint training, with same number of training sessions. Twenty physically active males (20.9 ± 1.3 yr) were assigned randomly to the SINGLE (n = 10) or REPEATED (n = 10) group. The SINGLE group trained once per day (5 days per week) for 4 weeks (20 sessions in total). The REPEATED group conducted two consecutive training sessions on the same day, separated by a rest period of 1 h (2-3 days per week) for 4 weeks (20 sessions in total). Each training session consisted of three consecutive 30-s maximal pedalling sets with a 10-min rest between sets. Before and after the training period, the power output during two bouts of 30-s maximal pedalling, exercise duration during submaximal pedalling and resting muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) levels were evaluated. Both groups showed significant increases in peak and mean power output during the two 30-s bouts of maximal pedalling after the training period (P every second day improved OBLA during endurance exercise more than the same training once daily.

Mass distribution and rotational inertia of "microtype" and "freely mobile" middle ear ossicles in rodents.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavender, Danielle; Taraskin, Sergei N; Mason, Matthew J

2011-12-01

The middle ears of seven species of rodents, including four hamster species, were examined under light microscopy and through micro-CT imaging. Hamsters were found to possess a spectrum of ossicular morphologies ranging from something approaching "freely mobile" (Mesocricetus) to something nearer the "microtype" (Cricetulus), although no hamster has an orbicular apophysis of the malleus. Rats, mice and Calomyscus were found to have typically microtype ossicles. To explore the functional effects of these morphological differences, CT scan data were used to calculate the magnitudes of the moments of inertia and positions of the centres of mass and principal rotational axes for the malleus-incus complexes. Microtype species were found to have much greater ossicular inertias, relative to size, about the "anatomical axis" extending between anterior process of the malleus and short process of the incus; ossicular centres of mass were displaced further from this axis. Calculated inertial values were then put into an existing model of middle ear function (Hemilä et al., 1995), in order to see whether the more accurate data would improve predictions of upper hearing limits. For the rat and mouse they did, but this was not so for the hamster Mesocricetus. This might indicate that the inner rather than the middle ear limits hearing in this species, or might simply reflect other shortcomings of the model. Functional differences appear to exist even among rodent ears of the same general type, but the adaptive significance of these differences remains enigmatic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fidelity of Simulation for Pilot Training

Science.gov (United States)

1980-12-01

indicators of joint angles. The combination of all the pro- prioceptive senses permits subjects to perceive body accelerations based on the biomechanical ...constraints III. Controllers A. Flight controls 1. Center stick, column, side stick, collective 2. Pedals (yaw control, brakes) 3. Thrust controllers 4...the most sensitive elements in terms of fidelity require- ments. The force-generating systems associated with the stick or column and pedals are

Development of mechanical brake assist; Mechanical brake assist no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konishi, M; Shingyoji, S; Nakamura, I; Tagawa, T; Saito, Y; Ishihara, T; Kobayashi, S; Yoshida, M [Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1997-10-01

We have recognized that there are drivers who cannot apply strong brake pedal force , in spite of the necessity of hard braking in emergencies. We have developed a `mechanical brake assist system` which assists drivers appropriately, according to the drivers` characteristics based on studying the characteristic`s of conditions of drivers applying the brake pedal force in emergency conditions. 2 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Recycling and reuse of chosen kinds of waste materials in a building industry

Science.gov (United States)

Ferek, B.; Harasymiuk, J.; Tyburski, J.

2016-08-01

The article describes the current state of knowledge and practice in Poland concerning recycling as a method of reuse of chosen groups of waste materials in building industry. The recycling of building scraps is imposed by environmental, economic and technological premises. The issue of usage of sewage residues is becoming a problem of ever -growing gravity as the presence of the increasing number of pernicious contaminants makes their utilization for agricultural purposes more and more limited. The strategies of using waste materials on Polish building sites were analyzed. The analysis of predispositions to salvage for a group of traditional materials, such as: timber, steel, building debris, insulation materials, plastics, and on the example of new materials, such as: artificial light aggregates made by appropriate mixing of siliceous aggregates, glass refuses and sewage residues in order to obtain a commodity which is apt for economic usage also was made in the article. The issue of recycling of waste materials originating from building operations will be presented in the context of the binding home and EU legal regulations. It was proved that the level of recycling of building wastes in Poland is considerably different from one which is achieved in the solid market economies, both in quantity and in assortment. The method of neutralization of building refuses in connection with special waste materials, which are sewage sludge that is presented in the article may be one of the alternative solutions to the problem of recycling of these wastes not only on the Polish scale.

Modular mechatronic system for stationary bicycles interfaced with virtual environment for rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranky, Richard G; Sivak, Mark L; Lewis, Jeffrey A; Gade, Venkata K; Deutsch, Judith E; Mavroidis, Constantinos

2014-06-05

Cycling has been used in the rehabilitation of individuals with both chronic and post-surgical conditions. Among the challenges with implementing bicycling for rehabilitation is the recruitment of both extremities, in particular when one is weaker or less coordinated. Feedback embedded in virtual reality (VR) augmented cycling may serve to address the requirement for efficacious cycling; specifically recruitment of both extremities and exercising at a high intensity. In this paper a mechatronic rehabilitation bicycling system with an interactive virtual environment, called Virtual Reality Augmented Cycling Kit (VRACK), is presented. Novel hardware components embedded with sensors were implemented on a stationary exercise bicycle to monitor physiological and biomechanical parameters of participants while immersing them in an augmented reality simulation providing the user with visual, auditory and haptic feedback. This modular and adaptable system attaches to commercially-available stationary bicycle systems and interfaces with a personal computer for simulation and data acquisition processes. The complete bicycle system includes: a) handle bars based on hydraulic pressure sensors; b) pedals that monitor pedal kinematics with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and forces on the pedals while providing vibratory feedback; c) off the shelf electronics to monitor heart rate and d) customized software for rehabilitation. Bench testing for the handle and pedal systems is presented for calibration of the sensors detecting force and angle. The modular mechatronic kit for exercise bicycles was tested in bench testing and human tests. Bench tests performed on the sensorized handle bars and the instrumented pedals validated the measurement accuracy of these components. Rider tests with the VRACK system focused on the pedal system and successfully monitored kinetic and kinematic parameters of the rider's lower extremities. The VRACK system, a virtual reality mechatronic bicycle

Modular mechatronic system for stationary bicycles interfaced with virtual environment for rehabilitation

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Cycling has been used in the rehabilitation of individuals with both chronic and post-surgical conditions. Among the challenges with implementing bicycling for rehabilitation is the recruitment of both extremities, in particular when one is weaker or less coordinated. Feedback embedded in virtual reality (VR) augmented cycling may serve to address the requirement for efficacious cycling; specifically recruitment of both extremities and exercising at a high intensity. Methods In this paper a mechatronic rehabilitation bicycling system with an interactive virtual environment, called Virtual Reality Augmented Cycling Kit (VRACK), is presented. Novel hardware components embedded with sensors were implemented on a stationary exercise bicycle to monitor physiological and biomechanical parameters of participants while immersing them in an augmented reality simulation providing the user with visual, auditory and haptic feedback. This modular and adaptable system attaches to commercially-available stationary bicycle systems and interfaces with a personal computer for simulation and data acquisition processes. The complete bicycle system includes: a) handle bars based on hydraulic pressure sensors; b) pedals that monitor pedal kinematics with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and forces on the pedals while providing vibratory feedback; c) off the shelf electronics to monitor heart rate and d) customized software for rehabilitation. Bench testing for the handle and pedal systems is presented for calibration of the sensors detecting force and angle. Results The modular mechatronic kit for exercise bicycles was tested in bench testing and human tests. Bench tests performed on the sensorized handle bars and the instrumented pedals validated the measurement accuracy of these components. Rider tests with the VRACK system focused on the pedal system and successfully monitored kinetic and kinematic parameters of the rider’s lower extremities. Conclusions The VRACK

The R-enantiomer of citalopram counteracts escitalopram-induced increase in extracellular 5-HT in the frontal cortex of freely moving rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, A; Kreilgaard, Mads; Sánchez, C

2003-01-01

The selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor, citalopram, is a racemic mixture of an S(+)- and R(-)-enantiomer, escitalopram and R-citalopram, respectively. The present study compares the effects of escitalopram, R-citalopram and citalopram on extracellular levels of 5-HT in the frontal cortex...... of freely moving rats. In addition, co-injection of escitalopram and R-citalopram (ratios 1:2 and 1:4) were assessed. In some experiments escitalopram and R-citalopram were infused into the frontal cortex by reverse microdialysis. Finally, the extracellular level of escitalopram in the frontal cortex...... was studied after administration of escitalopram alone or in combination with R-citalopram. Escitalopram (1.0-3.9 mg/kg, s.c.) produced a greater maximal increase in extracellular 5-HT than citalopram (2.0-8.0 mg/kg, s.c.). R-citalopram (15.6 mg/kg s.c.) did not affect the 5-HT levels. When co-injected, R...

Equilibrium Partitioning Sediment Benchmarks (ESBs) for the Protection of Benthic Organisms: Procedures for the Determination of the Freely Dissolved Interstitial Water Concentrations of Nonionic Organics

Science.gov (United States)

This document describes procedures to determine the concentrations of nonionic organic chemicals in sediment interstitial waters. In previous ESB documents, the general equilibrium partitioning (EqP) approach was chosen for the derivation of sediment benchmarks because it account...

An Overview of Human Figure Modeling for Army Aviation Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

space reach and vision analyses, while others are used to examine biomechanics or strength issues, for example. Still other human figure modeling...identified that the crewstation design did not allow small pilots to reach the pedals and instrument panels. Small females were unable to view the...the ECLs; improved seat adjustment to allow access to the pedals and front instrument panels for small female aviators; and increased volume of space

Effects of eccentric cycling exercise on IGF-I splice variant expression in the muscles of young and elderly people

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hameed, M.; Toft, A.D.; Harridge, S.D.

2008-01-01

growth factor (MGF) were studied in response to 1 h of eccentric cycling exercise in young and old individuals. Subjects (nine young, aged 20-27 years and eight elderly, aged 67-75 years) completed an eccentric exercise protocol that consisted of 60 min of reverse pedal cycling. Workloads were chosen......Recovery from micro damage resulting from intensive exercise has been shown to take longer in older muscles. To investigate the factors that may contribute to muscle repair, we have studied the expression of two splice variants of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene. IGF-IEa and mechano....... No difference was observed between the baseline levels of the two splice variants between the two subject groups. Eccentric cycling exercise resulted in a significant increase in the mean MGF mRNA in both young and old subjects but did not alter IGF-IEa mRNA levels in either age group. As reported previously...

Pedaleo de brazos en personas con lesión medular, parálisis cerebral o ataxia cerebelosa: Parámetros fisiológicos. [Armcrank pedaling in persons with spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy or cerebellar ataxia: Physiological parameters].

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iris González-Carbonell

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Los desórdenes neurológicos generan afectación física y derivan en sedentarismo, enfermedades coronarias y obesidad o diabetes, reduciendo tanto la esperanza como la calidad de vida. La oferta de actividad física adaptada es escasa por falta de información específica sobre la forma de adecuarlo y dosificarlo a las personas que presentan estos desórdenes. Con el fin de comparar el efecto del ejercicio de pedaleo de brazos sobre la respuesta fisiológica y la percepción del esfuerzo, en 8 personas con lesión medular, 4 con parálisis cerebral y 4 con ataxia de Friedreich, se analizó su respuesta fisiológica, así como su percepción subjetiva al esfuerzo, frente a un grupo Control (16 participantes. Para ello realizó un ejercicio normalizado de pedaleo de brazos en un ergómetro y se midieron frecuencia cardíaca, frecuencia respiratoria, volumen corriente, volumen espirado, consumo de Oxígeno relativo, pulso de Oxígeno y percepción del esfuerzo y se realizó un ANOVA con estas variables. Para el grupo con lesión medular, el estrés y gasto energético resultaron los más bajos. El grupo con parálisis cerebral mostró los niveles de estrés más altos, además percibiéndolo como una carga moderada. El grupo con ataxia de Friedreich, mostró respuestas cardiorrespiratorias altas intermedias. Se puede concluir que diferentes desórdenes neurológicos muestran respuestas fisiológicas muy diferentes frente al ejercicio y es importante su control. Abstract Neurological disorders produce physical impairment that result in physical inactivity, heart disease and obesity or diabetes, reducing both life expectancy and quality of life. The supply of adapted physical activity is limited by lack of specific information on how to adapt and dosed to people who have these disorders. In order to compare the effect of armcrank pedaling exercise on their physiological response and perception of effort, 8 people with spinal cord injury, 4 with

Simultaneous measurement of surface tension and viscosity using freely decaying oscillations of acoustically levitated droplets

Science.gov (United States)

Kremer, J.; Kilzer, A.; Petermann, M.

2018-01-01

Oscillations of small liquid drops around a spherical shape have been of great interest to scientists measuring physical properties such as interfacial tension and viscosity, over the last few decades. A powerful tool for contactless positioning is acoustic levitation, which has been used to simultaneously determine the surface tension and viscosity of liquids at ambient pressure. In order to extend this acoustic levitation measurement method to high pressure systems, the method is first evaluated under ambient pressure. To measure surface tension and viscosity using acoustically levitated oscillating drops, an image analysis method has to be developed and factors which may affect measurement, such as sound field or oscillation amplitude, have to be analyzed. In this paper, we describe the simultaneous measurement of surface tension and viscosity using freely decaying shape oscillations of acoustically levitated droplets of different liquids (silicone oils AK 5 and AK 10, squalane, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol, 1-heptanol, and 1-octanol) in air. These liquids vary in viscosity from 2 to about 30 mPa s. An acoustic levitation system, including an optimized standing wave acoustic levitator and a high-speed camera, was used for this study. An image analysis was performed with a self-written Matlab® code. The frequency of oscillation and the damping constant, required for the determination of surface tension and viscosity, respectively, were calculated from the evolution of the equatorial and polar radii. The results and observations are compared to data from the literature in order to analyze the accuracy of surface tension and viscosity determination, as well as the effect of non-spherical drop shape or amplitude of oscillation on measurement.

Characterization of stress-induced suppression of long-term potentiation in the hippocampal CA1 field of freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Riki; Togashi, Hiroko; Matsumoto, Machiko; Yamaguchi, Taku; Izumi, Takeshi; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

2008-08-21

Several lines of evidence have shown that exposure to stress impairs long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 field of the hippocampus, but the detailed mechanisms for this effect remain to be clarified. The present study elucidated the synaptic mechanism of stress-induced LTP suppression in conscious, freely moving rats using electrophysiological approaches. Open field stress (i.e., novel environment stress) and elevated platform stress (i.e., uncontrollable stress) were employed. Basal synaptic transmission was significantly reduced during exposure to elevated platform stress but not during exposure to open field stress. LTP induction was blocked by elevated platform stress but not influenced by open field stress. Significant increases in serum corticosterone levels were observed in the elevated platform stress group compared with the open field stress group. Furthermore, LTP suppression induced by elevated platform stress was prevented by pretreatment with an anxiolytic drug diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.). These results suggest that stress-induced LTP suppression depends on the relative intensity of the stressor. The inhibitory synaptic response induced by an intense psychological stress, such as elevated platform stress, may be attributable to LTP impairment in the CA1 field of the hippocampus.

The influence of cadence and power output on force application and in-shoe pressure distribution during cycling by competitive and recreational cyclists.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanderson, D J; Hennig, E M; Black, A H

2000-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine the response of cyclists to manipulations of cadence and power output in terms of force application and plantar pressure distribution. Two groups of cyclists, 17 recreational and 12 competitive, rode at three nominal cadences (60, 80, 100 rev x min(-1)) and four power outputs (100, 200, 300, 400 W) while simultaneous force and in-shoe pressure data were collected. Two piezoelectric triaxial force transducers mounted in the right pedal measured components of the pedal force and orientation, and a discrete transducer system with 12 transducers recorded the in-shoe pressures. Force application was characterized by calculating peak resultant and peak effective pedal forces and positive and negative impulses. In-shoe pressures were analysed as peak pressures and as the percent relative load. The force data showed no significant group effect but there was a cadence and power main effect. The impulse data showed a significant three-way interaction. Increased cadence resulted in a decreased positive impulse, while increased power output resulted in an increased impulse. The competitive group produced less positive impulse but the difference became less at higher cadences. Few between-group differences were found in pressure, notable only in the pressure under the first metatarsal region. This showed a consistent pattern of in-shoe pressure distribution, where the primary loading structures were the first metatarsal and hallux. There was no indication that pressure at specific sites influenced the pedal force application. The absence of group differences indicated that pressure distribution was not the result of training, but reflected the intrinsic relationship between the foot, the shoe and the pedal.

Early results from an angiosome-directed open surgical technique for venous arterialization in patients with critical lower limb ischemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Houlind

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Patients with critical lower limb ischemia without patent pedal arteries cannot be treated by the conventional arterial reconstruction. Venous arterialization has been suggested to improve limb salvage in this subgroup of patients but has not gained wide acceptance. We report our early experience after implementing deep and superficial venous arterialization of the lower limb. Materials and methods: Ten patients with critical ischemia and without crural or pedal arteries available for conventional bypass surgery or angioplasty were treated with distal venous arterialization. Inflow was from the most distal unobstructed segment. Run-off was the dorsal pedal venous arch (n=5, the dorsal pedal venous arch and a concomitant vein of the posterior tibial artery (n=3, or the dorsal pedal venous arch and a concomitant vein of the common plantar artery (n=2 depending on the location of the ischemic lesion. Venous valves were destroyed using antegrade valvulotomes, guide wires, knob needles, or retrograde valvulotomes via an extra incision. Results: Seven of the operated limbs were amputated after 23 (1–256 days (median [range]. The main reasons for amputation were lack of healing of either the original wound, of incisional wounds on the foot, or persisting pain at rest. In three cases, the bypass was open at the time of amputation. Two patients experienced complete wound healing after 231 and 342 days, respectively. By the end of follow-up, the last patient was ambulating with slow wound healing but without pain 309 days after surgery. Conclusion: Venous arterialization may be used as a treatment of otherwise unsalveable limbs. The success rate is, however, limited. Technical optimization of the technique is warranted.

Neuro-Mechanics of Recumbent Leg Cycling in Post-Acute Stroke Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrosini, Emilia; De Marchis, Cristiano; Pedrocchi, Alessandra; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Monticone, Marco; Schmid, Maurizio; D'Alessio, Tommaso; Conforto, Silvia; Ferrante, Simona

2016-11-01

Cycling training is strongly applied in post-stroke rehabilitation, but how its modular control is altered soon after stroke has been not analyzed yet. EMG signals from 9 leg muscles and pedal forces were measured bilaterally during recumbent pedaling in 16 post-acute stroke patients and 12 age-matched healthy controls. Patients were asked to walk over a GaitRite mat and standard gait parameters were computed. Four muscle synergies were extracted through nonnegative matrix factorization in healthy subjects and patients unaffected legs. Two to four synergies were identified in the affected sides and the number of synergies significantly correlated with the Motricity Index (Spearman's coefficient = 0.521). The reduced coordination complexity resulted in a reduced biomechanical performance, with the two-module sub-group showing the lowest work production and mechanical effectiveness in the affected side. These patients also exhibited locomotor impairments (reduced gait speed, asymmetrical stance time, prolonged double support time). Significant correlations were found between cycling-based metrics and gait parameters, suggesting that neuro-mechanical quantities of pedaling can inform on walking dysfunctions. Our findings support the use of pedaling as a rehabilitation method and an assessment tool after stroke, mainly in the early phase, when patients can be unable to perform a safe and active gait training.

Energy expenditure, aerodynamics and medical problems in cycling. An update.

Science.gov (United States)

Faria, I E

1992-07-01

The cyclist's ability to maintain an extremely high rate of energy expenditure for long durations at a high economy of effort is dependent upon such factors as the individual's anaerobic threshold, muscle fibre type, muscle myoglobin concentration, muscle capillary density and certain anthropometric dimensions. Although laboratory tests have had some success predicting cycling potential, their validity has yet to be established for trained cyclists. Even in analysing the forces producing propulsive torque, cycling effectiveness cannot be based solely on the orientation of applied forces. Innovations of shoe and pedal design continue to have a positive influence on the biomechanics of pedalling. Although muscle involvement during a complete pedal revolution may be similar, economical pedalling rate appears to differ significantly between the novice and racing cyclist. This difference emanates, perhaps, from long term adaptation. Air resistance is by far the greatest retarding force affecting cycling. The aerodynamics of the rider and the bicycle and its components are major contributors to cycling economy. Correct body posture and spacing between riders can significantly enhance speed and efficiency. Acute and chronic responses to cycling and training are complex. To protect the safety and health of the cyclist there must be close monitoring and cooperation between the cyclist, coach, exercise scientist and physician.

Pathological phalanges in a camarasaurid sauropod dinosaur and implications on behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuel Tschopp

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Several types of pathological bony overgrowth are known from various dinosaur taxa but, except for stress fractures, are rarely reported from appendicular elements. Herein we describe pathological manual and pedal phalanges of a camarasaurid sauropod (SMA 0002, which show features rarely recognised in non-avian dinosaurs. They include lateral osteophytes and smoothing of phalangeal articular surfaces, a deep pit, proximal enthesophytes in pedal unguals, distal overgrowth associated with a fracture, and a knob-like overgrowth lateral to the distal condyles of a pedal phalanx. Their causes were assessed by means of visual examination, CT scans, and bone histology, where possible. The lateral osteophytes are interpreted as symptoms of osteoarthritis. The ossified tendon insertions in the unguals are most probably the result of prolonged, heavy use of the pedal claws, possibly for scratchdigging. The distal overgrowth is interpreted to have developed due to changed stress regimes, and to be the cause for the fracture. The deep pit represents most likely a case of osteochondrosis, whereas the knob-like overgrowth likely represents a post-traumatic phenomenon not previously reported in dinosaurs. The study confirms that a rigorous assessment of pathologies can yield information about behaviour in long-extinct animals.

Advanced Distributed Simulation Technology II (ADST-II) Dismounted Warrior Network Front End Analysis Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

1997-12-19

movements in the real and virtual worlds. A "human joystick" approach was used for moving within the virtual world. A Biomechanics animation model...real and virtual worlds. The soldier used a foot pedal system to control his virtual world movement, while the DI-Guy animation software represented...the easier they rated the VIC within which the course was completed. VIC F (with its foot pedal for movement control) was rated the least

Selected Design Parameters for Reclining Seats Based on Engineering Anthropometry

Science.gov (United States)

1977-09-01

mounted on these arm rests and immediately adjacent surfaces -provide upper extremity configuratinns conducive to maximum biomechanical advantage -meet...operation at the rudder pedals under normal or under high G environments. (2) Size: The foot rest must be large enough to cover the range of heel positions...See Figure 9.) Foot Control Adjustment Two horizontal cylinders 2" in diameter x 6" long represented rudder pedals to be operated by feet. They were

Assessing the Flight Quality of a Large UAV for Sensors/Ground Robots Aerial Delivery

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

with full span trim 18. Rivets — Steel/steel and zinc plated pull type rivet 19. Rudder pedals — Dual rudder pedals toe brakes 20. Control systems...ABBREVIATIONS ADS Aerial Delivery System AOA Angle Of Attack BSS Base Station Subsystem BDA Battle Damage Assessment CEP Circular Error...properties based on the dimensions of the model’s parts. The program can generate the effect of different angles of attack, slide slip angles with

Driving Behavior Analysis through CAN Bus Data in an Uncontrolled Environment

OpenAIRE

Fugiglando, Umberto; Massaro, Emanuele; Santi, Paolo; Milardo, Sebastiano; Abida, Kacem; Stahlmann, Rainer; Netter, Florian; Ratti, Carlo

2017-01-01

Cars can nowadays record several thousands of signals through the CAN bus technology and potentially provide real-time information on the car, the driver and the surrounding environment. This paper proposes a new method for the analysis and classification of driver behavior using a selected subset of CAN bus signals, specifically gas pedal position, brake pedal pressure, steering wheel angle, steering wheel momentum, velocity, RPM, frontal and lateral acceleration. Data has been collected in ...

The theoretical aspects of the methodology of risk analysis in chosen business enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Zrůst

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The risk, crisis, crisis management, crisis regulation and risk management are currently often used terms. It is late to search a cause of crisis in time, when the crisis had broken out and their destructive effects are displaying. It is more suitable to focus on preventive control of business assets. The goal of this article is to suggest a methodical process of risk analysis with focus on protection of carrying business assets. The suggested methodical process of the analysis comes out a persuasion that primary attention is needed to give a protection of carrying business assets. Carrying assets are those which create potentials of business success and in case of their destroying, damaging or loss will originate to subject major or even existence loss. To such chosen carrying business assets are identified threats coming out parts of macro environment (political, legal, economical, social, demographic, technical and technological, ecological and threats from an field environment. To the identification of threats in field environment is used an analysis of five forces model according Porter. As a final step of the suggested methodical process of risk analysis is a creation of a risk matrix to each carrying asset. In this matrix is drawn the risk, which is described with a qualified estimation of occurrence its proba­bility and with an estimation of amount of possible damage, which can be caused by risk. According location the identified risk in the risk matrix is suggested the way of the regulation single risks.It is possible to choose between five basic strategies: Strategy “Take”, Strategy of crisis plans, Strategy of risk treatment, Strategy of risk transfer and Strategy “Terminate”. Single strategies are possible to combine between each other. The combination is suitable in cases, when there is threaten a big loss with a high probability.

