Analytical interference by contrast agents in biochemical assays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Otnes, Sigrid; Fogh-Andersen, Niels; Rømsing, Janne

2017-01-01

Objective. To provide a clinically relevant overview of the analytical interference by contrast agents (CA) in laboratory blood test measurements. Materials and Methods. The effects of five CAs, gadobutrol, gadoterate meglumine, gadoxetate disodium, iodixanol, and iomeprol, were studied on the 29...... most frequently performed biochemical assays. One-day-old plasma, serum, and whole blood were spiked with doses of each agent such that the gadolinium agents and the iodine agents reached concentrations of 0.5mMand 12mg iodine/mL, respectively. Subsequently, 12 assays were reexamined using 1/2 and 1...

Microwave permeability of stripe patterned FeCoN thin film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Yuping [Temasek Laboratories, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411 (Singapore); Yang, Yong, E-mail: tslyayo@nus.edu.sg [Temasek Laboratories, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411 (Singapore); Ma, Fusheng; Zong, Baoyu; Yang, Zhihong [Temasek Laboratories, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411 (Singapore); Ding, Jun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574 (Singapore)

2017-03-15

Magnetic stripe patterns are of great importance for microwave applications owing to their highly tunable microwave permeability by adjusting the geometrical dimensions. In this work, stripe patterned FeCoN films with 160 nm thickness are fabricated by using standard UV photolithography. Their microwave permeability are investigated systematically via both experiment and micromagnetic simulation. The good agreement between experimental and simulation results suggests that stripe width is crucial for the microwave magnetic properties of the stripe pattern. It is demonstrated by simulation that with increasing stripe width from 1 to 80 µm the initial permeability shows a continuous growth from about 8–322, whiles the resonance frequency drops dramatically from 18.7 to 3.1 GHz at 4 µm gap size. Smaller gap size would result in slightly increased initial permeability due to larger magnetic volume ratio, accompanied by decreased resonance frequency because of stronger magnetostatic interaction. Moreover, the experimental investigation on stripe length effect indicates that the stripe length should be kept as long as possible to achieve uniform bulk resonance mode and high permeability value. Insufficient stripe length would result in low frequency edge mode and decayed bulk mode. This study could provide valuable guidelines on the selection of proper geometry dimensions of FeCoN stripe patterns for high frequency applications. - Highlights: • This work presents a systematic study on permeability of FeCoN stripe pattern. • Geometrical parameters of the stripe pattern are systematically optimized. • Several important conclusions has been obtained. • The results offer guideline on FeCoN stripe patterns for high frequency applications.

Differential-interference-contrast digital in-line holography microscopy based on a single-optical-element.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuchao; Xie, Changqing

2015-11-01

Both digital in-line holography (DIH) and zone plate-based microscopy have received considerable interest as powerful imaging tools. However, the former suffers from a twin-image noise problem. The latter suffers from low efficiency and difficulty in fabrication. Here, we present an effective and efficient phase-contrast imaging approach, named differential-interference-contrast digital in-line holography (DIC-DIH), by using a single optical element to split the incident light into a plane wave and a converging spherical wave and generate a two-dimensional (2D) DIC effect simultaneously. Specifically, to improve image contrast, we present a new single optical element, termed 2D DIC compound photon sieves, by combining two overlaid binary gratings and a compound photon sieve through two logical XOR operations. The proof-of-concept experiments demonstrate that the proposed technique can eliminate the twin-image noise problem and improve image contrast with high efficiency. Additionally, we present an example of the phase-contrast imaging nonuniform thick photoresist development process.

Tiger Stripes and Cassini ISS High-Resolution Imaging of Enceladus

Science.gov (United States)

Helfenstein, Paul; Denk, T.; Giese, B.; McEwen, A. S.; Neukum, G.; Perry, J.; Porco, C. C.; Thomas, P. C.; Turtle, E.; Verbiscer, A.; Veverka, J.

2008-09-01

Deciphering the mechanisms of Enceladus’ plumes is one of the most important and challenging tasks for planetary science. Cassini has provided a wealth of data by remote and in-situ data collection, but fundamental details of the vents and their context remain elusive. Three flybys of Enceladus by Cassini in 2008, on August 11 (altitude: 50km), October 9 (30km), and October 31 (200 km) are designed to further our knowledge of Enceladus’ geology and geophysics. Anticipated data include images as good as 7 m/pixel of parts of the geologically active South Polar Terrain (SPT). We targeted six different known eruption sites (Spitale and Porco 2007, Nature 449, 695-697) along Cairo Sulcus, Baghdad Suclus, and Damascus Sulcus, as well as non-active portions of the the "tiger stripes" and bright grooved terrain in between. On each of the three flybys we also plan contiguous ISS broadband multi-spectral mosaics of the entire SPT region so that we can search for volcanically and tectonically driven temporal changes and construct detailed digital terrain maps. Previous images of the tiger stripes and other rift systems on Enceladus resolve geomorphic structures on hundred meter scales or larger. Within those resolution limits, tiger stripes are morphologically distinguished most strongly from comparably sized young looking rifts elsewhere on Enceladus by their prominent upturned flanks, the muted appearance of their surface relief, and their relative absence of distinct cliff faces, probably of solid ice along scarps. The anticipated new high-resolution images will provide critical structural details needed to identify the extent to which unique attributes of tiger stripes are caused by mantling by plume fallout, tectonic deformation, seismic disruption, or perhaps thermal processes. Here, we present a first analysis of the August 11 close flyby images.

The Stripe State in Cupratesa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee T.-K.

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Since the discovery of high temperature superconductors (HTS two decades ago, many anomalous properties have been reported. One of the most interesting properties is the possible existence of the stripe state consisting of one dimensional charge-density modulation coupled with some kind of spin ordering. X-ray and neutron scattering experiments and recently high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy have reported direct evidences of such a structure. In particular it has found in the La-Sr-Cu-O (LSCO family the existence of the half-doped stripe with average of half a hole in one charge modulation period below and about 1/8 hole density. These results have fueled the idea about the presence of these charge or spin density wave states competing with the superconducting phase in underdoped HTS. They may even contribute to the pairing mechanism. In this talk, we will demonstrate that the presence of these stripes is actually a natural consequence of the strongly interacting t-J model by using a variational approach which provides a good enough accuracy to address the subtle result. Furthermore we show that half-doped stripes could be stabilized in hole-doped systems if we assume a simple electron-phonon interaction to renormalize the electron mass. However we have not found any evidence to support half-doped stripes in electron-doped systems.

Height measurement of transparent objects by adopting differential interference contrast technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Sheng-Kang; Liu, Ting-Kun; Lin, Shih-Chieh

2010-01-01

In this study, the differential interference contrast (DIC) approach originally used for image enhancement to increase the contrast between a transparent object and the background is adopted for the dimension measurement of transparent structures. With the phase difference image retrieved using the DIC technique, the phase map of the examined object can be approximated by integrating the phase difference. The need of integration accuracy is much higher for measurement than for image enhancement. In this study, a modified Fourier phase integration is proposed to reduce the effects of noise on surface profile reconstruction. The simulation results show that the proposed approach can effectively reduce the effects of noise. Experimental results are also conducted to study the feasibility of using the transmitted DIC with the proposed integration method for transparent object measurement. The results show that the height of a transparent structure measured using the DIC method is quite close to those measured using an atomic force microscope, while those measured using the white-light interference method result in a much larger measurement than all others.

Feshbach shape resonance for high Tc pairing in superlattices of quantum stripes and quantum wells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Bianconi

2006-09-01

Full Text Available   The Feshbach shape resonances in the interband pairing in superconducting superlattices of quantum wells or quantum stripes is shown to provide the mechanism for high Tc superconductivity. This mechanism provides the Tc amplification driven by the architecture of material: superlattices of quantum wells (intercalated graphite or diborides and superlattices of quantum stripes (doped high Tc cuprate perovskites where the chemical potential is tuned to a Van Hove-Lifshitz singularity (vHs in the electronic energy spectrum of the superlattice associated with the change of the Fermi surface dimensionality in one of the subbands.

Distinct Nature of Static and Dynamic Magnetic Stripes in Cuprate Superconductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, H.; Holm, S. L.; Lăcătuşu, M. E.

2018-01-01

We present detailed neutron scattering studies of the static and dynamic stripes in an optimally doped high-Temperature superconductor, La2CuO4+y. We observe that the dynamic stripes do not disperse towards the static stripes in the limit of vanishing energy transfer. Therefore, the dynamic stripes...

Are stripes beneficial? Dazzle camouflage influences perceived speed and hit rates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bettina von Helversen

Full Text Available In the animal kingdom, camouflage refers to patterns that help potential prey avoid detection. Mostly camouflage is thought of as helping prey blend in with their background. In contrast, disruptive or dazzle patterns protect moving targets and have been suggested as an evolutionary force in shaping the dorsal patterns of animals. Dazzle patterns, such as stripes and zigzags, are thought to reduce the probability with which moving prey will be captured by impairing predators' perception of speed. We investigated how different patterns of stripes (longitudinal-i.e., parallel to movement direction-and vertical-i.e., perpendicular to movement direction affect the probability with which humans can hit moving objects and if differences in hitting probability are caused by a misperception of speed. A first experiment showed that longitudinally striped objects were hit more often than unicolored objects. However, vertically striped objects did not differ from unicolored objects. A second study examining the link between perceived speed and hitting probability showed that longitudinally and vertically striped objects were both perceived as moving faster and were hit more often than unicolored objects. In sum, our results provide evidence that striped patterns disrupt the perception of speed, which in turn influences how often objects are hit. However, the magnitude and the direction of the effects depend on additional factors such as speed and the task setup.

Novel Low Cost Organic Vapor Jet Printing of Striped High Efficiency Phosphorescent OLEDs for White Lighting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mike Hack

2008-12-31

In this program, Universal Display Corporation and University of Michigan proposed to integrate three innovative concepts to meet the DOE's Solid State Lighting (SSL) goals: (1) high-efficiency phosphorescent organic light emitting device (PHOLED{trademark}) technology, (2) a white lighting design that is based on a series of red, green and blue OLED stripes, and (3) the use of a novel cost-effective, high rate, mask-less deposition process called organic vapor jet printing (OVJP). Our PHOLED technology offers up to four-times higher power efficiency than other OLED approaches for general lighting. We believe that one of the most promising approaches to maximizing the efficiency of OLED lighting sources is to produce stripes of the three primary colors at such a pitch (200-500 {mu}m) that they appear as a uniform white light to an observer greater than 1 meter (m) away from the illumination source. Earlier work from a SBIR Phase 1 entitled 'White Illumination Sources Using Striped Phosphorescent OLEDs' suggests that stripe widths of less than 500 {mu}m appear uniform from a distance of 1m without the need for an external diffuser. In this program, we intend to combine continued advances in this PHOLED technology with the striped RGB lighting design to demonstrate a high-efficiency, white lighting source. Using this background technology, the team has focused on developing and demonstrating the novel cost-effective OVJP process to fabricate these high-efficiency white PHOLED light sources. Because this groundbreaking OVJP process is a direct printing approach that enables the OLED stripes to be printed without a shadow mask, OVJP offers very high material utilization and high throughput without the costs and wastage associated with a shadow mask (i.e. the waste of material that deposits on the shadow mask itself). As a direct printing technique, OVJP also has the potential to offer ultra-high deposition rates (> 1,000 Angstroms/second) for any size or

Application of differential interference contrast with inverted microscopes to the in vitro perfused nephron.

Science.gov (United States)

Horster, M; Gundlach, H

1979-12-01

The study of in vitro perfused individual nephron segments requires a microscope which provides: (1) easy access to the specimen for measurement of cellular solute flux and voltage; (2) an image with high resolution and contrast; (3) optical sectioning of the object at different levels; and (4) rapid recording of the morphological phenomena. This paper describes an example of commercially available apparatus meeting the above requirements, and illustrates its efficiency. The microscope is of the inverted type (Zeiss IM 35) equipped with differential-interference-contrast (DIC) with a long working distance, and an automatically controlled camera system. The microscopic image exhibits cellular and intercellular details in the unstained transporting mammalian nephron segments despite their tubular structure and great thickness and makes obvious function-structure correlations (e.g. cell volume changes); luminal and contraluminal cell borders are well resolved for controlled microelectrode impalement.

LMFBR thermal-striping evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunings, J.E.

1982-10-01

Thermal striping is defined as the fluctuating temperature field that is imposed on a structure when fluid streams at different temperatures mix in the vicinity of the structure surface. Because of the uncertainty in structural damage in LMFBR structures subject to thermal striping, EPRI has funded an effort for the Rockwell International Energy Systems Group to evaluate this problem. This interim report presents the following information: (1) a Thermal Striping Program Plan which identifies areas of analytic and experimental needs and presents a program of specific tasks to define damage experienced by ordinary materials of construction and to evaluate conservatism in the existing approach; (2) a description of the Thermal Striping Test Facility and its operation; and (3) results from the preliminary phase of testing to characterize the fluid environment to be applied in subsequent thermal striping damage experiments

Measures of extents of laterality for high-frequency ``transposed'' stimuli under conditions of binaural interference

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Leslie R.; Trahiotis, Constantine

2005-09-01

Our purpose in this study was to determine whether across-frequency binaural interference would occur if ITD-based extents of laterality were measured using high-frequency transposed stimuli as targets. The results of an earlier study [L. R. Bernstein and C. Trahiotis, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 3062-3069 (2004)], which focused on threshold-ITDs, rather than extents of laterality, suggested that high-frequency transposed stimuli might be ``immune'' to binaural interference effects resulting from the addition of a spectrally remote, low-frequency interferer. In contrast to the earlier findings, the data from this study indicate that high-frequency transposed targets are susceptible to binaural interference. Nevertheless, high-frequency transposed targets, even when presented along with an interferer, yielded greater extents of ITD-based laterality than did high-frequency Gaussian noise targets presented in isolation. That is, the ``enhanced potency'' of ITDs conveyed by transposed stimuli persisted, even in the presence of a low-frequency interferer. Predictions made using an extension of the model of Heller and Trahiotis [L. M. Heller and C. Trahiotis, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 99, 3632-3637 (1996)] accounted well for across-frequency binaural interference obtained with conventional Gaussian noise targets but, in all but one case, overpredicted the amounts of interference found with the transposed targets.

Relationship of Soil Properties and Sugarcane Yields to Red Stripe in Louisiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Richard M; Grisham, Michael P; Warnke, Kathryn Z; Maggio, Jeri R

2016-07-01

Symptoms of red stripe disease caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae in Louisiana between 1985 and 2010 were limited to the leaf stripe form, which caused no apparent yield loss. During 2010, the more severe top rot form was observed, and a study was initiated to investigate the distribution of red stripe in the field and determine its effects on cane and sugar yields. Soil properties data, red stripe incidence, and sugarcane yields were all highly variable and were not randomly distributed in the field. Combined harvest data showed a negative correlation between yield components and red stripe incidence, with the strongest relationship between sucrose per metric ton and disease incidence. Red stripe incidence was positively correlated with several soil properties, including phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and calcium. Red stripe incidence also was found to increase with increasing nitrogen rate, with the greatest effects in heavy soils. Results also indicated that using red-stripe-infected cane as a seed source can significantly decrease shoot emergence, stalk population, and subsequent cane and sugar yields. These combined data suggest that red stripe disease can exhibit a highly variable rate of infection in commercial sugarcane fields and may also significantly decrease sugar yields.

Electromagnetic interference-induced instability in CPP-GMR read heads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khunkitti, P.; Siritaratiwat, A.; Kaewrawang, A.; Mewes, T.; Mewes, C.K.A.; Kruesubthaworn, A.

2016-01-01

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) has been a significant issue for the current perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) read heads because it can cause magnetic failure. Furthermore, the magnetic noise induced by the spin transfer torque (STT) effect has played an important role in the CPP read heads because it can affect the stability of the heads. Accordingly, this work proposed an investigation of the magnetic instabilities induced by EMI through the STT effect in a CPP-GMR read head via micromagnetic simulations. The magnetization fluctuation caused by EMI was examined, and then, magnetic noise was evaluated by using power spectral density analysis. It was found that the magnetization orientation can be fluctuated by EMI in close proximity to the head. The results also showed a multimode spectral density. The main contributions of the spectral density were found to originate at the edges of the stripe height sides due to the characteristics of the demagnetization field inside the free layer. Hence, the magnetic instabilities produced by EMI become a significant factor that essentially impacts the reliability of the CPP-GMR read heads. - Highlights: • The instability induced by electromagnetic interference in read head is examined. • The magnetization orientation can be fluctuated by electromagnetic interference. • The electromagnetic interference can induce additional noise spectra to the system. • The noise is mainly located at stripe height of the read head. • The noise induced by electromagnetic interference is a crucial factor for the head.

Electromagnetic interference-induced instability in CPP-GMR read heads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khunkitti, P.; Siritaratiwat, A.; Kaewrawang, A. [KKU-Seagate Cooperation Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Mewes, T.; Mewes, C.K.A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, MINT Center, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (United States); Kruesubthaworn, A., E-mail: anankr@kku.ac.th [KKU-Seagate Cooperation Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand)

2016-08-15

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) has been a significant issue for the current perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) read heads because it can cause magnetic failure. Furthermore, the magnetic noise induced by the spin transfer torque (STT) effect has played an important role in the CPP read heads because it can affect the stability of the heads. Accordingly, this work proposed an investigation of the magnetic instabilities induced by EMI through the STT effect in a CPP-GMR read head via micromagnetic simulations. The magnetization fluctuation caused by EMI was examined, and then, magnetic noise was evaluated by using power spectral density analysis. It was found that the magnetization orientation can be fluctuated by EMI in close proximity to the head. The results also showed a multimode spectral density. The main contributions of the spectral density were found to originate at the edges of the stripe height sides due to the characteristics of the demagnetization field inside the free layer. Hence, the magnetic instabilities produced by EMI become a significant factor that essentially impacts the reliability of the CPP-GMR read heads. - Highlights: • The instability induced by electromagnetic interference in read head is examined. • The magnetization orientation can be fluctuated by electromagnetic interference. • The electromagnetic interference can induce additional noise spectra to the system. • The noise is mainly located at stripe height of the read head. • The noise induced by electromagnetic interference is a crucial factor for the head.

Frequency locking, quasiperiodicity, subharmonic bifurcations and chaos in high frequency modulated stripe geometry DH semiconductor lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Yiguang

1991-01-01

The method of obtaining self-consistent solutions of the field equation and the rate equations of photon density and carrier concentration has been used to study frequecny locking, quasiperiodicity, subharmonic bifurcations and chaos in high frequency modulated stripe geometry DH semiconductor lasers. The results show that the chaotic behavior arises in self-pulsing stripe geometry semiconductor lasers. The route to chaos is not period-double, but quasiperiodicity to chaos. All of the results agree with the experiments. Some obscure points in previous theory about chaos have been cleared up

Distinct Nature of Static and Dynamic Magnetic Stripes in Cuprate Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobsen, H.; Holm, S. L.; Lǎcǎtuşu, M.-E.; Rømer, A. T.; Bertelsen, M.; Boehm, M.; Toft-Petersen, R.; Grivel, J.-C.; Emery, S. B.; Udby, L.; Wells, B. O.; Lefmann, K.

2018-01-01

We present detailed neutron scattering studies of the static and dynamic stripes in an optimally doped high-temperature superconductor, La2 CuO4 +y . We observe that the dynamic stripes do not disperse towards the static stripes in the limit of vanishing energy transfer. Therefore, the dynamic stripes observed in neutron scattering experiments are not the Goldstone modes associated with the broken symmetry of the simultaneously observed static stripes, and the signals originate from different domains in the sample. These observations support real-space electronic phase separation in the crystal, where the static stripes in one phase are pinned versions of the dynamic stripes in the other, having slightly different periods. Our results explain earlier observations of unusual dispersions in underdoped La2 -xSrx CuO4 (x =0.07 ) and La2 -xBax CuO4 (x =0.095 ).