Effect of acute and chronic MK-801 administration on extracellular glutamate and ascorbic acid release in the prefrontal cortex of freely moving mice on line with open-field behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Dai-Ying; Zhang, Ya-Hong; Cao, Yue; Wu, Chun-Fu; Tanaka, Masatoshi; Wu, Ying-Liang

2006-04-04

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of acute and chronic administration of MK-801 (0.6 mg/kg), a noncompetitive NMDA-receptor antagonist on extracellular glutamate (Glu) and ascorbic acid (AA) release in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of freely moving mice using in vivo microdialysis with open-field behavior. In line with earlier studies, acute administration of MK-801 induced an increase of Glu in the PFC. We also observed single MK-801 treatment increased AA release in the PFC. In addition, our results indicated that the basal AA levels in the PFC after MK-801 administration for 7 consecutive days were significantly decreased, and basal Glu levels also had a decreased tendency. After chronic administration (0.6 mg/kg, 7 days), MK-801 (0.6 mg/kg) challenge significantly decreased dialysate levels of AA and Glu. Our study also found that both acute and chronic administration of MK-801 induced hyperactivity in mice, but the intensity of acute administration was more than that of chronic administration. Furthermore, in all acute treatment mice, individual changes in Glu dialysate concentrations and the numbers of locomotion were positively correlated. In conclusion, this study may provide new evidence that a single MK-801 administration induces increases of dialysate AA and Glu concentrations in the PFC of freely moving mice, which are opposite to those induced by repeated MK-801 administration, with an unknown mechanism. Our results suggested that redox-response might play an important role in the model of schizophrenic symptoms induced by MK-801.

Shear-induced autorotation of freely rotatable cylinder in a channel flow at moderate Reynolds number

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yi; Lin, Jianzhong; Ku, Xiaoke; Chan, Tatleung

2018-04-01

Flow past a center-pinned freely rotatable cylinder asymmetrically confined in a two-dimensional channel is simulated with the lattice Boltzmann method for a range of Reynolds number 0.1 ≤ Re ≤ 200, eccentricity ratio 0/8 ≤ ɛ ≤ 7/8, and blockage ratio 0.1 ≤ β ≤ 0.5. It is found that the inertia tends to facilitate the anomalous clockwise rotation of the cylinder. As the eccentricity ratio increases, the cylinder rotates faster in the counterclockwise direction and then slows down at a range of Re 40, there exists an anomalous clockwise rotation for the cylinder at a low eccentricity ratio and the domain where the cylinder rotates anomalously becomes larger with the increase in the Reynolds number. In a channel with a higher blockage ratio, the rotation of the cylinder is more sensitive to the change of cylinder lateral position, and the separatrix at which the cylinder remains a state of rest moves upward generally. The cylinder is more likely to rotate counterclockwise and the rotating velocity is larger. At a lower blockage ratio, the anomalous clockwise rotation is more likely to occur, and the largest rotating velocity occurs when the blockage ratio is equal to 0.3. The mechanism of distinct rotational behavior of the cylinder is attributed to the transformation of distribution of shear stress which is resulted from the variation of pressure drop, the shift of maximum or minimum pressure zones along the upper and lower semi-cylinder surface, and the movement of stagnant point and separate point. Finally, the effects of the cylinder rotation on the flow structure and hydrodynamic force exerted on the cylinder surface are analyzed as well.

Optical recording of neuronal activity with a genetically-encoded calcium indicator in anesthetized and freely moving mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henry Lütcke

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Fluorescent calcium (Ca2+ indicator proteins (FCIPs are promising tools for functional imaging of cellular activity in living animals. However, they have still not reached their full potential for in vivo imaging of neuronal activity due to limitations in expression levels, dynamic range, and sensitivity for reporting action potentials. Here, we report that viral expression of the ratiometric Ca2+ sensor yellow cameleon 3.60 (YC3.60 in pyramidal neurons of mouse barrel cortex enables in vivo measurement of neuronal activity with high dynamic range and sensitivity across multiple spatial scales. By combining juxtacellular recordings and two-photon imaging in vitro and in vivo, we demonstrate that YC3.60 can resolve single action potential (AP-evoked Ca2+ transients and reliably reports bursts of APs with negligible saturation. Spontaneous and whisker-evoked Ca2+ transients were detected in individual apical dendrites and somata as well as in local neuronal populations. Moreover, bulk measurements using wide-field imaging or fiber-optics revealed sensory-evoked YC3.60 signals in large areas of the barrel field. Fiber-optic recordings in particular enabled measurements in awake, freely moving mice and revealed complex Ca2+ dynamics, possibly reflecting different behavior-related brain states. Viral expression of YC3.60 - in combination with various optical techniques - thus opens a multitude of opportunities for functional studies of the neural basis of animal behavior, from dendrites to the levels of local and large-scale neuronal populations.

Involvement of serotonin in the ventral tegmental area in thermoregulation of freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishiwata, Takayuki; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Greenwood, Benjamin N

2017-07-13

We have recently reported that the serotonin (5-HT) projections from the midbrain's raphe nuclei that contains 5-HT cell bodies may play a role both in heat production and in heat loss. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the involvement of 5-HT in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), where 5-HT is suggested to participate in thermoregulation, using the combined methods of telemetry, microdialysis, and high performance liquid chromatography, with a special emphasis on regulation of the body temperature (T b ) in freely moving rats. First, we measured changes in T b , tail skin temperature (T tail ; an index of heat loss), heart rate (HR; an index of heat production), locomotor activity (Act), and levels of extracellular monoamines in the VTA during cold (5°C) or heat (35°C) exposure. Subsequently, we perfused citalopram (5-HT re-uptake inhibitor) into the VTA and measured the thermoregulatory parameters and monoamines release. Although T b , T tail , and HR changed during both exposures, significant changes in extracellular level of 5-HT (138.7±12.7% baseline, p<0.01), but not dopamine (DA) or noradrenaline (NA) were noted in the VTA only during heat exposure. In addition, perfusion of citalopram into the VTA increased extracellular 5-HT levels (221.0±52.2% baseline, p<0.01), but not DA or NA, while T b decreased from 37.4±0.1°C to 36.8±0.2°C (p<0.001),T tail increased from 26.3±0.4°C to 28.4±0.4°C (p<0.001), and HR and Act remained unchanged. Our results suggest that the VTA is a key area for thermoregulation, and 5-HT, but not DA or NA, modulates the heat loss system through action in the VTA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of two hospital bed design features on physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation: a repeated measures experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sunwook; Barker, Linsey M; Jia, Bochen; Agnew, Michael J; Nussbaum, Maury A

2009-03-01

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are prevalent among healthcare workers worldwide. While existing research has focused on patient-handling techniques during activities which require direct patient contact (e.g., patient transfer), nursing tasks also involve other patient-handling activities, such as engaging bed brakes and transporting patients in beds, which could render healthcare workers at risk of developing WMSDs. Effectiveness of hospital bed design features (brake pedal location and steering-assistance) was evaluated in terms of physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation tasks. Two laboratory-based studies were conducted. In simulated brake engagement tasks, three brake pedal locations (head-end vs. foot-end vs. side of a bed) and two hands conditions (hands-free vs. hands-occupied) were manipulated. Additionally, both in-room and corridor patient transportation tasks were simulated, in which activation of steering-assistance features (5th wheel and/or front wheel caster lock) and two patient masses were manipulated. Nine novice participants were recruited from the local student population and community for each study. During brake engagement, trunk flexion angle, task completion time, and questionnaires were used to quantify postural comfort and usability. For patient transportation, dependent measures were hand forces and questionnaire responses. Brake pedal locations and steering-assistance features in hospital beds had significant effects on physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation tasks. Specifically, a brake pedal at the head-end of a bed increased trunk flexion by 74-224% and completion time by 53-74%, compared to other pedal locations. Participants reported greater overall perceived difficulty and less postural comfort with the brake pedal at the head-end. During in-room transportation, participants generally reported "Neither Low nor High" physical demands

A biofeedback cycling training to improve locomotion: a case series study based on gait pattern classification of 153 chronic stroke patients

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background The restoration of walking ability is the main goal of post-stroke lower limb rehabilitation and different studies suggest that pedaling may have a positive effect on locomotion. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of a biofeedback pedaling treatment and its effects on cycling and walking ability in chronic stroke patients. A case series study was designed and participants were recruited based on a gait pattern classification of a population of 153 chronic stroke patients. Methods In order to optimize participants selection, a k-means cluster analysis was performed to subgroup homogenous gait patterns in terms of gait speed and symmetry. The training consisted of a 2-week treatment of 6 sessions. A visual biofeedback helped the subjects in maintaining a symmetrical contribution of the two legs during pedaling. Participants were assessed before, after training and at follow-up visits (one week after treatment). Outcome measures were the unbalance during a pedaling test, and the temporal, spatial, and symmetry parameters during gait analysis. Results and discussion Three clusters, mainly differing in terms of gait speed, were identified and participants, representative of each cluster, were selected. An intra-subject statistical analysis (ANOVA) showed that all patients significantly decreased the pedaling unbalance after treatment and maintained significant improvements with respect to baseline at follow-up. The 2-week treatment induced some modifications in the gait pattern of two patients: one, the most impaired, significantly improved mean velocity and increased gait symmetry; the other one reduced significantly the over-compensation of the healthy limb. No benefits were produced in the gait of the last subject who maintained her slow but almost symmetrical pattern. Thus, this study might suggest that the treatment can be beneficial for patients having a very asymmetrical and inefficient gait and for those that overuse the healthy leg

A biofeedback cycling training to improve locomotion: a case series study based on gait pattern classification of 153 chronic stroke patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Molteni Franco

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The restoration of walking ability is the main goal of post-stroke lower limb rehabilitation and different studies suggest that pedaling may have a positive effect on locomotion. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of a biofeedback pedaling treatment and its effects on cycling and walking ability in chronic stroke patients. A case series study was designed and participants were recruited based on a gait pattern classification of a population of 153 chronic stroke patients. Methods In order to optimize participants selection, a k-means cluster analysis was performed to subgroup homogenous gait patterns in terms of gait speed and symmetry. The training consisted of a 2-week treatment of 6 sessions. A visual biofeedback helped the subjects in maintaining a symmetrical contribution of the two legs during pedaling. Participants were assessed before, after training and at follow-up visits (one week after treatment. Outcome measures were the unbalance during a pedaling test, and the temporal, spatial, and symmetry parameters during gait analysis. Results and discussion Three clusters, mainly differing in terms of gait speed, were identified and participants, representative of each cluster, were selected. An intra-subject statistical analysis (ANOVA showed that all patients significantly decreased the pedaling unbalance after treatment and maintained significant improvements with respect to baseline at follow-up. The 2-week treatment induced some modifications in the gait pattern of two patients: one, the most impaired, significantly improved mean velocity and increased gait symmetry; the other one reduced significantly the over-compensation of the healthy limb. No benefits were produced in the gait of the last subject who maintained her slow but almost symmetrical pattern. Thus, this study might suggest that the treatment can be beneficial for patients having a very asymmetrical and inefficient gait and for those

Bicycle physics and biomechanics. Techniques - formulas - laws. 9. rev. and enl. ed.; Fahrradphysik und Biomechanik. Technik - Formeln - Gesetze

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gressmann, M.

2005-07-01

Michael Gressmann explains the physical aspects of bicycle riding by numerous concrete examples: Acceleration and velocity, friction and rolling resistance, steering-gear angle and displacement, under- and override, bicycle gear/chain gear, muscle activity in the pedaling, energy and power balance. From this follow many interesting hints for the riding technique and the selection of the technical material. Especially valuable for the practitioner: Considerations and calculations on aerial resistance, gyro forces, frame geometry, seat position, and pedaling frequency.

Simultaneous measurements of thickness and temperature profile in a wavy liquid film falling freely on a heating wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyu, T.; Mudawar, I.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on a technique for measuring the thickness of liquid films that was developed and tested. The feasibility of this technique was demonstrated in stagnant liquid films as well as in liquid jets. A procedure for in-situ calibration of the thickness probe was developed, allowing the adaptation of the probe to measurements of wavy liquid films. The thickness probe was constructed from a platinum-rhodium wire that was stretched across the film. A constant DC current was supplied through the probe wire, and film thickness was determined from variations in the probe voltage drop resulting from the large differences in the electrical resistances of the wetted and unwetted segments of the wire. Unlike electrical admittance thickness probes, the new probe did not require dissolving an electrolyte in the liquid, making the new probe well suited to studies involving sensible heating of a film of pure dielectric liquid that is in direct contact with a current- carrying wall. Also presented is a composite probe that facilitated simultaneous measurements of temperature profile across a wavy liquid film and film thickness. Experimental results demonstrate a strong influence of waviness on liquid temperature in a film of deionized water falling freely on the outside wall of a vertical, electrically heated tube for film Reynolds numbers smaller than 10,000

A near infrared spectroscopy-based test of calf muscle function in patients with peripheral arterial disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Brian Lindegaard; Bækgaard, Niels; Quistorff, Bjørn

2015-01-01

test runs. Intraclass correlation constant (ICC) was used to describe reproducibility. The ICC was calculated using the area under the NIRS oxygenated hemoglobin (Hbox) curve, the initial velocity of the Hbox recovery curve, force measurements, and walking time. Results The ICC of the GAS was between 0...... and two age-matched patients without claudication. Each patient was tested with an isometric ergometer pedal test and a treadmill test applying NIRS measurements of the anterior tibial and the gastrocnemius muscles (GAS). Tests were repeated three times with randomly selected intervals between individual.......92-0.95 (foot-pedal) and 0.70-0.98 (tread mill) and of the anterior tibial muscle was between 0.87-0.96 (foot-pedal) and 0.67-0.79 (tread mill). Conclusion In this study, we contribute a new apparatus and test protocol for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) applying NIRS technique and controlled physical...

The constrained control of force and position in multi-joint movements.

Science.gov (United States)

van Ingen Schenau, G J; Boots, P J; de Groot, G; Snackers, R J; van Woensel, W W

1992-01-01

In many arm or leg movements the hand or foot has to exert an external force on the environment. Based on an inverse dynamical analysis of cycling, it is shown that the distribution of net moments in the joints needed to control the direction of the external force is often opposite to the direction of joint displacements associated with this task. Kinetic and kinematic data were obtained from five experienced cyclists during ergometer cycling by means of film analysis and pedal force measurement. An inverse dynamic analysis, based on a linked segments model, yielded net joint moments, joint powers and muscle shortening velocities of eight leg muscles. Activation patterns of the muscles were obtained by means of surface electromyography. The results show that the transfer of rotations in hip, knee and ankle joints into the translation of the pedal is constrained by conflicting requirements. This occurs between the joint moments necessary to contribute to joint power and the moments necessary to establish a direction of the force on the pedal which allows this force to do work on the pedal. Co-activation of mono-articular agonists and their bi-articular antagonists appear to provide a unique solution for these conflicting requirements: bi-articular muscles appear to be able to control the desired direction of the external force on the pedal by adjusting the relative distribution of net moments over the joints while mono-articular muscles appear to be primarily activated when they are in the position to shorten and thus to contribute to positive work. Examples are given to illustrate the universal nature of this constrained control of force (external) and position (joint). Based on this study and published data it is suggested that different processes may underlie the organization of the control of mono- and bi-articular muscles.

OptoZIF Drive: a 3D printed implant and assembly tool package for neural recording and optical stimulation in freely moving mice

Science.gov (United States)

Freedman, David S.; Schroeder, Joseph B.; Telian, Gregory I.; Zhang, Zhengyang; Sunil, Smrithi; Ritt, Jason T.

2016-12-01

Objective. Behavioral neuroscience studies in freely moving rodents require small, light-weight implants to facilitate neural recording and stimulation. Our goal was to develop an integrated package of 3D printed parts and assembly aids for labs to rapidly fabricate, with minimal training, an implant that combines individually positionable microelectrodes, an optical fiber, zero insertion force (ZIF-clip) headstage connection, and secondary recording electrodes, e.g. for electromyography (EMG). Approach. Starting from previous implant designs that position recording electrodes using a control screw, we developed an implant where the main drive body, protective shell, and non-metal components of the microdrives are 3D printed in parallel. We compared alternative shapes and orientations of circuit boards for electrode connection to the headstage, in terms of their size, weight, and ease of wire insertion. We iteratively refined assembly methods, and integrated additional assembly aids into the 3D printed casing. Main results. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the OptoZIF Drive by performing real time optogenetic feedback in behaving mice. A novel feature of the OptoZIF Drive is its vertical circuit board, which facilities direct ZIF-clip connection. This feature requires angled insertion of an optical fiber that still can exit the drive from the center of a ring of recording electrodes. We designed an innovative 2-part protective shell that can be installed during the implant surgery to facilitate making additional connections to the circuit board. We use this feature to show that facial EMG in mice can be used as a control signal to lock stimulation to the animal’s motion, with stable EMG signal over several months. To decrease assembly time, reduce assembly errors, and improve repeatability, we fabricate assembly aids including a drive holder, a drill guide, an implant fixture for microelectode ‘pinning’, and a gold plating fixture. Significance. The

[Assessment of chosen cognitive functions in children and adolescents with primary headaches].

Science.gov (United States)

Zgorzalewicz, Małgorzata; Mojs, Ewa

2006-01-01

Foundations and aim of the study: Right development of cognitive functions is one of the basal factors, which determines good realization of the developmental tasks, for example achievement in education. Primary headaches especially migraine can be one of the important factor disturbing cognitive functioning of children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to estimate the level of some chosen aspects of cognitive and intellectual functioning of children and adolescents with primary headaches: migraine and tension type (TTH). 90 patients with migraine and 35 with TTH were diagnosed according to the classification of the International Headache Society (IHS 2004). Both groups matched each other according to distribution and averages in sex, age, age of the disease occurrence and time of its duration. The methods used in the study were Raven Test (intelligence), Benton Visual Retention Test form C and D, method A (short term memory for visual modality), Ten Words Test as a shortened version of RAVLT (abilities of learning processes and memory), Loretta Bender Gestalt Test and Bender-Koppitz Test (visuomotor integration and visual perception). The significant difference in the level of intelligence was stated between the examined groups. Children with migraine, especially without aura, in comparison to peers with TTH reached better results in Raven Test. The analysis of the results of the Benton Test in the number of correct and incorrect reproduced tables shows that children with migraine have poorer results. The percentage of correct answers in area of the level of visuomotor intergration was lower in the group with migraine (64%) than in the group with TTH (76%). Patients with migraine mainly with aura (41%) got lower results in Ten Word Test, which estimates the sum of gained results in five trials, and a percentage of correct answers in comparison to the group with TTH (60%). Patients with migraine in comparison to children with TTH show important disturbances

Biomechanika šlapání jako předpoklad výkonu v cyklistické části triatlonu

OpenAIRE

Svatoš, Václav

2012-01-01

Tittle: Biomechanics of pedaling as a determinant for the performance in the cycling part in the triathlon Objective: Prove that mastering pedaling technique, means higher performance in triathlon. Method: For the analysis of measured data use software SPSS, in which we use the test for two independent (paired) files. Due to the characteristics of the file, we used the Mann- Whitney test, we set the significance level at 0.05. Then we set standards for the selected test using T-points. Result...

ジテンシャ ウンドウ ノ コウリツ ト ダグラス バック ホウ オ モチイタ カンセツテキ ネツリョウ ソクテイ : ジテンシャ ウンドウジ ノ ペダル カイテンスウ ノ チガイ ガ ウンドウ ノ コウリツ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ

OpenAIRE

塩田, 正俊

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate whether the pedaling frequency at a constant mechanical power contributes to the cycling efficiency (η gross and η net) , and the rate of fat and carbohydrate utilization during submaximal cycling exercise. Methods: Healthy, recreationally active men (n=ll) and women (n=5) cycled 5 min at workloads of about 54 watts at pedaling frequency of 45, 60 and 90 revolutions/min, respectively, and rested 3 min at approximately equal interval until the f...

Evaluation of chosen determinants of the positive practice environments (PPE at Polish nursing wards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Kilańska

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: At many Polish hospitals, insufficient attention is given to positive work environment. In many cases nurses, similarly to the representatives of other professional groups, are not provided with facilities or tools to perform their professional tasks in safe conditions. The aspects of recruitment and retention of employees are often ignored. The aim of this study has been to assess the chosen determinants of work environment of nurses in Poland using the concept of the Positive Practice Environments (PPE. Material and Methods: The survey was carried out from 2008 to 2011 among 1049 nursing students of 3 randomly selected public medical universities that provided nursing education at the graduate level of the Master of Science. All the people qualified for the study group were practising nurses or midwives. The Polish Nursing Association coordinated the project, obtained the tool, translated it and adjusted it to the Polish conditions. The areas covered in the survey were: a place of employment, selected physical and social elements influencing the work conditions, and biographical information. Results: Access to as many as 8 factors identified as attributes of friendly environments was found unsatisfactory by over 50% of the nurses. For the purpose of objective assessment, the results were compared with the results obtained in the group of nurses in England. Conclusions: The majority of the surveyed nurses were not satisfied with their work environments. Polish nurse managers should ensure that aspects of recognized attributes of friendly, positive practice environments for nurses are established to support nurses’ satisfaction as a pre-condition for patients’ safety. Med Pr 2016;67(1:11–19

2011 Einstein Fellows Chosen

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

ASA has announced the selection of the 2011 Einstein Fellows who will conduct research related to NASA's Physics of the Cosmos program, which aims to expand our knowledge of the origin, evolution, and fate of the Universe. The Einstein Fellowship provides support to the awardees for three years, and the Fellows may pursue their research at a host university or research center of their choosing in the United States. The new Fellows will begin their programs in the fall of 2011. The new Einstein Fellows and their host institutions are listed below: * Akos Bogdan (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass.) * Samuel Gralla (University of Maryland, College Park, Md.) * Philip Hopkins (University of California at Berkeley) * Matthew Kunz (Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.) * Laura Lopez (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.) * Amy Reines (National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, Virg.) * Rubens Reis (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) * Ken Shen (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif.) * Jennifer Siegal-Gaskins (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena) * Lorenzo Sironi (Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.) NASA has two other astrophysics theme-based fellowship programs: the Sagan Fellowship Program, which supports research into exoplanet exploration, and the Hubble Fellowship Program, which supports research into cosmic origins. More information on the Einstein Fellowships can be found at: http://cxc.harvard.edu/fellows/

Numerical simulation of the regularized long wave equation by He's homotopy perturbation method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inc, Mustafa [Department of Mathematics, Firat University, 23119 Elazig (Turkey)], E-mail: minc@firat.edu.tr; Ugurlu, Yavuz [Department of Mathematics, Firat University, 23119 Elazig (Turkey)

2007-09-17

In this Letter, we present the homotopy perturbation method (shortly HPM) for obtaining the numerical solution of the RLW equation. We obtain the exact and numerical solutions of the Regularized Long Wave (RLW) equation for certain initial condition. The initial approximation can be freely chosen with possible unknown constants which can be determined by imposing the boundary and initial conditions. Comparison of the results with those of other methods have led us to significant consequences. The numerical solutions are compared with the known analytical solutions.

Numerical simulation of the regularized long wave equation by He's homotopy perturbation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inc, Mustafa; Ugurlu, Yavuz

2007-01-01

In this Letter, we present the homotopy perturbation method (shortly HPM) for obtaining the numerical solution of the RLW equation. We obtain the exact and numerical solutions of the Regularized Long Wave (RLW) equation for certain initial condition. The initial approximation can be freely chosen with possible unknown constants which can be determined by imposing the boundary and initial conditions. Comparison of the results with those of other methods have led us to significant consequences. The numerical solutions are compared with the known analytical solutions

Maintenance of safety behaviors via response-produced stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelakis, Ioannis; Austin, Jennifer L

2015-11-01

Animal studies suggest that safety behaviors may be maintained by internally or externally produced safety signals, which function as positive reinforcers. We designed two experiments to test this phenomenon with humans. Participants played a computerized game in which they could earn or lose treasures by clicking on a map. In baseline, losses could be postponed by pressing a pedal that also produced a blue bar at the bottom of the screen. During test conditions, no losses were programmed, and pedal presses turned the bar from yellow to blue (Test 1) or blue to yellow (Test 2). In Experiment 2, new participants were exposed to the same conditions but were given information about the safety of the test environment. In both experiments, participants engaged in high rates of pedal pressing when presses were followed by blue bars, suggesting the bar functioned as a safety signal. We discuss how these findings may relate to safety behaviors commonly observed in certain mental health disorders. © The Author(s) 2015.

Fecal impaction causing pelvic venous compression and edema

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Naramore

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Chronic constipation is a common condition which may result in fecal impaction. A 13-year-old male with chronic constipation and encopresis presented with fecal impaction for three weeks. The impaction caused abdominal pain, distension, encopresis, and decreased oral intake. He was found in severe distress with non-pitting edema of his feet and ankles along with perineal edema. The pedal edema worsened after receiving a fluid bolus, so concern arose for venous compression or a thrombus. A Duplex Ultrasound demonstrated changes in the venous waveforms of the bilateral external iliac and common femoral veins without thrombosis. Manual disimpaction and polyethylene glycol 3350 with electrolytes resolved the pedal and perineal edema. Four months later, he had soft bowel movements without recurrence of the edema. A repeat Duplex Ultrasound was normal. We present a child in whom severe fecal impaction caused pelvic venous compression resulting in bilateral pedal and perineal edema.

Blockade of central vasopressin receptors reduces the cardiovascular response to acute stress in freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Stojicić, S; Milutinović-Smiljanić, S; Sarenac, O; Milosavljević, S; Paton, J F R; Murphy, D; Japundzić-Zigon, N

2008-04-01

To investigate the contribution of central vasopressin receptors to blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) response to stress we injected non-peptide selective V(1a) (SR49059), V(1b) (SSR149415), V(2) (SR121463) receptor antagonists, diazepam or vehicle in the lateral cerebral ventricle of conscious freely moving rats stressed by blowing air on their heads for 2 min. Cardiovascular effects of stress were evaluated by analyzing maximum increase of BP and HR (MAX), latency of maximum response (LAT), integral under BP and HR curve (integral), duration of their recovery and spectral parameters of BP and HR indicative of increased sympathetic outflow (LF(BP) and LF/HF(HR)). Moreover, the increase of serum corticosterone was measured. Exposure to air-jet stress induced simultaneous increase in BP and HR followed by gradual decline during recovery while LF(BP) oscillation remained increased as well as serum corticosterone level. Rats pre-treated with vasopressin receptor antagonists were not sedated while diazepam induced sedation that persisted during exposure to stress. V(1a), V(1b) and V(2) receptor antagonists applied separately did not modify basal values of cardiovascular parameters but prevented the increase in integral(BP). In addition, V(1b) and V(2) receptor antagonists reduced BP(MAX) whereas V(1a), V(1b) antagonist and diazepam reduced HR(MAX) induced by exposure to air-jet stress. All drugs shortened the recovery period, prevented the increase of LF(BP) without affecting the increase in serum corticosterone levels. Results indicate that vasopressin receptors located within the central nervous system mediate, in part, the cardiovascular response to air-jet stress without affecting either the neuroendocrine component or inducing sedation. They support the view that the V(1b) receptor antagonist may be of potential therapeutic value in reducing arterial pressure induced by stress-related disorders.