Quantitative phase imaging and differential interference contrast imaging for biological TEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allman, B.E.; McMahon, P.J.; Barone-Nugent, E.D.; Nugent, E.D.

2002-01-01

Full text: Phase microscopy is a central technique in science. An experienced microscopist uses this effect to visualise (edge) structure within transparent samples by slightly defocusing the microscope. Although widespread in optical microscopy, phase contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has not been widely adopted. TEM for biological specimens has largely relied on staining techniques to yield sufficient contrast. We show here a simple method for quantitative TEM phase microscopy that quantifies this phase contrast effect. Starting with conventional, digital, bright field images of the sample, our algorithm provides quantitative phase information independent of the sample's bright field intensity image. We present TEM phase images of a range of stained and unstained, biological and material science specimens. This independent phase and intensity information is then used to emulate a range of phase visualisation images familiar to optical microscopy, e.g. differential interference contrast. The phase images contain features not visible with the other imaging modalities. Further, if the TEM samples have been prepared on a microtome to a uniform thickness, the phase information can be converted into refractive index structure of the specimen. Copyright (2002) Australian Society for Electron Microscopy Inc

Improving File System Performance by Striping

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Terance L.; Kutler, Paul (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

This document discusses the performance and advantages of striped file systems on the SGI AD workstations. Performance of several striped file system configurations are compared and guidelines for optimal striping are recommended.

European Stars and Stripes

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hendricks, Nancy

1994-01-01

The European Stars and Stripes (ES&S) organization publishes a daily newspaper, The Stars and Stripes, for DoD personnel stationed in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and other DoD activities in the U.S. European Command...

A technique to identify some typical radio frequency interference using support vector machine

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuanchao; Li, Mingtao; Li, Dawei; Zheng, Jianhua

2017-07-01

In this paper, we present a technique to automatically identify some typical radio frequency interference from pulsar surveys using support vector machine. The technique has been tested by candidates. In these experiments, to get features of SVM, we use principal component analysis for mosaic plots and its classification accuracy is 96.9%; while we use mathematical morphology operation for smog plots and horizontal stripes plots and its classification accuracy is 86%. The technique is simple, high accurate and useful.

Interactions between striped bass and other gamefish in reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Leandro E.; Raborn, Scott W.

2013-01-01

Competitive interactions among reservoir fishes may be pronounced because fish assemblages in these artificial environments have had little time to develop niche-partitioning strategies that alleviate negative interspecific interactions. Such interactions may at times have been intensified by introductions of predators such as striped bass Morone saxatilis, introduced to create additional fisheries and control pelagic clupeids. Possible interactions between existing fish assemblages and striped bass include predation and competition. While there is a perception among angler groups that predation by striped bass on co-existing game fish is significant, most studies have reported little or no predation on game fish my striped bass and have considered predation rare and inconsequential. Moreover, predation that occurs will likely be compensatory and fail to reduce overall game fish survival. Any indirect effect of striped bass predation by restricting prey-sized game fish to limited refuge sites remains unknown. Exploitative competition may be more common. Although infrequently, introduced striped bass have depleted prey resources shared with other piscivores, particularly when stocking rates have been high, when there is a high rate of natural reproduction, or when prey supply has plunged in response to environmental fluxes. Fluctuation in prey supply, associated with ordinary environmental variability, and associated time lages in prey supply and predator demand, preclude adjusting predator densities to exactly balance demand with supply. The frequency of low supply-demand rations varies across systems and exhibits seasonal trends. Nevertheless, chronic supply-demand imbalances are manageable where the predator assemblage is at least partially controlled through stocking, harvest regulations, or both. Because of the poor state of knowledge concerning the parameters defining balance and because uncontrollable annual fluctuations preclude exact management of

Correlation between the ripple phase and stripe domains in membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernchou, Uffe; Midtiby, Henrik; Ipsen, John Hjort; Simonsen, Adam Cohen

2011-12-01

We investigate the relationship between stripe domains and the ripple phase in membranes. These have previously been observed separately without being linked explicitly. Past results have demonstrated that solid and ripple phases exhibit rich textural patterns related to the orientational order of tilted lipids and the orientation of ripple corrugations. Here we reveal a highly complex network pattern of ripple and solid domains in DLPC, DPPC bilayers with structures covering length scales from 10 nm to 100 μm. Using spincoated double supported membranes we investigate domains by correlated AFM and fluorescence microscopy. Cooling experiments demonstrate the mode of nucleation and growth of stripe domains enriched in the fluorescent probe. Concurrent AFM imaging reveals that these stripe domains have a one-to-one correspondence with a rippled morphology running parallel to the stripe direction. Both thin and thick stripe domains are observed having ripple periods of 13.5±0.2 nm and 27.4±0.6 nm respectively. These are equivalent to previously observed asymmetric/equilibrium and symmetric/metastable ripple phases, respectively. Thin stripes grow from small solid domains and grow predominantly in length with a speed of ~3 times that of the thick stripes. Thick stripes grow by templating on the sides of thinner stripes or can emerge directly from the fluid phase. Bending and branching angles of stripes are in accordance with an underlying six fold lattice. We discuss mechanisms for the nucleation and growth of ripples and discuss a generic phase diagram that may partly rationalize the coexistence of metastable and stable phases. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contrast matching of line gratings obtained with NXE3XXX and EUV- interference lithography

Science.gov (United States)

Tasdemir, Zuhal; Mochi, Iacopo; Olvera, Karen Garrido; Meeuwissen, Marieke; Yildirim, Oktay; Custers, Rolf; Hoefnagels, Rik; Rispens, Gijsbert; Fallica, Roberto; Vockenhuber, Michaela; Ekinci, Yasin

2017-10-01

Extreme UV lithography (EUVL) has gained considerable attention for several decades as a potential technology for the semiconductor industry and it is now close to being adopted in high-volume manufacturing. At Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), we have focused our attention on EUV resist performance issues by testing available high-performance EUV resists in the framework of a joint collaboration with ASML. For this purpose, we use the grating-based EUV-IL setup installed at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at PSI, in which a coherent beam with 13.5 nm wavelength is used to produce a periodic aerial image with virtually 100% contrast and large depth of focus. Interference lithography is a relatively simple technique and it does not require many optical components, therefore the unintended flare is minimized and the aerial image is well-defined sinusoidal pattern. For the collaborative work between PSI and ASML, exposures are being performed on the EUV-IL exposure tool at PSI. For better quantitative comparison to the NXE scanner results, it is targeted to determine the actual NILS of the EUV-IL exposure tool at PSI. Ultimately, any resist-related metrology must be aligned and compared with the performance of EUV scanners. Moreover, EUV-IL is a powerful method for evaluating the resist performance and a resist which performs well with EUV-IL, shows, in general, also good performance with NXE scanners. However, a quantitative prediction of the performance based on EUV-IL measurements has not been possible due to the differences in aerial image formation. In this work, we aim to study the performance of EUV resists with different aerial images. For this purpose, after the real interference pattern exposure, we overlay a flat field exposure to emulate different levels of contrast. Finally, the results are compared with data obtained from EUV scanner. This study will enable not only match the data obtained from EUV- IL at PSI with the performance of NXE scanners, but also a

Toxicity of agricultural subsurface drainwater from the San Joaquin Valley, California to juvenile chinook salmon and striped bass

Science.gov (United States)

Saiki, Michael K.; Jennings, Mark R.; Wiedmeyer, Raymond H.

1992-01-01

Juvenile chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (40-50 mm total length, TL) and striped bass Morone saxatilis (30-40 mm TL) were exposed to serial dilutions (100, 50, 25, and 12.5%) of agricultural subsurface drainwater (WWD), reconstituted drainwater (RWWD), and reconstituted seawater (IO). Agricultural subsurface drainwater contained naturally elevated concentrations of major ions (such as sodium and sulfate) and trace elements (especially boron and selenium), RWWD contained concentrations of major ions that mimicked those in WWD but trace elements were not elevated, and IO contained concentrations of total dissolved salt that were similar to those in WWD and RWWD but chloride replaced sulfate as the dominant anion. After 28 d of static exposure, over 75% of the chinook salmon in 100% WWD had died, whereas none had died in other dilutions and water types. Growth of chinook salmon in WWD and RWWD, but not in IO, exhibited dilution responses. All striped bass died in 100% WWD within 23 d, whereas 19 of 20 striped bass had died in 100% RWWD after 28 d. In contrast, none died in 100% IO. Growth of striped bass was impaired only in WWD. Fish in WWD accumulated as much as 200 μg/g (dry-weight basis) of boron, whereas fish in control water accumulated less than 3.1 μg/g. Although potentially toxic concentrations of selenium occurred in WWD (geometric means, 158-218 μg/L), chinook salmon and striped bass exposed to this water type accumulated 5.7 μg Se/g or less. These findings indicate that WWD was toxic to chinook salmon and striped bass. Judging from available data, the toxicity of WWD was due primarily to high concentrations of major ions present in atypical ratios, to high concentrations of sulfate, or to both. High concentrations of boron and selenium also may have contributed to the toxicity of WWD, but their effects were not clearly delineated.

Cell Membrane Tracking in Living Brain Tissue Using Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, John; Kolb, Ilya; Forest, Craig R; Rozell, Christopher J

2018-04-01

Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy is widely used for observing unstained biological samples that are otherwise optically transparent. Combining this optical technique with machine vision could enable the automation of many life science experiments; however, identifying relevant features under DIC is challenging. In particular, precise tracking of cell boundaries in a thick ( ) slice of tissue has not previously been accomplished. We present a novel deconvolution algorithm that achieves the state-of-the-art performance at identifying and tracking these membrane locations. Our proposed algorithm is formulated as a regularized least squares optimization that incorporates a filtering mechanism to handle organic tissue interference and a robust edge-sparsity regularizer that integrates dynamic edge tracking capabilities. As a secondary contribution, this paper also describes new community infrastructure in the form of a MATLAB toolbox for accurately simulating DIC microscopy images of in vitro brain slices. Building on existing DIC optics modeling, our simulation framework additionally contributes an accurate representation of interference from organic tissue, neuronal cell-shapes, and tissue motion due to the action of the pipette. This simulator allows us to better understand the image statistics (to improve algorithms), as well as quantitatively test cell segmentation and tracking algorithms in scenarios, where ground truth data is fully known.

Occupational Noise Reduction in CNC Striping Process

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmad Khairai, Kamarulzaman; Shamime Salleh, Nurul; Razlan Yusoff, Ahmad

2018-03-01

Occupational noise hearing loss with high level exposure is common occupational hazards. In CNC striping process, employee that exposed to high noise level for a long time as 8-hour contributes to hearing loss, create physical and psychological stress that reduce productivity. In this paper, CNC stripping process with high level noises are measured and reduced to the permissible noise exposure. First condition is all machines shutting down and second condition when all CNC machine under operations. For both conditions, noise exposures were measured to evaluate the noise problems and sources. After improvement made, the noise exposures were measured to evaluate the effectiveness of reduction. The initial average noise level at the first condition is 95.797 dB (A). After the pneumatic system with leakage was solved, the noise reduced to 55.517 dB (A). The average noise level at the second condition is 109.340 dB (A). After six machines were gathered at one area and cover that area with plastic curtain, the noise reduced to 95.209 dB (A). In conclusion, the noise level exposure in CNC striping machine is high and exceed the permissible noise exposure can be reduced to acceptable levels. The reduction of noise level in CNC striping processes enhanced productivity in the industry.

STRIPE: Remote Driving Using Limited Image Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, Jennifer S.

1997-01-01

Driving a vehicle, either directly or remotely, is an inherently visual task. When heavy fog limits visibility, we reduce our car's speed to a slow crawl, even along very familiar roads. In teleoperation systems, an operator's view is limited to images provided by one or more cameras mounted on the remote vehicle. Traditional methods of vehicle teleoperation require that a real time stream of images is transmitted from the vehicle camera to the operator control station, and the operator steers the vehicle accordingly. For this type of teleoperation, the transmission link between the vehicle and operator workstation must be very high bandwidth (because of the high volume of images required) and very low latency (because delayed images can cause operators to steer incorrectly). In many situations, such a high-bandwidth, low-latency communication link is unavailable or even technically impossible to provide. Supervised TeleRobotics using Incremental Polyhedral Earth geometry, or STRIPE, is a teleoperation system for a robot vehicle that allows a human operator to accurately control the remote vehicle across very low bandwidth communication links, and communication links with large delays. In STRIPE, a single image from a camera mounted on the vehicle is transmitted to the operator workstation. The operator uses a mouse to pick a series of 'waypoints' in the image that define a path that the vehicle should follow. These 2D waypoints are then transmitted back to the vehicle, where they are used to compute the appropriate steering commands while the next image is being transmitted. STRIPE requires no advance knowledge of the terrain to be traversed, and can be used by novice operators with only minimal training. STRIPE is a unique combination of computer and human control. The computer must determine the 3D world path designated by the 2D waypoints and then accurately control the vehicle over rugged terrain. The human issues involve accurate path selection, and the

Enhanced renal image contrast by ethanol fixation in phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirai, Ryota; Kunii, Takuya; Yoneyama, Akio; Ooizumi, Takahito; Maruyama, Hiroko; Lwin, Thet Thet; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Takeda, Tohoru

2014-07-01

Phase-contrast X-ray imaging using a crystal X-ray interferometer can depict the fine structures of biological objects without the use of a contrast agent. To obtain higher image contrast, fixation techniques have been examined with 100% ethanol and the commonly used 10% formalin, since ethanol causes increased density differences against background due to its physical properties and greater dehydration of soft tissue. Histological comparison was also performed. A phase-contrast X-ray system was used, fitted with a two-crystal X-ray interferometer at 35 keV X-ray energy. Fine structures, including cortex, tubules in the medulla, and the vessels of ethanol-fixed kidney could be visualized more clearly than that of formalin-fixed tissues. In the optical microscopic images, shrinkage of soft tissue and decreased luminal space were observed in ethanol-fixed kidney; and this change was significantly shown in the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla. The ethanol fixation technique enhances image contrast by approximately 2.7-3.2 times in the cortex and the outer stripe of the outer medulla; the effect of shrinkage and the physical effect of ethanol cause an increment of approximately 78% and 22%, respectively. Thus, the ethanol-fixation technique enables the image contrast to be enhanced in phase-contrast X-ray imaging.

Super high-power AlGaInN-based laser diodes with a single broad-area stripe emitter fabricated on a GaN substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goto, Shu; Ohta, Makoto; Yabuki, Yoshifumi; Hoshina, Yukio; Hashizu, Toshihiro; Ikeda, Masao [Development Center, Sony Shiroishi Semiconductor, Inc., 3-53-2 Shiratori, Shiroishi, Miyagi, 989-0734 (Japan); Naganuma, Kaori; Tamamura, Koshi [Core Technology Development Group, Micro Systems Network Company, Sony Corporation, 4-14-1 Asahi-cho, Atsugi-shi Kanagawa, 243-0041 (Japan)

2003-11-01

AlGaInN-based blue-violet laser diodes with a single broad-area stripe emitter were successfully fabricated on GaN substrates. Three stripe widths were examined; 10, 50, and 100 {mu}m, and the maximum light output power of 0.94 W under cw operation at 20 C was achieved for the sample with a stripe width of 10 {mu}m. A super high-power laser diode array was fabricated using 11 of these high-performance laser chips, with a resultant output power of 6.1 W under cw operation at 20 C. This result represents the highest reported output power for blue-violet laser diodes. (copyright 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Coherent quantum cascade laser micro-stripe arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. M. de Naurois

2011-09-01

Full Text Available We have fabricated InP-based coherent quantum cascade laser micro-stripe arrays. Phase-locking is provided by evanescent coupling between adjacent stripes. Stripes are buried into semi-insulating iron doped InP. Lasing at room temperature is obtained at 8.4μm for stripe arrays comprising up to 16 emitters. Pure supermode emission is demonstrated via farfield measurements and simulations. The farfield pattern shows a dual-lobe emission, corroborating the predicted phase-locked antisymmetric supermode emission.

Contrast, contours and the confusion effect in dazzle camouflage.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, Benedict G; Scott-Samuel, Nicholas E; Cuthill, Innes C

2016-07-01

'Motion dazzle camouflage' is the name for the putative effects of highly conspicuous, often repetitive or complex, patterns on parameters important in prey capture, such as the perception of speed, direction and identity. Research into motion dazzle camouflage is increasing our understanding of the interactions between visual tracking, the confusion effect and defensive coloration. However, there is a paucity of research into the effects of contrast on motion dazzle camouflage: is maximal contrast a prerequisite for effectiveness? If not, this has important implications for our recognition of the phenotype and understanding of the function and mechanisms of potential motion dazzle camouflage patterns. Here we tested human participants' ability to track one moving target among many identical distractors with surface patterns designed to test the influence of these factors. In line with previous evidence, we found that targets with stripes parallel to the object direction of motion were hardest to track. However, reduction in contrast did not significantly influence this result. This finding may bring into question the utility of current definitions of motion dazzle camouflage, and means that some animal patterns, such as aposematic or mimetic stripes, may have previously unrecognized multiple functions.

Phase contrast imaging with coherent high energy X-rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snigireva, I. [ESRF, Grenoble (France)

1997-02-01

X-ray imaging concern high energy domain (>6 keV) like a contact radiography, projection microscopy and tomography is used for many years to discern the features of the internal structure non destructively in material science, medicine and biology. In so doing the main contrast formation is absorption that makes some limitations for imaging of the light density materials and what is more the resolution of these techniques is not better than 10-100 {mu}m. It was turned out that there is now way in which to overcome 1{mu}m or even sub-{mu}m resolution limit except phase contrast imaging. It is well known in optics that the phase contrast is realised when interference between reference wave front and transmitted through the sample take place. Examples of this imaging are: phase contrast microscopy suggested by Zernike and Gabor (in-line) holography. Both of this techniques: phase contrast x-ray microscopy and holography are successfully progressing now in soft x-ray region. For imaging in the hard X-rays to enhance the contrast and to be able to resolve phase variations across the beam the high degree of the time and more importantly spatial coherence is needed. Because of this it was reasonable that the perfect crystal optics was involved like Bonse-Hart interferometry, double-crystal and even triple-crystal set-up using Laue and Bragg geometry with asymmetrically cut crystals.

X-RAY STRIPES IN TYCHO'S SUPERNOVA REMNANT: SYNCHROTRON FOOTPRINTS OF A NONLINEAR COSMIC-RAY-DRIVEN INSTABILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bykov, Andrei M.; Osipov, Sergei M.; Uvarov, Yury A.; Ellison, Donald C.; Pavlov, George G.

2011-01-01

High-resolution Chandra observations of Tycho's supernova remnant (SNR) have revealed several sets of quasi-steady, high-emissivity, nearly parallel X-ray stripes in some localized regions of the SNR. These stripes are most likely the result of cosmic-ray (CR) generated magnetic turbulence at the SNR blast wave. However, for the amazingly regular pattern of these stripes to appear, simultaneous action of a number of shock-plasma phenomena is required, which is not predicted by most models of magnetic field amplification. A consistent explanation of these stripes yields information on the complex nonlinear plasma processes connecting efficient CR acceleration and magnetic field fluctuations in strong collisionless shocks. The nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration (NL-DSA) model described here, which includes magnetic field amplification from a CR-current-driven instability, does predict stripes consistent with the synchrotron observations of Tycho's SNR. We argue that the local ambient mean magnetic field geometry determines the orientation of the stripes and therefore it can be reconstructed with the high-resolution X-ray imaging. The estimated maximum energy of the CR protons responsible for the stripes is ∼10 15 eV. Furthermore, the model predicts that a specific X-ray polarization pattern, with a polarized fraction ∼50%, accompanies the stripes, which can be tested with future X-ray polarimeter missions.

Interference of an array of independent Bose-Einstein condensates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadzibabic, Zoran; Stock, Sabine; Battelier, Baptiste; Bretin, Vincent; Dalibard, Jean

2004-01-01

We have observed high-contrast matter wave interference between 30 Bose-Einstein condensates with uncorrelated phases. Interferences were observed after the independent condensates were released from a one-dimensional optical lattice and allowed to overlap. This phenomenon is explained with a simple theoretical model, which generalizes the analysis of the interference of two condensates

Survey of evaluation methods for thermal striping in FBR structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Naoki; Nitta, Akito; Take, Kohji

1988-01-01

In the upper core structures or the sodium mixing tee of Fast Breeder Reactors, sodium mixing streams which are at different temperatures produce rapid temperature fluctuations, namely 'thermal striping', upon component surfaces, and it is apprehended that the high-cycle thermal fatigue causes the crack initiation and propagation. The thermal striping is one of the factors which is considered in FBR component design, however, the standard evaluation method has not built up yet because of the intricacy of that mechanism, the difficulty of an actual proof, the lack of data, and so on. In this report, it is intended to survey of the datails and the present situation of the evaluation method of crack initiation and propagation due to thermal striping, and study the appropriate method which will be made use of the rationalization of design. So it is ascertained that the method which use a quantitative prediction of crack propagation is optimum to evaluate the thermal striping phenomenon. (author)

Lighting up superconducting stripes

Science.gov (United States)

Ergeçen, Emre; Gedik, Nuh

2018-02-01

Cuprate superconductors display a plethora of complex phases as a function of temperature and carrier concentration, the understanding of which could provide clues into the mechanism of superconductivity. For example, when about one-eighth of the conduction electrons are removed from the copper oxygen planes in cuprates such as La2‑xBaxCuO4 (LBCO), the doped holes (missing electrons) organize into one-dimensional stripes (1). The bulk superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is greatly reduced, and just above Tc, electrical transport perpendicular to the planes (along the c axis) becomes resistive, but parallel to the copper oxygen planes, resistivity remains zero for a range of temperatures (2). It was proposed a decade ago (3) that this anisotropic behavior is caused by pair density waves (PDWs); superconducting Cooper pairs exist along the stripes within the planes but cannot tunnel to the adjacent layers. On page 575 of this issue, Rajasekaran et al. (4) now report detection of this state in LBCO using nonlinear reflection of high-intensity terahertz (THz) light.

Neural mechanisms of interference control in working memory: effects of interference expectancy and fluid intelligence.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory C Burgess

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A critical aspect of executive control is the ability to limit the adverse effects of interference. Previous studies have shown activation of left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex after the onset of interference, suggesting that interference may be resolved in a reactive manner. However, we suggest that interference control may also operate in a proactive manner to prevent effects of interference. The current study investigated the temporal dynamics of interference control by varying two factors - interference expectancy and fluid intelligence (gF - that could influence whether interference control operates proactively versus reactively.A modified version of the recent negatives task was utilized. Interference expectancy was manipulated across task blocks by changing the proportion of recent negative (interference trials versus recent positive (facilitation trials. Furthermore, we explored whether gF affected the tendency to utilize specific interference control mechanisms. When interference expectancy was low, activity in lateral prefrontal cortex replicated prior results showing a reactive control pattern (i.e., interference-sensitivity during probe period. In contrast, when interference expectancy was high, bilateral prefrontal cortex activation was more indicative of proactive control mechanisms (interference-related effects prior to the probe period. Additional results suggested that the proactive control pattern was more evident in high gF individuals, whereas the reactive control pattern was more evident in low gF individuals.The results suggest the presence of two neural mechanisms of interference control, with the differential expression of these mechanisms modulated by both experimental (e.g., expectancy effects and individual difference (e.g., gF factors.

Low-loss interference filter arrays made by plasma-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering (PARMS) for high-performance multispectral imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Broßmann, Jan; Best, Thorsten; Bauer, Thomas; Jakobs, Stefan; Eisenhammer, Thomas

2016-10-01

Optical remote sensing of the earth from air and space typically utilizes several channels in the visible and near infrared spectrum. Thin-film optical interference filters, mostly of narrow bandpass type, are applied to select these channels. The filters are arranged in filter wheels, arrays of discrete stripe filters mounted in frames, or patterned arrays on a monolithic substrate. Such multi-channel filter assemblies can be mounted close to the detector, which allows a compact and lightweight camera design. Recent progress in image resolution and sensor sensitivity requires improvements of the optical filter performance. Higher demands placed on blocking in the UV and NIR and in between the spectral channels, in-band transmission and filter edge steepness as well as scattering lead to more complex filter coatings with thicknesses in the range of 10 - 25μm. Technological limits of the conventionally used ion-assisted evaporation process (IAD) can be overcome only by more precise and higher-energetic coating technologies like plasma-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering (PARMS) in combination with optical broadband monitoring. Optics Balzers has developed a photolithographic patterning process for coating thicknesses up to 15μm that is fully compatible with the advanced PARMS coating technology. This provides the possibility of depositing multiple complex high-performance filters on a monolithic substrate. We present an overview of the performance of recently developed filters with improved spectral performance designed for both monolithic filter-arrays and stripe filters mounted in frames. The pros and cons as well as the resulting limits of the filter designs for both configurations are discussed.

Mapping genes for resistance to stripe rust in spring wheat landrace PI 480035

Science.gov (United States)

Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Erikks. is an economically important disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Hexaploid spring wheat landrace PI 480035 was highly resistant to stripe rust in the field in Washington during 2011 and 2012. The objective of this resear...

High-Q Bandpass Comb Filter for Mains Interference Extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neycheva T.

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a simple digital high-Q bandpass comb filter for power-line (PL or other periodical interference extraction. The filter concept relies on a correlated signal average resulting in alternating constructive and destructive spectrum interference i.e. the so-called comb frequency response. The presented filter is evaluated by Matlab simulations with real ECG signal contaminated with low amplitude PL interference. The made simulations show that this filter accurately extract the PL interference. It has high-Q notches only at PL odd harmonics and is appropriate for extraction of any kind of odd harmonic interference including rectangular shape. The filter is suitable for real-time operation with popular low-cost microcontrollers.

Modeling and analyzing stripe patterns in fish skin

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yibo; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Yuan; Liang, Ping; Kang, Junjian

2009-11-01

The formation mechanism of stripe patterns in the skin of tropical fishes has been investigated by a coupled two variable reaction diffusion model. Two types of spatial inhomogeneities have been introduced into a homogenous system. Several Turing modes pumped by the Turing instability give rise to a simple stripe pattern. It is found that the Turing mechanism can only determine the wavelength of stripe pattern. The orientation of stripe pattern is determined by the spatial inhomogeneity. Our numerical results suggest that it may be the most possible mechanism for the forming process of fish skin patterns.

Probing two-centre interference in molecular high harmonic generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vozzi, C; Calegari, F; Benedetti, E; Berlasso, R; Sansone, G; Stagira, S; Nisoli, M; Altucci, C; Velotta, R; Torres, R; Heesel, E; Kajumba, N; Marangos, J P

2006-01-01

Two-centre interference in the recombination step of molecular high harmonic generation (HHG) has been probed in CO 2 and O 2 . We report the order dependence of characteristic enhancements or suppressions of high harmonic production in aligned samples of both molecules. In CO 2 , a robust destructive interference was seen consistent with the known separation of the oxygen atoms that are active in HHG. In O 2 , a harmonic enhancement was found indicating constructive interference. A good agreement was found with a simple two-centre interference model that includes the angular distribution function of the sample. The effective momentum of the electron wave was determined from the spectral position of these interferences. Ellipticity-dependent studies in CO 2 clearly show how the destructive interference can be 'switched off' by increasing the degree of ellipticity and thus shifting the effective resonance condition

Competing States in the t-J Model: Uniform d-Wave State versus Stripe State versus Stripe State

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Corboz, P.R.; Rice, T.M.; Troyer, M.

2014-01-01

Variational studies of the t-J model on the square lattice based on infinite projected-entangled pair states confirm an extremely close competition between a uniform d-wave superconducting state and different stripe states. The site-centered stripe with an in-phase d-wave order has an equal or only

Status of Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena in Hatay and Şanlıurfa-Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erol Atay

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In the present work, an 18 month survey, involving face to face interviews with the local people and deployment camera-traps, was carried out on about 600 km2 areas in Turkey. Field surveys and camera-trapping resulted in strong evidences that striped hyenas travel and live around Hatay (Syria border and Şanlıurfa Provinces in Turkey. However, a comprehensive study was not carried out about the status of striped hyenas in this region. Our results showed that striped hyenas were frequently observed around the wasteland and the chicken farm in Hatay Province. Alternatively, they live in small groups in Şanlıurfa Province. Several caves suitable for striped hyenas were identified by footprints, feces and other animal remnants observed in and before those caves. We performed molecular characterization of striped hyenas in Turkey for the first time using Cytb mitochondrial DNA isolated from hair, ear and carcass tissues. Sequences of Cytb DNA sequences from10 different striped hyena samples from Turkey were found to be identical to each other. Comparison of the sequences with the previously reported Cytb sequences, including prehistoric ones, showed that Ctyb gene was highly conserved among the Hyaena hyaena species. During the field surveys we also observed that habitat destruction and fragmentation are detected on high level in the studied regions due to the intensive agricultural areas, settlements and quarries. Illegal hunting, frequent cave usage by shepherds, extensive porcupines hunting, water pollution from olive oil production facilities and highway crashes have been negatively affecting striped hyena population in Hatay and Şanlıurfa regions. It appears that a comprehensive study and protection plan should be exerted to preserve the habitat of striped hyenas.

Stock characteristics of Hudson River striped bass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoff, T.B.; McLaren, J.B.; Cooper, J.C.

1988-01-01

Striped bass, because of their tremendous popularity both commercially and recreationally, were a principal focus of the Hudson River power plant case. Between 1976 and 1979, over 23,000 age-II and older striped bass were studied as one facet of an extensive research program on the spring population in the Hudson River. Samples were collected from the overwintering as well as the spawning portion of the striped bass population, and included immature as well as mature fish. At least 12 age-groups contributed to spawning each year. Of these 12, age-groups III, IV, and V usually were most abundant, but the percentage of the population represented by any single age-group varied as the result of fluctuations in year-class strength. Males first became sexually mature at age II and females at age IV. Fast-growing individuals within a year class tended to mature earlier. Fecundity increased with the size of fish, reaching an observed maximum of about 3 million eggs per female. Although significant annual variations in maturity and growth were detected for Hudson River striped bass, there was no evidence of a consistent change in either variable that might be associated with increasing power plant operations and a reduction in striped bass abundance. Age at maturity and age structure are the two life history components that differ the most between the Hudson River population and other striped bass populations. 36 refs., 7 tabs

DNA methylation profiles correlated to striped bass sperm fertility

Science.gov (United States)

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) spermatozoa are used to fertilize in vitro the eggs of white bass (Morone chrysops) to produce the preferred hybrid for the striped bass aquaculture industry. Currently, only one source of domestic striped bass juveniles are available to growers that are not obtained ...

Reduced-Contrast Approximations for High-Contrast Multiscale Flow Problems

KAUST Repository

Chung, Eric T.; Efendiev, Yalchin

2010-01-01

In this paper, we study multiscale methods for high-contrast elliptic problems where the media properties change dramatically. The disparity in the media properties (also referred to as high contrast in the paper) introduces an additional scale that needs to be resolved in multiscale simulations. First, we present a construction that uses an integral equation to represent the highcontrast component of the solution. This representation involves solving an integral equation along the interface where the coefficients are discontinuous. The integral representation suggests some multiscale approaches that are discussed in the paper. One of these approaches entails the use of interface functions in addition to multiscale basis functions representing the heterogeneities without high contrast. In this paper, we propose an approximation for the solution of the integral equation using the interface problems in reduced-contrast media. Reduced-contrast media are obtained by lowering the variance of the coefficients. We also propose a similar approach for the solution of the elliptic equation without using an integral representation. This approach is simpler to use in the computations because it does not involve setting up integral equations. The main idea of this approach is to approximate the solution of the high-contrast problem by the solutions of the problems formulated in reduced-contrast media. In this approach, a rapidly converging sequence is proposed where only problems with lower contrast are solved. It was shown that this sequence possesses the convergence rate that is inversely proportional to the reduced contrast. This approximation allows choosing the reduced-contrast problem based on the coarse-mesh size as discussed in this paper. We present a simple application of this approach to homogenization of elliptic equations with high-contrast coefficients. The presented approaches are limited to the cases where there are sharp changes in the contrast (i.e., the high

Porous Alumina Films with Width-Controllable Alumina Stripes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang Shi-Ming

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Porous alumina films had been fabricated by anodizing from aluminum films after an electropolishing procedure. Alumina stripes without pores can be distinguished on the surface of the porous alumina films. The width of the alumina stripes increases proportionally with the anodizing voltage. And the pores tend to be initiated close to the alumina stripes. These phenomena can be ascribed to the electric field distribution in the alumina barrier layer caused by the geometric structure of the aluminum surface.

Porous Alumina Films with Width-Controllable Alumina Stripes

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Porous alumina films had been fabricated by anodizing from aluminum films after an electropolishing procedure. Alumina stripes without pores can be distinguished on the surface of the porous alumina films. The width of the alumina stripes increases proportionally with the anodizing voltage. And the pores tend to be initiated close to the alumina stripes. These phenomena can be ascribed to the electric field distribution in the alumina barrier layer caused by the geometric structure of the aluminum surface. PMID:21170406

Partial resistance to stripe rust and its effect on sustainability of wheat yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qamar, M.; Din, R.U.; Gardazi, D.A.

2014-01-01

Stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici) poses a serious threat to wheat production in cooler areas of Pakistan. The 70% area of wheat in Pakistan is prone to stripe rust disease. It can cause 10-17% yield losses if susceptible cultivars are planted under favorable conditions. Level of partial plant resistance in bread wheat and its impact on sustainable wheat production was studied at the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad under natural conditions in the field. Eleven Pakistani commercial wheat cultivars/advance lines including check (Inqalab 91) were assessed for the level of partial resistance against stripe rust using Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC), disease severity (DS) and epidemic growth rate in comparison with wheat cultivar, Inqalab 91. During 2007 cropping season, natural epidemic was developed and relative AUDPC was recorded from 0 to 100% whereas the 2008 cropping season was dry and no stripe rust appeared. Two advanced lines (NR 268 and NR 285) showed the infection type (IT) less than 7 (incompatible reaction) to the mixture of prevailing stripe rust inoculums. Very low level of DS and AUDPC were recorded in the remaining cultivars/lines indicating a high level of partial resistance to stripe rust compared to the susceptible check cultivar, Inqalab 91. Among eight cultivars/lines that showed compatible type of reaction (IT greater then equal to 7), one was resistant (relative AUDPC = 20% of Inqalab 91) and six showed very high resistance levels (relative AUDPC greater then equal to 5%). Maximum level of resistance (relative AUDPC = 0.1%) was observed in advanced line, NR 271. The wheat cultivars/lines that showed a slow disease development (low DS and AUDPC), could be considered as -1 partially resistant for stripe rust infection. The yield (2178 kg ha) of susceptible check cultivar Inqalab-91 during 2007 was reduced to 45% as -1 compared to its yield (3945 kg ha) in epidemic free year (2008). Thus the use

Modeling and analysis of laser active interference optical path

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Cong-miao; Sun, Hua-yan; Zhao, Yan-zhong; Chen, Jian-biao; Ren, Jian-ying

2017-10-01

By using the geometrical optics and physical optics method, the models of wedge plate interference optical path, Michelson interferometer and Mach Zehnder interferometer thus three different active interference pattern are built. The optical path difference (OPD) launched by different interference patterns, fringe spacing and contrast expression have been derived. The results show that far field interference peak intensity of the wedge plate interference is small, so the detection distance is limited, Michelson interferometer with low contrast affects the performance of detection system, Mach Zehnder interferometer has greater advantages in peak intensity, the variable range of interference fringe spacing and contrast ratio. The results of this study are useful for the theoretical research and practical application of laser active interference detection.

Quantity and functionality of protein fractions in chicken breast fillets affected by white striping.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudalal, S; Babini, E; Cavani, C; Petracci, M

2014-08-01

Recently, white striations parallel to muscle fibers direction have been observed on the surface of chicken breast, which could be ascribed to intensive growth selection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of white striping on chemical composition with special emphasis on myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein fractions that are relevant to the processing features of chicken breast meat. During this study, a total of 12 pectoralis major muscles from both normal and white striped fillets were used to evaluate chemical composition, protein solubility (sarcoplasmic, myofibrillar, and total protein solubility), protein quantity (sarcoplasmic, myofibrillar, and stromal proteins), water holding capacity, and protein profile by SDS-PAGE analysis. White-striped fillets exhibited a higher percentage of moisture (75.4 vs. 73.8%; P cooking loss (33.7 vs. 27.4%; P chicken breast meat with white striping defect had different chemical composition (more fat and less protein) and protein quality and quantity (low content of myofibrillar proteins and high content of stromal proteins) with respect to normal meat. Furthermore, white striped fillets had lower protein functionality (higher cooking loss). All the former changes indicate that white striping has great impact on quality characteristics of chicken breast meat. © Poultry Science Association Inc.

A hybrid scanning force and light microscope for surface imaging and three-dimensional optical sectioning in differential interference contrast.

Science.gov (United States)

Stemmer, A

1995-04-01

The design of a scanned-cantilever-type force microscope is presented which is fully integrated into an inverted high-resolution video-enhanced light microscope. This set-up allows us to acquire thin optical sections in differential interference contrast (DIC) or polarization while the force microscope is in place. Such a hybrid microscope provides a unique platform to study how cell surface properties determine, or are affected by, the three-dimensional dynamic organization inside the living cell. The hybrid microscope presented in this paper has proven reliable and versatile for biological applications. It is the only instrument that can image a specimen by force microscopy and high-power DIC without having either to translate the specimen or to remove the force microscope. Adaptation of the design features could greatly enhance the suitability of other force microscopes for biological work.

Race-Specific Adult-Plant Resistance in Winter Wheat to Stripe Rust and Characterization of Pathogen Virulence Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Milus, Eugene A; Moon, David E; Lee, Kevin D; Mason, R Esten

2015-08-01

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is an important disease of wheat in the Great Plains and southeastern United States. Growing resistant cultivars is the preferred means for managing stripe rust, but new virulence in the pathogen population overcomes some of the resistance. The objectives of this study were to characterize the stripe rust resistance in contemporary soft and hard red winter wheat cultivars, to characterize the virulence of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolates based on the resistances found in the cultivars, and to determine wheat breeders' perceptions on the importance and methods for achieving stripe rust resistance. Seedlings of cultivars were susceptible to recent isolates, indicating they lacked effective all-stage resistance. However, adult-plants were resistant or susceptible depending on the isolate, indicating they had race-specific adult-plant resistance. Using isolates collected from 1990 to 2013, six major virulence patterns were identified on adult plants of twelve cultivars that were selected as adult-plant differentials. Race-specific adult-plant resistance appears to be the only effective type of resistance protecting wheat from stripe rust in eastern United States. Among wheat breeders, the importance of incorporating stripe rust resistance into cultivars ranged from high to low depending on the frequency of epidemics in their region, and most sources of stripe rust resistance were either unknown or already overcome by virulence in the pathogen population. Breeders with a high priority for stripe rust resistance made most of their selections based on adult-plant reactions in the field, whereas breeders with a low priority for resistance based selections on molecular markers for major all-stage resistance genes.