Comparative effects of organic and inorganic mercury on in vivo dopamine release in freely moving rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.R.F. Faro

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The present study was carried out in order to compare the effects of administration of organic (methylmercury, MeHg and inorganic (mercury chloride, HgCl 2 forms of mercury on in vivo dopamine (DA release from rat striatum. Experiments were performed in conscious and freely moving female adult Sprague-Dawley (230-280 g rats using brain microdialysis coupled to HPLC with electrochemical detection. Perfusion of different concentrations of MeHg or HgCl 2 (2 µL/min for 1 h, N = 5-7/group into the striatum produced significant increases in the levels of DA. Infusion of 40 µM, 400 µM, or 4 mM MeHg increased DA levels to 907 ± 31, 2324 ± 156, and 9032 ± 70% of basal levels, respectively. The same concentrations of HgCl 2 increased DA levels to 1240 ± 66, 2500 ± 424, and 2658 ± 337% of basal levels, respectively. These increases were associated with significant decreases in levels of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovallinic acid. Intrastriatal administration of MeHg induced a sharp concentration-dependent increase in DA levels with a peak 30 min after injection, whereas HgCl 2 induced a gradual, lower (for 4 mM and delayed increase in DA levels (75 min after the beginning of perfusion. Comparing the neurochemical profile of the two mercury derivatives to induce increases in DA levels, we observed that the time-course of these increases induced by both mercurials was different and the effect produced by HgCl 2 was not concentration-dependent (the effect was the same for the concentrations of 400 µM and 4 mM HgCl 2 . These results indicate that HgCl 2 produces increases in extracellular DA levels by a mechanism differing from that of MeHg.

Socioeconomic status, energy cost, and nutrient content of supermarket food purchases.

Science.gov (United States)

Appelhans, Bradley M; Milliron, Brandy-Joe; Woolf, Kathleen; Johnson, Tricia J; Pagoto, Sherry L; Schneider, Kristin L; Whited, Matthew C; Ventrelle, Jennifer C

2012-04-01

The relative affordability of energy-dense versus nutrient-rich foods may promote socioeconomic disparities in dietary quality and obesity. Although supermarkets are the largest food source in the American diet, the associations between SES and the cost and nutrient content of freely chosen food purchases have not been described. To investigate relationships of SES with the energy cost ($/1000 kcal) and nutrient content of freely chosen supermarket purchases. Supermarket shoppers (n=69) were recruited at a Phoenix AZ supermarket in 2009. The energy cost and nutrient content of participants' purchases were calculated from photographs of food packaging and nutrition labels using dietary analysis software. Data were analyzed in 2010-2011. Two SES indicators, education and household income as a percentage of the federal poverty guideline (FPG), were associated with the energy cost of purchased foods. Adjusting for covariates, the amount spent on 1000 kcal of food was $0.26 greater for every multiple of the FPG, and those with a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree spent an additional $1.05 for every 1000 kcal of food compared to those with no college education. Lower energy cost was associated with higher total fat and less protein, dietary fiber, and vegetables per 1000 kcal purchased. Low-SES supermarket shoppers purchase calories in inexpensive forms that are higher in fat and less nutrient-rich. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography (CEMRA) in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD): conventional moving table technique versus hybrid technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalle, T. von; Gerlach, A.; Hatopp, A.; Klinger, S.; Prodehl, P.; Arlat, I.P.

2004-01-01

Patients and Methods: 80 patients (males n = 60, females n = 20, median age = 70 years, diabetics n = 27) with PAOD were examined with a 1,5T system (40 mT/m) using a dedicated phased array peripheral vascular coil. Protocol A consisted of a single injection of Gd-BOPTA with consecutive craniocaudal image acquisition and protocol B of two injections, with the first injection of Gd-BOPTA followed by image acquisition of the popliteocrural and pedal segments and the second injection followed by acquiring the aortoiliac and femoral segments (hybrid technique). The evaluation of the arterial system was directed to the iliac, femoral, popliteocrural and pedal arteries. Results: The visualization of the entire aortopedal vascular system was of diagnostically good or satisfactory quality in 16 of 40 patients using protocol A and in 29 of 40 patients using protocol B (iliac 40 vs. 37, femoral 40 vs. 40, popliteocrural 35 vs. 37, pedal 16 vs. 29); without the pedal station the number increased to 35 of 40 patients for both protocols. The reason of diagnostic limitations was an arteriovenous overlap in 24 of 80 cases, with 19 of 40 cases for protocol A and 5 of 40 for protocol B, located exclusively in the cruropedal region. Conclusion: Moving table hybrid CEMRA is superior to conventional technique in craniocaudal direction by producing less venous overlap of arteries and is especially more suitable for the diagnostic evaluation of the cruropedal region. (orig.) [de

Getting around Antarctica: new high-resolution mappings of the grounded and freely-floating boundaries of the Antarctic ice sheet created for the International Polar Year

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R. Bindschadler

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Two ice-dynamic transitions of the Antarctic ice sheet – the boundary of grounded ice features and the freely-floating boundary – are mapped at 15-m resolution by participants of the International Polar Year project ASAID using customized software combining Landsat-7 imagery and ICESat/GLAS laser altimetry. The grounded ice boundary is 53 610 km long; 74 % abuts to floating ice shelves or outlet glaciers, 19 % is adjacent to open or sea-ice covered ocean, and 7 % of the boundary ice terminates on land. The freely-floating boundary, called here the hydrostatic line, is the most landward position on ice shelves that expresses the full amplitude of oscillating ocean tides. It extends 27 521 km and is discontinuous. Positional (one-sigma accuracies of the grounded ice boundary vary an order of magnitude ranging from ±52 m for the land and open-ocean terminating segments to ±502 m for the outlet glaciers. The hydrostatic line is less well positioned with errors over 2 km. Elevations along each line are selected from 6 candidate digital elevation models based on their agreement with ICESat elevation values and surface shape inferred from the Landsat imagery. Elevations along the hydrostatic line are converted to ice thicknesses by applying a firn-correction factor and a flotation criterion. BEDMAP-compiled data and other airborne data are compared to the ASAID elevations and ice thicknesses to arrive at quantitative (one-sigma uncertainties of surface elevations of ±3.6, ±9.6, ±11.4, ±30 and ±100 m for five ASAID-assigned confidence levels. Over one-half of the surface elevations along the grounded ice boundary and over one-third of the hydrostatic line elevations are ranked in the highest two confidence categories. A comparison between ASAID-calculated ice shelf thicknesses and BEDMAP-compiled data indicate a thin-ice bias of 41.2 ± 71.3 m for the ASAID ice thicknesses. The relationship between the seaward offset of the hydrostatic line

Getting around Antarctica: New High-Resolution Mappings of the Grounded and Freely-Floating Boundaries of the Antarctic Ice Sheet Created for the International Polar Year

Science.gov (United States)

Bindschadler, R.; Choi, H.; Wichlacz, A.; Bingham, R.; Bohlander, J.; Brunt, K.; Corr, H.; Drews, R.; Fricker, H.; Hall, M.;

KIPTC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Guandong; Zong, Yu; Jin, Ping

2015-01-01

In the social annotation systems, users annotate digital data sources by using tags which are freely chosen textual descriptions. Tags are used to index, annotate and retrieve resource as an additional metadata of resource. Poor retrieval performance remains a major challenge of most social...... annotation systems resulting from several problems of ambiguity, redundancy and less semantic nature of tags. Clustering is a useful tool to handle these problems in social annotation systems. In this paper, we propose a novel tag clustering algorithm based on kernel information propagation. This approach...

FES-assisted Cycling Improves Aerobic Capacity and Locomotor Function Postcerebrovascular Accident.

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Aaron, Stacey E; Vanderwerker, Catherine J; Embry, Aaron E; Newton, Jennifer H; Lee, Samuel C K; Gregory, Chris M

2018-03-01

After a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) aerobic deconditioning contributes to diminished physical function. Functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted cycling is a promising exercise paradigm designed to target both aerobic capacity and locomotor function. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of an FES-assisted cycling intervention on aerobic capacity and locomotor function in individuals post-CVA. Eleven individuals with chronic (>6 months) post-CVA hemiparesis completed an 8-wk (three times per week; 24 sessions) progressive FES-assisted cycling intervention. V˙O2peak, self-selected, and fastest comfortable walking speeds, gait, and pedaling symmetry, 6-min walk test (6MWT), balance, dynamic gait movements, and health status were measured at baseline and posttraining. Functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling significantly improved V˙O2peak (12%, P = 0.006), self-selected walking speed (SSWS, 0.05 ± 0.1 m·s, P = 0.04), Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale score (12.75 ± 17.4, P = 0.04), Berg Balance Scale score (3.91 ± 4.2, P = 0.016), Dynamic Gait Index score (1.64 ± 1.4, P = 0.016), and Stroke Impact Scale participation/role domain score (12.74 ± 16.7, P = 0.027). Additionally, pedal symmetry, represented by the paretic limb contribution to pedaling (paretic pedaling ratio [PPR]) significantly improved (10.09% ± 9.0%, P = 0.016). Although step length symmetry (paretic step ratio [PSR]) did improve, these changes were not statistically significant (-0.05% ± 0.1%, P = 0.09). Exploratory correlations showed moderate association between change in SSWS and 6-min walk test (r = 0.74), and moderate/strong negative association between change in PPR and PSR. These results support FES-assisted cycling as a means to improve both aerobic capacity and locomotor function. Improvements in SSWS, balance, dynamic walking movements, and participation in familial and societal roles are important targets for rehabilitation of individuals

QuaDoSta - a freely configurable system which facilitates multi-centric data collection for healthcare and medical research

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Albrecht, Ulrike

2007-07-01

Full Text Available This article describes QuaDoSta (quality assurance, documentation and statistics, a flexible documentation system as well as a data collection and networking platform for medical facilities. The user can freely define the required documentation masks which are easily expandable and can be adapted to individual requirements without the need for additional programming. To avoid duplication, data transfer interfaces can be configured flexibly to external sources such as patient management systems used in surgeries or hospital information systems. The projects EvaMed (Evaluation Anthroposophical Medicine and the Network Oncology are two scientific research projects which have been successfully established as nationally active networks on the basis of QuaDoSta. The EvaMed-Network serves as a modern pharmacovigilance project for the documentation of adverse drug events. All prescription data are electronically recorded to assess the relative risk of drugs. The Network Oncology was set up as a documentation system in four hospitals and seven specialist oncology practices where a complete record of all oncological therapies is being carried out to uniform standards on the basis of the ‘basic documentation for tumour patients’ (BDT developed by the German Cancer Society. The QuaDoSta solution system made it possible to cater for the specific requirements of the presented projects. The following features of the system proved to be highly advantageous: flexible setup of catalogues and user friendly customisation and extensions, complete dissociation of system setup and documentation content, multi-centre networkability, and configurable data transfer interfaces.

Footprints in the sand: independent reduction of subdigital lamellae in the Namib-Kalahari burrowing geckos.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamb, Trip; Bauer, Aaron M

2006-04-07

Many desert organisms exhibit convergence, and certain physical factors such as windblown sands have generated remarkably similar ecomorphs across divergent lineages. The burrowing geckos Colopus, Chondrodactylus and Palmatogecko occupy dune ecosystems in the Namib and Kalahari deserts of southwest Africa. Considered closely related, they share several putative synapomorphies, including reduced subdigital pads (toe pads) and spinose digital scales. Though recognized as part of Africa's ecologically diverse Pachydactylus Group, the burrowing geckos' precise phylogenetic affinities remain elusive. Convergent pedal modification provides a tenable alternative explaining the geckos' derived terrestriality and adaptation to Namib and Kalahari sands. We generated a molecular phylogeny for the Pachydactylus Group to examine evolutionary relationships among the burrowing geckos and infer historical patterns of pedal character change. Bayesian and parsimony analyses revealed all three burrowing genera to be deeply nested within Pachydactylus, each genus belonging to a separate clade. Strong support for these distinct clades indicates ecomorphological adaptations for burrowing have evolved independently three times in the southern Pachydactylus Group. We argue that the physical properties of Namib and Kalahari sands played a principal role in selecting for pedal similarity.

Morphological correlates of the grooming claw in distal phalanges of platyrrhines and other primates: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Maiolino, Stephanie; Boyer, Doug M; Rosenberger, Alfred

2011-12-01

Grooming claws are present on the second pedal digits of strepsirhines and on the second and third pedal digits of tarsiers. However, their presence in New World monkeys is often overlooked. As such, the absence of a grooming claw is generally considered an anthropoid synapomorphy. This study utilizes a quantitative multivariate analysis to define grooming claw morphology and document its presence in platyrrhine monkeys. Our results show that owl monkeys possess grooming claws similar to those of strepsirhines, while titi monkeys possess grooming claw-like morphology. Therefore, we conclude that anthropoids are not clearly united by the absence of a grooming claw. Furthermore, due to their presence in three major primate clades, we infer that it is likely that a grooming claw was present on the second pedal digit of the ancestor of living primates. Therefore, we advise the reassessment of fossil adapids in light of the anatomical correlates described here. This should increase resolution on the homology and polarity of grooming claw morphology, and, therefore, will help provide a sharper picture of primate evolution. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Smart Cage With Uniform Wireless Power Distribution in 3D for Enabling Long-Term Experiments With Freely Moving Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirbozorgi, S Abdollah; Bahrami, Hadi; Sawan, Mohamad; Gosselin, Benoit

2016-04-01

This paper presents a novel experimental chamber with uniform wireless power distribution in 3D for enabling long-term biomedical experiments with small freely moving animal subjects. The implemented power transmission chamber prototype is based on arrays of parallel resonators and multicoil inductive links, to form a novel and highly efficient wireless power transmission system. The power transmitter unit includes several identical resonators enclosed in a scalable array of overlapping square coils which are connected in parallel to provide uniform power distribution along x and y. Moreover, the proposed chamber uses two arrays of primary resonators, facing each other, and connected in parallel to achieve uniform power distribution along the z axis. Each surface includes 9 overlapped coils connected in parallel and implemented into two layers of FR4 printed circuit board. The chamber features a natural power localization mechanism, which simplifies its implementation and ease its operation by avoiding the need for active detection and control mechanisms. A single power surface based on the proposed approach can provide a power transfer efficiency (PTE) of 69% and a power delivered to the load (PDL) of 120 mW, for a separation distance of 4 cm, whereas the complete chamber prototype provides a uniform PTE of 59% and a PDL of 100 mW in 3D, everywhere inside the chamber with a size of 27×27×16 cm(3).

Determination of the Glass-Transition Temperature of GRPS and CFRPS Using a Torsion Pendulum in Regimes of Freely Damped Vibrations and Quasi-Stastic Torsion of Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Startsev, V. O.; Lebedev, M. P.; Molokov, M. V.

2018-03-01

A method to measure the glass-transition temperature of polymers and polymeric matrices of composite materials with the help of an inverse torsion pendulum over a wide range of temperatures is considered combining the method of free torsional vibrations and a quasi-static torsion of specimens. The glass-transition temperature Tg of a KMKS-1-80. T10 fiberglass, on increasing the frequency of freely damped torsional vibrations from 0.7 to 9.6 Hz, was found to increase from 132 to 140°C. The value of Tg of these specimens, determined by measuring the work of their torsion through a small fixed angle was 128.6°C ± 0.8°C. It is shown that the use of a torsion pendulum allows one to determine the glass-transition temperature of polymeric or polymer matrices of PCMs in dynamic and quasi-static deformation regimes of specimens.

Nonlinear theory of nonstationary low Mach number channel flows of freely cooling nearly elastic granular gases.

Science.gov (United States)

Meerson, Baruch; Fouxon, Itzhak; Vilenkin, Arkady

2008-02-01

We employ hydrodynamic equations to investigate nonstationary channel flows of freely cooling dilute gases of hard and smooth spheres with nearly elastic particle collisions. This work focuses on the regime where the sound travel time through the channel is much shorter than the characteristic cooling time of the gas. As a result, the gas pressure rapidly becomes almost homogeneous, while the typical Mach number of the flow drops well below unity. Eliminating the acoustic modes and employing Lagrangian coordinates, we reduce the hydrodynamic equations to a single nonlinear and nonlocal equation of a reaction-diffusion type. This equation describes a broad class of channel flows and, in particular, can follow the development of the clustering instability from a weakly perturbed homogeneous cooling state to strongly nonlinear states. If the heat diffusion is neglected, the reduced equation becomes exactly soluble, and the solution develops a finite-time density blowup. The blowup has the same local features at singularity as those exhibited by the recently found family of exact solutions of the full set of ideal hydrodynamic equations [I. Fouxon, Phys. Rev. E 75, 050301(R) (2007); I. Fouxon,Phys. Fluids 19, 093303 (2007)]. The heat diffusion, however, always becomes important near the attempted singularity. It arrests the density blowup and brings about previously unknown inhomogeneous cooling states (ICSs) of the gas, where the pressure continues to decay with time, while the density profile becomes time-independent. The ICSs represent exact solutions of the full set of granular hydrodynamic equations. Both the density profile of an ICS and the characteristic relaxation time toward it are determined by a single dimensionless parameter L that describes the relative role of the inelastic energy loss and heat diffusion. At L>1 the intermediate cooling dynamics proceeds as a competition between "holes": low-density regions of the gas. This competition resembles Ostwald

Mapping Forest Canopy Height Across Large Areas by Upscaling ALS Estimates with Freely Available Satellite Data

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Phil Wilkes

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Operational assessment of forest structure is an on-going challenge for land managers, particularly over large, remote or inaccessible areas. Here, we present an easily adopted method for generating a continuous map of canopy height at a 30 m resolution, demonstrated over 2.9 million hectares of highly heterogeneous forest (canopy height 0–70 m in Victoria, Australia. A two-stage approach was utilized where Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS derived canopy height, captured over ~18% of the study area, was used to train a regression tree ensemble method; random forest. Predictor variables, which have a global coverage and are freely available, included Landsat Thematic Mapper (Tasselled Cap transformed, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Difference Vegetation Index time series, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data and other ancillary datasets. Reflectance variables were further processed to extract additional spatial and temporal contextual and textural variables. Modeled canopy height was validated following two approaches; (i random sample cross validation; and (ii with 108 inventory plots from outside the ALS capture extent. Both the cross validation and comparison with inventory data indicate canopy height can be estimated with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE of ≤ 31% (~5.6 m at the 95th percentile confidence interval. Subtraction of the systematic component of model error, estimated from training data error residuals, rescaled canopy height values to more accurately represent the response variable distribution tails e.g., tall and short forest. Two further experiments were carried out to test the applicability and scalability of the presented method. Results suggest that (a no improvement in canopy height estimation is achieved when models were constructed and validated for smaller geographic areas, suggesting there is no upper limit to model scalability; and (b training data can be captured over a small

Biomechanics of knee rehabilitation with cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, W D; Blackburn, T A

1980-01-01

The bicycle provides quadriceps rehabilitation while controlling the stresses to the knee ligaments. With pedaling on the bicycle, forces are applied to the anterior cruciate ligament, the capsular ligaments, and the posterior structures of the knee joint as the tibial plateau is posteriorly tilted. The knee muscles can modify their forces. Therefore, by controlling the mode of cycling with varying seat heights and pedal positions, the ligaments can be relieved from these forces during the initial stages of the rehabilitative process. An exercise program can then be designed to apply controlled stress to these structures to enhance the healing and recovery processes.

Rig it right! Maya animation rigging concepts

CERN Document Server

O'Hailey, Tina

2013-01-01

Rigging a character can be a complicated undertaking. Move from a bi-pedal character to a quad- or poly-pedal and, well, things just got real. Where do you begin? Unlike all of those button-pushing manuals out there, Rig it Right! breaks down rigging so that you can achieve a fundamental understanding of the concept, allowing you to rig more intuitively in your own work. Veteran animation professor Tina O'Hailey will get you up and rigging in a matter of hours with step-by-step tutorials covering multiple animation control types, connection methods, interactive skinning, Blend

Analysis of Depedences between Using of Parking Places and Chosen Parameters of Weather on the Example of Underground Parking in Cracow

Science.gov (United States)

Parkitny, Waldemar

2017-12-01

The development of civilization is connected with the development of cities. This is particularly visible in high developed countries. Dynamic increase of the population and enlarging its grounds causes many problems. One of the problem, which is the most difficult to solve, is the problem of parking in cities as well as the problem of increasing number of cars, particularly personal cars. This problem results from several main reasons: 1. The historical form of cities, 2. Tendencies to building in city centres the main administrative centres, departments, offices, schools, universities, shopping centres etc., 3. Tendencies to transfering residences from cities to villages situated near cities. This phenomenon occurs especially in the well-off part of the society. It generates the additional traffic of personal cars and the growth of the demand on parking places. 4. Increasing price accessibility of personal cars. Observations taken by the author of the paper show that vehicles traffic in a city grows up when the weather get worse. There was submitted a proposition that this will influence on the extent of utilization of car parks and zones of paid parking in a city. The aim of the investigation was checking the dependence between the chosen weather parameters, e.g. temperature, falls, cloudiness, and the utilization of parking places. Underground car park in Cracow was chosen as the object of investigations. Cracow is one of the largest cities in Poland. About 760000 persons live there, and in Cracow Agglomeration about 1.4 million of persons. There are great parking problems in the city. Because of that the zones of paid parking have been introduced, where can be parked about 29000 personal cars. The analysed car park is the new object. It is administered by the company, which belong to the town. It may be attractive for drivers because of its position, about 1 km from Old Town Market. However, there exist another car parks, which are laid even nearer, but they

Entrainment, retention, and transport of freely swimming fish in junction gaps between commercial barges operating on the Illinois Waterway

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Jeremiah J.; Jackson, P. Ryan; Engel, Frank; LeRoy, Jessica Z.; Neeley, Rebecca N.; Finney, Samuel T.; Murphy, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

Large Electric Dispersal Barriers were constructed in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) to prevent the transfer of invasive fish species between the Mississippi River Basin and the Great Lakes Basin while simultaneously allowing the passage of commercial barge traffic. We investigated the potential for entrainment, retention, and transport of freely swimming fish within large gaps (> 50 m3) created at junction points between barges. Modified mark and capture trials were employed to assess fish entrainment, retention, and transport by barge tows. A multi-beam sonar system enabled estimation of fish abundance within barge junction gaps. Barges were also instrumented with acoustic Doppler velocity meters to map the velocity distribution in the water surrounding the barge and in the gap formed at the junction of two barges. Results indicate that the water inside the gap can move upstream with a barge tow at speeds near the barge tow travel speed. Water within 1 m to the side of the barge junction gaps was observed to move upstream with the barge tow. Observed transverse and vertical water velocities suggest pathways by which fish may potentially be entrained into barge junction gaps. Results of mark and capture trials provide direct evidence that small fish can become entrained by barges, retained within junction gaps, and transported over distances of at least 15.5 km. Fish entrained within the barge junction gap were retained in that space as the barge tow transited through locks and the Electric Dispersal Barriers, which would be expected to impede fish movement upstream.

Chosen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of enamel formation genes and dental caries in a population of Polish children.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerreth, Karolina; Zaorska, Katarzyna; Zabel, Maciej; Borysewicz-Lewicka, Maria; Nowicki, Michał

2017-09-01

It is increasingly emphasized that the influence of a host's factors in the etiology of dental caries are of most interest, particularly those concerned with genetic aspect. The aim of the study was to analyze the genotype and allele frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AMELX, AMBN, TUFT1, TFIP11, MMP20 and KLK4 genes and to prove their association with dental caries occurrence in a population of Polish children. The study was performed in 96 children (48 individuals with caries - "cases" and 48 free of this disease - "controls"), aged 20-42 months, chosen out of 262 individuals who had dental examination performed and attended 4 day nurseries located in Poznań (Poland). From both groups oral swab was collected for molecular evaluation. Eleven selected SNPs markers were genotyped by Sanger sequencing. Genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and a standard χ2 analysis was used to test for deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The association of genetic variations with caries susceptibility or resistance was assessed by the Fisher's exact test and p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Five markers were significantly associated with caries incidence in children in the study: rs17878486 in AMELX (p caries occurrence in Polish children.

[Appreciation of selenium concentration in blood and tissues of male rat as a result of diet ingredients changes and its supplementation with chosen group B vitamins].

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Mariola; Goluch-Koniuszy, Zuzanna; Dolot, Anna; Pilarczyk, Bogumiła

2011-01-01

The influence of diet ingredients and its supplementation with chosen B group vitamins on concentration of selenium in blood serum and tissues and activity of glutathione peroxidase in blood and liver of male rats was examined in the conducted experiment. The animals, aged 5 months, were divided into three groups and fed ad libitum with granulated mixes. Group I with basic mix containing among other things full grains, Group II with modified mix in which full grains were exchanged for wheat flour and in part with saccharose and Group III with modified mix supplemented in excess with vitamins B1, B2, B6 and PP. The experiment was conducted for six weeks during which the amount of consumed feeding stuff was calculated currently and once a week body mass of the animals was checked. When the experiment was finished the activity of GSH-Px was determined by spectrophotometric method in blood and liver whereas concentration of selenium in blood serum, muscles and in liver by fluorometric method. It was ascertained that the change of diet ingredients and its supplementation with chosen group B vitamins was in favour of lowering the amount of selenium in the examined tissues, and the decrease was not only the result of lower amount of the consumed element, but also of its increased usage, forced by the changes taking place under the influence of diet components and its supplementation.