Narrow-stripe broad-area lasers with distributed-feedback surface gratings as brilliant sources for high power spectral beam combining systems

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, J.; Crump, P.; Fricke, J.; Wenzel, H.; Maaβdorf, A.; Erbert, G.; Tränkle, G.

2014-03-01

Laser systems based on spectral beam combining (SBC) of broad-area (BA) diode lasers are promising tools for material processing applications. However, the system brightness is limited by the in-plane beam param- eter product, BPP, of the BA lasers, which operate with a BPP of BPP and vertical far eld angle (95% power content), μV 95. The resulting diode lasers are fabricated as mini- bars for reduced assembly costs. Gratings are integrated into the mini-bar, with each laser stripe emitting at a different wavelength. In this way, each emitter can be directed into a single bre via low-cost dielectric filters. Distributed-feedback narrow-stripe broad-area (DFB-NBA) lasers are promising candidates for these SBC sys- tems. We review here the design process and performance achieved, showing that DFB-NBA lasers with stripe width, W = 30 μm, successfully cut of higher-order lateral modes, improving BPP. Uniform, surface-etched, 80th-order Bragg gratings are used, with weak gratings essential for high e ciency. To date, such DFB-NBA sources operate with BPP BPP is half that of a DFB-BA lasers with W = 90 um. We conclude with a review of options for further performance improvements.

Direct visualization of the Campbell regime in superconducting stripes

OpenAIRE

Kramer, R. B. G.; Ataklti, G. W.; Moshchalkov, V. V.; Silhanek, Alejandro

2010-01-01

A combination of scanning Hall microscopy and scanning ac-susceptibility measurements in superconducting stripes (ribbons) of width w < 10 mu m was used to observe the dimensional phase transitions of the vortex lattice and its stability under alternating fields. At low dc magnetic fields applied perpendicularly to the plane of the stripes, vortices form a one-dimensional chain at the center of the stripes. Above a certain field H*(w), the vortex chain splits in two parallel rows displaced la...

High polarization purity operation of 99% in 9xx-nm broad stripe laser diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Morohashi, Rintaro; Yamagata, Yuji; Kaifuchi, Yoshikazu; Tada, Katsuhisa; Nogawa, Ryozaburo; Yamada, Yumi; Yamaguchi, Masayuki

2018-02-01

Polarization characteristics of self-aligned stripe (SAS) laser diodes (LDs) and Ridge-LDs are investigated to realize highly efficient polarization beam combined (PBC) LD modules. Vertical layers of both lasers are designed identically. Near field patterns (NFP) of TM polarization for the Ridge-LD showed peaks at the side edges, as expected by the strain simulation. On the other hand, SAS-LD showed a relatively flat and weak profile. Polarization purity (ITE/ (ITE+ITM)) of SAS-LDs exceeds 99%, while those of the Ridge-LDs are as low as 96%. It is confirmed that our SAS-LDs are suitable sources for PBC with low power loss.

Histological Analysis of the Arabidopsis Gynoecium and Ovules Using Chloral Hydrate Clearing and Differential Interference Contrast Light Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Franks, Robert G

2016-01-01

The use of chloral hydrate optical clearing paired with differential interference contrast microscopy allows the analysis of internal structures of developing plant organs without the need for paraffin embedding and sectioning. This approach is appropriate for the analysis of the developing gynoecium or seedpod of the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana and many other types of fixed plant material. Early stages of ovule development are observable with this approach.

Re-evaluation of differential phase contrast (DPC) in a scanning laser microscope using a split detector as an alternative to differential interference contrast (DIC) optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Amos, W B; Reichelt, S; Cattermole, D M; Laufer, J

2003-05-01

In this paper, differential phase imaging (DPC) with transmitted light is implemented by adding a suitable detection system to a standard commercially available scanning confocal microscope. DPC, a long-established method in scanning optical microscopy, depends on detecting the intensity difference between opposite halves or quadrants of a split photodiode detector placed in an aperture plane. Here, DPC is compared with scanned differential interference contrast (DIC) using a variety of biological specimens and objective lenses of high numerical aperture. While DPC and DIC images are generally similar, DPC seems to have a greater depth of field. DPC has several advantages over DIC. These include low cost (no polarizing or strain-free optics are required), absence of a double scanning spot, electronically variable direction of shading and the ability to image specimens in plastic dishes where birefringence prevents the use of DIC. DPC is also here found to need 20 times less laser power at the specimen than DIC.

Interference from previous distraction disrupts older adults' memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Biss, Renée K; Campbell, Karen L; Hasher, Lynn

2013-07-01

Previously relevant information can disrupt the ability of older adults to remember new information. Here, the researchers examined whether prior irrelevant information, or distraction, can also interfere with older adults' memory for new information. Younger and older adults first completed a 1-back task on pictures that were superimposed with distracting words. After a delay, participants learned picture-word paired associates and memory was tested using picture-cued recall. In 1 condition (high interference), some pairs included pictures from the 1-back task now paired with new words. In a low-interference condition, the transfer list used all new items. Older adults had substantially lower cued-recall performance in the high- compared with the low-interference condition. In contrast, younger adults' performance did not vary across conditions. These findings suggest that even never-relevant information from the past can disrupt older adults' memory for new associations.

Dependency-dependent interference: NPI interference, agreement attraction, and global pragmatic inferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming eXiang

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Previous psycholinguistics studies have shown that when forming a long distance dependency in online processing, the parser sometimes accepts a sentence even though the required grammatical constraints are only partially met. A mechanistic account of how such errors arise sheds light on both the underlying linguistic representations involved and the processing mechanisms that put such representations together. In the current study, we contrast the NPI (negative polarity items interference effect, as shown by the acceptance of an ungrammatical sentence like The bills that democratic senators have voted for will ever become law, with the well-known phenomenon of agreement attraction (The key to the cabinets are…. On the surface, these two types of errors look alike and thereby can be explained as being driven by the same source: similarity based memory interference. However, we argue that the linguistic representations involved in NPI licensing are substantially different from those of subject-verb agreement, and therefore the interference effects in each domain potentially arise from distinct sources. In particular, we show that NPI interference at least partially arises from pragmatic inferences. In a self-paced reading study with an acceptability judgment task, we showed NPI interference was modulated by participants’ general pragmatic communicative skills, as quantified by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (Baron-Cohen 2001, especially in offline tasks. Participants with more autistic traits were actually less prone to the NPI interference effect than those with fewer autistic traits. This result contrasted with agreement attraction conditions, which were not influenced by individual pragmatic skill differences. We also show that different NPI licensors have distinct interference profiles. We discuss two kinds of interference effects for NPI licensing: memory-retrieval based and pragmatically triggered.

Pathological changes associated with white striping in broiler breast muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuttappan, V A; Shivaprasad, H L; Shaw, D P; Valentine, B A; Hargis, B M; Clark, F D; McKee, S R; Owens, C M

2013-02-01

White striping is a condition in broiler chickens characterized grossly by the occurrence of white striations, seen parallel to the direction of muscle fibers, on broiler breast fillets and thighs. Based on visual evaluation of the intensity of white striping, breast fillets can be categorized into normal (NORM), moderate (MOD), and severe (SEV) categories. This study was undertaken to evaluate the details of changes in histology as well as proximate composition occurring in the fillets with respect to the 3 degrees of white striping. In experiment 1, representative breast fillets for each degree of white striping (n = 20) were collected from 45-d-old broilers, approximately 2 h postmortem. From each fillet, 2 skeletal muscle samples were obtained and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. To identify and differentiate the histological changes, slides were prepared and stained using hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's Trichrome, and Oil Red O stains. In experiment 2, samples with 3 degrees of white striping were collected from 57-d-old birds for conducting proximate analysis. Major histopathological changes observed in the MOD and SEV samples consisted of loss of cross striations, variability in fiber size, floccular/vacuolar degeneration and lysis of fibers, mild mineralization, occasional regeneration (nuclear rowing and multinucleated cells), mononuclear cell infiltration, lipidosis, and interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Microscopic lesions were visually scored for degeneration and necrosis, fibrosis, and lipidosis. The scale used to score the samples ranged from 0 (normal) to 3 (severe). There was an increase (P white striping increased from NORM to SEV. The results from the histopathological study were supported by the findings from proximate analysis confirming that the fat and protein contents of muscle increased (P white striping increased. In conclusion, the histopathological changes occurring in white striping indicate a degenerative myopathy that

Visualization experimental investigation on long stripe coherent structure in small-scale rectangular channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Jiqiang; Sun Zhongning; Fan Guangming; Wang Shiming

2013-01-01

The long stripe coherent structure of the turbulent boundary layer in a small- scale vertical rectangular channel was observed by using hydrogen bubble flow trace visualization technique. The statistical properties of the long stripe in the experimental channel boundary layer were compared with that in the smooth flat plate boundary layer. The pitch characteristics were explained by the formation mechanism of the long stripe. It was analyzed that how the change of y + affected the distribution of the long stripe. In addition, the frequency characteristics of the long stripe were also investigated, and the correlation of the long stripe frequency in such a flow channel was obtained. (authors)

Exploding Stars and Stripes

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

The discovery of a pattern of X-ray "stripes" in the remains of an exploded star may provide the first direct evidence that a cosmic event can accelerate particles to energies a hundred times higher than achieved by the most powerful particle accelerator on Earth. This result comes from a very long observation of the Tycho supernova remnant with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. It could explain how some of the extremely energetic particles bombarding the Earth, called cosmic rays, are produced. "We've seen lots of intriguing structures in supernova remnants, but we've never seen stripes before," said Kristoffer Eriksen, a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers University who led the study. "This made us think very hard about what's happening in the blast wave of this powerful explosion." This latest study from Chandra provides support for a theory about how magnetic fields can be dramatically amplified in such blast waves. In this theory, the magnetic fields become highly tangled and the motions of the particles very turbulent near the expanding supernova shock wave at the front edge of the supernova remnant. High-energy charged particles can bounce back and forth across the shock wave repeatedly, gaining energy with each crossing. Theoretical models of the motion of the most energetic particles -- which are mostly protons -- are predicted to leave a messy network of holes and dense walls corresponding to weak and strong regions of magnetic fields, respectively. The X-ray stripes discovered by the Chandra researchers are thought to be regions where the turbulence is greater and the magnetic fields more tangled than surrounding areas, and may be the walls predicted by the theory. Electrons become trapped in these regions and emit X-rays as they spiral around the magnetic field lines. However, the regular and almost periodic pattern of the X-ray stripes was not predicted by the theory. "It was a big surprise to find such a neatly arranged set of stripes," said co

Wafer defect detection by a polarization-insensitive external differential interference contrast module.

Science.gov (United States)

Nativ, Amit; Feldman, Haim; Shaked, Natan T

2018-05-01

We present a system that is based on a new external, polarization-insensitive differential interference contrast (DIC) module specifically adapted for detecting defects in semiconductor wafers. We obtained defect signal enhancement relative to the surrounding wafer pattern when compared with bright-field imaging. The new DIC module proposed is based on a shearing interferometer that connects externally at the output port of an optical microscope and enables imaging thin samples, such as wafer defects. This module does not require polarization optics (such as Wollaston or Nomarski prisms) and is insensitive to polarization, unlike traditional DIC techniques. In addition, it provides full control of the DIC shear and orientation, which allows obtaining a differential phase image directly on the camera (with no further digital processing) while enhancing defect detection capabilities, even if the size of the defect is smaller than the resolution limit. Our technique has the potential of future integration into semiconductor production lines.

Microsatellite markers linked to the locus of the watermelon fruit stripe pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Gama, R N C S; Santos, C A F; Dias, R C S; Alves, J C S F; Nogueira, T O

2015-01-16

Agronomic performance and external and internal appearance of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fruit are important traits that should be taken into consideration during the development of a new cultivar, as well as being the principal identification elements used by the consumer, which are based on the external appearance and quality of the fruit. Externally, the fruit can be characterized in terms of the shape, the color of the lower rind, and the presence of grooves and stripes, the stripes can be classified as clearly defined or diffuse. The objective of this study was to identify microsatellite markers linked to the stripe pattern of watermelon fruit to support watermelon improvement programs, with the selection of this characteristic in the plantlet stage. F1 and F2 populations, result of a cross between the cultivars BRS Opara (clearly defined stripes) and Pérola (diffuse stripes), were phenotyped for their fruit stripe pattern. The CTAB 2X protocol was used for DNA extraction and 116 microsatellite markers were examined in a group of F2 plants that had fruit with well-defined stripes and fruit with diffuse stripes. The microsatellite loci MCPI_05 and MCPI_16 exhibited a linkage to the stripe pattern at a distance of 1.5 and 1.8 cM, respectively, with LOD scores of 39.28 and 38.11, respectively, which were located on chromosome six of the watermelon genome. These markers can be used in marker-assisted selection in watermelon improvement programs, by various research institutions.

Compressive Phase Contrast Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maia, Filipe; MacDowell, Alastair; Marchesini, Stefano; Padmore, Howard A.; Parkinson, Dula Y.; Pien, Jack; Schirotzek, Andre; Yang, Chao

2010-01-01

When x-rays penetrate soft matter, their phase changes more rapidly than their amplitude. Interference effects visible with high brightness sources creates higher contrast, edge enhanced images. When the object is piecewise smooth (made of big blocks of a few components), such higher contrast datasets have a sparse solution. We apply basis pursuit solvers to improve SNR, remove ring artifacts, reduce the number of views and radiation dose from phase contrast datasets collected at the Hard X-Ray Micro Tomography Beamline at the Advanced Light Source. We report a GPU code for the most computationally intensive task, the gridding and inverse gridding algorithm (non uniform sampled Fourier transform).

Interference in the processing of adjunct control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan eParker

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Recent research on the memory operations used in language comprehension has revealed a selective profile of interference effects during memory retrieval. Dependencies such as subject-verb agreement show strong facilitatory interference effects from structurally inappropriate but feature-matching distractors, leading to illusions of grammaticality (Dillon, Mishler, Sloggett, & Phillips, 2013; Pearlmutter, Garnsey, & Bock, 1999; Wagers, Lau, & Phillips, 2009. In contrast, dependencies involving reflexive anaphors are generally immune to interference effects (Dillon et al., 2013; Sturt, 2003; Xiang, Dillon, & Phillips, 2009. This contrast has led to the proposal that all anaphors that are subject to structural constraints are immune to facilitatory interference. Here we use an animacy manipulation to examine whether adjunct control dependencies, which involve an interpreted anaphoric relation between a null subject and its licensor, are also immune to facilitatory interference effects. Our results show reliable facilitatory interference in the processing of adjunct control dependencies, which challenges the generalization that anaphoric dependencies as a class are immune to such effects. To account for the contrast between adjunct control and reflexive dependencies, we suggest that variability within anaphora could reflect either an inherent primacy of animacy cues in retrieval processes, or differential degrees of match between potential licensors and the retrieval probe.

Stripe order from the perspective of the Hubbard model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Devereaux, Thomas Peter

2018-03-01

A microscopic understanding of the strongly correlated physics of the cuprates must account for the translational and rotational symmetry breaking that is present across all cuprate families, commonly in the form of stripes. Here we investigate emergence of stripes in the Hubbard model, a minimal model believed to be relevant to the cuprate superconductors, using determinant quantum Monte Carlo (DQMC) simulations at finite temperatures and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) ground state calculations. By varying temperature, doping, and model parameters, we characterize the extent of stripes throughout the phase diagram of the Hubbard model. Our results show that including the often neglected next-nearest-neighbor hopping leads to the absence of spin incommensurability upon electron-doping and nearly half-filled stripes upon hole-doping. The similarities of these findings to experimental results on both electron and hole-doped cuprate families support a unified description across a large portion of the cuprate phase diagram.

Characterization of Novel Gene Yr79 and Four Additional Quantitative Trait Loci for All-Stage and High-Temperature Adult-Plant Resistance to Stripe Rust in Spring Wheat PI 182103.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Junyan; Wang, Meinan; See, Deven R; Chao, Shiaoman; Zheng, Youliang; Chen, Xianming

2018-06-01

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is an important disease of wheat worldwide. Exploring new resistance genes is essential for breeding resistant wheat cultivars. PI 182103, a spring wheat landrace originally from Pakistan, has shown a high level of resistance to stripe rust in fields for many years, but genes for resistance to stripe rust in the variety have not been studied. To map the resistance gene(s) in PI 182103, 185 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed from a cross with Avocet Susceptible (AvS). The RIL population was genotyped with simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism markers and tested with races PST-100 and PST-114 at the seedling stage under controlled greenhouse conditions and at the adult-plant stage in fields at Pullman and Mt. Vernon, Washington under natural infection by the stripe rust pathogen in 2011, 2012, and 2013. A total of five quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected. QyrPI182103.wgp-2AS and QyrPI182103.wgp-3AL were detected at the seedling stage, QyrPI182103.wgp-4DL was detected only in Mt. Vernon field tests, and QyrPI182103.wgp-5BS was detected in both seedling and field tests. QyrPI182103.wgp-7BL was identified as a high-temperature adult-plant resistance gene and detected in all field tests. Interactions among the QTL were mostly additive, but some negative interactions were detected. The 7BL QTL was mapped in chromosomal bin 7BL 0.40 to 0.45 and identified as a new gene, permanently designated as Yr79. SSR markers Xbarc72 and Xwmc335 flanking the Yr79 locus were highly polymorphic in various wheat genotypes, indicating that the molecular markers are useful for incorporating the new gene for potentially durable stripe rust resistance into new wheat cultivars.

Mapping bound plasmon propagation on a nanoscale stripe waveguide using quantum dots: influence of spacer layer thickness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chamanei S. Perera

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper we image the highly confined long range plasmons of a nanoscale metal stripe waveguide using quantum emitters. Plasmons were excited using a highly focused 633 nm laser beam and a specially designed grating structure to provide stronger incoupling to the desired mode. A homogeneous thin layer of quantum dots was used to image the near field intensity of the propagating plasmons on the waveguide. We observed that the photoluminescence is quenched when the QD to metal surface distance is less than 10 nm. The optimised spacer layer thickness for the stripe waveguides was found to be around 20 nm. Authors believe that the findings of this paper prove beneficial for the development of plasmonic devices utilising stripe waveguides.

On the orientation of stripes in fish skin patterning.

Science.gov (United States)

Míguez, David G; Muñuzuri, Alberto P

2006-11-20

This paper is focused on the study of the stripes orientation in the fish skin patterns. Based on microscopic observations of the pigment cells behavior at the embryonic stage, the key aspects of the pigmentation process are implemented in an experimental reaction-diffusion system. The experiment consists of a photosensitive Turing pattern of stripes growing directionally in one direction with controlled velocity. Different growth velocities of the system rearrange the stripes in the same three possible orientations observed in the skin of the colored fishes: parallel, oblique, and perpendicular. Our results suggest that the spreading velocity of the pigment cells in the fish dermis selects the orientation in the patterning processes.

Evaluation of fatigue damage induced by thermal striping in a T junction using the three dimensional coupling method and frequency response method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sun Hye; Choi, Jae boong; Kim, Moon Ki [Sungkyunkwan Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Huh, Nam Su [Seoul Nat' l Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jin Ho [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

Thermal fatigue cracking induced by thermal stratification, cycling and striping have been observed in several PWR plants. Especially, thermal striping, the highly fluctuating thermal layer, became one of the significant problems, since it can cause un predicted high cycle thermal fatigue (HCTF) at piping systems. This problem are usually found in T junctions of energy cooling systems, where cold and hot flows with high level of turbulence mix together. Thermal striping can cause the networks of fatigue crack at the vicinity of weld parts and these cracks can propagate to significant depth in a relatively short time. Therefore, thermal striping and fatigue crack initiations should be predicted in advance to prevent the severe failure of piping systems. The final goal of this research is to develop a rational thermal and mechanical model considering thermohydraulic characteristics of thermal striping and an evaluation procedure to predict the initiation of thermal fatigue crack. As a first step, we evaluated the fatigue damage in a T junction using two widely used methods. Then, we analyzed the results of each method and conducted comparisons and verifications.

Quantum interference experiments with complex organic molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eibenberger, S. I.

2015-01-01

Matter-wave interference with complex particles is a thriving field in experimental quantum physics. The quest for testing the quantum superposition principle with highly complex molecules has motivated the development of the Kapitza-Dirac-Talbot-Lau interferometer (KDTLI). This interferometer has enabled quantum interference with large organic molecules in an unprecedented mass regime. In this doctoral thesis I describe quantum superposition experiments which we were able to successfully realize with molecules of masses beyond 10 000 amu and consisting of more than 800 atoms. The typical de Broglie wavelengths of all particles in this thesis are in the order of 0.3-5 pm. This is significantly smaller than any molecular extension (nanometers) or the delocalization length in our interferometer (hundreds of nanometers). Many vibrational and rotational states are populated since the molecules are thermally highly excited (300-1000 K). And yet, high-contrast quantum interference patterns could be observed. The visibility and position of these matter-wave interference patterns is highly sensitive to external perturbations. This sensitivity has opened the path to extensive studies of the influence of internal molecular properties on the coherence of their associated matter waves. In addition, it enables a new approach to quantum-assisted metrology. Quantum interference imprints a high-contrast nano-structured density pattern onto the molecular beam which allows us to resolve tiny shifts and dephasing of the molecular beam. I describe how KDTL interferometry can be used to investigate a number of different molecular properties. We have studied vibrationally-induced conformational changes of floppy molecules and permanent electric dipole moments using matter-wave deflectometry in an external electric field. We have developed a new method for optical absorption spectroscopy which uses the recoil of the molecules upon absorption of individual photons. This allows us to

Post-epizootic chronic dolphin morbillivirus infection in Mediterranean striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba.

Science.gov (United States)

Soto, Sara; Alba, Ana; Ganges, Llilianne; Vidal, Enric; Raga, Juan Antonio; Alegre, Ferrán; González, Beatriz; Medina, Pascual; Zorrilla, Irene; Martínez, Jorge; Marco, Alberto; Pérez, Mónica; Pérez, Blanca; Pérez de Vargas Mesas, Ana; Martínez Valverde, Rosa; Domingo, Mariano

2011-10-06

Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) has caused 2 epizootics with high mortality rates on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, in 1990 and 2006-07, mainly affecting striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba. Following the first epizootic unusual DMV infections affecting only the central nervous system of striped dolphins were found, with histological features similar to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and old dog encephalitis, the chronic latent localised infections caused by defective forms of measles virus and canine distemper virus, respectively. Between 2008 and 2010, monitoring by microscopic and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies of 118 striped dolphins stranded along Catalonia, the Valencia Region and Andalusia showed similar localised DMV nervous system infections in 25.0, 28.6 and 27.4% of cases, respectively, with no significant differences among regions or sex. The body length of DMV-infected dolphins was statistically greater than that of non-infected dolphins (196.5 vs. 160.5 cm; p dolphins with positive IHC-DMV had positive PCR results. All 6 cases were positive with the 78 bp RT-PCR. These findings contraindicate the use of the 429 bp RT-PCR protocol based on the P gene to detect this specific form of DMV. DMV localised nervous infection constitutes the most relevant single cause of stranding and death in Mediterranean striped dolphins in the years following a DMV epizootic, and it might even overwhelm the effects of the epizootic itself, at least in 2007.

Trapping of diffusing particles by striped cylindrical surfaces. Boundary homogenization approach

Science.gov (United States)

Dagdug, Leonardo; Berezhkovskii, Alexander M.; Skvortsov, Alexei T.

2015-01-01

We study trapping of diffusing particles by a cylindrical surface formed by rolling a flat surface, containing alternating absorbing and reflecting stripes, into a tube. For an arbitrary stripe orientation with respect to the tube axis, this problem is intractable analytically because it requires dealing with non-uniform boundary conditions. To bypass this difficulty, we use a boundary homogenization approach which replaces non-uniform boundary conditions on the tube wall by an effective uniform partially absorbing boundary condition with properly chosen effective trapping rate. We demonstrate that the exact solution for the effective trapping rate, known for a flat, striped surface, works very well when this surface is rolled into a cylindrical tube. This is shown for both internal and external problems, where the particles diffuse inside and outside the striped tube, at three orientations of the stripe direction with respect to the tube axis: (a) perpendicular to the axis, (b) parallel to the axis, and (c) at the angle of π/4 to the axis. PMID:26093574

From stripe to slab confinement for DNA linearization in nanochannels

Science.gov (United States)

Cifra, Peter; Benkova, Zuzana; Namer, Pavol

We investigate suggested advantageous analysis in the linearization experiments with macromolecules confined in a stripe-like channel using Monte Carlo simulations. The enhanced chain extension in a stripe that is due to significant excluded volume interactions between monomers in two dimensions weakens on transition to experimentally feasible slit-like channel. Based on the chain extension-confinement strength dependence and the structure factor behavior for the chain in stripe we infer the excluded volume regime typical for two-dimensional systems. On transition to the slab geometry, the advantageous chain extension decreases and the Gaussian regime is observed for not very long semiflexible chains. The evidence for pseudo-ideality in confined chains is based on indicators such as the extension curves, variation of the extension with the persistence length or the structure factor. The slab behavior is observed when the stripe (originally of monomer thickness) reaches the thickness larger than cca 10nm in the third dimension. This maximum height of the slab to retain the advantage of the stripe is very low and this have implication for DNA linearization experiments. The presented analysis, however, has a broader relevance for confined polymers. Support from Slovak R&D Agency (SRDA-0451-11) is acknowledged.

Remapping of the stripe rust resistance gene Yr10 in common wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Cuiling; Wu, Jingzheng; Yan, Baiqiang; Hao, Qunqun; Zhang, Chaozhong; Lyu, Bo; Ni, Fei; Caplan, Allan; Wu, Jiajie; Fu, Daolin

2018-02-23

Yr10 is an important gene to control wheat stripe rust, and the search for Yr10 needs to be continued. Wheat stripe rust or yellow rust is a devastating fungal disease caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Host disease resistance offers a primary source for controlling wheat stripe rust. The stripe rust resistance gene Yr10 confers the race-specific resistance to most tested Pst races in China including CYR29. Early studies proposed that Yr10 was a nucleotide-binding site, leucine-rich repeat gene archived as GenBank accession AF149112 (hereafter designated the Yr10 candidate gene or Yr10 CG ). In this study, we revealed that 15 Chinese wheat cultivars positive for Yr10 CG are susceptible to CYR29. We then expressed the Yr10 CG cDNA in the common wheat 'Bobwhite'. The Yr10 CG -cDNA positive transgenic plants were also susceptible to CYR29. Thus, it is highly unlikely that Yr10 CG corresponds to the Yr10 resistance gene. Using the Yr10 donor 'Moro' and the Pst-susceptible wheat 'Huixianhong', we generated two F 3 populations that displayed a single Mendelian segregation on the Yr10 gene, and used them to remap the Yr10 gene. Six markers were placed in the Yr10 region, with the Yr10 CG gene now mapping about 1.2-cM proximal to the Yr10 locus and the Xsdauw79 marker is completely linked to the Yr10 locus. Apparently, the Yr10 gene has not yet been identified. Fine mapping and positional cloning of Yr10 is important for gene pyramiding for stripe rust resistance in wheat.

Detecting Rice stripe virus (RSV) in the small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus) with high specificity by RT-PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Lijun, Cai; Xizhi, Ma; Lin, Kang; Kejing, Deng; Shouyuan, Zhao; Changben, Li

2003-09-01

Rice stripe disease, caused by Rice stripe virus (RSV), may lead to severe or even crippling losses in many rice-cultured countries and regions. As the most important vector of RSV, the small brown planthopper (SBPH) (Laodelphax striatellus) is largely responsible for the epidemic phase of the disease. Therefore, a rapid identification of RSV in the SBPH is of a great need for disease forecasting. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay is described to amplify a RSV gene in individual L. striatellus. By using primers matched to the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase gene in RNA1, a 445 bp product was detected in viruliferous SBPHs. Meanwhile, the PCR products produced by the SBPH actin primers constructed across the boundary of an intron and an exon were used as RNA specific positive control for each stage of the experiment to ensure the validity of the negative results. Duplex RT-PCR conditions were established for the simultaneous detection of RSV and actin. This approach can be used for the early detection of RSV in L. striatellus and the subsequent rice stripe disease forecasting.

Coarsening of stripe patterns: variations with quench depth and scaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Ashwani K; Kumar, Deepak

2015-02-01

The coarsening of stripe patterns when the system is evolved from random initial states is studied by varying the quench depth ε, which is a measure of distance from the transition point of the stripe phase. The dynamics of the growth of stripe order, which is characterized by two length scales, depends on the quench depth. The growth exponents of the two length scales vary continuously with ε. The decay exponents for free energy, stripe curvature, and densities of defects like grain boundaries and dislocations also show similar variation. This implies a breakdown of the standard picture of nonequilibrium dynamical scaling. In order to understand the variations with ε we propose an additional scaling with a length scale dependent on ε. The main contribution to this length scale comes from the "pinning potential," which is unique to systems where the order parameter is spatially periodic. The periodic order parameter gives rise to an ε-dependent potential, which can pin defects like grain boundaries, dislocations, etc. This additional scaling provides a compact description of variations of growth exponents with quench depth in terms of just one exponent for each of the length scales. The relaxation of free energy, stripe curvature, and the defect densities have also been related to these length scales. The study is done at zero temperature using Swift-Hohenberg equation in two dimensions.

Tidal-Induced Internal Ocean Waves as an Explanation for Enceladus' Tiger Stripe Pattern and Hotspot Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeersen, B. L. A.; Maas, L. R.; van Oers, S.; Rabitti, A.; Jara-Orue, H.

2014-12-01

contrast to the thin ocean/thick ice sheet model as anticipated in Fig. 12 of Porco et al. (2014), our lab experiments suggest that attractors are generated most efficiently at aspect ratio O(1), implying that distance between stripes might actually approximately directly represent local ocean depth in a thin ice sheet/thick ocean setting.

Striped Bass Spawning in Non-Estuarine Portions of the Savannah River

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, D.; Paller, M.

2007-04-17

Historically, the estuarine portions of the Savannah River have been considered to be the only portion of the river in which significant amounts of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) spawning normally occur. A reexamination of data from 1983 through 1985 shows a region between River Kilometers 144 and 253 where significant numbers of striped bass eggs and larvae occur with estimated total egg production near that currently produced in the estuarine reaches. It appears possible that there are two separate spawning populations of striped bass in the Savannah River.

Roadway striping productivity data analysis for INDOT Greenfield and Crawfordsville districts.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

The main objective of the SPR3650 project is to provide an accurate overview of striping operation so that INDOT finds a way to : effectively save significant investment for purchasing new striping trucks in near future without compromising roadwa...

Highly-reliable operation of 638-nm broad stripe laser diode with high wall-plug efficiency for display applications

Science.gov (United States)

Yagi, Tetsuya; Shimada, Naoyuki; Nishida, Takehiro; Mitsuyama, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Motoharu

2013-03-01

Laser based displays, as pico to cinema laser projectors have gathered much attention because of wide gamut, low power consumption, and so on. Laser light sources for the displays are operated mainly in CW, and heat management is one of the big issues. Therefore, highly efficient operation is necessitated. Also the light sources for the displays are requested to be highly reliable. 638 nm broad stripe laser diode (LD) was newly developed for high efficiency and highly reliable operation. An AlGaInP/GaAs red LD suffers from low wall plug efficiency (WPE) due to electron overflow from an active layer to a p-cladding layer. Large optical confinement factor (Γ) design with AlInP cladding layers is adopted to improve the WPE. The design has a disadvantage for reliable operation because the large Γ causes high optical density and brings a catastrophic optical degradation (COD) at a front facet. To overcome the disadvantage, a window-mirror structure is also adopted in the LD. The LD shows WPE of 35% at 25°C, highest record in the world, and highly stable operation at 35°C, 550 mW up to 8,000 hours without any catastrophic optical degradation.

Transfer of stripe rust resistance from Aegilops variabilis to bread ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In terms of area, the bread wheat producing regions of China comprise the largest area in the world that is constantly threatened by stripe rust epidemics. Consequently, it is important to exploit new adultplant resistance genes in breeding. This study reports the transfer of stripe rust resistance from Aegilops variabilis to ...

Laser interference lithography with highly accurate interferometric alignment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Soest, Frank J.; van Wolferen, Hendricus A.G.M.; Hoekstra, Hugo; de Ridder, R.M.; Worhoff, Kerstin; Lambeck, Paul

It is shown experimentally that in laser interference lithography, by using a reference grating, respective grating layers can be positioned with high relative accuracy. A 0.001 degree angular and a few nanometers lateral resolution have been demonstrated.

The working out of a design rule in case of structures submitted to thermal striping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lejeail, Y.

1994-01-01

Thermal striping is a complex phenomenon involving incomplete mixing of hot and cold jets of fluid near a component surface, thus submitted to random fast temperature fluctuations. Because of his nature, the zones where thermal striping can occur in a fast breeder reactor are well known; these areas can suffer fatigue damage. It has been studied by several authors and some thermomechanical design rules against this fatigue damage have been proposed. In the french point of view, the problem is the determination of the margin between the mean and the design strain controlled fatigue curves, giving the allowable maximum temperature range that a component can sustain during his life without crack initiation. The purpose of this paper is the presentation of literature results (particularly on uniaxial smooth specimens) concerning the effects of different factors such as surface finish, environment, weldments, ageing, scatter of fatigue results, prior high strain cycling...on the high temperature fatigue life, which are of first importance for the determination of design factors in case of thermal striping. The remaining question is the combination of these factors. For the analysis of thermal striping test results, it is of great interest and importance to compare the crack initiation cycles and to use a coherent strain for uniaxial and equibiaxial fatigue results, as we show in the interpretation of FAENA and SPLASH tests (performed respectively by Y. Bergamaschi and B. Marini). An analysis based on elastic calculations as proposed in the RCCMR design code gives a good correlation, despite the ambiguous choice of some coefficients in best fit analysis. This problem disappears entirely in case of high cycles/low temperature variations. Then we present a strategy for the accomplishment of simplified thermal striping tests on the FAENA sodium loop in view of acquiring a better design factor knowledge. With this experimental program, we intend to study the interaction of

High-Redshift Quasars Found in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Commissioning Data. II. The Spring Equatorial Stripe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Xiaohui; Strauss, Michael A.; Schneider, Donald P.; Gunn, James E.; Lupton, Robert H.; Anderson, Scott F.; Voges, Wolfgang; Margon, Bruce; Annis, James; Bahcall, Neta A.

2000-01-01

This is the second paper in a series aimed at finding high-redshift quasars from five-color (u ' g ' r ' i ' z ' ) imaging data taken along the Celestial Equator by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) during its commissioning phase. In this paper, we present 22 high-redshift quasars (z>3.6) discovered from ∼250 deg2 of data in the spring Equatorial Stripe, plus photometry for two previously known high-redshift quasars in the same region of the sky. Our success rate in identifying high-redshift quasars is 68%. Five of the newly discovered quasars have redshifts higher than 4.6 (z=4.62, 4.69, 4.70, 4.92, and 5.03). All the quasars have i * B 0 =0.5). Several of the quasars show unusual emission and absorption features in their spectra, including an object at z=4.62 without detectable emission lines, and a broad absorption line (BAL) quasar at z=4.92. (c) (c) 2000. The American Astronomical Society

Crystal shapes on striped surface domains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valencia, Antoni

2004-01-01

The equilibrium shapes of a simple cubic crystal in contact with a planar chemically patterned substrate are studied theoretically using an effective interface model. The substrate is primarily made of lyophobic material and is patterned with a lyophilic (easily wettable) stripe domain. Three regimes can be distinguished for the equilibrium shapes of the crystal. The transitions between these regimes as the volume of the crystal is changed are continuous or discontinuous depending on the strength of the couplings between the crystal and the lyophilic and lyophobic surface domains. If the crystal grows through a series of states close to equilibrium, the discontinuous transitions correspond to growth instabilities. These transitions are compared with similar results that have been obtained for a volume of liquid wetting a lyophilic stripe domain

Proactive interference of open field on consummatory successive negative contrast.

Science.gov (United States)

Justel, Nadia; Pautassi, Ricardo; Mustaca, Alba

2014-03-01

Reactivity to a reward is affected by prior experience with the different reinforcer values of that reward, a phenomenon known as incentive relativity, which can be studied using the consummatory succesive negative contrast (cSNC) paradigm, in which the performance of animals that receive a 4 % sucrose solution after trials on which they were exposed to 32 % sucrose is compared with that of subjects that always receive the 4 % sucrose solution. The exploration of a novel open field can enhance or block the acquisition of associative and nonassociative memories. The effect of open field on cSNC has not yet been explored. The main result of the present study was that open-field exposure significantly modified the expression of cSNC. Exposure to an open field 1 h but not immediately before the downshift interfered with the expression of cSNC. These animals drank more of the downshifted reward than did controls that were not exposed to the apparatus, and this behavior persisted for up to three recovery trials. This phenomenon was observed even when the animals were given a more protracted preshift phase and when the discrepancy between the preshift and shift incentive values of sucrose were increased. An open field also interfered with incentive downshift when open-field exposure occurred 6 h before the downshift, and repeated exposure to the apparatus did not deteriorate this effect. The present study adds to a growing body of literature that indicates that open-field exploration can interfere with memory formation.

Steady and unsteady calculations on thermal striping phenomena in triple-parallel jet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Y.Q., E-mail: yyu@anl.gov [Nuclear Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Merzari, E.; Thomas, J.W. [Nuclear Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Obabko, A. [Mathematics and Computer Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Aithal, S.M. [Computing, Environment and Life Sciences Directorate, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Both steady (RANS) and unsteady (URANS, LES) methods were applied to study thermal striping. • The unsteady results exhibited reasonably good agreement with experimental results. • The parametric studies on the effects of mesh density and boundary conditions on the accuracy of the overall solutions were also conducted. - Abstract: The phenomenon of thermal striping is encountered in liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMFR), in which temperature fluctuation due to convective mixing between hot and cold fluids can lead to a possibility of crack initiation and propagation in the structure due to high cycle thermal fatigue. Using sodium experiments of parallel triple jets configuration performed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as benchmark, numerical simulations were carried out to evaluate the temperature fluctuation characteristics in fluid and the transfer characteristics of temperature fluctuation from fluid to structure, which is important to assess the potential thermal fatigue damage. In this study, both steady (RANS) and unsteady (URANS, LES) methods were applied to predict the temperature fluctuations of thermal striping. The parametric studies on the effects of mesh density and boundary conditions on the accuracy of the overall solutions were also conducted. The velocity, temperature and temperature fluctuation intensity distribution were compared with the experimental data. As expected, steady calculation has limited success in predicting the thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the thermal striping, highlighting the limitations of the RANS approach in unsteady heat transfer simulations. The unsteady results exhibited reasonably good agreement with experimental results for temperature fluctuation intensity, as well as the average temperature and velocity components at the measurement locations.