Prosthetic avian vocal organ controlled by a freely behaving bird based on a low dimensional model of the biomechanical periphery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ezequiel M Arneodo

Full Text Available Because of the parallels found with human language production and acquisition, birdsong is an ideal animal model to study general mechanisms underlying complex, learned motor behavior. The rich and diverse vocalizations of songbirds emerge as a result of the interaction between a pattern generator in the brain and a highly nontrivial nonlinear periphery. Much of the complexity of this vocal behavior has been understood by studying the physics of the avian vocal organ, particularly the syrinx. A mathematical model describing the complex periphery as a nonlinear dynamical system leads to the conclusion that nontrivial behavior emerges even when the organ is commanded by simple motor instructions: smooth paths in a low dimensional parameter space. An analysis of the model provides insight into which parameters are responsible for generating a rich variety of diverse vocalizations, and what the physiological meaning of these parameters is. By recording the physiological motor instructions elicited by a spontaneously singing muted bird and computing the model on a Digital Signal Processor in real-time, we produce realistic synthetic vocalizations that replace the bird's own auditory feedback. In this way, we build a bio-prosthetic avian vocal organ driven by a freely behaving bird via its physiologically coded motor commands. Since it is based on a low-dimensional nonlinear mathematical model of the peripheral effector, the emulation of the motor behavior requires light computation, in such a way that our bio-prosthetic device can be implemented on a portable platform.

Postnatal changes in local cerebral blood flow measured by the quantitative autoradiographic [14C]iodoantipyrine technique in freely moving rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nehlig, A.; Pereira de Vasconcelos, A.; Boyet, S.

1989-01-01

The postnatal changes in local cerebral blood flow in freely moving rats were measured by means of the quantitative autoradiographic [ 14 C]iodoantipyrine method. The animals were studied at 10, 14, 17, 21 and 35 days and at the adult stage. At 10 days after birth, rates of blood flow were very low and quite homogeneous in most cerebral structures except in a few posterior areas. From these relatively uniform levels, values of local cerebral blood flow rose notably to reach a peak at 17 days in all brain regions studied. Rates of blood flow decreased between 17 and 21 days after birth and then increased from weaning time to reach the known characteristic distribution of the adult rat. The postnatal evolution of local cerebral blood in the rat is in good agreement with previous studies in other species such as dog and humans that also show higher rates of cerebral blood flow and glucose utilization at immature stages. However, in the rat, local cerebral blood flow and local cerebral glucose utilization are not coupled over the whole postnatal period studied, since blood flow rates reach peak values at 17 days whereas glucose utilization remains still quite low at that stage. The high rate of cerebral blood flow in the 17-day-old rat may reflect the energetic and biosynthetic needs of the actively developing brain that are completed by the summation of glucose and ketone body utilization

Dose-response characteristics of methylphenidate on locomotor behavior and on sensory evoked potentials recorded from the VTA, NAc, and PFC in freely behaving rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swann Alan C

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Methylphenidate (MPD is a psychostimulant commonly prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The mode of action of the brain circuitry responsible for initiating the animals' behavior in response to psychostimulants is not well understood. There is some evidence that psychostimulants activate the ventral tegmental area (VTA, nucleus accumbens (NAc, and prefrontal cortex (PFC. Methods The present study was designed to investigate the acute dose-response of MPD (0.6, 2.5, and 10.0 mg/kg on locomotor behavior and sensory evoked potentials recorded from the VTA, NAc, and PFC in freely behaving rats previously implanted with permanent electrodes. For locomotor behavior, adult male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY; n = 39 rats were given saline on experimental day 1 and either saline or an acute injection of MPD (0.6, 2.5, or 10.0 mg/kg, i.p. on experimental day 2. Locomotor activity was recorded for 2-h post injection on both days using an automated, computerized activity monitoring system. Electrophysiological recordings were also performed in the adult male WKY rats (n = 10. Five to seven days after the rats had recovered from the implantation of electrodes, each rat was placed in a sound-insulated, electrophysiological test chamber where its sensory evoked field potentials were recorded before and after saline and 0.6, 2.5, and 10.0 mg/kg MPD injection. Time interval between injections was 90 min. Results Results showed an increase in locomotion with dose-response characteristics, while a dose-response decrease in amplitude of the components of sensory evoked field responses of the VTA, NAc, and PFC neurons. For example, the P3 component of the sensory evoked field response of the VTA decreased by 19.8% ± 7.4% from baseline after treatment of 0.6 mg/kg MPD, 37.8% ± 5.9% after 2.5 mg/kg MPD, and 56.5% ± 3.9% after 10 mg/kg MPD. Greater attenuation from baseline was observed in the NAc and PFC. Differences in the intensity of

THE INFLUENCE OF THE CHOSEN SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN WOMEN AFTER GYNAECOLOGICAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beata Karakiewicz

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to assess how the chosen socio-demographic factors effect the quality of life in the patients after gynaecological surgical procedures. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted in 2007 among 250 women operated in the Department of Reproduction and Gynaecology, the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. In this survey-based study, we used a standardized quality of life questionnaire, the Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ, developed by Dr Myra Hunter at London University. Results: The most numerous patients were those with sleep disorders (38,8%, 37,6% of the surveyed complained of troublesome menstrual symptoms, 26,8% of respondents had disturbing somatic symptoms, short memory and problems with concentration. The lowest percentage of women (12,4% felt anxiety and fear associated with the past gynaecological surgical procedure. Conclusions: 1. General satisfaction and good disposition is declared by the majority of patients after gynaecological surgical procedures. 2. Age, education, having a partner, place of residence, and the number of children are the factors which have significant effect on the quality of life in women after gynaecological procedures.

An experiment on rider stability while mounting: Comparing middle-aged and elderly cyclists on pedelecs and conventional bicycles.

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Twisk, D A M; Platteel, S; Lovegrove, G R

2017-08-01

Pedelecs, popular among elderly cyclists, are associated with a higher injury risk than conventional bicycles. About 17% of these injuries are due to falls while (dis)mounting. Using instrumented bicycles, this study aimed to identify factors contributing to the stability of self-chosen mounting methods in four user groups: 30-45 versus 65+ years of age and males versus females. Mounting stability on pedelecs was compared with that on conventional bicycles, in controlled experimental setting (task in a fenced off parking lot) but also in real traffic conditions (traffic light turns green). Two mounting phases were differentiated: phase 1 as the transition from 'earth bound' to 'balance' and phase 2 as the acceleration to achieve harmonized cycling. Stability was operationalised in terms of the duration of these phases: the shorter their duration, the higher the stability. Pedelecs were shown to be less stable in phase 1 than conventional bicycles, irrespective of user group. For all user groups, only in phase 2 the advantages of electrical support kicked in. Results obtained in traffic conditions confirmed the patterns obtained in the controlled setting, with as only difference a lower speed in traffic conditions, which held for both mounting phases and bicycle types. Also measures of physical limitations due to low muscle strength were shown only to be compensated for by pedal support in phase 2 and not in phase 1. Further, mounting characteristics affected pedelec stability in phase 1 and not in phase 2. Higher stability was associated with a) starting while seated and b) using the pedal to push off. Although, these mounting characteristics were confounded with age, gender, and muscle strength, the pattern of results still suggest certain mounting techniques to be more beneficial for pedelecs. The results further illustrate the importance of a deeper understanding of the interactions of bicycle types and user groups on critical manoeuvres and their potential

Soil Monitor: an advanced and freely accesible platform to challenge soil sealing in Italy

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Langella, Giuliano; Basile, Angelo; Giannecchini, Simone; Domenico Moccia, Francesco; Munafò, Michele; Terribile, Fabio

2017-04-01

Soil sealing is known to be one of the most serious soil degradation processes since it greatly disturbs or removes essential ecosystem services. Although important policy documents (Roadmap to a Resource Efficient in Europe, SDG'S) promise to mitigate this problem, there are still no signs of change and today soil sealing continues to increase globally. We believe an immediate action is required to reduce the distance between the grand policy declarations and the poor availability of operational - and scientifically robust - tools to challenge soil sealing. These tools must be able to support the decisions made by people who manage and control the soil sealing, namely urban and landscape planning professionals and authorities. In this contribution, we demonstrate that soil sealing can be effectively challenged by the implementation of a dedicated Geospatial Cyberinfrastructure. The platform we are developing - named Soil Monitor - is at now a well-functioning prototype freely available at http://www.soilmonitor.it/. It has been developed by research scientists coming from different disciplines. The national authority for environmental protection (ISPRA) provided the dataset while INU (Italian association of urban planners) tested the soil sealing and the urban planning indicators. More generally, Soil Monitor has been designed to support the Italian policy documents connected to soil sealing: AS 1181, AS 2383, L. 22 May 2015, n. 68; L. 28 December, n. 221). Thus, it connects many different soil sealing aspects including science, community, policy and economy. Soil Monitor performs geospatial computation in real-time to support the decision making in the landscape planning. This aims at measuring soil sealing in order to mitigate it and in particular at recognizing actions to achieve the land degradation neutrality. The web platform covers the entire Italy, even though it is "Country-agnostic". Data are processed at a very high spatial resolution (10-20 m), which

Price development evaluation of chosen plant commodities in agra­rian market in the Slovak Republic

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Patrik Rovný

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of the paper is to evaluate the price development of the chosen commodities in plant production in Slovakia and to focus on the factors influencing the increase or decrease in the price of commodities on the domestic and foreign markets. In 2008 the prices of the products in a year–on–year plant production increased by 1.6 %. The price of the plant products, including fruits and ve­ge­tab­les recorded the biggest increase since January 2008 until October 2008. The biggest increase in prices was recorded in June (increase of 52.7%. The high prices of oil plants and legume were one of the causes in a year–on–year price increase (oil plants increase by 23.3% and legume −15.7%. Price development on the domestic market of cereals and oil plants was influenced in the first three terms by growing stock–exchange value and the high demand from the side of foreign buyers connected with the increasing production of biofuels. On the other hand, in the last term of the year 2008, there can be seen the rapid decrease of the prices of cereals and oil plants because of the high production and the development of the world prices. The prices of fruits, evaluated in 2004–2008, recorded the biggest increase in January and February 2008 (in January 2008 – increase by 22.1% and February 2008 – increase by 23.2%. Prices of vegetables slightly grew in the monitored period. The biggest increase was recorded in December 2006 and in January and February 2007 (more than 15%.

A Choice for the Chosen.

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Rabkin, Jeremy

1999-01-01

Examines reasons for opposition to school-choice programs by the American Jewish Congress and the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith. There is skepticism that more Jewish families would send their children to separate schools, and there is concern that government aid would foster a more religious tone in the country. Suggests that these…

Sexual Orientation as Interpretation? Sexual Desires, Concepts, and Choice

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Díaz-León E.

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Are sexual orientations freely chosen? The idea that someone’s sexual orientation is not a choice is very influential in the mainstream LGBT political movement. But do we have good reasons to believe it is not a choice? Going against the orthodoxy, William Wilkerson has recently argued that sexual orientation is partly constituted by our interpretations of our own sexual desires, and we choose these interpretations, so sexual orientation is partly constituted by choice. In this paper I aim to examine the question of whether our interpretations of our own sexual desires are constitutive of our sexual orientations. I will argue that whereas Wilkerson’s argument for the claim that sexual orientations are in part constituted by our chosen interpretations of our sexual desires is not sound, there are good reasons for endorsing a weaker claim, namely, that there are different but equally apt descriptions of the same sexual desires, depending on which concepts we have.

Pedelec, the electric assisted bike : market and product opportunities in Canada 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russel, A.

2002-01-01

The mission statement of Airstream Technologies Corp. is to become the Canadian leader in marketing and distribution of advanced personal hybrid electric vehicles. This Power Point presentation describes the trends of the bicycle industry, with reference to environment, air pollution and urban transport. A new role is emerging for the bicycle as society ages and peoples' attitudes towards health awareness changes. A graph depicting the bicycle market size in major countries around the world showed that China is the world leader in market size, followed by the European Union, United States and Japan, with Canada ranking at number 12 out of 17 countries. The paper presented the Pedelec electric bike, a completely new class of vehicle which is neither a motorcycle nor a bicycle. The idea was first developed by Panasonic/National Bicycle Co. in 1978. Since then, the technology has evolved, enabling lightweight, long-range bikes. In a Pedelec, the motor is linked to muscle power, unlike a classic electric bike in which the motor is independent from pedalling. The pedal electric cycle helps the user by delivering aid when pedaling becomes strenuous. The electric motor augments the pedaling action and is only active while pedaling. The intelligent battery system allows for greater range and more precise readout of remaining charge. In major cities in Japan and China, there are currently many parking facilities with outlets for charging these bikes. The environmental benefits of these bikes include zero emission transportation and no noise. The bikes range in price from $1500 to $3000 CDN. They are perceived to be just as safe as regular bicycles. The market outlook for the bikes appears promising with potential buyers being enthusiastic baby boomers, retirees, and youth. The paper describes some of the current and future models suitable for the Canadian marketplace and describes a possible rental infrastructure. Pedelec is already federally legislated. The bikes are legal

Infestation of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. with Neotyphodium coenophialum and its influence on growth of chosen microorganisms in vitro

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Dariusz Pańka

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Occurrence of Neotyphodium coenophialum in tall fescue cultivars cultivated in Poland and determination an endophyte inhibition effect on mycelium growth of chosen microorganisms in vitro were investigated. Seventeen seed lots of 11 cultivars of tall fescue were examined. The endophyte mycelium was dyed with bengal rose and microscopically examined to detect N. coenophialum. Occurrence of endophyte was checked with PCR method. Influence of endophyte on growth of 15 microorganisms was established in the laboratory conditions on Petri dishes with PDA medium at 10, 20 and 30°C. Neotyphodium coenophialum occurred only in two seed lots, 'Barrocco' - 42% and Terros - 2%. Living mycelium of endophyte was isolated only from 'Barrocco'. The highest mycelium growth inhibition of Bipolaris sorokiniana, Fusarium avenaceum, F. equiseti, Microdochium nivale and Gaeumannomyces graminis by endophyte at 30°C was recorded. The highest width of growth inhibition zone (4mm was detected for the last pathogen. Mycelium growth of B. sorokiniana and M. nivale was not inhibited at 10°C, and for F. avenaceum at 10 and 20°C.

Footprints in the sand: independent reduction of subdigital lamellae in the Namib–Kalahari burrowing geckos

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Lamb, Trip; Bauer, Aaron M

2005-01-01

Many desert organisms exhibit convergence, and certain physical factors such as windblown sands have generated remarkably similar ecomorphs across divergent lineages. The burrowing geckos Colopus, Chondrodactylus and Palmatogecko occupy dune ecosystems in the Namib and Kalahari deserts of southwest Africa. Considered closely related, they share several putative synapomorphies, including reduced subdigital pads (toe pads) and spinose digital scales. Though recognized as part of Africa's ecologically diverse Pachydactylus Group, the burrowing geckos' precise phylogenetic affinities remain elusive. Convergent pedal modification provides a tenable alternative explaining the geckos' derived terrestriality and adaptation to Namib and Kalahari sands. We generated a molecular phylogeny for the Pachydactylus Group to examine evolutionary relationships among the burrowing geckos and infer historical patterns of pedal character change. Bayesian and parsimony analyses revealed all three burrowing genera to be deeply nested within Pachydactylus, each genus belonging to a separate clade. Strong support for these distinct clades indicates ecomorphological adaptations for burrowing have evolved independently three times in the southern Pachydactylus Group. We argue that the physical properties of Namib and Kalahari sands played a principal role in selecting for pedal similarity. PMID:16618680

ROBIL - Robot Israel

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-31

pedals and releasing the hand brake ), the ROS ’actionlib’ is started. Atlas starts driving to the received way points until it reaches the last gate...grip at angle 0………………………………………………………………… ..31 FIGURE 3.5.6: MATLAB ’Steering wheel angle ’ output membership function schematic……………...……31...repeatability of the motion sequence. We added an optional motion to press the gas pedal at the end of the sequence in order to secure additional points

Madura foot: two case reports, review of the literature, and new developments with clinical correlation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, Eric A. [University of Southern California, Department of Radiology, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Patel, Dakshesh B.; Forrester, Deborah M.; Gottsegen, Christopher J.; O' Rourke, Emily; Holtom, Paul; Charlton, Timothy; Matcuk, George R. [USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2014-04-15

''Madura foot'' or pedal mycetoma is a rare destructive infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the foot, progressing to involve muscle and bone. The infection can be caused by both bacteria and fungi. Infection typically follows traumatic implantation of bacteria or fungal spores, which are present in soil or on plant material. Clinically, this entity can be difficult to diagnose and can have an indolent and progressive course. Early diagnosis is important to prevent patient morbidity and mortality. We present two cases of pedal mycetoma, review the literature, review new developments in diagnosis, and discuss magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of this unusual entity. (orig.)

Synthesis and characterization of flowerlike ZnO nanostructures via an ethylenediamine-meditated solution route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Xiangdong; Li Xiaomin; Yu Weidong

2005-01-01

Flowerlike ZnO nanostructures were deposited on Si substrate by choosing hexamethylenetetramine as the nucleation control reagent and ethylenediamine as the chelating and capping reagent. Structural and optical measurements reveal that obtained ZnO exhibits well-defined flowerlike morphology, hexagonal wurtzite structure, uniform distribution on substrate, and strong photoluminescence in ultraviolet band. The well-arrayed pedals of each ZnO flower possess the typical tapering feature, and are built up by many well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Moreover, each single nanorod building up the pedal exhibits the single crystal nature and the growth direction along c-axis. Effects of the precursor composition on the morphology of ZnO were discussed

Chosen risk factors for osteoporosis and the level of knowledge about the disease in peri- and postmenopausal women.

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Janiszewska, Mariola; Kulik, Teresa; Dziedzic, Małgorzata A; Żołnierczuk-Kieliszek, Dorota

2015-03-01

Osteoporosis as a chronic disease, affecting especially women in postmenopausal age, is an important, social and economic health problem especially of women of today's world. The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge of women in the peri- and postmenopausal period about the prevention of osteoporosis and show the influence of chosen risk factors on the level of this knowledge. A group of 300 women aged 45-65, being patients of healthcare centres in Chełm, Lublin and Zamość (Lublin voivodeship, south-eastern Poland) were included in the study. The purposive sampling was used. Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT) 2011 was the research tool. Gathered material was subjected to descriptive and statistical analysis. Tukey's test, t-student test and variance analysis (ANOVA) were all applied. An accepted p materiality level was level of knowledge about the role of physical activity in the prevention of osteoporosis (M = 13.93) and a low level of knowledge about well-balanced diet rich in calcium (M = 9.77). The knowledge about risk factors, screening and treatment remained on the average level (M = 8.00). An influence of socio-demographic factors on the level of knowledge was shown. Also some behaviours, associated with the lifestyle indeed influenced the level of this knowledge. Professional educational programs on osteoporosis should be implemented in the population of Polish peri- and postmenopausal women.

Supradural inflammatory soup in awake and freely moving rats induces facial allodynia that is blocked by putative immune modulators.

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Wieseler, Julie; Ellis, Amanda; McFadden, Andrew; Stone, Kendra; Brown, Kimberley; Cady, Sara; Bastos, Leandro F; Sprunger, David; Rezvani, Niloofar; Johnson, Kirk; Rice, Kenner C; Maier, Steven F; Watkins, Linda R

2017-06-01

Facial allodynia is a migraine symptom that is generally considered to represent a pivotal point in migraine progression. Treatment before development of facial allodynia tends to be more successful than treatment afterwards. As such, understanding the underlying mechanisms of facial allodynia may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying migraine. Migraine facial allodynia is modeled by applying inflammatory soup (histamine, bradykinin, serotonin, prostaglandin E2) over the dura. Whether glial and/or immune activation contributes to such pain is unknown. Here we tested if trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) glial and/or immune cells are activated following supradural inflammatory soup, and if putative glial/immune inhibitors suppress the consequent facial allodynia. Inflammatory soup was administered via bilateral indwelling supradural catheters in freely moving rats, inducing robust and reliable facial allodynia. Gene expression for microglial/macrophage activation markers, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α increased following inflammatory soup along with robust expression of facial allodynia. This provided the basis for pursuing studies of the behavioral effects of 3 diverse immunomodulatory drugs on facial allodynia. Pretreatment with either of two compounds broadly used as putative glial/immune inhibitors (minocycline, ibudilast) prevented the development of facial allodynia, as did treatment after supradural inflammatory soup but prior to the expression of facial allodynia. Lastly, the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist (+)-naltrexone likewise blocked development of facial allodynia after supradural inflammatory soup. Taken together, these exploratory data support that activated glia and/or immune cells may drive the development of facial allodynia in response to supradural inflammatory soup in unanesthetized male rats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of chosen physical fitness characteristics of Turkish professional basketball players by division and playing position.

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Köklü, Yusuf; Alemdaroğlu, Utku; Koçak, Fatma Ünver; Erol, A Emre; Fındıkoğlu, Gülin

2011-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to compare chosen physical fitness characteristics of Turkish professional basketball players in different divisions (first and second division) and playing positions. Forty-five professional male basketball players (14 guards, 15 forwards, 16 centers) participated in this study voluntarily. For each player, anthropometric measurements were performed, as well as a multi-stage 20 m shuttle run, isokinetic leg strength, squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), 10-30 meter single-sprint and T-drill agility tests. The differences in terms of division were evaluated by independent t-test and the differences by playing position were evaluated by one-way ANOVA with Post Hoc Tukey test. First division players' CMJ measurements were significantly higher than those of second division players' (p≤0.05), whereas second division players' 10 m sprint times were significantly better than those of first division players' (p≤0.05). In addition, forwards and centers were significantly taller than guards. Centers were significantly heavier and their T-drill test performances were inferior to those of forwards and guards (p≤0.05). Moreover, guards had a significantly higher maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) than centers. Guards and forwards showed significantly better performance in the 10 and 30 m sprint tests than centers (p≤0.05). Forwards and centers had significantly better left leg flexor strength at 180°.s(-1)(p≤0.05). In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that physical performance of professional basketball players differed among guards, forwards and centers, whereas there were not significant differences between first and second division players. According to the present study, court positions have different demands and physical attributes which are specific to each playing position in professional basketball players. Therefore, these results suggest that coaches should tailor fitness programs according to

Aspectos relacionados à fadiga durante o ciclismo: uma abordagem biomecânica Aspects related with fatigue during cycling: a biomechanical approach

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Fernando Diefenthaeler

2008-10-01

Full Text Available A fadiga muscular pode ser definida como a incapacidade funcional na manutenção de um nível esperado de força. As competições de ciclismo, especialmente provas de estrada, apresentam como característica longa duração e altas intensidades. Tais características resultam na instauração do processo de fadiga, que pode estar associado a mecanismos e fatores metabólicos que afetam os músculos (fadiga periférica e o sistema nervoso central (fadiga central. O objetivo deste trabalho é fazer uma revisão sobre aspectos relacionados com as mudanças na técnica de pedalada e na atividade elétrica dos músculos envolvidos nesse movimento durante o processo de fadiga. Alguns desses aspectos têm sido reportados na literatura e podem ter repercussão na (1 magnitude, direção e sentido de aplicação das forças no pedal; no (2 padrão de ativação muscular; na (3 geração de força e, conseqüentemente, no (4 desempenho do ciclista. No entanto, poucos estudos associam a fadiga muscular ao comportamento das forças aplicadas no pedal e ao padrão da ativação muscular. Os resultados dos estudos revisados demonstram a incapacidade dos ciclistas em manter a força desejada, perda da técnica de pedalada e mudança nos padrões de ativação elétrica sob condições de fadiga.Muscular fatigue can be defined as functional inability to maintain a desired force output. During cycling competition, especially road races, cyclists are required to exercise for extended duration at high intensities. These features often result in fatigue, which can be associated with metabolic mechanisms and factors affecting both muscles (peripheral fatigue and the central nervous system (central fatigue. The aim of this study is to review aspects related to alterations in the pedaling technique and electrical activation of the muscles during a fatiguing exercise bout. Some of these alterations have been reported in the literature and can reflect on the (1

Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography (CEMRA) in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD): conventional moving table technique versus hybrid technique; Kontrastverstaerkte MR-Angiographie (CEMRA) bei peripherer AVK (pAVK): konventionelle Tischverschiebetechnik versus Hybrid-Technik

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Kalle, T. von; Gerlach, A.; Hatopp, A.; Klinger, S.; Prodehl, P.; Arlat, I.P. [Katharinenhospital, Stuttgart (Germany). Radiologisches Inst.