Steady and unsteady calculations on thermal striping phenomena in triple-parallel jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Y.Q.; Merzari, E.; Thomas, J.W.; Obabko, A.; Aithal, S.M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Both steady (RANS) and unsteady (URANS, LES) methods were applied to study thermal striping. • The unsteady results exhibited reasonably good agreement with experimental results. • The parametric studies on the effects of mesh density and boundary conditions on the accuracy of the overall solutions were also conducted. - Abstract: The phenomenon of thermal striping is encountered in liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMFR), in which temperature fluctuation due to convective mixing between hot and cold fluids can lead to a possibility of crack initiation and propagation in the structure due to high cycle thermal fatigue. Using sodium experiments of parallel triple jets configuration performed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as benchmark, numerical simulations were carried out to evaluate the temperature fluctuation characteristics in fluid and the transfer characteristics of temperature fluctuation from fluid to structure, which is important to assess the potential thermal fatigue damage. In this study, both steady (RANS) and unsteady (URANS, LES) methods were applied to predict the temperature fluctuations of thermal striping. The parametric studies on the effects of mesh density and boundary conditions on the accuracy of the overall solutions were also conducted. The velocity, temperature and temperature fluctuation intensity distribution were compared with the experimental data. As expected, steady calculation has limited success in predicting the thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the thermal striping, highlighting the limitations of the RANS approach in unsteady heat transfer simulations. The unsteady results exhibited reasonably good agreement with experimental results for temperature fluctuation intensity, as well as the average temperature and velocity components at the measurement locations.

THE 31 DEG{sup 2} RELEASE OF THE STRIPE 82 X-RAY SURVEY: THE POINT SOURCE CATALOG

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaMassa, Stephanie M.; Urry, C. Megan; Ananna, Tonima; Civano, Francesca; Marchesi, Stefano; Pecoraro, Robert [Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics Department, P.O. Box 208120, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States); Cappelluti, Nico; Comastri, Andrea; Brusa, Marcella [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Böhringer, Hans; Chon, Gayoung [Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Glikman, Eilat [Department of Physics, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753 (United States); Richards, Gordon [Department of Physics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Cardamone, Carie [Department of Math and Science, Wheelock College, 200 Riverway, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Farrah, Duncan [Department of Physics MC 0435, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 850 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Gilfanov, Marat [Max-Planck Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, Postfach 1317, D-85741 Garching (Germany); Green, Paul [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Komossa, S. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Lira, Paulina [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidad de Chile, Camino del Observatorio 1515, Santiago (Chile); Makler, Martin [Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas, Rua Dr Xavier Sigaud 150, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22290-180 (Brazil); and others

2016-02-01

We release the next installment of the Stripe 82 X-ray survey point-source catalog, which currently covers 31.3 deg{sup 2} of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 Legacy field. In total, 6181 unique X-ray sources are significantly detected with XMM-Newton (>5σ) and Chandra (>4.5σ). This catalog release includes data from XMM-Newton cycle AO 13, which approximately doubled the Stripe 82X survey area. The flux limits of the Stripe 82X survey are 8.7 × 10{sup −16} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}, 4.7 × 10{sup −15} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}, and 2.1 × 10{sup −15} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2} in the soft (0.5–2 keV), hard (2–10 keV), and full bands (0.5–10 keV), respectively, with approximate half-area survey flux limits of 5.4 × 10{sup −15} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}, 2.9 × 10{sup −14} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}, and 1.7 × 10{sup −14} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}. We matched the X-ray source lists to available multi-wavelength catalogs, including updated matches to the previous release of the Stripe 82X survey; 88% of the sample is matched to a multi-wavelength counterpart. Due to the wide area of Stripe 82X and rich ancillary multi-wavelength data, including coadded SDSS photometry, mid-infrared WISE coverage, near-infrared coverage from UKIDSS and VISTA Hemisphere Survey, ultraviolet coverage from GALEX, radio coverage from FIRST, and far-infrared coverage from Herschel, as well as existing ∼30% optical spectroscopic completeness, we are beginning to uncover rare objects, such as obscured high-luminosity active galactic nuclei at high-redshift. The Stripe 82X point source catalog is a valuable data set for constraining how this population grows and evolves, as well as for studying how they interact with the galaxies in which they live.

Main factors of thermal fatigue failure induced by thermal striping and total simulation of thermal hydraulic and structural behaviors (research report)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasahara, Naoto; Muramatsu, Toshiharu

1999-01-01

At incomplete mixing area of high temperature and low temperature fluids near the surface of structures, temperature fluctuation of fluid gives thermal fatigue damage to wall structures. This phenomenon is called thermal striping, which becomes sometimes a critical problem in LMFR plants. Since thermal striping phenomenon is characterized by the complex thermohydraulic and thermomechanical coupled problem, conventional evaluation procedures require mock-up experiments. In order to replace them by simulation-base methods, the authors have developed numerical simulation codes and applied them to analyze a tee junction of the PHENIX secondary circuit due to thermal striping phenomenon, in the framework of the IAEA coordinated research program (CRP). Through this analysis, thermohydraulic and thermomechanical mechanism of thermal striping phenomenon was clarified, and main factors on structural integrity was extracted in each stage of thermal striping phenomenon. Furthermore, simulation base evaluation methods were proposed taking above factors of structural integrity into account. Finally, R and D problems were investigated for future development of design evaluation methods. (author)

Directional multimode coupler for planar magnonics: Side-coupled magnetic stripes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadovnikov, A. V., E-mail: sadovnikovav@gmail.com; Nikitov, S. A. [Laboratory “Metamaterials,” Saratov State University, Saratov 410012 (Russian Federation); Kotel' nikov Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 125009 (Russian Federation); Beginin, E. N.; Sheshukova, S. E.; Romanenko, D. V.; Sharaevskii, Yu. P. [Laboratory “Metamaterials,” Saratov State University, Saratov 410012 (Russian Federation)

2015-11-16

We experimentally demonstrate spin waves coupling in two laterally adjacent magnetic stripes. By the means of Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy, we show that the coupling efficiency depends both on the magnonic waveguides' geometry and the characteristics of spin-wave modes. In particular, the lateral confinement of coupled yttrium-iron-garnet stripes enables the possibility of control over the spin-wave propagation characteristics. Numerical simulations (in time domain and frequency domain) reveal the nature of intermodal coupling between two magnonic stripes. The proposed topology of multimode magnonic coupler can be utilized as a building block for fabrication of integrated parallel functional and logic devices such as the frequency selective directional coupler or tunable splitter, enabling a number of potential applications for planar magnonics.

High Contrast Vacuum Nuller Testbed (VNT) Contrast, Performance and Null Control

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Richard G.; Clampin, Mark; Petrone, Peter; Mallik, Udayan; Madison, Timothy; Bolcar, Matthew R.

2012-01-01

Herein we report on our Visible Nulling Coronagraph high-contrast result of 109 contrast averaged over a focal planeregion extending from 14 D with the Vacuum Nuller Testbed (VNT) in a vibration isolated vacuum chamber. TheVNC is a hybrid interferometriccoronagraphic approach for exoplanet science. It operates with high Lyot stopefficiency for filled, segmented and sparse or diluted-aperture telescopes, thereby spanning the range of potential futureNASA flight telescopes. NASAGoddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a well-established effort to develop the VNCand its technologies, and has developed an incremental sequence of VNC testbeds to advance this approach and itsenabling technologies. These testbeds have enabled advancement of high-contrast, visible light, nulling interferometry tounprecedented levels. The VNC is based on a modified Mach-Zehnder nulling interferometer, with a W configurationto accommodate a hex-packed MEMS based deformable mirror, a coherent fiber bundle and achromatic phase shifters.We give an overview of the VNT and discuss the high-contrast laboratory results, the optical configuration, criticaltechnologies and null sensing and control.

High contrast vacuum nuller testbed (VNT) contrast, performance, and null control

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Richard G.; Clampin, Mark; Petrone, Peter; Mallik, Udayan; Madison, Timothy; Bolcar, Matthew R.

2012-09-01

Herein we report on our Visible Nulling Coronagraph high-contrast result of 109 contrast averaged over a focal plane region extending from 1 - 4 λ/D with the Vacuum Nuller Testbed (VNT) in a vibration isolated vacuum chamber. The VNC is a hybrid interferometric/coronagraphic approach for exoplanet science. It operates with high Lyot stop efficiency for filled, segmented and sparse or diluted-aperture telescopes, thereby spanning the range of potential future NASA flight telescopes. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a well-established effort to develop the VNC and its technologies, and has developed an incremental sequence of VNC testbeds to advance this approach and its enabling technologies. These testbeds have enabled advancement of high-contrast, visible light, nulling interferometry to unprecedented levels. The VNC is based on a modified Mach-Zehnder nulling interferometer, with a “W” configuration to accommodate a hex-packed MEMS based deformable mirror, a coherent fiber bundle and achromatic phase shifters. We give an overview of the VNT and discuss the high-contrast laboratory results, the optical configuration, critical technologies and null sensing and control.

Application of polarization in high speed, high contrast inspection

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Matthew J.

2017-08-01

Industrial optical inspection often requires high speed and high throughput of materials. Engineers use a variety of techniques to handle these inspection needs. Some examples include line scan cameras, high speed multi-spectral and laser-based systems. High-volume manufacturing presents different challenges for inspection engineers. For example, manufacturers produce some components in quantities of millions per month, per week or even per day. Quality control of so many parts requires creativity to achieve the measurement needs. At times, traditional vision systems lack the contrast to provide the data required. In this paper, we show how dynamic polarization imaging captures high contrast images. These images are useful for engineers to perform inspection tasks in some cases where optical contrast is low. We will cover basic theory of polarization. We show how to exploit polarization as a contrast enhancement technique. We also show results of modeling for a polarization inspection application. Specifically, we explore polarization techniques for inspection of adhesives on glass.

Variation in the timing of reproduction of the four-striped field mouse ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Variation in the timing of reproduction of the four-striped field mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio , in ... Open Access DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ... We used the four-striped field mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio (Sparrmann, 1784), to test the hypothesis that ...

Near-field imaging of interference pattern of counterpropagating evanescent waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Bozhevolnaya, Elena A.

1999-01-01

It is generally accepted that measurement of of the contrast of the intensity interference pattern formed by two counterpropagating evanescent waves can be used to characterize the resolving power of a collection near-field microscope. We argue that, if the light collected by a fiber probe propag...... be equal to the contrast of the interference pattern....

Cytogenetics and stripe rust resistance of wheat-Thinopyrum elongatum hybrid derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Daiyan; Long, Dan; Li, Tinghui; Wu, Yanli; Wang, Yi; Zeng, Jian; Xu, Lili; Fan, Xing; Sha, Lina; Zhang, Haiqin; Zhou, Yonghong; Kang, Houyang

2018-01-01

Amphidiploids generated by distant hybridization are commonly used as genetic bridge to transfer desirable genes from wild wheat species into cultivated wheat. This method is typically used to enhance the resistance of wheat to biotic or abiotic stresses, and to increase crop yield and quality. Tetraploid Thinopyrum elongatum exhibits strong adaptability, resistance to stripe rust and Fusarium head blight, and tolerance to salt, drought, and cold. In the present study, we produced hybrid derivatives by crossing and backcrossing the Triticum durum-Th. elongatum partial amphidiploid ( Trititrigia 8801, 2 n  = 6 ×  = 42, AABBEE) with wheat cultivars common to the Sichuan Basin. By means of cytogenetic and disease resistance analyses, we identified progeny harboring alien chromosomes and measured their resistance to stripe rust. Hybrid progenies possessed chromosome numbers ranging from 40 to 47 (mean = 42.72), with 40.0% possessing 42 chromosomes. Genomic in situ hybridization revealed that the number of alien chromosomes ranged from 1 to 11. Out of the 50 of analyzed lines, five represented chromosome addition (2 n  = 44 = 42 W + 2E) and other five were chromosome substitution lines (2 n  = 42 = 40 W + 2E). Importantly, a single chromosome derived from wheat- Th. elongatum intergenomic Robertsonian translocations chromosome was occurred in 12 lines. Compared with the wheat parental cultivars ('CN16' and 'SM482'), the majority (70%) of the derivative lines were highly resistant to strains of stripe rust pathogen known to be prevalent in China. The findings suggest that these hybrid-derivative lines with stripe rust resistance could potentially be used as germplasm sources for further wheat improvement.

AlGaInAs narrow stripe selective growth on substrates patterned with different mask designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, W; Pan, J Q; Yang, H; Hou, L P; Zhou, F; Zhao, L J; Zhu, H L; Wang, W

2006-01-01

We have performed a narrow stripe selective growth of oxide-free AlGaInAs waveguides on InP substrates patterned with pairs of SiO 2 mask stripes under optimized growth conditions. The mask stripe width varied from 0 to 40 μm, while the window region width between a pair of mask stripes was fixed at 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5 μm. Flat and smooth AlGaInAs waveguides covered by specific InP layers are successfully grown on substrates patterned with different mask designs. The thickness enhancement ratio and the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the AlGaInAs narrow stripe waveguides are strongly dependent on the mask stripe width and the window region width. In particular, a large PL wavelength shift of 79 nm and a PL FWHM of less than 64 meV are obtained simultaneously with a small mask stripe width varying from 0 to 40 μm when the window region width is 1.5 μm. We present some possible interpretations of the experimental observations in considering both the migration effect from a masked region and the lateral vapour diffusion effect

Experimental research for γ-ray interference threshold effect of high electromagnetic pulse sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng Cui; Chen Xiangyue; Nie Xin; Xiang Hui; Guo Xiaoqiang; Mao Congguang; Cheng Jianping; Ni Jianping

2007-01-01

The high electromagnetic pulse (EMP) sensor using optical-fiber to transmit signal can restrain electromagnetic interference. The Compton electrons scattered by γ-ray irradiated from nuclear explosion or nuclear explosion simulator can generate high EMP, γ-ray can penetrate the shielding box and irradiate the integrated circuit directly. The γ-ray irradiation effect includes interference, latch up and burn out, these will make the measurement result unbelievable. In this paper, the experimental method researching the γ-ray irradiation effect of high electromagnetic pulse sensor on Qiangguang-I accelerator is introduced. The γ-ray dose rate interference threshold is 2 x 10 6 Gy/s. (authors)

Distinguishing Patterns of Charge Order: Stripes or Checkerboards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robertson, J.A.

2010-04-06

In two dimensions, quenched disorder always rounds transitions involving the breaking of spatial symmetries so, in practice, it can often be difficult to infer what form the symmetry breaking would take in the 'ideal,' zero disorder limit. We discuss methods of data analysis which can be useful for making such inferences, and apply them to the problem of determining whether the preferred order in the cuprates is 'stripes' or 'checkerboards.' In many cases we show that the experiments clearly indicate stripe order, while in others (where the observed correlation length is short), the answer is presently uncertain.

The effects of trait impulsivity on proactive and reactive interference control.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Ling; Chen, Yan; Chen, Antao; Zhang, Fenghua; Xu, Fuming; Wang, Baoxi

2018-02-01

The current study used event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to explore whether self-reported trait impulsivity in healthy individuals might be differentially related to proactive and reactive interference control. Participants with high and low impulsivity (HI and LI, respectively) performed a modified version of the prime-target interference task. Proactive interference control was induced in the mostly incongruent (MI) context and reactive interference control was induced in the mostly congruent (MC) context. Although the behavioral data revealed no difference between HI and LI individuals in terms of the interference effects (incongruent - congruent) under both contexts, the ERP results showed that impulsivity has a different influence on the interference effects under different task contexts. In the MC context, the interference effects on the medial frontal negativity (MFN) and the negative sustained potential (N-SP) were greater, while that on the positive sustained potential (P-SP) were smaller in the HI compared to those in the LI group. This suggests that high levels of impulsivity might be associated with a reduced efficiency of the processes supporting reactive control to resolve interference when interference is not expected. In contrast, the three ERP indices (MFN, P-SP, and N-SP) of interference processing in the MI context were insensitive to variations in impulsivity. This suggests that HI individuals might be as effective as LI individuals in recruiting proactive control for sustained active maintenance of task goals to anticipate and prevent interference throughout the experimental blocks where interference occurs frequently. In conclusion, these results indicate that impulsivity has a more negative influence on reactive interference control than on proactive interference control. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Polarization sensitivity and retinal topography of the striped pyjama squid (Sepioloidea lineolata - Quoy/Gaimard 1832).

Science.gov (United States)

Talbot, Christopher M; Marshall, Justin

2010-10-01

Coleoid cephalopods (octopus, cuttlefish and squid) potentially possess polarization sensitivity (PS) based on photoreceptor structure, but this idea has rarely been tested behaviourally. Here, we use a polarized, striped optokinetic stimulus to demonstrate PS in the striped pyjama squid, Sepioloidea lineolata. This species displayed strong, consistent optokinetic nystagmic eye movements in response to a drum with stripes producing e-vectors set to 0 deg, 45 deg, 90 deg and 135 deg that would only be visible to an animal with PS. This is the first behavioural demonstration of a polarized optokinetic response in any species of cephalopod. This species, which typically sits beneath the substrate surface looking upwards for potential predators and prey, possesses a dorsally shifted horizontal pupil slit. Accordingly, it was found to possess a horizontal strip of high-density photoreceptors shifted ventrally in the retina, suggesting modifications such as a change in sensitivity or resolution to the dorsal visual field.

Interference and Sensitivity Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

VanderWeele, Tyler J; Tchetgen Tchetgen, Eric J; Halloran, M Elizabeth

2014-11-01

Causal inference with interference is a rapidly growing area. The literature has begun to relax the "no-interference" assumption that the treatment received by one individual does not affect the outcomes of other individuals. In this paper we briefly review the literature on causal inference in the presence of interference when treatments have been randomized. We then consider settings in which causal effects in the presence of interference are not identified, either because randomization alone does not suffice for identification, or because treatment is not randomized and there may be unmeasured confounders of the treatment-outcome relationship. We develop sensitivity analysis techniques for these settings. We describe several sensitivity analysis techniques for the infectiousness effect which, in a vaccine trial, captures the effect of the vaccine of one person on protecting a second person from infection even if the first is infected. We also develop two sensitivity analysis techniques for causal effects in the presence of unmeasured confounding which generalize analogous techniques when interference is absent. These two techniques for unmeasured confounding are compared and contrasted.

Physical Localization of a Locus from Agropyron cristatum Conferring Resistance to Stripe Rust in Common Wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhi; Song, Liqiang; Han, Haiming; Zhou, Shenghui; Zhang, Jinpeng; Yang, Xinming; Li, Xiuquan; Liu, Weihua; Li, Lihui

2017-11-13

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst ), is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. (2 n = 28, PPPP), one of the wild relatives of wheat, exhibits resistance to stripe rust. In this study, wheat- A . cristatum 6P disomic addition line 4844-12 also exhibited resistance to stripe rust. To identify the stripe rust resistance locus from A . cristatum 6P, ten translocation lines, five deletion lines and the BC₂F₂ and BC₃F₂ populations of two wheat- A . cristatum 6P whole-arm translocation lines were tested with a mixture of two races of Pst in two sites during 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, being genotyped with genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) and molecular markers. The result indicated that the locus conferring stripe rust resistance was located on the terminal 20% of 6P short arm's length. Twenty-nine 6P-specific sequence-tagged-site (STS) markers mapped on the resistance locus have been acquired, which will be helpful for the fine mapping of the stripe rust resistance locus. The stripe rust-resistant translocation lines were found to carry some favorable agronomic traits, which could facilitate their use in wheat improvement. Collectively, the stripe rust resistance locus from A . cristatum 6P could be a novel resistance source and the screened stripe rust-resistant materials will be valuable for wheat disease breeding.

Measurements of incoherent light and background structure at exo-Earth detection levels in the High Contrast Imaging Testbed

Science.gov (United States)

Cady, Eric; Shaklan, Stuart

2014-08-01

A major component of the estimation and correction of starlight at very high contrasts is the creation of a dark hole: a region in the vicinity of the core of the stellar point spread function (PSF) where speckles in the PSF wings have been greatly attenuated, up to a factor of 1010 for the imaging of terrestrial exoplanets. At these very high contrasts, removing these speckles requires distinguishing between light from the stellar PSF scattered by instrument imperfections, which may be partially corrected across a broad band using deformable mirrors in the system, from light from other sources which generally may not. These other sources may be external or internal to the instrument (e.g. planets, exozodiacal light), but in either case, their distinguishing characteristic is their inability to interfere coherently with the PSF. In the following we discuss the estimation, structure, and expected origin of this incoherent" signal, primarily in the context of a series of experiments made with a linear band-limited mask in Jan-Mar 2013. We find that the incoherent" signal at moderate contrasts is largely estimation error of the coherent signal, while at very high contrasts it represents a true floor which is stable over week-timescales.

Production of high-amylose maize lines using RNA interference in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

amylose maize lines with a low T-DNA copy number, demonstrating that RNAi is an efficient method for the production of high-amylose maize lines. Key words: Maize, high-amylose, RNA interference, starch branching enzyme gene sbe2a.

Quantum interference in laser spectroscopy of highly charged lithiumlike ions

Science.gov (United States)

Amaro, Pedro; Loureiro, Ulisses; Safari, Laleh; Fratini, Filippo; Indelicato, Paul; Stöhlker, Thomas; Santos, José Paulo

2018-02-01

We investigate the quantum interference induced shifts between energetically close states in highly charged ions, with the energy structure being observed by laser spectroscopy. In this work, we focus on hyperfine states of lithiumlike heavy-Z isotopes and quantify how much quantum interference changes the observed transition frequencies. The process of photon excitation and subsequent photon decay for the transition 2 s →2 p →2 s is implemented with fully relativistic and full-multipole frameworks, which are relevant for such relativistic atomic systems. We consider the isotopes 79+207Pb and 80+209Bi due to experimental interest, as well as other examples of isotopes with lower Z , namely 56+141Pr and 64+165Ho. We conclude that quantum interference can induce shifts up to 11% of the linewidth in the measurable resonances of the considered isotopes, if interference between resonances is neglected. The inclusion of relativity decreases the cross section by 35%, mainly due to the complete retardation form of the electric dipole multipole. However, the contribution of the next higher multipoles (e.g., magnetic quadrupole) to the cross section is negligible. This makes the contribution of relativity and higher-order multipoles to the quantum interference induced shifts a minor effect, even for heavy-Z elements.

Fermi-surface reconstruction by stripe order in cuprate superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Laliberté, Francis

2012-02-01

The origin of pairing in a superconductor resides in the underlying normal state. In the cuprate high-temperature superconductor YBCO, application of a magnetic field to suppress superconductivity reveals a ground state that appears to break the translational symmetry of the lattice, pointing to some density-wave order [1,2,3]. In another cuprate, Eu-LSCO, the onset of stripe order - a modulation of spin and charge densities - at low temperature is well established [4]. By a comparative study of thermoelectric transport in the cuprates YBCO and Eu-LSCO, we show that the two materials exhibit a very similar process of Fermi-surface reconstruction as a function of temperature and doping [5,6]. This strongly suggests that Fermi-surface reconstruction is caused by stripe order in both cases, compelling evidence that stripe order is a generic tendency of hole-doped cuprates.[4pt] Work done in collaboration with J. Chang, N. Doiron-Leyraud, E. Hassinger, R. Daou, D. LeBoeuf, M. Rondeau, B. J. Ramshaw, R. Liang, D. A. Bonn, W. N. Hardy, S. Pyon, T. Takayama, H. Takagi, I. Sheikin, L. Malone, C. Proust, K. Behnia and L. Taillefer.[4pt] [1] N. Doiron-Leyraud et al., Nature 447, 565 (2007).[0pt] [2] D. LeBoeuf et al., Nature 450, 533 (2007).[0pt] [3] D. LeBoeuf et al., Phys. Rev. B 83, 054506 (2011).[0pt] [4] J. Fink et al., Phys. Rev. B 83, 092503 (2011).[0pt] [5] J. Chang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 057005 (2010).[0pt] [6] F. Lalibert'e et al., Nat. Commun. 2, 432 (2011).

Asymptotic expansions for high-contrast elliptic equations

KAUST Repository

Calo, Victor M.; Efendiev, Yalchin R.; Galvis, Juan

2014-01-01

In this paper, we present a high-order expansion for elliptic equations in high-contrast media. The background conductivity is taken to be one and we assume the medium contains high (or low) conductivity inclusions. We derive an asymptotic expansion with respect to the contrast and provide a procedure to compute the terms in the expansion. The computation of the expansion does not depend on the contrast which is important for simulations. The latter allows avoiding increased mesh resolution around high conductivity features. This work is partly motivated by our earlier work in [Domain decomposition preconditioners for multiscale flows in high-contrast media, Multiscale Model Simul. 8 (2010) 1461-1483] where we design efficient numerical procedures for solving high-contrast problems. These multiscale approaches require local solutions and our proposed high-order expansion can be used to approximate these local solutions inexpensively. In the case of a large-number of inclusions, the proposed analysis can help to design localization techniques for computing the terms in the expansion. In the paper, we present a rigorous analysis of the proposed high-order expansion and estimate the remainder of it. We consider both high-and low-conductivity inclusions. © 2014 World Scientific Publishing Company.

Asymptotic expansions for high-contrast elliptic equations

KAUST Repository

Calo, Victor M.

2014-03-01

In this paper, we present a high-order expansion for elliptic equations in high-contrast media. The background conductivity is taken to be one and we assume the medium contains high (or low) conductivity inclusions. We derive an asymptotic expansion with respect to the contrast and provide a procedure to compute the terms in the expansion. The computation of the expansion does not depend on the contrast which is important for simulations. The latter allows avoiding increased mesh resolution around high conductivity features. This work is partly motivated by our earlier work in [Domain decomposition preconditioners for multiscale flows in high-contrast media, Multiscale Model Simul. 8 (2010) 1461-1483] where we design efficient numerical procedures for solving high-contrast problems. These multiscale approaches require local solutions and our proposed high-order expansion can be used to approximate these local solutions inexpensively. In the case of a large-number of inclusions, the proposed analysis can help to design localization techniques for computing the terms in the expansion. In the paper, we present a rigorous analysis of the proposed high-order expansion and estimate the remainder of it. We consider both high-and low-conductivity inclusions. © 2014 World Scientific Publishing Company.

The images of misfit dislocations in Bragg-case synchrotron section topography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wierzchowski, W.; Wieteska, K.; Graeff, W.

1997-01-01

Silicon epitaxial layers deposited on substrates doped with boron and containing certain amount of misfit dislocations were studied by means of back-reflection synchrotron section topography. Samples with different curvature determined by substrate thickness and status of their back sides were examined. When the curvature of the sample was negligible the section pattern consisted of two stripes corresponding, respectively, to the layer and to the substrate. Misfit dislocations were revealed in the direct contrast located mostly in the vicinity of the substrate stripe. In the samples with radius of curvature smaller than 100 m additional interference fringes were observed in a wide area behind the main two stripes. The sequence of these interference fringes was dependent on the curvature of the sample and differed from that of bent substrate wafers of the similar curvature. As a consequence the images of misfit dislocations became much more extended and contained many characteristic details. The character of experimental misfit dislocation images both in the case of flat and bent crystals was reproduced using numerical integration of the Takagi-Taupin equations

{mu}SR studies of the interplay of magnetic spin stripe order with superconductivity in transition metal oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klauss, Hans-Henning, E-mail: h.klauss@physik.tu-dresden.de [Institute for Solid State Physics, TU Dresden, D-01069 Dresden (Germany)

2012-11-01

In this work we review muon spin relaxation experiments on the layered La{sub 2-x}Sr{sub x}NiO{sub 4} nickelate as well as La{sub 2-x}Ba{sub x}CuO{sub 4} and La{sub 2-x}Sr{sub x}CuO{sub 4} cuprate systems to examine spin stripe order. In particular, the interplay of stripe order with superconductivity in Nd and Eu doped La{sub 2-x}Sr{sub x}CuO{sub 4} cuprates is discussed. Detailed studies of the electronic phase diagrams as well as the magnetic and superconducting order parameters for different rare-earth and Sr doping levels in La{sub 2-x-y}RE{sub y}Sr{sub x}CuO{sub 4} revealed the strong correlation of static spin stripe order with the structural distortion in the low temperature tetragonal (LTT) phase and the competition with the superconducting ground state. High magnetic field studies demonstrate the nearly degenerate ground state energy of the different electronic phases. Slow transverse fluctuations of the charge stripes are found in nickelates and cuprates at low temperatures.

Frequency dependence of quantum path interference in non-collinear high-order harmonic generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Shi-Yang; He Xin-Kui; Teng Hao; Ye Peng; Wang Li-Feng; He Peng; Wei Zhi-Yi

2016-01-01

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) driven by two non-collinear beams including a fundamental and its weak second harmonic is numerically studied. The interference of harmonics from adjacent electron quantum paths is found to be dependent on the relative delay of the driving pulse, and the dependences are different for different harmonic orders. This frequency dependence of the interference is attributed to the spatial frequency chirp in the HHG beam resulting from the harmonic dipole phase, which in turn provides a potential way to gain an insight into the generation of high-order harmonics. As an example, the intensity dependent dipole phase coefficient α is retrieved from the interference fringe. (paper)

Comparison of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and 3D constructive interference in steady state images for predicting outcome after hearing-preservation surgery for vestibular schwannoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kocaoglu, M.; Bulakbasi, N.; Ucoz, T.; Ustunsoz, B.; Tayfun, C.; Somuncu, I. [GATA Department of Radiology, 06018, Etlik, Ankara (Turkey); Pabuscu, Y. [Department of Radiology, Celal Bayar University, Manisa (Turkey)

2003-07-01

We compared contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and 3D constructive interference in steady state (CISS) sequences for demonstrating possible prognostic factors in hearing-preservation surgery for vestibular schwannoma. We studied 22 patients with vestibular schwannomas having hearing-preservation surgery. Postoperatively six (27%) had a facial palsy and eight (36%) had hearing loss. There was a significant correlation between the size of the tumour and facial palsy (r=-0.72). Both techniques adequately demonstrated all tumours. Involvement of the fundus of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and a small distance between the lateral border of the tumour and the fundus were correlated significantly with hearing loss (r=-0.81 and -0.75, respectively). The 3D-CISS sequence, by virtue of its high contrast resolution was superior to T1-weighted images (P<0.05) for detection of the fundal involvement. The direction of displacement of the facial nerve did not correlate with facial palsy or hearing loss. We think that 3D-CISS images better show the features influencing surgical outcome, but that contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images are required for diagnosis. (orig.)

Comparison of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and 3D constructive interference in steady state images for predicting outcome after hearing-preservation surgery for vestibular schwannoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocaoglu, M.; Bulakbasi, N.; Ucoz, T.; Ustunsoz, B.; Tayfun, C.; Somuncu, I.; Pabuscu, Y.

2003-01-01

We compared contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and 3D constructive interference in steady state (CISS) sequences for demonstrating possible prognostic factors in hearing-preservation surgery for vestibular schwannoma. We studied 22 patients with vestibular schwannomas having hearing-preservation surgery. Postoperatively six (27%) had a facial palsy and eight (36%) had hearing loss. There was a significant correlation between the size of the tumour and facial palsy (r=-0.72). Both techniques adequately demonstrated all tumours. Involvement of the fundus of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and a small distance between the lateral border of the tumour and the fundus were correlated significantly with hearing loss (r=-0.81 and -0.75, respectively). The 3D-CISS sequence, by virtue of its high contrast resolution was superior to T1-weighted images (P<0.05) for detection of the fundal involvement. The direction of displacement of the facial nerve did not correlate with facial palsy or hearing loss. We think that 3D-CISS images better show the features influencing surgical outcome, but that contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images are required for diagnosis. (orig.)

Dewetting of thin liquid films on chemically patterned substrates : front propatation along narrow lyophobic stripes and stripe arrays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brasjen, B.J.; Gu, H.; Darhuber, A.A.

2013-01-01

Using experiments and numerical simulations, we investigate the dewetting of thin liquid films on chemically patterned substrates. The patterns consist of long and narrow hydrophobic stripes, separated by larger hydrophilic domains. We characterize the morphology and dynamics of the dewetting front

Estimating abundance of adult striped bass in reservoirs using mobile hydroacoustics

Science.gov (United States)

Hightower, Joseph E.; Taylor, J. Christopher; Degan, Donald J.

2013-01-01

Hydroacoustic surveys have proven valuable for estimating reservoir forage fish abundance but are more challenging for adult predators such as striped bass Morone saxatilis. Difficulties in assessing striped bass in reservoirs include their low density and the inability to distinguish species with hydroacoustic data alone. Despite these difficulties, mobile hydroacoustic surveys have potential to provide useful data for management because of the large sample volume compared to traditional methods such as gill netting and the ability to target specific areas where striped bass are aggregated. Hydroacoustic estimates of reservoir striped bass have been made using mobile surveys, with data analysis using a threshold for target strength in order to focus on striped bass-sized targets, and auxiliary sampling with nets to obtain species composition. We provide recommendations regarding survey design, based in part on simulations that provide insight on the level of effort that would be required to achieve reasonable estimates of abundance. Future surveys may be able to incorporate telemetry or other sonar techniques such as side-scan or multibeam in order to focus survey efforts on productive habitats (within lake and vertically). However, species apportionment will likely remain the main source of error, and we see no hydroacoustic system on the horizon that will identify fish by species at the spatial and temporal scale required for most reservoir surveys. In situations where species composition can be reliably assessed using traditional gears, abundance estimates from hydroacoustic methods should be useful to fishery managers interested in developing harvest regulations, assessing survival of stocked juveniles, identifying seasonal aggregations, and examining predator–prey balance.

Genetic Variation among the White-striped Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) in Comparison with a Trok Nong-derived Population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boonsirichai, Kanokporn; Segsarnviriya, Suchada; Limohpasmanee, Wanitch; Kongratarpon, Titima; Thannarin, Thodsapol; Sungsinleart; Kwanpisut

2011-06-01

Full text: A white-striped strain of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) had been developed for the fruit fly population control using the radiation-induced sterile insect technique (SIT). This report aimed at elucidating the inheritance of the white-striped phenotype and the genetic differences between the white-striped strain and the strain derived from Trok Nong sub district, Khlung district, Chantaburi. The white-striped phenotype appeared recessive to the wild type. Meanwhile, twelve ISSR primers yielded DNA bands with significantly different frequencies between the two populations. The analysis indicated four DNA bands which were absent from the white-striped population but apparent at frequencies 0.4 to 0.9 among the Trok Nong-derived population. Another four DNA bands were found absent from the Trok Nong-derived population but existed at frequencies 0.3 to 0.5 among the white-striped population. These data may benefit the monitoring of gene flow from the white-striped fruit flies to the natural population when released in a SIT program. Keywords: Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), SIT, genetic

Measurement technology of RF interference current in high current system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhihua; Li, Jianxuan; Zhang, Xiangming; Zhang, Lei

2018-06-01

Current probe is a detection method commonly used in electromagnetic compatibility. With the development of power electronics technology, the power level of power conversion devices is constantly increasing, and the power current of the electric energy conversion device in the electromagnetic launch system can reach 10kA. Current probe conventionally used in EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) detection cannot meet the test requirements on high current system due to the magnetic saturation problem. The conventional high current sensor is also not suitable for the RF (Radio Frequency) interference current measurement in high current power device due to the high noise level in the output of active amplifier. In this paper, a passive flexible current probe based on Rogowski coil and matching resistance is proposed that can withstand high current and has low noise level, to solve the measurement problems of interference current in high current power converter. And both differential mode and common mode current detection can be easily carried out with the proposed probe because of the probe's flexible structure.

Seasonal use of a New England estuary by foraging contingents of migratory striped bass

Science.gov (United States)

Mather, Martha E.; Pautzke, Sarah M.; Finn, John T.; Deegan, Linda A.; Muth, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Using acoustic telemetry on migratory striped bass Morone saxatilis in Plum Island Estuary (PIE), Massachusetts, we found that striped bass (335–634 mm total length) tagged in the spring and summer of 2005 (n = 14) and 2006 (n = 46) stayed in the estuary for an average of 66.0 d in 2005 and 72.2 d in 2006. Striped bass spent the most time in two specific reaches: middle Plum Island Sound and lower Rowley River. In both years, three different use-groups of striped bass were observed in PIE. Short-term visitors (n = 24) stayed in the estuary only briefly (range = 5–20 d). Two groups of seasonal residents stayed for more than 30 d, either in the Rowley River (n = 14) or in Plum Island Sound (n = 22). Within PIE, the two seasonal-resident use-groups may be foraging contingents that learn how to feed efficiently in specific parts of the estuary. These distinct within-estuary use patterns could have different implications for striped bass condition and prey impact.

Applying the Helmholtz Illusion to Fashion: Horizontal Stripes Won't Make You Look Fatter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Thompson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A square composed of horizontal lines appears taller and narrower than an identical square made up of vertical lines. Reporting this illusion, Hermann von Helmholtz noted that such illusions, in which filled space seems to be larger than unfilled space, were common in everyday life, adding the observation that ladies' frocks with horizontal stripes make the figure look taller. As this assertion runs counter to modern popular belief, we have investigated whether vertical or horizontal stripes on clothing should make the wearer appear taller or fatter. We find that a rectangle of vertical stripes needs to be extended by 7.1% vertically to match the height of a square of horizontal stripes and that a rectangle of horizontal stripes must be made 4.5% wider than a square of vertical stripes to match its perceived width. This illusion holds when the horizontal or vertical lines are on the dress of a line drawing of a woman. We have examined the claim that these effects apply only for 2-dimensional figures in an experiment with 3-D cylinders and find no support for the notion that horizontal lines would be ‘fattening’ on clothes. Significantly, the illusion persists when the horizontal or vertical lines are on pictures of a real half-body mannequin viewed stereoscopically. All the evidence supports Helmholtz's original assertion.

Meat quality of broiler breast fillets with white striping and woody breast muscle myopathies.

Science.gov (United States)

Tijare, V V; Yang, F L; Kuttappan, V A; Alvarado, C Z; Coon, C N; Owens, C M

2016-09-01

The global poultry industry has been faced with emerging broiler breast meat quality issues including conditions known as white striping (WS, white striations parallel to muscle fibers) and woody breast (WB, hardness of raw fillet). Experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of WS and WB hardness on meat quality traits in broiler breast fillets. In Exp. 1, birds were processed at approximately 9 wk of age and deboned at 4 h postmortem (PM); in Exp. 2, birds were processed at approximately 6 and 9 wk of age and deboned at 2 h PM. Fillets were categorized as: normal for both white striping and woody breast (NORM); moderate for white striping and mild for woody breast (MILD); severe for white striping and mild for woody breast (WS); severe for woody breast and moderate for white striping (WB); or severe for both white striping and woody breast (BOTH). Sarcomere length, gravimetric fragmentation index, marination uptake, cook loss, and Meullenet-Owens razor shear energy (MORSE) values on non-marinated and marinated fillets were assessed. Sarcomeres tended to be longer (P = 0.07) with increasing severity of WS and WB in both experiments and gravimetric fragmentation index did not differ (P > 0.05) among categories. Marinade uptake decreased (P  0.05) in non-marinated fillets, the marinated BOTH fillets had greater MORSE values (P  0.05) among categories of marinated breasts. At 9 wk, WS and BOTH were higher (P white striping and woody breast, individually or in combination, negatively impact meat quality, especially water holding capacity attributes such as marinade uptake and cook loss. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Understanding stripe domains in Permalloy films via the angular dependence of permeability spectra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Jinwu; Feng, Hongmei; Zhu, Zengtai; Song, Chengkun; Wang, Xiangqian; Liu, Qingfang [Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Wang, Jianbo, E-mail: wangjb@lzu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Key Laboratory for Special Function Materials and Structural Design of the Ministry of the Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • A phenomenological model is proposed to analyze the angular dependence of the μ″{sub max}. • The maximum canting angle θ{sub 0} in the stripe domain structure can be estimated. • Micromagnetic simulation results are nearly in accordance with the experimental results. - Abstract: An investigation of the angular dependence of the dynamic permeability spectra has been performed. Three Permalloy films with different thickness were used as the study samples that possess the stripe domains. In order to better understand the magnetization distribution in stripe domains, a theoretical approach was proposed to analyze the variation of the resonance intensity of permeability spectra. By fitting the angular dependence of the μ″{sub max} using a theoretical function, a coefficient Λ that can be used to evaluate the average value of the periodic function of the anting angle θ in a periodic stripe is obtained. As the film thickness increases, the decrease of the ratio between domain wall width and stripe domain width is happen. This enables that the coefficient Λ decreases with the increase of film thickness. By deducing this coefficient Λ, one can estimate the maximum canting angle θ{sub 0} ∼ 8° for the Permalloy films in our experiments.