2004-01-01

Patients and Methods: 80 patients (males n = 60, females n = 20, median age = 70 years, diabetics n = 27) with PAOD were examined with a 1,5T system (40 mT/m) using a dedicated phased array peripheral vascular coil. Protocol A consisted of a single injection of Gd-BOPTA with consecutive craniocaudal image acquisition and protocol B of two injections, with the first injection of Gd-BOPTA followed by image acquisition of the popliteocrural and pedal segments and the second injection followed by acquiring the aortoiliac and femoral segments (hybrid technique). The evaluation of the arterial system was directed to the iliac, femoral, popliteocrural and pedal arteries. Results: The visualization of the entire aortopedal vascular system was of diagnostically good or satisfactory quality in 16 of 40 patients using protocol A and in 29 of 40 patients using protocol B (iliac 40 vs. 37, femoral 40 vs. 40, popliteocrural 35 vs. 37, pedal 16 vs. 29); without the pedal station the number increased to 35 of 40 patients for both protocols. The reason of diagnostic limitations was an arteriovenous overlap in 24 of 80 cases, with 19 of 40 cases for protocol A and 5 of 40 for protocol B, located exclusively in the cruropedal region. Conclusion: Moving table hybrid CEMRA is superior to conventional technique in craniocaudal direction by producing less venous overlap of arteries and is especially more suitable for the diagnostic evaluation of the cruropedal region. (orig.) [German] Patienten und Methodik: Untersucht wurden 80 Patienten (maennl. n = 60, weibl. n = 20, mittl. Alter 70 J., Diabetiker n = 27) mit pAVK an einem 1,5-Tesla-Geraet (40 mT/m) mit dedizierter Phased-Array-Oberflaechen-Gefaessspule. Protokoll A beinhaltete eine Kontrastmittel-Injektion (Gd-BOPTA) mit konsekutiver kraniokaudaler Bildakquisition. In Protokoll B erfolgte die Akquisition zunaechst der Unterschenkel- und Fussetage mittels einer ersten, anschliessend der Abdomen-Becken- und Oberschenkeletage mittels

Diltiazem Reduces Mortality and Breakdown of ATP in Red Blood Cell Induced by Isoproterenol in a Freely Moving Rat Model in Vivo

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Pollen K.F. Yeung

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The benefit of calcium channel blockers for cardiovascular prevention against heart attack and stroke has not been firmly supported. We investigated the possible cardiovascular protective effect of diltiazem (DTZ against injury induced by isoproterenol using a freely moving rat model in vivo. Sprague Dawley rats were injected subcutaneously (sc with either 5 or 10 mg/kg of DTZ, or saline as control, twice daily for five doses. One hour after the last injection, a single dose of isoproterenol (30 mg/kg was injected sc to each rat. Blood samples were collected serially for 6 h for measurement of adenine nucleotides (ATP, ADP and AMP in red blood cell (RBC by a validated HPLC. The study has shown isoproterenol induced 50% mortality and also increased RBC concentrations of AMP from 0.04 ± 0.02 to 0.29 ± 0.21 mM at the end of the experiment (p < 0.05. Treatment with 10 mg/kg of DTZ reduced mortality from 50% to <20% and attenuated the increase of RBC concentrations of AMP from +0.25 ± 0.22 in the control rats to +0.072 ± 0.092 mM (p < 0.05. The study concluded that 10 mg/kg of DTZ reduced mortality and breakdown of ATP induced by isoproterenol in rats.

Evidence for a grooming claw in a North American adapiform primate: implications for anthropoid origins.

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Stephanie Maiolino

Full Text Available Among fossil primates, the Eocene adapiforms have been suggested as the closest relatives of living anthropoids (monkeys, apes, and humans. Central to this argument is the form of the second pedal digit. Extant strepsirrhines and tarsiers possess a grooming claw on this digit, while most anthropoids have a nail. While controversial, the possible presence of a nail in certain European adapiforms has been considered evidence for anthropoid affinities. Skeletons preserved well enough to test this idea have been lacking for North American adapiforms. Here, we document and quantitatively analyze, for the first time, a dentally associated skeleton of Notharctus tenebrosus from the early Eocene of Wyoming that preserves the complete bones of digit II in semi-articulation. Utilizing twelve shape variables, we compare the distal phalanges of Notharctus tenebrosus to those of extant primates that bear nails (n = 21, tegulae (n = 4, and grooming claws (n = 10, and those of non-primates that bear claws (n = 7. Quantitative analyses demonstrate that Notharctus tenebrosus possessed a grooming claw with a surprisingly well-developed apical tuft on its second pedal digit. The presence of a wide apical tuft on the pedal digit II of Notharctus tenebrosus may reflect intermediate morphology between a typical grooming claw and a nail, which is consistent with the recent hypothesis that loss of a grooming claw occurred in a clade containing adapiforms (e.g. Darwinius masillae and anthropoids. However, a cladistic analysis including newly documented morphologies and thorough representation of characters acknowledged to have states constituting strepsirrhine, haplorhine, and anthropoid synapomorphies groups Notharctus tenebrosus and Darwinius masillae with extant strepsirrhines rather than haplorhines suggesting that the form of pedal digit II reflects substantial homoplasy during the course of early primate evolution.

MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION- INSIGHTS INTO REAL-WORLD CLINICAL PRACTICE FOR DIFFERENTIAL USAGE OF CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS (CCBS

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Arup Dasbiswas

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Calcium channel blockers (CCB like amlodipine, S (- amlodipine and cilnidipine, etc. have established place in the treatment of hypertension (HTN. As perceived by most of the physicians, they have comparative antihypertensive efficacy. However, available evidences suggest varied differences in incidence of pedal oedema. Aim- This survey was planned to understand real-world clinical practice pattern of Indian physicians for usage of various antihypertensive agents with emphasis on CCBs and whether differential incidence of oedema with CCBs is encountered in their clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Survey questionnaire consisting of 10 questions about preferred antihypertensive choice for different subsets of patients with HTN and efficacy and safety of S (- amlodipine was prepared and validated in small group of physicians. Overall, 494 general physicians and cardiologists practising in India were approached for seeking their opinion on usage of various CCBs. Statistical Analysis- Data were expressed in percentage. Design- Prospective, cross sectional, questionnaire-based survey. RESULTS Amongst various anti-hypertensive agents, majority of the physicians preferred CCB as their initial drug of choice for patients with HTN (53.8%, HTN with CKD (41.1%, elderly (55.3%, and young (30.8% patients. Though amlodipine was preferred by 75.7% physicians, pedal oedema was observed in >10% patients by 40.5% physicians. Most of the physicians rated S (- amlodipine to have better efficacy (79.4% and safety profile (88.3% with decreased incidence of pedal oedema than racemic Amlodipine. CONCLUSION Available evidences suggest comparative efficacy of S (- amlodipine and racemic amlodipine with varied differences in incidence of pedal oedema. However, our survey suggests better efficacy and safety of S (- amlodipine over racemic amlodipine as opined by most of the physicians of India. The survey findings need to be further evaluated in randomised

COMPARISON OF HIGH-DEFINITION OSCILLOMETRIC AND DIRECT ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT IN ANESTHETIZED CHEETAHS (ACINONYX JUBATUS).

Science.gov (United States)

Sant Cassia, Emma V; Boswood, Adrian; Tordiffe, Adrian S W

2015-09-01

Blood pressure measurement reveals important insights into the health of conscious and anesthetized individuals. This is of particular interest in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), which in captivity are known to suffer from chronic diseases that may be associated with hypertension and which often require immobilization for transport or veterinary treatment. Invasive testing methods are considered the gold standard but are not practical in many settings. Consequently, it is important to evaluate the use of noninvasive methods in this species. Measurements for systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure obtained using high-definition oscillometry (HDO) at the coccygeal artery were compared to simultaneous direct measurements obtained via catheterization of the femoral or dorsal pedal artery in eight anesthetized captive cheetahs during nine anesthetic events. Overall, HDO and direct measurements agreed most closely for mean arterial pressure, and the poorest agreement was observed for systolic pressure. There was a tendency for low diastolic pressures to be underestimated and for high diastolic pressures to be overestimated. Across all three parameters, HDO measurements from the tail overestimated directly measured pressures in the femoral artery and underestimated those in the dorsal pedal artery. HDO agreed most closely with directly measured dorsal pedal pressures. Mean arterial pressure showed the greatest precision (standard deviation of 10.2 mm Hg) and lowest bias (-1.2 mm Hg), with 75.9% of readings within 10 mm Hg of the direct dorsal pedal pressure. Agreement with systolic pressure was hindered by a high bias (-10.4 mm Hg), but if a correction factor of +10 mm Hg was applied to all systolic measurements, agreement was improved and 65.7% of readings were within 10 mm Hg of the direct pressure. When compared to criteria defined by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine for validation of blood pressure devices, results were favorable, but a

Evidence for a grooming claw in a North American adapiform primate: implications for anthropoid origins.

Science.gov (United States)

Maiolino, Stephanie; Boyer, Doug M; Bloch, Jonathan I; Gilbert, Christopher C; Groenke, Joseph

2012-01-01

Among fossil primates, the Eocene adapiforms have been suggested as the closest relatives of living anthropoids (monkeys, apes, and humans). Central to this argument is the form of the second pedal digit. Extant strepsirrhines and tarsiers possess a grooming claw on this digit, while most anthropoids have a nail. While controversial, the possible presence of a nail in certain European adapiforms has been considered evidence for anthropoid affinities. Skeletons preserved well enough to test this idea have been lacking for North American adapiforms. Here, we document and quantitatively analyze, for the first time, a dentally associated skeleton of Notharctus tenebrosus from the early Eocene of Wyoming that preserves the complete bones of digit II in semi-articulation. Utilizing twelve shape variables, we compare the distal phalanges of Notharctus tenebrosus to those of extant primates that bear nails (n = 21), tegulae (n = 4), and grooming claws (n = 10), and those of non-primates that bear claws (n = 7). Quantitative analyses demonstrate that Notharctus tenebrosus possessed a grooming claw with a surprisingly well-developed apical tuft on its second pedal digit. The presence of a wide apical tuft on the pedal digit II of Notharctus tenebrosus may reflect intermediate morphology between a typical grooming claw and a nail, which is consistent with the recent hypothesis that loss of a grooming claw occurred in a clade containing adapiforms (e.g. Darwinius masillae) and anthropoids. However, a cladistic analysis including newly documented morphologies and thorough representation of characters acknowledged to have states constituting strepsirrhine, haplorhine, and anthropoid synapomorphies groups Notharctus tenebrosus and Darwinius masillae with extant strepsirrhines rather than haplorhines suggesting that the form of pedal digit II reflects substantial homoplasy during the course of early primate evolution.

Neural activity in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices of freely moving rats during social interaction: Effect of isolation rearing

Science.gov (United States)

Minami, Chihiro; Shimizu, Tomoko

2017-01-01

Sociability promotes a sound daily life for individuals. Reduced sociability is a central symptom of various neuropsychiatric disorders, and yet the neural mechanisms underlying reduced sociability remain unclear. The prelimbic cortex (PL) and infralimbic cortex (IL) have been suggested to play an important role in the neural mechanisms underlying sociability because isolation rearing in rats results in impairment of social behavior and structural changes in the PL and IL. One possible mechanism underlying reduced sociability involves dysfunction of the PL and IL. We made a wireless telemetry system to record multiunit activity in the PL and IL of pairs of freely moving rats during social interaction and examined the influence of isolation rearing on this activity. In group-reared rats, PL neurons increased firing when the rat showed approaching behavior and also contact behavior, especially when the rat attacked the partner. Conversely, IL neurons increased firing when the rat exhibited leaving behavior, especially when the partner left on its own accord. In social interaction, the PL may be involved in active actions toward others, whereas the IL may be involved in passive relief from cautionary subjects. Isolation rearing altered social behavior and neural activity. Isolation-reared rats showed an increased frequency and decreased duration of contact behavior. The increased firing of PL neurons during approaching and contact behavior, observed in group-reared rats, was preserved in isolation-reared rats, whereas the increased firing of IL neurons during leaving behavior, observed in group-reared rats, was suppressed in isolation-reared rats. This result indicates that isolation rearing differentially alters neural activity in the PL and IL during social behavior. The differential influence of isolation rearing on neural activity in the PL and IL may be one of the neural bases of isolation rearing-induced behavior. PMID:28459875

Neural activity in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices of freely moving rats during social interaction: Effect of isolation rearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Minami, Chihiro; Shimizu, Tomoko; Mitani, Akira

2017-01-01

Sociability promotes a sound daily life for individuals. Reduced sociability is a central symptom of various neuropsychiatric disorders, and yet the neural mechanisms underlying reduced sociability remain unclear. The prelimbic cortex (PL) and infralimbic cortex (IL) have been suggested to play an important role in the neural mechanisms underlying sociability because isolation rearing in rats results in impairment of social behavior and structural changes in the PL and IL. One possible mechanism underlying reduced sociability involves dysfunction of the PL and IL. We made a wireless telemetry system to record multiunit activity in the PL and IL of pairs of freely moving rats during social interaction and examined the influence of isolation rearing on this activity. In group-reared rats, PL neurons increased firing when the rat showed approaching behavior and also contact behavior, especially when the rat attacked the partner. Conversely, IL neurons increased firing when the rat exhibited leaving behavior, especially when the partner left on its own accord. In social interaction, the PL may be involved in active actions toward others, whereas the IL may be involved in passive relief from cautionary subjects. Isolation rearing altered social behavior and neural activity. Isolation-reared rats showed an increased frequency and decreased duration of contact behavior. The increased firing of PL neurons during approaching and contact behavior, observed in group-reared rats, was preserved in isolation-reared rats, whereas the increased firing of IL neurons during leaving behavior, observed in group-reared rats, was suppressed in isolation-reared rats. This result indicates that isolation rearing differentially alters neural activity in the PL and IL during social behavior. The differential influence of isolation rearing on neural activity in the PL and IL may be one of the neural bases of isolation rearing-induced behavior.

Retrograde Rotablator in Limb Salvage: A New Technique Using an Open Approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamashiro, Alberto; Villegas, Miguel; Tamashiro, Gustavo; Enterrios, Daniel; Dini, Andres; Balestrini, Aristobulo; Diaz, Jose A.

2006-01-01

Conventional vascular surgery and balloon angioplasty have poor results in severe and diffuse atherosclerotic disease of the infrapopliteal arteries. High-speed rotational atherectomy (Auth Rotablator) has not succeeded either, because of poor long-term patency and the non-reflow phenomenon. We report a case of limb salvage with long occlusion of the three infrapopliteal vessels. The anterior tibial artery was treated with retrograde Auth Rotablator atherectomy by an open approach through the pedal artery, resulting in full patency of the anterior tibial artery and healing of the skin lesions. The microparticulate debris from the ablation was drained out through the pedal arteriotomy, avoiding the complications associated with conventional antegrade high-speed rotational atherectomy

Central representation of sensory inputs from the cardio-renal system in Aplysia depilans.

Science.gov (United States)

Rózsa, K S; Salánki, J; Véró, M; Kovacević, N; Konjevic, D

1980-01-01

Studying the central representation of sensory inputs originating from the heart in Aplysia depilans, it was found that: 1. Neurons responding to heart stimulation can be found in the abdominal, pedal and pleural ganglia alike. 2. The representation of heart input signals was more abundant in the left hemisphere of the abdominal ganglion and in the left pedal and pleural ganglia. 3. The giant neurons of Aplysia depilans can be compared to the homologous cells of Aplysia californica. Two motoneurons (RBHE, LDHI) and one interneuron (L10) proved to be identical in the two subspecies. 4. Sensory inputs originating from the heart may modify the pattern of both heart regulatory motoneurons and interneurons. 5. Nine giant and 19 small neurons of the abdominal ganglion, 3--3 neurons of the right and left pleural ganglion, 6 neurons of the left pedal ganglion responded to heart stimulation. 6. The bursting patterns of cells R15 and L4 were modified to tonic discharge in response to heart stimulation. 7. The representation of sensory inputs originating from the heart is scattered throughout the CNS of Aplysia depilans and heart regulation is based on a feedback mechanism similar to that found in other gastropod species.

Gaseous and Freely-Dissolved PCBs in the Lower Great Lakes Based on Passive Sampling: Spatial Trends and Air-Water Exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ying; Wang, Siyao; McDonough, Carrie A; Khairy, Mohammed; Muir, Derek C G; Helm, Paul A; Lohmann, Rainer

2016-05-17

Polyethylene passive sampling was performed to quantify gaseous and freely dissolved polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the air and water of Lakes Erie and Ontario during 2011-2012. In view of differing physical characteristics and the impacts of historical contamination by PCBs within these lakes, spatial variation of PCB concentrations and air-water exchange across these lakes may be expected. Both lakes displayed statistically similar aqueous and atmospheric PCB concentrations. Total aqueous concentrations of 29 PCBs ranged from 1.5 pg L(-1) in the open lake of Lake Erie (site E02) in 2011 spring to 105 pg L(-1) in Niagara (site On05) in 2012 summer, while total atmospheric concentrations were 7.7-634 pg m(-3) across both lakes. A west-to-east gradient was observed for aqueous PCBs in Lake Erie. River discharge and localized influences (e.g., sediment resuspension and regional alongshore transport) likely dominated spatial trends of aqueous PCBs in both lakes. Air-water exchange fluxes of Σ7PCBs ranged from -2.4 (±1.9) ng m(-2) day(-1) (deposition) in Sheffield (site E03) to 9.0 (±3.1) ng m(-2) day(-1) (volatilization) in Niagara (site On05). Net volatilization of PCBs was the primary trend across most sites and periods. Almost half of variation in air-water exchange fluxes was attributed to the difference in aqueous concentrations of PCBs. Uncertainty analysis in fugacity ratios and mass fluxes in air-water exchange of PCBs indicated that PCBs have reached or approached equilibrium only at the eastern Lake Erie and along the Canadian shore of Lake Ontario sites, where air-water exchange fluxes dominated atmospheric concentrations.

Quality Improvement of Ground Works Process with the Use of Chosen Lean Management Tools - Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Nowotarski, Piotr; Paslawski, Jerzy; Wysocki, Bartosz

2017-12-01

Ground works are one of the first processes connected with erecting structures. Based on ground conditions like the type of soil or level of underground water different types and solutions for foundations are designed. Foundations are the base for the buildings, and their proper design and execution is the key for the long and faultless use of the whole construction and might influence on the future costs of the eventual repairs (especially when ground water level is high, and there is no proper water insulation made). Article presents the introduction of chosen Lean Management tools for quality improvement of the process of ground works based on the analysis made on the construction site of vehicle control station located in Poznan, Poland. Processes assessment is made from different perspectives taking into account that 3 main groups of workers were directly involved in the process: blue collar-workers, site manager and site engineers. What is more comparison is made on the 3 points of view to the problems that might occur during this type of works, with details analysis on the causes of such situation? Authors presents also the change of approach of workers directly involved in the mentioned processes regarding introduction of Lean Management methodology, which illustrates the problem of scepticism for new ideas of the people used to perform works and actions in traditional way. Using Lean Management philosophy in construction is a good idea to streamline processes in company, get rid of constantly recurring problems, and in this way improve the productivity and quality of executed activities. Performed analysis showed that different groups of people have very different idea and opinion on the problems connected with executing the same process - ground works and only having full picture of the situation (especially in construction processes) management can take proper problems-preventing actions that consequently can influence on the amount of waste generated on

Decision-making process of women carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have chosen prophylactic mastectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

McQuirter, Megan; Castiglia, Luisa Luciani; Loiselle, Carmen G; Wong, Nora

2010-05-01

To explore the decision-making process of women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation who have chosen to undergo prophylactic mastectomy. Cross-sectional, qualitative, descriptive design. Participants were recruited from an outpatient cancer prevention center in the oncology and medical genetics departments of a large university-affiliated hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 10 women carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation; 8 previously had had a prophylactic mastectomy and 2 were scheduled for surgery at the time of study. Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted. Field notes were written and audiotapes were transcribed verbatim. The textual data were coded and analyzed. Decision-making process for prophylactic mastectomy. Two broad findings emerged. First, several intrapersonal and contextual factors interacted throughout the process to move women either closer to choosing a prophylactic mastectomy or further from the decision. Second, all women reported experiencing a "pivotal point," an emotionally charged event when the decision to have a prophylactic mastectomy became definitive. Pivotal points for patients included either receiving a positive result for a genetic mutation or a breast cancer diagnosis for herself or a family member in the context of positive mutation status. Decision making about prophylactic mastectomy was an affective and intuitive process incorporating contexts and their relations rather than a rational, straight-forward process of weighing pros and cons. Supportive interventions for women in this population should explicitly address the individual and the inter-relationships of contextual factors that shape decision making about prophylactic mastectomy while recognizing important affective components involved.

Chosen risk factors for osteoporosis and the level of knowledge about the disease in peri- and postmenopausal women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariola Janiszewska

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction : Osteoporosis as a chronic disease, affecting especially women in postmenopausal age, is an important, social and economic health problem especially of women of today’s world. The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge of women in the peri- and postmenopausal period about the prevention of osteoporosis and show the influence of chosen risk factors on the level of this knowledge. Material and methods : A group of 300 women aged 45-65, being patients of healthcare centres in Chełm, Lublin and Zamość (Lublin voivodeship, south-eastern Poland were included in the study. The purposive sampling was used. Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT 2011 was the research tool. Gathered material was subjected to descriptive and statistical analysis. Tukey’s test, t-student test and variance analysis (ANOVA were all applied. An accepted p materiality level was < 0.05 and p < 0.01. Results : Respondents presented the average level of knowledge about the role of physical activity in the prevention of osteoporosis (M = 13.93 and a low level of knowledge about well-balanced diet rich in calcium (M = 9.77. The knowledge about risk factors, screening and treatment remained on the average level (M = 8.00. An influence of socio-demographic factors on the level of knowledge was shown. Also some behaviours, associated with the lifestyle indeed influenced the level of this knowledge. Conclusions : Professional educational programs on osteoporosis should be implemented in the population of Polish peri- and postmenopausal women.

A three-compartment model for micropollutants sorption in sludge: methodological approach and insights.

Science.gov (United States)

Barret, Maialen; Patureau, Dominique; Latrille, Eric; Carrère, Hélène

2010-01-01

In sludge resulting from wastewater treatment, organic micropollutants sorb to particles and to dissolved/colloidal matter (DCM). Both interactions may influence their physical and biological fate throughout the wastewater treatment processes. To our knowledge, sludge has never been considered as a three-compartment matrix, in which micropollutants coexist in three states: freely dissolved, sorbed-to-particles and sorbed-to-DCM. A methodology is proposed to concomitantly determine equilibrium constants of sorption to particles (K(part)) and to DCM (K(DCM)). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were chosen as model compounds for the experiments. The logarithm of estimated equilibrium constants ranged from 3.1 to 4.3 and their usual correlation to PAH hydrophobicity was verified. Moreover, PAH affinities for particles and for DCM could be compared. Affinity for particles was found to be stronger, probably due to their physical and chemical characteristics. This work provided a useful tool to assess the freely dissolved, sorbed-to-particles and sorbed-to-DCM concentrations of contaminants, which are necessary to accurately predict their fate. Besides, guidelines to investigate the link between sorption and the fundamental concept of bioavailability were proposed. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case report

African Journals Online (AJOL)

raoul

2011-07-21

Jul 21, 2011 ... His symptoms increased progressively during past 10 days with facial puffiness, pedal .... Dental Problems, hyperthyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, tilted uterus, smaller stature, ... From simple signs to complex diagnoses.

[Conditions required for appearance of a double response to a single-shock stimulation of Schaffer collaterals in hippocampal field CA1 in freely moving rats].

Science.gov (United States)

Zosimovskiĭ, V A; Korshunov, V A; Markevich, V A

2007-01-01

Schaffer collateral stimulation with a single current impulse can evoke a double response in hippocampal field CA1 of freely moving rats. The late response appears as a population excitatory postsynaptic potential with a preceding short-term potential (frequently biphasic) only after the early population spike and is time-locked to it. The wave shape and polarity of the late response, its latency with respect to the peak of the early population spike suggest that the excitation wave produced in the CA1 field by the stimulation of Schaffer collaterals passes across the entorhinal cortex and returns to the CA1 directly via the perforant path fibers. In waking rat, the medium-intensity stimulation of Schaffer collaterals (able to evoke in the CA1 an early population spike of sufficiently high amplitude) usually does not result in the appearance of the late response. However, similar stimulation becomes efficient after the tetanization of Schaffer collaterals, under conditions of the long-term potentiation of the early population spike. Moreover, the late response occurrence is facilitated in a rat falling asleep after the development in the CA1 of high-amplitude low-frequency EEG oscillations typical for the slow-wave sleep and in a sleeping rat independently of the EEG pattern.

The AL 333-160 fourth metatarsal from Hadar compared to that of humans, great apes, baboons and proboscis monkeys: non-conclusive evidence for pedal arches or obligate bipedality in Hadar hominins.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, P J; Sarmiento, E E; Meldrum, D J

2012-10-01

Based on comparisons to non-statistically representative samples of humans and two great ape species (i.e. common chimpanzees Pan troglodytes and lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla), Ward et al. (2011) concluded that a complete hominin fourth metatarsal (4th MT) from Hadar, AL 333-160, belonged to a committed terrestrial biped with fixed transverse and longitudinal pedal arches, which was no longer under selection favoring substantial arboreal behaviors. According to Ward et al., the Hadar 4th MT had (1) a torsion value indicating a transverse arch, (2) sagittal plane angles between the diaphyseal long axis and the planes of the articular surfaces indicating a longitudinal arch, and (3) a narrow mediolateral to dorsoplantar base ratio, an ectocuneiform facet, and tarsal articular surface contours all indicating a rigid foot without an ape-like mid-tarsal break. Comparisons of the Hadar 4th MT characters to those of statistically representative samples of humans, all five great ape species, baboons and proboscis monkeys show that none of the correlations Ward et al. make to localized foot function were supported by this analysis. The Hadar 4th MT characters are common to catarrhines that have a midtarsal break and lack fixed transverse or longitudinal arches. Further comparison of the AL 333-160 4th MT length, and base, midshaft and head circumferences to those of catarrhines with field collected body weights show that this bone is uniquely short with a large base. Its length suggests the AL 333-160 individual was a poor leaper with limited arboreal behaviors and lacked a longitudinal arch, i.e. its 4th MT long axis was usually held perpendicular to gravity. Its large base implies cuboid-4th MT joint mobility. A relatively short 4th MT head circumference indicates AL 333-160 had small proximal phalanges with a restricted range of mobility. Overall, AL 333-160 is most similar to the 4th MT of eastern gorillas, a slow moving quadruped that sacrifices arboreal behaviors

AN EVALUATION OF VALIDITY OF THE SECOND TOYOTA’S MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLE FACTORS WITH THE USE OF THE BOST RESEARCH IN A CHOSEN PRODUCTION COMPANY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanisław BORKOWSKI

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the assumptions and method of significance evaluation of the second Toyota’s management principle in the production process of chosen company manufacturing flexible packaging for the food industry. Opinions about examined topic were obtained from the company's production workers with the use of innovative BOST questionnaire survey. An analysis of responses using basic statistical parameters, Pareto‐Lorenz diagram and ABC method, correlation coefficients were conducted and the results of using different graphical forms were presented. As the results of the analysis it was identified the series of validity of factors of the second Toyota’s management principle, which is in the examined company as follows: continuous system of disclousuring problems (CP > stop production when it detects a problem of quality (PE > the use of visual control (SW > standard tasks, processes, documents (SZ > the use only reliable technology (ST > delagate authority down (EU.

Alteration of striatal dopamine levels under various partial pressure of oxygen in pre-convulsive and convulsive phases in freely-moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavoute, Cécile; Weiss, Michel; Risso, Jean-Jacques; Rostain, Jean-Claude

2014-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in the striatal dopamine (DA) level in freely-moving rat exposed to different partial pressure of oxygen (from 1 to 5 ATA). Some works have suggested that DA release by the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) neurons in the striatum could be disturbed by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) exposure, altering therefore the basal ganglia activity. Such changes could result in a change in glutamatergic and GABAergic control of the dopaminergic neurons into the SNc. Such alterations could provide more information about the oxygen-induced seizures observed at 5 ATA in rat. DA-sensitive electrodes were implanted into the striatum under general anesthesia. After 1 week rest, awaked rats were exposed to oxygen-nitrogen mixture at a partial pressure of oxygen of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ATA. DA level was monitored continuously (every 3 min) by in vivo voltammetry before and during HBO exposure. HBO induced a decrease in DA level in relationship to the increase in partial pressure of oxygen from 1 ATA to 4 ATA (-15 % at 1 ATA, -30 % at 2 ATA, -40 % at 3 ATA, -45 % at 4 ATA), without signs of oxygen toxicity. At 5 ATA, DA level strongly decreases (-75 %) before seizure which occurred after 27 min ± 7 HBO exposure. After the epileptic seizure the decrease in DA level disappeared. These changes and the biphasic effect of HBO were discussed in function of HBO action on neurochemical regulations of the nigro striatal pathway.

Kick frequency affects the energy cost of aquatic locomotion in elite monofin swimmers.

Science.gov (United States)

Boitel, Guillaume; Vercruyssen, Fabrice; Alberty, Morgan; Nesi, Xavier; Bourdon, Lionel; Brisswalter, Jeanick

2010-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of kick frequency (K(F)) on the energy cost of aquatic locomotion in elite monofin (Mf) swimmers at the surface. Eight subjects of international calibre (4 females, 4 males) were requested to perform in a 50-m outdoor swimming pool: (1) a continuous multi-stage incremental test to determine maximal physiological responses and (2) a submaximal exercise composed of five constant Mf-swimming tests (600-m exercise, 5-min rest) at an intensity corresponding to 90% of the velocity at the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). The first submaximal Mf-swimming test was systematically conducted at a freely chosen K(F) (FCK(F)) and the other tests were performed at FCK(F) - 15%, FCK(F) - 10%, FCK(F) + 10% and FCK(F) + 20% in a random order. No significant effect of K(F) on ventilation, heart rate and blood lactate concentration was observed throughout the submaximal Mf-swimming tests. However, mean values in Ec or fraction of VO2max were significantly lower during the FCK(F) + 10% condition as compared to those observed during the FCK(F) - 15% (-11.5 and -9.6%, respectively, P < 0.05) and FCK(F) - 10% (-10.4 and -9.3%, respectively, P < 0.05) conditions. In conclusion, the lack of significant differences between FCK(F) + 10% and FCK(F) or FCK(F) + 20% does not allow to identify a specific trend, but suggests the occurrence of an energetically optimal K(F) close to that freely chosen by the Mf swimmers. Variations in muscle activity level and active drag have been hypothesized to explain the observed differences in Ec consecutive to the selection of various K(F).

78 FR 27315 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-10

.... Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New... pedal was loose. Another operator reported a fractured bolt during the airplane pushback. When the...

Adaptive quantization of local field potentials for wireless implants in freely moving animals: an open-source neural recording device

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Dominique; Clément, Maxime; Messaoudi, Belkacem; Gervasoni, Damien; Litaudon, Philippe; Buonviso, Nathalie

2018-04-01

Objective. Modern neuroscience research requires electrophysiological recording of local field potentials (LFPs) in moving animals. Wireless transmission has the advantage of removing the wires between the animal and the recording equipment but is hampered by the large number of data to be sent at a relatively high rate. Approach. To reduce transmission bandwidth, we propose an encoder/decoder scheme based on adaptive non-uniform quantization. Our algorithm uses the current transmitted codeword to adapt the quantization intervals to changing statistics in LFP signals. It is thus backward adaptive and does not require the sending of side information. The computational complexity is low and similar at the encoder and decoder sides. These features allow for real-time signal recovery and facilitate hardware implementation with low-cost commercial microcontrollers. Main results. As proof-of-concept, we developed an open-source neural recording device called NeRD. The NeRD prototype digitally transmits eight channels encoded at 10 kHz with 2 bits per sample. It occupies a volume of 2  ×  2  ×  2 cm3 and weighs 8 g with a small battery allowing for 2 h 40 min of autonomy. The power dissipation is 59.4 mW for a communication range of 8 m and transmission losses below 0.1%. The small weight and low power consumption offer the possibility of mounting the entire device on the head of a rodent without resorting to a separate head-stage and battery backpack. The NeRD prototype is validated in recording LFPs in freely moving rats at 2 bits per sample while maintaining an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio (>30 dB) over a range of noisy channels. Significance. Adaptive quantization in neural implants allows for lower transmission bandwidths while retaining high signal fidelity and preserving fundamental frequencies in LFPs.

Roles of eyes, leg proprioceptors and statocysts in the compensatory eye movements of freely walking land crabs (Cardisoma guanhumi)

Science.gov (United States)

Paul; Barnes; Varju

1998-12-01

The compound eyes, the canal organs of the statocysts and proprioceptors in the legs all generate compensatory eye movements in the horizontal plane in the land crab Cardisoma guanhumi. Frequency analyses of the compensatory eye reflexes elicited by each of these inputs show that visual (V) and proprioceptive (P) reflexes respond best below 0.1 Hz, while statocyst (S) reflexes only achieve a high gain above this frequency. They thus increase the range of frequencies over which compensation can occur. Eye and body movements were recorded in an arena under all possible combinations of crabs seeing or blind (V+ or V-), with or without statocysts (S+ or S-) and freely walking or passively transported on a trolley (P+ or P-). Intact crabs (V+S+P+) show good stabilisation of the eyes in space, the only movements with respect to external coordinates being saccadic resetting movements (fast phases of nystagmus). The eyes thus compensate well for body turns, but are unaffected by translatory movements of the body and turns that are not accompanied by a change in the orientation of the long axis of the body in space. In the absence of any one sense, compensation for rotation is significantly impaired, whether measured by the increase in the width of the histograms of changes in the angular positions of the eyes in space ( capdelta &phgr; E), by the mean angular velocity of the eyes (slope of regression line, mE) with respect to the angular velocity of the body (mB) or by response gain plotted against angular acceleration of body turn (a). The absence of two senses reduces the crab's ability to compensate still further, with the statocyst-only condition (V-S+P-) being little better than the condition when all three senses are absent (V-S-P-).Such multisensory control of eye compensation for body rotation is discussed both in terms of making use of every available cue for reducing retinal slip and in making available the information content of the optic flow field.

Memetics and political science. Chosen problems

OpenAIRE

Donaj, Łukasz; Barańska, Marzena

2013-01-01

Interdisciplinarity has increasingly become a determinant of the quality of research. A particular challenge faces political science, which in itself is an interdisciplinary area of study. Or else what is interdisciplinary research including the methodologies of political science and, for example, neuroscience to depend on? In this article, the authors try to identify what political science can gain by using such fields as memetics. The subject matter of the publication is a brief description...

The Called, Chosen, and Faithful Leader

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Hartwell T. Paul

2009-01-01

Leaders are made, not born. Like so many other of life's complex issues, the question of nature vs. nurture in leadership is one that is analyzed, researched, and debated by educators, philosophers, social scientist, and even leaders themselves. Leadership has been dissected as to personality, character, and behavior. Researchers have developed…

Chosen Concepts of Human Resources Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin W. Staniewski

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The article is a trial of clarifying and making order of terminology that is used in area of human resources management. This is an overview of basic definitions, conceptions and models of people management, that emerged from the beginning (XIX/XX century to nowadays. The article is a kind of presentation of human resources management evolution. It comprises a descriptions of broad range of human resources management models beginning from classic models (Harvard and Michigan models and finishing on strategic human resources models (orthodox model and human resources architecture, proposed by R.G. Klimecki S. A. Litz and D.P. Lepak S.A. Snell.

CHOSEN ASPECTS OF RISK MANAGEMENT OCCUPATIONAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedykt Bober

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In the present chapter there are discussed the threats appearing in the diagnostic and therapeutic process with particular consideration of ionizing radiation. The implementation of medical e-records, while creating the conditions of sharing them with patients and the medical staff, reduces the decision-making risk in the process of providing hospital services. Restructuring radiological diagnostics allows for the elimination of emission of dangerous substances and the implementation of eco-friendly procedures. The implementation of the process-based approach in servicing X-ray apparatus and controlling the dose of ionizing radiation brings about the quality, accuracy and effectiveness of the diagnosis. The process of reduction of the occupational exposure to cytostatic drugs is an essential element of total management of the public hospital.

Chosen aspects of innovative projects management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Gawlik

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Any company willing to maintain its market position has to search and implement innovative products and services. Integrated development ofenterprise’s innovative activity requests a constant search for new technologies and new organizational forms. Ability of effectivemanagement of innovative projects becomes a crucial issue. The paper presents a characteristic of innovative projects accordingly toOECD standards. Project management concepts based on Project Management Institute (PMI and International Project ManagementAssociation (IPMA procedures have been discussed. Key success factors have been defined, i.e.: obtaining assumed project outcome (range, project implementation conform to planned schedule (deadline, maintaining project costs under a certain limit (budget, quality (are the customers satisfied?, resources (team losses and interpersonal relations. Tables comparing product innovativeness with fields of requested know – how for particular product innovativeness levels have been elaborated. Finally, SCRUM method of adaptive project management aiming at providing possibly optimal outcome has been described.

EEG potentials predict upcoming emergency brakings during simulated driving

Science.gov (United States)

Haufe, Stefan; Treder, Matthias S.; Gugler, Manfred F.; Sagebaum, Max; Curio, Gabriel; Blankertz, Benjamin

2011-10-01

Emergency braking assistance has the potential to prevent a large number of car crashes. State-of-the-art systems operate in two stages. Basic safety measures are adopted once external sensors indicate a potential upcoming crash. If further activity at the brake pedal is detected, the system automatically performs emergency braking. Here, we present the results of a driving simulator study indicating that the driver's intention to perform emergency braking can be detected based on muscle activation and cerebral activity prior to the behavioural response. Identical levels of predictive accuracy were attained using electroencephalography (EEG), which worked more quickly than electromyography (EMG), and using EMG, which worked more quickly than pedal dynamics. A simulated assistance system using EEG and EMG was found to detect emergency brakings 130 ms earlier than a system relying only on pedal responses. At 100 km h-1 driving speed, this amounts to reducing the braking distance by 3.66 m. This result motivates a neuroergonomic approach to driving assistance. Our EEG analysis yielded a characteristic event-related potential signature that comprised components related to the sensory registration of a critical traffic situation, mental evaluation of the sensory percept and motor preparation. While all these components should occur often during normal driving, we conjecture that it is their characteristic spatio-temporal superposition in emergency braking situations that leads to the considerable prediction performance we observed.

Detomidine-diazepam-ketamine anaesthesia in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawde, A M; Amarpal; Kinjavdekar, P; Aithal, H P; Pratap, K; Bisht, G S

2000-04-01

Eight buffalo calves (8-12 months, 70-100 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups of four animals each. Animals of group I were given detomidine (100 micrograms/kg), whereas animals of group II received a mixture of detomidine (100 micrograms/kg), diazepam (100 micrograms/kg) and ketamine (3 mg/kg) (DDK) intravenously. Various clinical parameters, such as weak time, down time, pedal and pinprick reflexes, muscle relaxation and extent of sedation, as well as heart and respiratory rates and electrocardiograms were measured before (time 0) and 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 min after treatment. In all the animals of group II (DDK), the pedal reflex was completely abolished (score: 3.00 +/- 0.00) within 5 min, the pinprick response was either very weak or it was completely abolished at this interval. Muscle relaxation and sedation were excellent within 5 min of DDK administration. The depth of sedation and analgesia was maximum from 5 to 15 min postinjection. Detomidine alone, however, failed to produce appropriate depression of the pedal and pinprick reflexes, sedation was mild and muscle relaxation was inadequate. Heart rate showed a significant (P detomidine. The results indicated that DDK combination is safe and suitable for 15 min of anaesthesia with excellent muscle relaxation and has only limited cardiorespiratory effects in buffaloes.

Afferent input selects NMDA receptor subtype to determine the persistency of hippocampal LTP in freely behaving mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Javier Ballesteros

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR is critically involved in many forms of hippocampus-dependent memory that may be enabled by synaptic plasticity. Behavioral studies with NMDAR antagonists and NMDAR subunit (GluN2 mutants revealed distinct contributions from GluN2A- and GluN2B-containing NMDARs to rapidly and slowly acquired memory performance. Furthermore, studies of synaptic plasticity, in genetically modified mice in vitro, suggest that GluN2A and GluN2B may contribute in different ways to the induction and longevity of synaptic plasticity. In contrast to the hippocampal slice preparation, in behaving mice, the afferent frequencies that induce synaptic plasticity are very restricted and specific. In fact, it is the stimulus pattern, and not variations in afferent frequency that determine the longevity of long-term potentiation (LTP. Here, we explored the contribution of GluN2A and GluN2B to LTP of differing magnitudes and persistencies in freely behaving mice. We applied differing high-frequency stimulation (HFS patterns at 100 Hz to the hippocampal CA1 region, to induce NMDAR-dependent LTP in wild-type (WT mice, that endured for 24h (late (L-LTP. In GluN2A-KO mice, E-LTP (HFS, 50 pulses was significantly reduced in magnitude and duration, whereas LTP (HFS, 2 x 50 pulses and L-LTP (HFS, 4 x 50 pulses were unaffected compared to responses in WT animals. By contrast, pharmacological antagonism of GluN2B in WT had no effect on E-LTP but significantly prevented LTP. E- LTP and LTP were significantly impaired by GluN2B antagonism in GluN2A-KO mice. These data indicate that the pattern of afferent stimulation is decisive for the recruitment of distinct GluN2A and GluN2B signaling pathways that in turn determine the persistency of hippocampal LTP. Whereas brief bursts of patterned stimulation preferentially recruit GluN2A and lead to weak and short-lived forms of LTP, prolonged, more intense, afferent activation recruits GluN2B

Simulated experimental research on flow field near control rod guide tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Ping'an; Shen Xiuzhong; Yang Guanyue; He Fangzheng; Gao Weiguo; Zhang Zhiyi; Tian Ji'an

1997-01-01

The paper presents the velocity measurement in the 1/4 scale transparent model of PWR pressure vessel upper plenum of 300 MW nuclear power plant by employing dynamic resistance strain foil velocity measurement technology and laser Doppler velocity measurement technology which have no effect on the flow field. In the experiment water is chosen as the fluid. As a result of the measurement the hydraulic load on the control rods is clarified and the experimental basis is provided for the analysis of whether the control rods are moving upward and downward freely and drop rapidly in emergency case by order. Meantime it also provides the experimental basis for the optical design of the control rod guide tubes and bundles

New view about black holes. [Tachyon--bradyon transformation at horizon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Sabbata, V; Pavsic, M; Recami, E

1977-01-01

For a Schwarzschild black-hole, as reference frame is chosen the frame sigma at rest with respect to the Schwarzschild metric. In this locally non-inertial frame, a freely falling body is shown to reach the speed of light on the horizon and then to travel faster than light inside the horizon. The usual Szekeres--Kruskal (SK) coordinates represent themselves frames that (with respect to the frames sigma) travel at subluminal speed outside, at luminal speed on, and at superluminal speed inside the horizon (so that SK frames always describe any free falling body as a standard, slower-than-light object). Finally, black-holes are shown to be possible sources of tachyons.

Flexible wings in flapping flight

Science.gov (United States)

Moret, Lionel; Thiria, Benjamin; Zhang, Jun

2007-11-01

We study the effect of passive pitching and flexible deflection of wings on the forward flapping flight. The wings are flapped vertically in water and are allowed to move freely horizontally. The forward speed is chosen by the flapping wing itself by balance of drag and thrust. We show, that by allowing the wing to passively pitch or by adding a flexible extension at its trailing edge, the forward speed is significantly increased. Detailed measurements of wing deflection and passive pitching, together with flow visualization, are used to explain our observations. The advantage of having a wing with finite rigidity/flexibility is discussed as we compare the current results with our biological inspirations such as birds and fish.

Changes in blood morphology and chosen biochemical parameters in ultra-marathon runners during a 100-km run in relation to the age and speed of runners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zbigniew Jastrzębski

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The objective of the study was to reveal morphology, electrolyte and chosen biochemical parameters in terms of health risk in runners in reference to their age and running speed in the case of running a distance of 100 km, which occur after 12 h or 24 h of recovery. Material and Methods: Fourteen experienced, male, amateur, ultra-marathon runners, divided into two age and two speed groups took part in the 100-km run. Blood samples for analyses indexes were collected from the ulnar vein just before the run, after 25 km, 50 km, 75 km and 100 km, as well as 12 h and 24 h after termination of the run. Results: The sustained ultramarathon run along with the distance covered (p < 0.05 caused an increase in myoglobin (max 90-fold, bilirubin (max 2.8-fold and total antioxidant status (max 1.15-fold, which also continued during the recovery. Significant changes in the number of white blood cells were observed with each sequential course and could be associated with muscle damage. The electrolyte showed changes towards slight hyperkalemia, but no changes in natrium and calcium concentrations. There were no significant differences between the age and speed groups for all the parameters after completing the 100-km run as well as after 12 h and 24 h of recovery. Conclusions: Considering changes in blood morphology and chosen biochemical parameters in ultra-marathon runners during a 100-km run it can be stated that such an exhausting effort may be dangerous for human health due to metabolic changes and large damage to the organs. Negative metabolic changes are independent of age of an ultramarathon runner and occur both in younger (32±5.33 years and older participants (50.56±9.7 years. It can be concluded that organ damage and negative metabolic changes during a 100-km run occur similarly in participants less experienced as well as in well trained runners. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(5:801–814

Leg joint power output during progressive resistance FES-LCE cycling in SCI subjects: developing an index of fatigue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faghri Pouran D

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanics of the hip, knee and ankle during a progressive resistance cycling protocol in an effort to detect and measure the presence of muscle fatigue. It was hypothesized that knee power output can be used as an indicator of fatigue in order to assess the cycling performance of SCI subjects. Methods Six spinal cord injured subjects (2 incomplete, 4 complete between the ages of twenty and fifty years old and possessing either a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury at or below the fourth cervical vertebra participated in this study. Kinematic data and pedal forces were recorded during cycling at increasing levels of resistance. Ankle, knee and hip power outputs and resultant pedal force were calculated. Ergometer cadence and muscle stimulation intensity were also recorded. Results The main findings of this study were: (a ankle and knee power outputs decreased, whereas hip power output increased with increasing resistance, (b cadence, stimulation intensity and resultant pedal force in that combined order were significant predictors of knee power output and (c knowing the value of these combined predictors at 10 rpm, an index of fatigue can be developed, quantitatively expressing the power capacity of the knee joint with respect to a baseline power level defined as fatigue. Conclusion An index of fatigue was successfully developed, proportionalizing knee power capacity during cycling to a predetermined value of fatigue. The fatigue index value at 0/8th kp, measured 90 seconds into active, unassisted pedaling was 1.6. This indicates initial power capacity at the knee to be 1.6 times greater than fatigue. The fatigue index decreased to 1.1 at 2/8th kp, representing approximately a 30% decrease in the knee's power capacity within a 4 minute timespan. These findings suggest that the present cycling protocol is not sufficient for a rider to gain the benefits of FES and thus

Leg joint power output during progressive resistance FES-LCE cycling in SCI subjects: developing an index of fatigue.

Science.gov (United States)

Haapala, Stephenie A; Faghri, Pouran D; Adams, Douglas J

2008-04-26

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanics of the hip, knee and ankle during a progressive resistance cycling protocol in an effort to detect and measure the presence of muscle fatigue. It was hypothesized that knee power output can be used as an indicator of fatigue in order to assess the cycling performance of SCI subjects. Six spinal cord injured subjects (2 incomplete, 4 complete) between the ages of twenty and fifty years old and possessing either a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury at or below the fourth cervical vertebra participated in this study. Kinematic data and pedal forces were recorded during cycling at increasing levels of resistance. Ankle, knee and hip power outputs and resultant pedal force were calculated. Ergometer cadence and muscle stimulation intensity were also recorded. The main findings of this study were: (a) ankle and knee power outputs decreased, whereas hip power output increased with increasing resistance, (b) cadence, stimulation intensity and resultant pedal force in that combined order were significant predictors of knee power output and (c) knowing the value of these combined predictors at 10 rpm, an index of fatigue can be developed, quantitatively expressing the power capacity of the knee joint with respect to a baseline power level defined as fatigue. An index of fatigue was successfully developed, proportionalizing knee power capacity during cycling to a predetermined value of fatigue. The fatigue index value at 0/8th kp, measured 90 seconds into active, unassisted pedaling was 1.6. This indicates initial power capacity at the knee to be 1.6 times greater than fatigue. The fatigue index decreased to 1.1 at 2/8th kp, representing approximately a 30% decrease in the knee's power capacity within a 4 minute timespan. These findings suggest that the present cycling protocol is not sufficient for a rider to gain the benefits of FES and thus raises speculation as to whether or not progressive resistance

"Beyond the Diagnosis" Making the Invisible Patients Visible | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

Science.gov (United States)

... playing guitar, riding his pedal bike, bowling on Xbox Kinect, and swinging in his new sensory room. ... taps, 10 surgeries, five Port-a-Caths, and one medical tattoo. He is quite proud of getting ...

Using smart card technology to monitor the eating habits of children in a school cafeteria: 2. The nutrient contents of all meals chosen by a group of 8- to 11-year-old boys over 78 days.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, N; Plumb, J; Looise, B; Johnson, I T; Harvey, I; Wheeler, C; Robinson, M; Rolfe, P

2005-08-01

The aim of the study was to test the abilities of the newly created smart card system to track the nutrient contents of foods chosen over several months by individual diners in a school cafeteria. From the food choice and composition of food data sets, an Access database was created encompassing 30 diners (aged 8-11 years), 78 days and eight nutrients. Data were available for a total of 1909 meals. Based upon population mean values the cohort were clearly choosing meals containing higher than the recommended maximum amounts for sugar and lower than the recommended minimum amounts of fibre, iron and vitamin A. Protein and vitamin C contents of meals chosen were well above minimum requirements. Over the 1909 meals, nutrient requirements were met 41% of the time. The system created was very effective at continually monitoring food choices of individual diners over limitless time. The data generated raised questions on the common practice of presenting nutrient intakes as population mean values calculated over a few days. The impact of heavily fortified foods on such studies in general is discussed.

Stabilizing the Locomotor-Respiratory Coupling Using a Metronome to Save Energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Villard Sébastien J.

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The Locomotor-Respiratory Coupling (LRC is often evidenced by phase- or frequency-locking patterns. The model of the sine circle map is used here to characterize LRC. Several studies have suggested that a sound emitted by an external metronome can stabilize the LRC. Participants in our task were asked during a cycling exercise to synchronize either their respiration or their pedaling rate with an external auditory stimulus corresponding to their preferred respiratory and pedaling frequencies respectively. Our results showed a significant reduction in energy expenditure when participants breathed in sync with the auditory stimulation, but not accompanied by a change in the stabilization of LRC. A large within- as well as between-participants LRC variability, together with the spontaneous adoption of the most stable pace, contributes to explain this result.

Effects of music tempo upon submaximal cycling performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Waterhouse, J; Hudson, P; Edwards, B

2010-08-01

In an in vivo laboratory controlled study, 12 healthy male students cycled at self-chosen work-rates while listening to a program of six popular music tracks of different tempi. The program lasted about 25 min and was performed on three occasions--unknown to the participants, its tempo was normal, increased by 10% or decreased by 10%. Work done, distance covered and cadence were measured at the end of each track, as were heart rate and subjective measures of exertion, thermal comfort and how much the music was liked. Speeding up the music program increased distance covered/unit time, power and pedal cadence by 2.1%, 3.5% and 0.7%, respectively; slowing the program produced falls of 3.8%, 9.8% and 5.9%. Average heart rate changes were +0.1% (faster program) and -2.2% (slower program). Perceived exertion and how much the music was liked increased (faster program) by 2.4% and 1.3%, respectively, and decreased (slower program) by 3.6% and 35.4%. That is, healthy individuals performing submaximal exercise not only worked harder with faster music but also chose to do so and enjoyed the music more when it was played at a faster tempo. Implications of these findings for improving training regimens are discussed.

Popliteo-pedal bypass surgery for critical limb ischemia.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Good, D W

2011-12-01

Critical limb ischaemia due to distal arterial disease represents a significant challenge. Randomised controlled evidence suggests that open surgery may be superior to endovascular intervention but there is limited data on the specific clinical cohort with exclusively infra-popliteal disease.

Soleus H-reflex excitability during pedaling post-stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schindler-Ivens, Sheila; Brown, David A.; Lewis, Gwyn N.

2008-01-01

A major contributor to impaired locomotion post-stroke is abnormal phasing of paretic muscle activity, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Previous studies have shown that, in the paretic limb of people post-stroke, Group Ia reflexes are abnormally elevated and fail to decrease in amplitude during...

Feline familial pedal eosinophilic dermatosis in two littermates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charline Pressanti

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In cats, the most common eosinophilic dermatoses are feline miliary dermatitis and eosinophilic granuloma complex. The most commonly identified underlying cause is a hypersensitivity reaction. Few cases of familial forms of eosinophilic dermatoses are reported in the literature. Two young adult cats from the same litter presented 2 years apart with a severe and chronic fluid or tissue infiltration of the distal part of several limbs. Lesions started on the forelegs and developed on the other limbs. Cytological and histopathological examinations showed lesions consistent with an atypical form of feline eosinophilic dermatosis associated with secondary bacterial infection. In both cats, antibiotics combined with immunosuppressive treatment partially improved the lesions, which continued to progress on a waxing and waning course, even in the absence of treatment. Allergy work-up did not permit the identification of an underlying allergic triggering factor. The severity of the lesions, the unusual presentation and the unsatisfactory response to immunosuppressive therapy in two feline littermates suggested a genetic form of eosinophilic dermatosis.

Palmar, Patellar, and Pedal Human Remains from Pavlov

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Trinkaus, E.; Wojtal, P.; Wilczyński, J.; Sázelová, Sandra; Svoboda, Jiří

2017-01-01

Roč. 2017, June (2017), s. 73-101 ISSN 1545-0031 Institutional support: RVO:68081758 Keywords : Gravettian * human remains * isolated bones * anatomically modern humans * Upper Paleolithic Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology OBOR OECD: Archaeology http://paleoanthro.org/media/journal/content/PA20170073.pdf

Dopamine depletion increases the power and coherence of high-voltage spindles in the globus pallidus and motor cortex of freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Shunnan; Yang, Chen; Li, Min; Li, Jiang; Chang, Xiaozan; Fu, Jian; Chen, Lei; Chang, Chongwang; Wang, Xuelian; Zhu, Junling; Gao, Guodong

2012-07-17

Studies on patients with Parkinson's disease and in animal models have observed enhanced synchronization of oscillations in several frequency bands within and between the cortical-basal ganglia (BG) structures. Recent research has also shown that synchronization of high-voltage spindles (HVSs) in the cortex, striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulate is increased by dopamine depletion. However, more evidence is needed to determine whether HVS activity in the whole cortex-BG network represents homologous alteration following dopamine depletion. As the globus pallidus (GP) is in a central position to propagate and synchronize oscillations in the cortical-BG circuits, we employed local-field potentials and electrocorticogram to simultaneously record oscillations in the GP and primary (M1) and secondary (M2) motor cortices on freely moving 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned and control rats. Results showed that HVS episodes recorded from GP, and M2 and M1 cortex areas were more numerous and longer in 6-OHDA lesioned rats compared to controls. Relative power associated with HVS activity in the GP, and M2 and M1 cortices of 6-OHDA lesioned rats was significantly greater than that for control rats. Coherence values for HVS activity between the GP, and M2 and M1 cortex areas were significantly increased by dopamine depletion. Time lag between the M1 cortex HVS and GP HVS was significantly shorter for dopamine depleted than normal rats. Findings indicate a crucial rule for dopamine in the regulation of HVS activity in the whole cortical-BG circuit, and suggest a close relationship between abnormally synchronized HVS oscillations in the cortex-BG network and Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CASE REPORT

African Journals Online (AJOL)

abdominal ultrasound scan, computerized axial tomography scan, a chest x ray, ... Cause of death was urethral fibrosis .... were severe anemia, bilateral pitting pedal oedema ... retinitis pigmentosa in a sickle cell patient that also had situs ...

Excessive blood pressure elevation upon awakening involves an exaggerated cardiac response to slight physical activity: a possible mechanism underlying the risk of 'morning surge'.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakamatsu, Yoshimasa; Takeda, Yutaka; Tanaka, Satoru; Yamamoto, Koji; Yamashita, Sumiyo; Sugiura, Tomonori; Dohi, Yasuaki; Kimura, Genjiro

2012-10-01

An exaggerated elevation in blood pressure around waking potentially increases the risk of cardiovascular events, even in individuals with normal blood pressure at other-fold of day. The impact of such a transient blood pressure elevation is disproportionate to its short duration, and the reason has not been elucidated. We hypothesize that individuals with such a blood pressure abnormality receive a cardiovascular overload, even from slight physical activities that are frequently undertaken in daily life. A total of 16 patients with essential hypertension (52 ± 15 years) staying at hospital for lifestyle education participated in this study. Morning blood pressure elevation was assessed with 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Cardiovascular responses to unloaded pedaling, including blood pressure changes, were assessed in a limited maximum exercise test using an electronically braked bicycle ergometer. Changes in the systolic blood pressure caused by unloaded pedaling correlated positively with the elevation in systolic blood pressure around waking (r = 0.52, P = 0.05). Moreover, waking elevation of the systolic blood pressure correlated with changes in all of the following cardiovascular variables during unloaded pedaling: heart rate (r = 0.69, P = 0.003), oxygen consumption (r = 0.73, P = 0.001), oxygen pulse (r = 0.62, P = 0.001), and rate pressure product (r = 0.64, P = 0.008), respectively. These observations indicate that individuals with prominent blood pressure elevation upon awakening also experience cardiovascular overload from slight physical activities.

Conditions required for the appearance of double responses in hippocampal field CA1 to application of single stimuli to Shäffer collaterals in freely moving rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Zosimovskii, V A; Korshunov, V A; Markevich, V A

2008-03-01

Stimulation of Shäffer collaterals with single current impulses could evoke double responses in hippocampal field CA1 in freely moving rats. The late response - the population excitatory postsynaptic potential with a preceding transient potential, often biphasic - occurred only after an early population spike and was time-locked to it. The shape characteristics of the late response, its polarity, and its latent period relative to the early population spike suggest that stimulation of Shäffer collaterals gives rise, in CA1, to a wave of excitation which passes through the entorhinal cortex and returns to CA1 directly via fibers of the perforant path. In conscious rats, medium-strength stimulation of Shäffer collaterals, sufficient to evoke a quite early population spike in CA1, did not usually lead to the appearance of a late response; the same stimulation became effective after tetanization of Shäffer collaterals in conditions of long-term potentiation of the early population spike. Furthermore, the appearance of the late response was facilitated in rats falling asleep on the background of high-amplitude, low-frequency EEG oscillations in CA1 characteristic of slow-wave sleep, as well as in sleeping rats, regardless of the EEG pattern.

Does mid upper arm circumference identify all acute malnourished 6 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Subjects: Children 6–59 months with parental consent, and no chronic medical condition or pedal oedema. Outcome .... XIX/5856, 20/01/2014) Written informed consent was obtained ..... The application of WHZ and BAZ can be simplified by.

The effect of minocycline on the masticatory movements following the inferior alveolar nerve transection in freely moving rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafeezur Rahman

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To determine the effects of inferior alveolar nerve transection (IAN-X on masticatory movements in freely moving rats and to test if microglial cells in the trigeminal principal sensory nucleus (prV or motor nucleus (motV may be involved in modulation of mastication, the effects of microglial cell inhibitor minocycline (MC on masticatory jaw movements, microglia (Iba1 immunohistochemistry and the masticatory jaw movements and related masticatory muscle EMG activities were studied in IAN-X rats. Results The number of Iba1-immunoreactive (IR cells both in prV and motV was significantly larger in IAN-X rats compared with sham rats on day 3 after IAN-X. The intraperitoneal (i.p. administration of MC caused a significant reduction of the number of Iba1-IR cells both in prV and motV that was evident on day 14 after IAN-X. Furthermore, a significant reduction of the number of Iba1-IR cells could be observed in motV but not in prV after microinjection (m.i. of MC into the motV of IAN-X rats. The rats also exhibited a significant decrease in the head-withdrawal threshold on the side ipsilateral to the IAN-X compared to the threshold before IAN-X and it lasted to day 14. In addition, IAN-X markedly affected the ability to rat to carry out mastication. The number of complete masticatory sequences was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the total masticatory sequence time and food preparatory (PP period duration was significantly elongated in compared to sham rats. Although IAN-X significantly affected the total number of chewing cycles within the RC period of a masticatory sequence, it had no effect on the duration of the chewing cycles. On the other hand, systemic administration of MC (both i.p. and m.i. in IAN-X rats significantly improved decreased head-withdrawal threshold and the impaired masticatory jaw movements. Conclusions The present findings reveal that the strong modulation of masticatory jaw movements occurs following

Attitudes of European physiotherapy students towards their chosen career in the context of different educational systems and legal regulations pertaining to the practice of physiotherapy: implications for university curricula.

Science.gov (United States)

Gotlib, Joanna; Białoszewski, Dariusz; Opavsky, Jaroslav; Garrod, Rachel; Fuertes, Nicolas Estévez; Gallardo, Lucia Pérez; Lourido, Berta Paz; Monterde, Sonia; Serrano, Carmen Suarez; Sacco, Marc; Kunicka, Irena

2012-03-01

Differences in the organisation of educational systems and regulations pertaining to the practice of a profession can influence the attitudes of students towards their chosen career and their perceptions of employment possibilities. The aim of this paper was to discuss the different educational systems and legal regulations pertaining to the practice of physiotherapy in selected countries of the European Union (EU), and to present some conclusions regarding the influence of these differences on the perceptions of first-year physiotherapy students on their chosen career. Quantitative questionnaire-based study. Twenty-one university-level schools in the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Spain and the U.K. Six hundred and sixty-seven first-year physiotherapy students. The mean response rate was 74%. Most students (79%) reported that a personal interest was the main reason why they had decided to study physiotherapy (79%). Most students from Spain and the Czech Republic reported that, on completion of their studies, they would like to work as physiotherapists (61/120, 51% Czech Republic; 140/250, 56% Spain), compared with only 4% of Polish students (Pstudents from Poland and Spain were not familiar with employment opportunities in their respective countries (202/250, 81% Spain; 212/250, 85% Poland), and claimed that it is difficult to find employment as a physiotherapist in their country. Most students from the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Spain and the U.K. claimed that it is easy to find a job in other EU countries. Most physiotherapy students chose their course because of an interest in physiotherapy. They were not familiar with employment possibilities for graduates, and believed that it is easier to find work in other EU countries. Both factors may further aggravate the problem of unemployment among physiotherapists. Copyright © 2011 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Percutaneous Femoropopliteal Recanalization Using a Completely Transpedal/Transtibial Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, Timothy W.I., E-mail: timothy.clark@uphs.upenn.edu; Watts, Micah M. [University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Section of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (United States); Kwan, Tak W. [Beth Israel Medical Center, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (United States)

2016-12-15

PurposeTo report preliminary experience with femoropopliteal revascularization using a completely transpedal/transtibial approach.Materials and MethodsThree patients with Rutherford 3–4 disease underwent revascularization of TASC C/D lesions using a pedal/tibial artery as the only site of arterial access.ResultsOne patient with a chronic superficial femoral artery occlusion had continuity achieved to the common femoral artery using a dedicated reentry device and stenting; in a second patient, an occluded popliteal artery stent was successfully revised with an endograft; and in a third patient with morbid obesity, a chronic SFA occlusion was successfully stented. All patients experienced complete resolution of presenting symptoms; no puncture site complications were seen.ConclusionsUse of a pedal/tibial approach as the sole site of arterial access may become an important access technique for femoropopliteal revascularization when patients have limited femoral access options.

Radiographic measurements from the lateromedial projection of the equine foot with navicular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verschooten, F.; Roels, J.; Lampo, P.; Desmet, P.; Moor, A. de; Picavet, T.

1989-01-01

Radiographic measurements from the lateromedial projection of the equine foot were compared in three groups of horses. Group 1 consisted of 143 normal horses, group 2 were 60 horses with clinical navicular disease and group 3 were 161 horses with clinical and radiographic navicular disease. Several measurements tended to be larger in group 3 and group 1. An enlargement of the navicular bone was observed in proximodistal and dorsopalmar directions. Partial enlargement of the pedal bone was observed between age classes. All horses aged four years and over had an increased length of the hoof in the dorsopalmar direction and a decrease of the cranial angle of the hoof. Enlargement of the navicular bone fits well into the concept of osteroarthrosis. The pedal bone was partly engaged. These findings may be an expression of a regional acceleratory phenomenon

Evaluation of indium-111 colloid for radionuclide imaging of the abdominal lymph nodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieras, F.; Hamilton, R.F.; Grissom, M.P.; Kiepffer, R.F.; Vandergrift, J.F.

1981-01-01

The experimental evaluation of indium-111 colloid for imaging the para-aortic lymph nodes in animals is described and preliminary results obtained in human subjects. Serial lymphatic scintigraphy performed in beagle dogs following bilateral pedal subcutaneous injections of indium-111 colloid revealed good para-aortic lymph node visualization. A normal migration pattern of indium-111 colloid was also observed in human subjects following subcutaneous injection in the feet; there was clear visualization of the ileo-inguinal and para-aortic lymph nodes. Organ distribution studies for indium-111 colloid were performed in rats following unilateral pedal subcutaneous injection in rats; these results were used for calculating radiation dose estimates to various organs. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using 111 In-colloid clinically for abdominal lymphatic scintiography for the use of sup(99m)Tc-labelled colloids results in lower radiation doses. (U.K.)

Discriminative identification of transcriptional responses of promoters and enhancers after stimulus

KAUST Repository

Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios A.; Kalnis, Panos; Arner, Erik; Bajic, Vladimir B.

2016-01-01

factors and co-activators. A case study on data from MCF-7 cell-line reveals that PEDAL can identify successfully the transcription response subclasses of promoters and enhancers from two different stimulations. Moreover, we report subsets of input markers

PCOGR: Phylogenetic COG ranking as an online tool to judge the specificity of COGs with respect to freely definable groups of organisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaufmann Michael

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The rapidly increasing number of completely sequenced genomes led to the establishment of the COG-database which, based on sequence homologies, assigns similar proteins from different organisms to clusters of orthologous groups (COGs. There are several bioinformatic studies that made use of this database to determine (hyperthermophile-specific proteins by searching for COGs containing (almost exclusively proteins from (hyperthermophilic genomes. However, public software to perform individually definable group-specific searches is not available. Results The tool described here exactly fills this gap. The software is accessible at http://www.uni-wh.de/pcogr and is linked to the COG-database. The user can freely define two groups of organisms by selecting for each of the (current 66 organisms to belong either to groupA, to the reference groupB or to be ignored by the algorithm. Then, for all COGs a specificity index is calculated with respect to the specificity to groupA, i. e. high scoring COGs contain proteins from the most of groupA organisms while proteins from the most organisms assigned to groupB are absent. In addition to ranking all COGs according to the user defined specificity criteria, a graphical visualization shows the distribution of all COGs by displaying their abundance as a function of their specificity indexes. Conclusions This software allows detecting COGs specific to a predefined group of organisms. All COGs are ranked in the order of their specificity and a graphical visualization allows recognizing (i the presence and abundance of such COGs and (ii the phylogenetic relationship between groupA- and groupB-organisms. The software also allows detecting putative protein-protein interactions, novel enzymes involved in only partially known biochemical pathways, and alternate enzymes originated by convergent evolution.

PCOGR: phylogenetic COG ranking as an online tool to judge the specificity of COGs with respect to freely definable groups of organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Meereis, Florian; Kaufmann, Michael

2004-10-15

The rapidly increasing number of completely sequenced genomes led to the establishment of the COG-database which, based on sequence homologies, assigns similar proteins from different organisms to clusters of orthologous groups (COGs). There are several bioinformatic studies that made use of this database to determine (hyper)thermophile-specific proteins by searching for COGs containing (almost) exclusively proteins from (hyper)thermophilic genomes. However, public software to perform individually definable group-specific searches is not available. The tool described here exactly fills this gap. The software is accessible at http://www.uni-wh.de/pcogr and is linked to the COG-database. The user can freely define two groups of organisms by selecting for each of the (current) 66 organisms to belong either to groupA, to the reference groupB or to be ignored by the algorithm. Then, for all COGs a specificity index is calculated with respect to the specificity to groupA, i. e. high scoring COGs contain proteins from the most of groupA organisms while proteins from the most organisms assigned to groupB are absent. In addition to ranking all COGs according to the user defined specificity criteria, a graphical visualization shows the distribution of all COGs by displaying their abundance as a function of their specificity indexes. This software allows detecting COGs specific to a predefined group of organisms. All COGs are ranked in the order of their specificity and a graphical visualization allows recognizing (i) the presence and abundance of such COGs and (ii) the phylogenetic relationship between groupA- and groupB-organisms. The software also allows detecting putative protein-protein interactions, novel enzymes involved in only partially known biochemical pathways, and alternate enzymes originated by convergent evolution.

The affective tone of narration and posttraumatic growth in organ transplant recipients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zięba Mariusz

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that positive affective tone of narratives is connected to the experience of posttraumatic growth among transplant patients. Kidney transplant patients (N = 51 and liver transplant patients (N = 48 participated in the study. In the first stage, about 10 weeks after transplant, the participants told two stories about important, freely chosen events from their lives. During the second meeting 10-12 months later we measured posttraumatic growth. Results indicated that the affective tone of narratives about past events was associated with the level of post-traumatic growth measured 10-12 months later. This proves that the affective tone of narratives about life, understood as a relatively constant individual characteristic, promote posttraumatic growth.

A solar collector for air-conditioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kose, E. [Microtherm Energietechnik GmbH, 25 - Lods (France)

1999-03-01

A high performance Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) collector is presented. It comprises dewar type tubular vacuum tubes with an absorber coating of very low emittance, a moderately concentrating reflector and a simple thermosyphon heat removal system. The reflectors car be designed with respect to the specific needs; reflector material, concentration, truncation and symmetry car be chosen freely. The collector allows the construction of cooling systems with higher COP's without using tracking systems. Land use and costs are greatly reduced. For a certain application (optimum yearly gain in Munich with a constant collector temperature of 180 deg C) the reflector was optimized, it is a fairly asymmetrical design. A symmetrical design with a similar performance has been tested, the results are shown. (author)

Temperature and color management of silicon solar cells for building integrated photovoltaic

Science.gov (United States)

Amara, Mohamed; Mandorlo, Fabien; Couderc, Romain; Gerenton, Félix; Lemiti, Mustapha

2018-01-01

Color management of integrated photovoltaics must meet two criteria of performance: provide maximum conversion efficiency and allow getting the chosen colors with an appropriate brightness, more particularly when using side by side solar cells of different colors. As the cooling conditions are not necessarily optimal, we need to take into account the influence of the heat transfer and temperature. In this article, we focus on the color space and brightness achieved by varying the antireflective properties of flat silicon solar cells. We demonstrate that taking into account the thermal effects allows freely choosing the color and adapting the brightness with a small impact on the conversion efficiency, except for dark blue solar cells. This behavior is especially true when heat exchange by convection is low. Our optical simulations show that the perceived color, for single layer ARC, is not varying with the position of the observer, whatever the chosen color. The use of a double layer ARC adds flexibility to tune the wanted color since the color space is greatly increased in the green and yellow directions. Last, choosing the accurate material allows both bright colors and high conversion efficiency at the same time.

Temperature and color management of silicon solar cells for building integrated photovoltaic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amara Mohamed

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Color management of integrated photovoltaics must meet two criteria of performance: provide maximum conversion efficiency and allow getting the chosen colors with an appropriate brightness, more particularly when using side by side solar cells of different colors. As the cooling conditions are not necessarily optimal, we need to take into account the influence of the heat transfer and temperature. In this article, we focus on the color space and brightness achieved by varying the antireflective properties of flat silicon solar cells. We demonstrate that taking into account the thermal effects allows freely choosing the color and adapting the brightness with a small impact on the conversion efficiency, except for dark blue solar cells. This behavior is especially true when heat exchange by convection is low. Our optical simulations show that the perceived color, for single layer ARC, is not varying with the position of the observer, whatever the chosen color. The use of a double layer ARC adds flexibility to tune the wanted color since the color space is greatly increased in the green and yellow directions. Last, choosing the accurate material allows both bright colors and high conversion efficiency at the same time.

Effect of sodium selenite on chosen anti- and pro-oxidative parameters in rats treated with lithium: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Musik, Irena; Kocot, Joanna; Kiełczykowska, Małgorzata

2015-06-01

Selenium is an essential element of antioxidant properties. Lithium is widely used in medicine but its administration can cause numerous side effects including oxidative stress. The present study aimed at evaluating if sodium selenite could influence chosen anti- and pro-oxidant parameters in rats treated with lithium. The experiment was performed on four groups of Wistar rats: I (control) - treated with saline; II (Li) - treated with lithium (2.7 mgLi/kg b.w. as Li2CO3), III (Se) - treated with selenium (0.5 mgSe/kg b.w. as Na2SeO3), IV (Li+Se) - treated with Li2CO3 and Na2SeO3 together at the same doses as in group II and III, respectively. All treatments were performed by stomach tube for three weeks in form of water solutions. The following anti- and pro-oxidant parameters: total antioxidant status (TAS) value, catalase (CAT) activity, concentrations of ascorbic acid (AA) and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) in plasma as well as whole blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured. Selenium given alone markedly enhanced whole blood GPx and diminished plasma CAT vs. Lithium significantly decreased plasma CAT and slightly increased AA vs. Selenium co-administration restored these parameters to the values observed in control animals. Furthermore, selenium co-administration significantly increased GPx in Li-treated rats. All other parameters (TAS, SOD and MDA) were not affected by lithium and/or selenium. Further research seems to be warranted to decide if application of selenium as an adjuvant in lithium therapy is worth considering. Copyright © 2014 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

The nervous system of the basal mollusk Wirenia argentea (Solenogastres): a study employing immunocytochemical and 3D reconstruction techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Todt, Christiane; Bchinger, Thomas; Wanninger, Andreas Wilhelm Georg

2008-01-01

is present in most compartments of the nervous system, while serotonergic immunoreactivity appears to be restricted to the longitudinal nerve cords, the cerebro-pedal commissure and part of the cerebral ganglion. The buccal system shows immunoreactivity against none of the neurotransmitters....

Using haptic feedback to increase seat belt use of service vehicle drivers.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

This study pilot-tested a new application of a technology-based intervention to increase seat belt use. The technology was based on a : contingency in which unbelted drivers experienced sustained haptic feedback to the gas pedal when they exceeded 25...

New insights into the lifestyle of Allosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda based on another specimen with multiple pathologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Foth

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Adult large-bodied theropods are often found with numerous pathologies. A large, almost complete, probably adult Allosaurus specimen from the Howe Stephens Quarry, Morrison Formation (Late Kimmeridgian–Early Tithonian, Wyoming, exhibits multiple pathologies. Pathologic bones include the left dentary, two cervical vertebrae, one cervical and several dorsal ribs, the left scapula, the left humerus, the right ischium, and two left pedal phalanges. These pathologies can be classified as follows: the fifth cervical vertebra, the scapula, several ribs and the ischium are probably traumatic, and a callus on the shaft of the left pedal phalanx II-2 is probably traumatic-infectious. Traumatically fractured elements exposed to frequent movement (e.g., the scapula and the ribs show a tendency to develop pseudarthroses instead of a callus. The pathologies in the lower jaw and a reduced extensor tubercle of the left pedal phalanx II-2 are most likely traumatic or developmental in origin. The pathologies on the fourth cervical are most likely developmental in origin or idiopathic, that on the left humerus could be traumatic, developmental, infectious or idiopathic, whereas the left pedal phalanx IV-1 is classified as idiopathic. With exception of the ischium, all as traumatic/traumatic-infectious classified pathologic elements show unambiguous evidences of healing, indicating that the respective pathologies did not cause the death of this individual. Alignment of the scapula and rib pathologies from the left side suggests that all may have been caused by a single traumatic event. The ischial fracture may have been fatal. The occurrence of multiple lesions interpreted as traumatic pathologies again underlines that large-bodied theropods experienced frequent injuries during life, indicating an active predatory lifestyle, and their survival perhaps supports a gregarious behavior for Allosaurus. Alternatively, the frequent survival of traumatic events could be

Secondary mediation and regression analyses of the PTClinResNet database: determining causal relationships among the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health levels for four physical therapy intervention trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulroy, Sara J; Winstein, Carolee J; Kulig, Kornelia; Beneck, George J; Fowler, Eileen G; DeMuth, Sharon K; Sullivan, Katherine J; Brown, David A; Lane, Christianne J

2011-12-01

Each of the 4 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) hosted by the Physical Therapy Clinical Research Network (PTClinResNet) targeted a different disability group (low back disorder in the Muscle-Specific Strength Training Effectiveness After Lumbar Microdiskectomy [MUSSEL] trial, chronic spinal cord injury in the Strengthening and Optimal Movements for Painful Shoulders in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury [STOMPS] trial, adult stroke in the Strength Training Effectiveness Post-Stroke [STEPS] trial, and pediatric cerebral palsy in the Pediatric Endurance and Limb Strengthening [PEDALS] trial for children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy) and tested the effectiveness of a muscle-specific or functional activity-based intervention on primary outcomes that captured pain (STOMPS, MUSSEL) or locomotor function (STEPS, PEDALS). The focus of these secondary analyses was to determine causal relationships among outcomes across levels of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework for the 4 RCTs. With the database from PTClinResNet, we used 2 separate secondary statistical approaches-mediation analysis for the MUSSEL and STOMPS trials and regression analysis for the STEPS and PEDALS trials-to test relationships among muscle performance, primary outcomes (pain related and locomotor related), activity and participation measures, and overall quality of life. Predictive models were stronger for the 2 studies with pain-related primary outcomes. Change in muscle performance mediated or predicted reductions in pain for the MUSSEL and STOMPS trials and, to some extent, walking speed for the STEPS trial. Changes in primary outcome variables were significantly related to changes in activity and participation variables for all 4 trials. Improvement in activity and participation outcomes mediated or predicted increases in overall quality of life for the 3 trials with adult populations. Variables included in the statistical models were limited to those

Particle-size dependence of immersion freezing: Investigation of INUIT test aerosol particles with freely suspended water drops.

Science.gov (United States)

Diehl, Karoline; Debertshäuser, Michael; Eppers, Oliver; Jantsch, Evelyn; Mitra, Subir K.

2014-05-01

One goal of the research group INUIT (Ice Nuclei research UnIT) is to investigate the efficiencies of several test ice nuclei under comparable conditions but with different experimental techniques. In the present studies, two methods are used: the Mainz vertical wind tunnel and an acoustic levitator placed inside a cold chamber. In both cases drops are freely levitated, either at their terminal velocity in the wind tunnel updraft or around the nodes of a standing ultrasonic wave in the acoustic levitator. Thus, heat transfer conditions are well approximated, and wall contact effects on freezing as well as electrical charges of the drops are avoided. Drop radii are 370 μm and 1 mm, respectively. In the wind tunnel, drops are investigated at constant temperatures within a certain time period and the onset of freezing is observed directly. In the acoustic levitator, the drop temperature decreases during the experiments and is measured by an in-situ calibrated Infrared thermometer. The onset of freezing is indicated by a rapid rise of the drop surface temperature because of the release of latent heat. Investigated test ice nuclei are Snomax® as a proxy of biological particles and illite NX as well as K-feldspar as represents of mineral dust. The particle concentrations are 1 × 10-12 to 3 × 10-6 g Snomax® per drop and 5 × 10-9 to 5 × 10-5 g mineral dust per drop. Freezing temperatures are between -2 and -18° C in case of Snomax® and between -14 and -26° C in case of mineral dust. The lower the particle masses per drop the lower are the freezing temperatures. For similar particle concentrations in the drops, the median freezing temperatures determined by the two techniques agree well within the measurement errors. With the knowledge of the specific particle surface area of the mineral dusts, the results are interpreted also in terms of particle surface area per drop. Results from the wind tunnel experiments which are performed at constant temperatures indicate

ESTIMATION OF DRIVER’S POWER EXPENSES OF CAR BRAKE MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Turenko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The estimation method of driver’s power expenses for the brake management is offered. The estimation method takes into account power expenses at driving in action of the brake system and power expenses at holding the pressed brake pedal

The effects of control-display gain on performance of race car drivers in an isometric braking task.

Science.gov (United States)

de Winter, J C F; de Groot, S

2012-12-01

To minimise lap times during car racing, it is important to build up brake forces rapidly and maintain precise control. We examined the effect of the amplification factor (gain) between brake pedal force and a visually represented output value on a driver's ability to track a target value. The test setup was a formula racing car cockpit fitted with an isometric brake pedal. Thirteen racing drivers performed tracking tasks with four control-display gains and two target functions: a step function (35 trials per gain) and a multisine function (15 trials per gain). The control-display gain had only minor effects on root mean-squared error between output value and target value, but it had large effects on build-up speed, overshoot, within-participants variability, and self-reported physical load. The results confirm the hypothesis that choosing an optimum gain involves balancing stability against physical effort.

Fitter. The package for fitting a chosen theoretical multi-parameter function through a set of data points. Application to experimental data of the YuMO spectrometer. Version 2.1.0. Long write-up and user's guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solov'ev, A.G.; Stadnik, A.V.; Islamov, A.N.; Kuklin, A.I.

2008-01-01

Fitter is a C++ program aimed to fit a chosen theoretical multi-parameter function through a set of data points. The method of fitting is chi-square minimization. Moreover, the robust fitting method can be applied to Fitter. Fitter was designed to be used for a small-angle neutron scattering data analysis. Respective theoretical models are implemented in it. Some commonly used models (Gaussian and polynomials) are also implemented for wider applicability

Implementation of loyalty program in chosen company

OpenAIRE

Šenitková, Ivana

2008-01-01

The importance of building longterm relationship with customers has raisen very quickly in companies last years. One of very strong marketing tool is loyalty programme, main topic of thesis, which is used in different parts of business all over the world and experience boom in Czech and Slovak republic these days. Thesis explains theoretical aspects of loyalty, satisfaction and value of customer, and all important components of loyalty programme. Thesis concerns also different types of progra...

Marketing mix of chosen Slovak mineral water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juhanová Silvia

2001-09-01

Full Text Available Considering its small area, Slovakia abounds in many sources of mineral waters and a considerable amount of them can be used for the commercial utilization. STN 86 8000 divides mineral waters in the natural mineral waters, natural mineral table waters and the natural mineral healing waters. Natural mineral water is, after the present norm, in effect water, which rises from natural trapped sources. This type of water contains more than 1 gram of dissolved substances or 1 gram of dissolved CO 2 in 1 litter. Natural mineral table water is water that, with its chemical composition as well as its physical and sensorial attributes is suitable as a refresher. It contains at least 1 gram of melted CO2 and up to 6 grams of dissolved illiquid substances in 1 litter. The mentioned substances are not characterised by any marked pharmacological effect. Natural mineral healing water is water, which with an eye to its chemical composition and physical properties, have a scientifically demonstrable effects to the human health and it is generally used for healing purposes. In the present contribution, an attention is orientated to the occurrence of listed types of waters in Slovakia, in connection with geological conditions of their circulation and accumulation and especially with possibilities of their use on the Slovak buyer’s market.The marketing mix is a complex of information, which can be regulated. Firms accumulate this information to satisfy a customer. Marketing mix of mineral waters includes information about four variables: product (characteristics of product, quality, packing, design..., prices, advertisement, distribution (the way how to get product to customer. Data listed in the contribution come from the sectional market research, which was performed between December 1st and December 22nd 2000 in twenty groceries in

Olkiluoto 3: Finland has chosen a EPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brummer, S.

2003-01-01

According to the Finn law any nuclear project has to be declared conformed to the general interest of the country by the government and then has to be approved by the parliament. In may 2002 the Finn parliament approved the project of the TVO company: the construction of a new nuclear unit on the Olkiluoto site and the direct and definitive disposal of spent fuels in the granite underground layers of the same site. The project was agreed with 109 votes for and 92 against. In september 2002 an international invitation to tender was launched and 4 companies made proposals: Westinghouse, Atomstroexport, Framatome-ANP and General Electric. Westinghouse withdrew its offer some time later. In october 2003 TVO announced that the unit will be a 1600 MW EPR (European pressurized reactor) built by Framatome-ANP. The construction work will begin in spring 2005 and the unit is scheduled to enter into service in 2009. At that time the contribution of nuclear energy to the Finn energy production will reach 35%. (A.C.)

Transparency in nursing leadership: a chosen ethic.

Science.gov (United States)

Milton, Constance L

2009-01-01

The concept of transparency has been viewed as an essential leadership attribute or element in healthcare organizational structures and processes. While viewed as something that is desired and valued, there is a lack of nursing disciplinary literature that defines the concept and its possible meanings. This column provides a beginning definition of transparency from the humanbecoming nursing theoretical perspective and launches a discussion with potential ethical implications for leadership in nursing practice and education.

Marketing Analysis of a chosen Company

OpenAIRE

Slabá, Michaela

2013-01-01

The topic of this bachelor thesis is a proposal for improvement current situation in the company, which is engaged in manufacturing machinery for the food industry. The theoretical part includes the definition of market of organizations, marketing environment, marketing mix and marketing situation analysis. The practical part describes the company NATE - Marketing, Inc. and marketing mix of the company. The thesis also includes a proposal to improve current situation based on an analysis of t...

Organizational Culture in a chosen Organization

OpenAIRE

Mandík, Jaroslav

2009-01-01

The target of the thesis with the title "Corporate culture in selected organization" is to describe the corporate culture of the Engineering Center based in the company TRW Automotive Czech s.r.o. in Jablonec nad Nisou. The theoretical resources of the thesis are a compilation of facts and opinions originating from authors and scientists who are engaged in the area of management, organizations and corporate culture. The thesis endeavours to provide a brief but comprehensive view on the topic....

Validity And Reliability Of The Stages Cycling Power Meter.

Science.gov (United States)

Granier, Cyril; Hausswirth, Christophe; Dorel, Sylvain; Yann, Le Meur

2017-09-06

This study aimed to determine the validity and the reliability of the Stages power meter crank system (Boulder, United States) during several laboratory cycling tasks. Eleven trained participants completed laboratory cycling trials on an indoor cycle fitted with SRM Professional and Stages systems. The trials consisted of an incremental test at 100W, 200W, 300W, 400W and four 7s sprints. The level of pedaling asymmetry was determined for each cycling intensity during a similar protocol completed on a Lode Excalibur Sport ergometer. The reliability of Stages and SRM power meters was compared by repeating the incremental test during a test-retest protocol on a Cyclus 2 ergometer. Over power ranges of 100-1250W the Stages system produced trivial to small differences compared to the SRM (standardized typical error values of 0.06, 0.24 and 0.08 for the incremental, sprint and combined trials, respectively). A large correlation was reported between the difference in power output (PO) between the two systems and the level of pedaling asymmetry (r=0.58, p system according to the level of pedaling asymmetry provided only marginal improvements in PO measures. The reliability of the Stages power meter at the sub-maximal intensities was similar to the SRM Professional model (coefficient of variation: 2.1 and 1.3% for Stages and SRM, respectively). The Stages system is a suitable device for PO measurements, except when a typical error of measurement power ranges of 100-1250W is expected.

Mosasauroid phylogeny under multiple phylogenetic methods provides new insights on the evolution of aquatic adaptations in the group.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiago R Simões

Full Text Available Mosasauroids were a successful lineage of squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes that radiated during the Late Cretaceous (95-66 million years ago. They can be considered one of the few lineages in the evolutionary history of tetrapods to have acquired a fully aquatic lifestyle, similarly to whales, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. Despite a long history of research on this group, their phylogenetic relationships have only been tested so far using traditional (unweighted maximum parsimony. However, hypotheses of mosasauroid relationships and the recently proposed multiple origins of aquatically adapted pelvic and pedal features in this group can be more thoroughly tested by methods that take into account variation in branch lengths and evolutionary rates. In this study, we present the first mosasauroid phylogenetic analysis performed under different analytical methods, including maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and implied weighting maximum parsimony. The results indicate a lack of congruence in the topological position of halisaurines and Dallasaurus. Additionally, the genus Prognathodon is paraphyletic under all hypotheses. Interestingly, a number of traditional mosasauroid clades become weakly supported, or unresolved, under Bayesian analyses. The reduced resolutions in some consensus trees create ambiguities concerning the evolution of fully aquatic pelvic/pedal conditions under many analyses. However, when enough resolution was obtained, reversals of the pelvic/pedal conditions were favoured by parsimony and likelihood ancestral state reconstructions instead of independent origins of aquatic features in mosasauroids. It is concluded that most of the observed discrepancies among the results can be associated with different analytical procedures, but also due to limited postcranial data on halisaurines, yaguarasaurines and Dallasaurus.

An experimental investigation of chemical communication in the polar bear

Science.gov (United States)

Owen, Megan A.; Swaisgood, Ronald R.; Slocomb, C.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Durner, George M.; Simac, Kristin S.; Pessier, Allan P.

2015-01-01

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), with its wide-ranging movements, solitary existence and seasonal reproduction, is expected to favor chemosignaling over other communication modalities. However, the topography of its Arctic sea ice habitat is generally lacking in stationary vertical substrates routinely used for targeted scent marking in other bears. These environmental constraints may have shaped a marking strategy, unique to polar bears, for widely dispersed continuous dissemination of scent via foot pads. To investigate the role of chemical communication, pedal scents were collected from free-ranging polar bears of different sex and reproductive classes captured on spring sea ice in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, and presented in a controlled fashion to 26 bears in zoos. Results from behavioral bioassays indicated that bears, especially females, were more likely to approach conspecific scent during the spring than the fall. Male flehmen behavior, indicative of chemosignal delivery to the vomeronasal organ, differentiated scent donor by sex and reproductive condition. Histologic examination of pedal skin collected from two females indicated prominent and profuse apocrine glands in association with large compound hair follicles, suggesting that they may produce scents that function as chemosignals. These results suggest that pedal scent, regardless of origin, conveys information to conspecifics that may facilitate social and reproductive behavior, and that chemical communication in this species has been adaptively shaped by environmental constraints of its habitat. However, continuously distributed scent signals necessary for breeding behavior may prove less effective if current and future environmental conditions cause disruption of scent trails due to increased fracturing of sea ice.

Effects of shoe cleat position on physiology and performance of competitive cyclists.

Science.gov (United States)

Paton, Carl D

2009-12-01

Aerobic economy is an important factor that affects the performance of competitive cyclists. It has been suggested that placing the foot more anteriorly on the bicycle pedals may improve economy over the traditional foot position by improving pedaling efficiency. The current study examines the effects of changing the anterior-posterior pedal foot position on the physiology and performance of well-trained cyclists. In a crossover study, 10 competitive cyclists completed two maximal incremental and two submaximal tests in either their preferred (control) or a forward (arch) foot position. Maximum oxygen consumption and peak power output were determined from the incremental tests for both foot positions. On two further occasions, cyclists also completed a two-part 60-min submaximal test that required them to maintain a constant power output (equivalent to 60% of their incremental peak power) for 30 min, during which respiratory and blood lactate samples were taken at predetermined intervals. Thereafter, subjects completed a 30-min self-paced maximal effort time trial. Relative to the control, the mean changes (+/-90% confidence limits) in the arch condition were as follows: maximum oxygen consumption, -0.5% (+/-2.0%); incremental peak power output, -0.8% (+/-1.3%); steady-state oxygen consumption at 60%, -2.4% (+/-1.1%); steady-state heart rate 60%, 0.4% (+/-1.7%); lactate concentration 60%, 8.7% (+/-14.4%); and mean time trial power, -1.5% (+/-2.9%). We conclude that there was no substantial physiological or performance advantage in this group using an arch-cleat shoe position in comparison with a cyclist's normal preferred condition.

Mosasauroid phylogeny under multiple phylogenetic methods provides new insights on the evolution of aquatic adaptations in the group

Science.gov (United States)

Vernygora, Oksana; Paparella, Ilaria; Jimenez-Huidobro, Paulina; Caldwell, Michael W.

2017-01-01

Mosasauroids were a successful lineage of squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) that radiated during the Late Cretaceous (95–66 million years ago). They can be considered one of the few lineages in the evolutionary history of tetrapods to have acquired a fully aquatic lifestyle, similarly to whales, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. Despite a long history of research on this group, their phylogenetic relationships have only been tested so far using traditional (unweighted) maximum parsimony. However, hypotheses of mosasauroid relationships and the recently proposed multiple origins of aquatically adapted pelvic and pedal features in this group can be more thoroughly tested by methods that take into account variation in branch lengths and evolutionary rates. In this study, we present the first mosasauroid phylogenetic analysis performed under different analytical methods, including maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and implied weighting maximum parsimony. The results indicate a lack of congruence in the topological position of halisaurines and Dallasaurus. Additionally, the genus Prognathodon is paraphyletic under all hypotheses. Interestingly, a number of traditional mosasauroid clades become weakly supported, or unresolved, under Bayesian analyses. The reduced resolutions in some consensus trees create ambiguities concerning the evolution of fully aquatic pelvic/pedal conditions under many analyses. However, when enough resolution was obtained, reversals of the pelvic/pedal conditions were favoured by parsimony and likelihood ancestral state reconstructions instead of independent origins of aquatic features in mosasauroids. It is concluded that most of the observed discrepancies among the results can be associated with different analytical procedures, but also due to limited postcranial data on halisaurines, yaguarasaurines and Dallasaurus. PMID:28467456

EFFECT OF THE ROTOR CRANK SYSTEM ON CYCLING PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon A. Jobson

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a novel crank system on laboratory time-trial cycling performance. The Rotor system makes each pedal independent from the other so that the cranks are no longer fixed at 180°. Twelve male competitive but non-elite cyclists (mean ± s: 35 ± 7 yr, Wmax = 363 ± 38 W, VO2peak = 4.5 ± 0.3 L·min-1 completed 6-weeks of their normal training using either a conventional (CON or the novel Rotor (ROT pedal system. All participants then completed two 40.23-km time-trials on an air-braked ergometer, one using CON and one using ROT. Mean performance speeds were not different between trials (CON = 41.7 km·h-1 vs. ROT = 41.6 km·h-1, P > 0.05. Indeed, the pedal system used during the time-trials had no impact on any of the measured variables (power output, cadence, heart rate, VO2, RER, gross efficiency. Furthermore, the ANOVA identified no significant interaction effect between main effects (Time-trial crank system*Training crank system, P > 0.05. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of the Rotor system on endurance performance rather than endurance capacity. These results suggest that the Rotor system has no measurable impact on time-trial performance. However, further studies should examine the importance of the Rotor 'regulation point' and the suggestion that the Rotor system has acute ergogenic effects if used infrequently

A pilot study to assess the utility of a freely downloadable mobile application simulator for undergraduate clinical skills training: a single-blinded, randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartlett, Richard D; Radenkovic, Dina; Mitrasinovic, Stefan; Cole, Andrew; Pavkovic, Iva; Denn, Peyton Cheong Phey; Hussain, Mahrukh; Kogler, Magdalena; Koutsopodioti, Natalia; Uddin, Wasima; Beckley, Ivan; Abubakar, Hana; Gill, Deborah; Smith, Daron

2017-12-11

Medical simulators offer an invaluable educational resource for medical trainees. However, owing to cost and portability restrictions, they have traditionally been limited to simulation centres. With the advent of sophisticated mobile technology, simulators have become cheaper and more accessible. Touch Surgery is one such freely downloadable mobile application simulator (MAS) used by over one million healthcare professionals worldwide. Nevertheless, to date, it has never been formally validated as an adjunct in undergraduate medical education. Medical students in the final 3 years of their programme were recruited and randomised to one of three revision interventions: 1) no formal revision resources, 2) traditional revision resources, or 3) MAS. Students completed pre-test questionnaires and were then assessed on their ability to complete an undisclosed male urinary catheterisation scenario. Following a one-hour quarantined revision period, all students repeated the scenario. Both attempts were scored by allocation-blinded examiners against an objective 46-point mark scheme. A total of 27 medical students were randomised (n = 9 per group). Mean scores improved between baseline and post-revision attempts by 8.7% (p = 0.003), 19.8% (p = 0.0001), and 15.9% (p = 0.001) for no resources, traditional resources, and MAS, respectively. However, when comparing mean score improvements between groups there were no significant differences. Mobile simulators offer an unconventional, yet potentially useful adjunct to enhance undergraduate clinical skills education. Our results indicate that MAS's perform comparably to current gold-standard revision resources; however, they may confer significant advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and practice flexibility. Not applicable.

USAF/SCEEE Summer Faculty Research Program (1982). Management Report.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-10-01

Biomechanics , Penn State University Work Physiology Industrial & Mgmt. Systems Eng. Dept. Assigned: AMRL University Park, PA 16802 (814) 863-2361 Dr. Mark A...initiate a rudder- pedal adjust- ment will be related to fractional increase in displacements simulating 90-deg crosawinds. -124- THE ROBUSTNESS OF

78 FR 79391 - Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 22-Chicago, Illinois, Notification of Proposed Production Activity...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-30

... and nut assemblies; hex, lock and push nuts; lock washers; spring washers; washer packages; rivets; E... plates; oven crumb trays; rubber feet; slow cooker lids; water filter holders; electromagnetic...; washers; shoulder rivets; cotter pins; E-rings; latch, pedal, coil and torque springs; wire racks; bake...

The impact of a congestion assistant on traffic flow efficiency and safety in congested traffic caused by a lane drop

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Driel, Cornelie; van Arem, Bart

2010-01-01

This article presents the results of a microscopic traffic simulation study conducted to investigate the impact of a Congestion Assistant on traffic efficiency and traffic safety. The Congestion Assistant is an in-vehicle system in which an active pedal supports the driver when approaching

Giro

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grani, Francesco; Bruun-Pedersen, Jon Ram

2017-01-01

participants' intrinsic motivation to exercise has shown to increase when using VR to augment their biking exercise routine. The presented VR augmentation system previously used a wired Arduino UNO microcontroller, with magnets and Hall effect sensors to track the pedaling behavior of users. The prototype...

Is a description deeper than the quantum one possible?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghirardi, GianCarlo; Romano, Raffaele

2014-01-01

Recently, it has been argued that quantum mechanics is a complete theory, and that different quantum states do necessarily correspond to different elements of reality, under the assumptions that quantum mechanics is correct and that measurement settings can be freely chosen. In this work, we prove that this result is a consequence of an unnecessarily strong mathematical expression of the free choice assumption, which embodies more conditions than explicitly stated. The issues of the completeness of quantum mechanics, and of the interpretation of the state vector, are by no means resolved. Taking this perspective, we describe how the recently introduced class of crypto-nonlocal hidden variables theories can be used to characterize the maximal possible departure from quantum mechanics, when the system consists of a pair of qubits. (paper)

Advantages of surface treatment processes by ionic sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gantois, M.

1976-01-01

The use of high intensity glow-discharge permits to realize a superficial thermochemical treatment. Ions formed by discharge are accelerated against the surfaces to be treated; by effect of ion bombardment, surfaces get heated and a chemical reaction is developed depending on the composition of the ionized gas. The technique presents advantages, as the potential of the active gas might be freely chosen, and as many gases might be used, the decomposition of gases by pyrolysis and a homogeneous treatment (concerning nature of phases and thickness) all over the surface being not necessary. It is possible to develop layers of various nature, looking for those which offer the best properties to solve a technological problem (wear, friction, fatigue toughness, etc.). Some examples of nitruration, carbonitruration are considered [fr

footprintDB: a database of transcription factors with annotated cis elements and binding interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebastian, Alvaro; Contreras-Moreira, Bruno

2014-01-15

Traditional and high-throughput techniques for determining transcription factor (TF) binding specificities are generating large volumes of data of uneven quality, which are scattered across individual databases. FootprintDB integrates some of the most comprehensive freely available libraries of curated DNA binding sites and systematically annotates the binding interfaces of the corresponding TFs. The first release contains 2422 unique TF sequences, 10 112 DNA binding sites and 3662 DNA motifs. A survey of the included data sources, organisms and TF families was performed together with proprietary database TRANSFAC, finding that footprintDB has a similar coverage of multicellular organisms, while also containing bacterial regulatory data. A search engine has been designed that drives the prediction of DNA motifs for input TFs, or conversely of TF sequences that might recognize input regulatory sequences, by comparison with database entries. Such predictions can also be extended to a single proteome chosen by the user, and results are ranked in terms of interface similarity. Benchmark experiments with bacterial, plant and human data were performed to measure the predictive power of footprintDB searches, which were able to correctly recover 10, 55 and 90% of the tested sequences, respectively. Correctly predicted TFs had a higher interface similarity than the average, confirming its diagnostic value. Web site implemented in PHP,Perl, MySQL and Apache. Freely available from http://floresta.eead.csic.es/footprintdb.

Traction control of an electric formula student racing car

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loof, J.W.; Besselink, I.J.M.; Nijmeijer, H.

2014-01-01

This article describes the design of a traction control system in an electric Formula Student vehicle. In many race applications the accelerator pedal is difficult to control for an in-experienced driver, especially in the case of electric vehicles, where a large torque is available from standstill.

Elektrische fietsen en speed-pedelecs : kennis over de verkeersveiligheid.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlakveld, W.P.

2016-01-01

Pedelecs: electric bicycles and speed pedelecs; Knowledge about their road safety. A pedelec is a bicycle with an electric motor that supports the cyclist in pushing the pedals. There are basically two types of pedelecs: the 'normal' electric bicycle and the relatively new 'speed pedelec'. An

Driving with a congestion assistant : mental workload and acceptance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brookhuis, K.A.; Driel, C. J.G. van; Hof, T.; Arem, B. van; Hoedemaeker, M.

2009-01-01

New driver support systems are developed and introduced to the market at increasing speed. In conditions of traffic congestion drivers may be supported by a" Congestion Assistant", a system that combines the features of a Congestion Warning System (acoustic warning and gas pedal counterforce) and a

Analyzing e-bike commuters’ motives, travel behaviour and experiences using GPS-tracking and interviews

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Plazier, Paul

2017-01-01

IntroductionA major development in transportation in the past years has been the growth of electrically assisted cycling or e-biking. E-bikes (pedal-assisted or bicycle-style electric bicycles) make it possible to cover longer distances at higher speeds against reduced physical effort. Coupled with

Ecodriving acceptance : an experimental study on anticipation behavior of truck drivers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thijssen, R.J.T.G.; Hofman, T.; Ham, J.R.C.

2014-01-01

In this paper, it is researched to what extend truck drivers are willing to improve their anticipation behavior. For the purpose of this research, anticipation behavior is characterized by anticipation distance: the distance to a stopping point (e.g. roundabout), at which the accelerator pedal is

Allowing the Data to Speak Freely

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoover, Kevin D.; Juselius, Katarina; Johansen, Søren

An explication of the key ideas behind the Cointegrated Vector Autoregression Approach. The CVAR approach is related to Haavelmo's famous "Probability Approach in Econometrics" (1944). It insists on careful stochastic specification as a necessary groundwork for econometric inference and the testing...... of economic theories. In time-series data, the probability approach requires careful specification of the integration and cointegration properties of variables in systems of equations. The relationship between the CVAR approach and wider methodological issues and between it and related approaches (e...

Lion walking freely in the Louvre

OpenAIRE

Dimitrijević, Braco

2016-01-01

Nel 1996 Braco Dimitrijević, intervistato da Jean-Hubert Martin per “Flash Art” ha affermato: Se si guarda la terra dalla luna non c’è praticamente alcuna distanza tra il Louvre e lo zoo. Ci sono gabbie allo zoo così come ci sono al Louvre. Il mio ultimo obiettivo è rimuovere le porte e vedere i leoni liberi al Louvre. Questo progetto utopico, donato a MoRE, si inserisce all’interno di quella linea di ricerca basata appunto sull’accostamento tra importanti collezioni espositive ed animali viv...