Color Fringes Bordering Black Stripes at the Bottom of a Swimming Pool

Science.gov (United States)

Fuster, Gonzalo; Rojas, Roberto; Slüsarenko, Viktor

2016-01-01

We have observed a nice example of chromatic dispersion due to refraction in water, in the form of color fringes bordering the black stripes that exist at the bottom of a swimming pool. Here we give a qualitative description of the phenomenon, explaining the role of the black stripes and the dispersive index of refraction of water.

[Prediction model of meteorological grade of wheat stripe rust in winter-reproductive area, Sichuan Basin, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiang; Wang, Ming Tian; Zhang, Guo Zhi

2017-12-01

The winter reproductive areas of Puccinia striiformis var. striiformis in Sichuan Basin are often the places mostly affected by wheat stripe rust. With data on the meteorological condition and stripe rust situation at typical stations in the winter reproductive area in Sichuan Basin from 1999 to 2016, this paper classified the meteorological conditions inducing wheat stripe rust into 5 grades, based on the incidence area ratio of the disease. The meteorological factors which were biologically related to wheat stripe rust were determined through multiple analytical methods, and a meteorological grade model for forecasting wheat stripe rust was created. The result showed that wheat stripe rust in Sichuan Basin was significantly correlated with many meteorological factors, such as the ave-rage (maximum and minimum) temperature, precipitation and its anomaly percentage, relative humidity and its anomaly percentage, average wind speed and sunshine duration. Among these, the average temperature and the anomaly percentage of relative humidity were the determining factors. According to a historical retrospective test, the accuracy of the forecast based on the model was 64% for samples in the county-level test, and 89% for samples in the municipal-level test. In a meteorological grade forecast of wheat stripe rust in the winter reproductive areas in Sichuan Basin in 2017, the prediction was accurate for 62.8% of the samples, with 27.9% error by one grade and only 9.3% error by two or more grades. As a result, the model could deliver satisfactory forecast results, and predicate future wheat stripe rust from a meteorological point of view.

3D Measurement Technology by Structured Light Using Stripe-Edge-Based Gray Code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, H B; Chen, Y; Wu, M Y; Guan, C R; Yu, X Y

2006-01-01

The key problem of 3D vision measurement using triangle method based on structured light is to acquiring projecting angle of projecting light accurately. In order to acquire projecting angle thereby determine the corresponding relationship between sampling point and image point, method for encoding and decoding structured light based on stripe edge of Gray code is presented. The method encoded with Gray code stripe and decoded with stripe edge acquired by sub-pixel technology instead of pixel centre, so latter one-bit decoding error was removed. Accuracy of image sampling point location and correspondence between image sampling point and object sampling point achieved sub-pixel degree. In addition, measurement error caused by dividing projecting angle irregularly by even-width encoding stripe was analysed and corrected. Encoding and decoding principle and decoding equations were described. Finally, 3dsmax and Matlab software were used to simulate measurement system and reconstruct measured surface. Indicated by experimental results, measurement error is about 0.05%

Introgression of leaf rust and stripe rust resistance from Sharon goatgrass (Aegilops sharonensis Eig) into bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Millet, E; Manisterski, J; Ben-Yehuda, P; Distelfeld, A; Deek, J; Wan, A; Chen, X; Steffenson, B J

2014-06-01

Leaf rust and stripe rust are devastating wheat diseases, causing significant yield losses in many regions of the world. The use of resistant varieties is the most efficient way to protect wheat crops from these diseases. Sharon goatgrass (Aegilops sharonensis or AES), which is a diploid wild relative of wheat, exhibits a high frequency of leaf and stripe rust resistance. We used the resistant AES accession TH548 and induced homoeologous recombination by the ph1b allele to obtain resistant wheat recombinant lines carrying AES chromosome segments in the genetic background of the spring wheat cultivar Galil. The gametocidal effect from AES was overcome by using an "anti-gametocidal" wheat mutant. These recombinant lines were found resistant to highly virulent races of the leaf and stripe rust pathogens in Israel and the United States. Molecular DArT analysis of the different recombinant lines revealed different lengths of AES segments on wheat chromosome 6B, which indicates the location of both resistance genes.

Effect of white striping on chemical composition and nutritional value of chicken breast meat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimiliano Petracci

2014-03-01

Full Text Available White striping defect (appearance of white striations parallel to muscle fiber on surface of breast is considered an emerging issue in chicken breast meat which is related to increasing growth rate of modern hybrid birds. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of white striping on chemical composition and nutritional value of chicken breast meat. During three replications, a total of 108 Pectoralis major muscles representing three degrees of white striping (absence=normal; presence classified in 2 levels as moderate or severe were selected to determine proximate composition (moisture, protein, lipid and collagen as well as sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein profile by sodium dodecyl sulphatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. The results showed that both severe and moderate white-striped fillets had higher fat content (2.53 vs 1.46 vs 0.78%; P<0.001, lower protein level (20.9 vs 22.2 vs 22.9%; P<0.001, decreased quality of protein as proven by higher collagen content (1.30 vs 1.37 vs 1.43%; P<0.001, and different pattern on myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic fractions when compared to normal fillets. Moreover, severe white-striped fillets exhibited higher energy content (450.7 vs 421.1 kJ/100g; P<0.01 with respect to normal meat. In conclusion, there was a large worsening of nutritional value of chicken breast meat following occurrence of white striping and this might impair consumer attitude towards poultry meat.

Osmoregulatory effects of hypophysectomy and homologous prolactin replacement in hybrid striped bass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jackson, Leslie F; McCormick, Stephen D; Madsen, Steffen S

2005-01-01

The effects of ovine prolactin (oPRL) and striped bass prolactin (sbPRL; Morone saxatilis) on plasma osmolality, electrolyte balance, and gill Na+,K+-ATPase activity were investigated in hypophysectomized (Hx), freshwater (FW)-acclimated, hybrid striped bass (M. saxatilis x Morone chrysops...... or 100 ng/g), or hormone vehicle (0.9% NaCl) at 48-h intervals (days 0, 2, 4, and 6) in FW and then sampled for blood plasma 24 h after the fourth injection (day 7). In Hx fish, oPRL (5 and 20 microg/g) and sbPRL (10 and 100 ng/g) were effective in maintaining plasma osmolality and levels of Na+, Cl...... balance in FW-adapted hybrid striped bass, and that this may involve downregulation of branchial Na+,K+-ATPase activity....

Magnetic anisotropy of two-dimensional nanostructures: Transition-metal triangular stripes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorantes-Davila, J.; Villasenor-Gonzalez, P.; Pastor, G.M.

2005-01-01

The magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of one-dimensional stripes having infinite length and triangular lateral structure are investigated in the framework of a self-consistent tight-binding method. One observes discontinuous changes in the easy magnetization direction along the crossover from one to two dimensions. The MAE oscillates as a function of stripe width and depends strongly on the considered transition metal (TM). The MAE of the two-leg ladder is strongly reduced as compared to that of the monoatomic chain and the convergence to the two-dimensional limit is rather slow

Formation of self-assembled stripes on the anodic aluminum oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hongwen; Guo Haiming; Wang Yeliang; Shen Chengmin; Yang Haitao; Wang Yutian; Wei Long

2004-01-01

Non-polished aluminum sheets were anodized and the coexistence of self-assembled stripes and porous arrays on the Al surface was observed. The nanostructures were investigated in details using an atomic force microscope. And the formation mechanism of the stripes was discussed and simulated using Brusselator model in this work. The authors demonstrated that the self-assembled patterns on the Al surface were governed by the competition of formation and dissolution of alumina film during the reaction process. Moreover, this type of ordered structure could only form in certain conditions

The effect of environmental hypercapnia and size on nitrite toxicity in the striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvas, Malthe; Damsgaard, Christian; Gam, Le Thi Hong

2016-01-01

Striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are farmed intensively at high stocking densities in Vietnam where they are likely to encounter environmental hypercapnia as well as occasional high levels of aquatic nitrite. Nitrite competes with Cl- for uptake at the branchial HCO3-/Cl- exchanger, ...... the ambient concentration, while small fish did not. Small P. hypophthalmus instead had significantly higher plasma [nitrate], and haemoglobin concentrations, revealing greater capacity for detoxifying nitrite by oxidising it to nitrate.......Striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are farmed intensively at high stocking densities in Vietnam where they are likely to encounter environmental hypercapnia as well as occasional high levels of aquatic nitrite. Nitrite competes with Cl- for uptake at the branchial HCO3-/Cl- exchanger...... to a reduced nitrite uptake. To assess the effect of hypercapnia on nitrite uptake, fish were cannulated in the dorsal aorta, allowing repeated blood sampling for measurements of haemoglobin derivatives, plasma ions and acid-base status during exposure to 0.9 mM nitrite alone and in combination with acute...

Mapping genes for resistance to stripe rust in spring wheat landrace PI 480035.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinita Sthapit Kandel

Full Text Available Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Erikks. is an economically important disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.. Hexaploid spring wheat landrace PI 480035 was highly resistant to stripe rust in the field in Washington during 2011 and 2012. The objective of this research was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL for stripe rust resistance in PI 480035. A spring wheat, "Avocet Susceptible" (AvS, was crossed with PI 480035 to develop a biparental population of 110 recombinant inbred lines (RIL. The population was evaluated in the field in 2013 and 2014 and seedling reactions were examined against three races (PSTv-14, PSTv-37, and PSTv-40 of the pathogen under controlled conditions. The population was genotyped with genotyping-by-sequencing and microsatellite markers across the whole wheat genome. A major QTL, QYr.wrsggl1-1BS was identified on chromosome 1B. The closest flanking markers were Xgwm273, Xgwm11, and Xbarc187 1.01 cM distal to QYr.wrsggl1-1BS, Xcfd59 0.59 cM proximal and XA365 3.19 cM proximal to QYr.wrsggl1-1BS. Another QTL, QYr.wrsggl1-3B, was identified on 3B, which was significant only for PSTv-40 and was not significant in the field, indicating it confers a race-specific resistance. Comparison with markers associated with previously reported Yr genes on 1B (Yr64, Yr65, and YrH52 indicated that QYr.wrsggl1-1BS is potentially a novel stripe rust resistance gene that can be incorporated into modern breeding materials, along with other all-stage and adult-plant resistance genes to develop cultivars that can provide durable resistance.

Advancing High Contrast Adaptive Optics

Science.gov (United States)

Ammons, M.; Poyneer, L.; GPI Team

2014-09-01

A long-standing challenge has been to directly image faint extrasolar planets adjacent to their host suns, which may be ~1-10 million times brighter than the planet. Several extreme AO systems designed for high-contrast observations have been tested at this point, including SPHERE, Magellan AO, PALM-3000, Project 1640, NICI, and the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI, Macintosh et al. 2014). The GPI is the world's most advanced high-contrast adaptive optics system on an 8-meter telescope for detecting and characterizing planets outside of our solar system. GPI will detect a previously unstudied population of young analogs to the giant planets of our solar system and help determine how planetary systems form. GPI employs a 44x44 woofer-tweeter adaptive optics system with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor operating at 1 kHz. The controller uses Fourier-based reconstruction and modal gains optimized from system telemetry (Poyneer et al. 2005, 2007). GPI has an apodized Lyot coronal graph to suppress diffraction and a near-infrared integral field spectrograph for obtaining planetary spectra. This paper discusses current performance limitations and presents the necessary instrumental modifications and sensitivity calculations for scenarios related to high-contrast observations of non-sidereal targets.

Fluorescence interference contrast based approach to study real time interaction of melittin with plasma membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Sharad; Gui, Dong; Zandi, Roya; Gill, Sarjeet; Mohideen, Umar

2014-03-01

Melittin is an anti-bacterial and hemolytic toxic peptide found in bee venom. Cell lysis behavior of peptides has been widely investigated, but the exact interaction mechanism of lytic peptides with lipid membranes and its constituents has not been understood completely. In this paper we study the melittin interaction with lipid plasma membranes in real time using non-invasive and non-contact fluorescence interference contrast microscopy (FLIC). Particularly the interaction of melittin with plasma membranes was studied in a controlled molecular environment, where these plasma membrane were composed of saturated lipid, 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC) and unsaturated lipid, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine(DOPC) with and without cholesterol. We found out that melittin starts to form nanometer size pores in the plasma membranes shortly after interacting with membranes. But the addition of cholesterol in plasma membrane slows down the pore formation process. Our results show that inclusion of cholesterol to the plasma membranes make them more resilient towards pore formation and lysis of membrane.

A High Power InGaN-Based Blue-Violet Laser Diode Array with a Broad-Area Stripe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Ping; Zhao De-Gang; Feng Mei-Xin; Jiang De-Sheng; Liu Zong-Shun; Yang Hui; Zhang Li-Qun; Li De-Yao; Liu Jian-Ping; Wang Hui; Zhu Jian-Jun; Zhang Shu-Ming; Zhang Bao-Shun

2013-01-01

An array of high power InGaN/GaN multi-quantum-well laser diodes with a broad waveguide is fabricated. The laser diode structure is grown on a GaN substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The laser diode array consists of five emitter stripes which share common electrodes on one laser chip. The electrical and optical characteristics of the laser diode array are investigated under the pulse current injection with 10kHz frequency and 100 ns pulse width. The laser diode array emits at the wavelength of 409 nm, which is located in the blue-violet region, and the threshold current is 2.9 A. The maximum output light peak power is measured to be 7.5 W at the wavelength of 411.8 nm under the current of 25 A

Dynamic frequency-domain interferometer for absolute distance measurements with high resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weng, Jidong; Liu, Shenggang; Ma, Heli; Tao, Tianjiong; Wang, Xiang; Liu, Cangli; Tan, Hua

2014-01-01

A unique dynamic frequency-domain interferometer for absolute distance measurement has been developed recently. This paper presents the working principle of the new interferometric system, which uses a photonic crystal fiber to transmit the wide-spectrum light beams and a high-speed streak camera or frame camera to record the interference stripes. Preliminary measurements of harmonic vibrations of a speaker, driven by a radio, and the changes in the tip clearance of a rotating gear wheel show that this new type of interferometer has the ability to perform absolute distance measurements both with high time- and distance-resolution

Dynamic frequency-domain interferometer for absolute distance measurements with high resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Jidong; Liu, Shenggang; Ma, Heli; Tao, Tianjiong; Wang, Xiang; Liu, Cangli; Tan, Hua

2014-11-01

A unique dynamic frequency-domain interferometer for absolute distance measurement has been developed recently. This paper presents the working principle of the new interferometric system, which uses a photonic crystal fiber to transmit the wide-spectrum light beams and a high-speed streak camera or frame camera to record the interference stripes. Preliminary measurements of harmonic vibrations of a speaker, driven by a radio, and the changes in the tip clearance of a rotating gear wheel show that this new type of interferometer has the ability to perform absolute distance measurements both with high time- and distance-resolution.

Audiogram of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Hagedoorn, M.; Au, W.W.L.; Haan, de D.

2003-01-01

The underwater hearing sensitivity of a striped dolphin was measured in a pool using standard psycho-acoustic techniques. The go/no-go response paradigm and up¿down staircase psychometric method were used. Auditory sensitivity was measured by using 12 narrow-band frequency-modulated signals having

A search for optical variability of type 2 quasars in SDSS stripe 82

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barth, Aaron J.; Carson, Daniel J.; Voevodkin, Alexey; Woźniak, Przemysław

2014-01-01

Hundreds of Type 2 quasars have been identified in Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data, and there is substantial evidence that they are generally galaxies with highly obscured central engines, in accord with unified models for active galactic nuclei (AGNs). A straightforward expectation of unified models is that highly obscured Type 2 AGNs should show little or no optical variability on timescales of days to years. As a test of this prediction, we have carried out a search for variability in Type 2 quasars in SDSS Stripe 82 using difference-imaging photometry. Starting with the Type 2 AGN catalogs of Zakamska et al. and Reyes et al., we find evidence of significant g-band variability in 17 out of 173 objects for which light curves could be measured from the Stripe 82 data. To determine the nature of this variability, we obtained new Keck spectropolarimetry observations for seven of these variable AGNs. The Keck data show that these objects have low continuum polarizations (p ≲ 1% in most cases) and all seven have broad Hα and/or Mg II emission lines in their total (unpolarized) spectra, indicating that they should actually be classified as Type 1 AGNs. We conclude that the primary reason variability is found in the SDSS-selected Type 2 AGN samples is that these samples contain a small fraction of Type 1 AGNs as contaminants, and it is not necessary to invoke more exotic possible explanations such as a population of 'naked' or unobscured Type 2 quasars. Aside from misclassified Type 1 objects, the Type 2 quasars do not generally show detectable optical variability over the duration of the Stripe 82 survey.

X-ray Phase Contrast analysis - Digital wavefront development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idir, Mourad; Potier, Jonathan; Fricker, Sebastien; Snigirev, Anatoly; Snigireva, Irina; Modi, M. H.

2010-01-01

Optical schemes that enable imaging of the phase shift produced by an object have become popular in the x-ray region, where phase can be the dominant contrast mechanism. The propagation-based technique consists of recording the interference pattern produced by choosing one or several sample-to-detector distances. Pioneering studies, carried out making use of synchrotron radiation, demonstrated that this technique results in a dramatic increase of image contrast and detail visibility, allowing the detection of structures invisible with conventional techniques. An experimental and theoretical study of in-line hard x-ray phase-contrast imaging had been performed. The theoretical description of the technique is based on Fresnel diffraction. As an illustration of the potential of this quantitative imaging technique, high-resolution x-ray phase contrast images of simple objects will be presented.

Homogenization of High-Contrast Brinkman Flows

KAUST Repository

Brown, Donald L.

2015-04-16

Modeling porous flow in complex media is a challenging problem. Not only is the problem inherently multiscale but, due to high contrast in permeability values, flow velocities may differ greatly throughout the medium. To avoid complicated interface conditions, the Brinkman model is often used for such flows [O. Iliev, R. Lazarov, and J. Willems, Multiscale Model. Simul., 9 (2011), pp. 1350--1372]. Instead of permeability variations and contrast being contained in the geometric media structure, this information is contained in a highly varying and high-contrast coefficient. In this work, we present two main contributions. First, we develop a novel homogenization procedure for the high-contrast Brinkman equations by constructing correctors and carefully estimating the residuals. Understanding the relationship between scales and contrast values is critical to obtaining useful estimates. Therefore, standard convergence-based homogenization techniques [G. A. Chechkin, A. L. Piatniski, and A. S. Shamev, Homogenization: Methods and Applications, Transl. Math. Monogr. 234, American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI, 2007, G. Allaire, SIAM J. Math. Anal., 23 (1992), pp. 1482--1518], although a powerful tool, are not applicable here. Our second point is that the Brinkman equations, in certain scaling regimes, are invariant under homogenization. Unlike in the case of Stokes-to-Darcy homogenization [D. Brown, P. Popov, and Y. Efendiev, GEM Int. J. Geomath., 2 (2011), pp. 281--305, E. Marusic-Paloka and A. Mikelic, Boll. Un. Mat. Ital. A (7), 10 (1996), pp. 661--671], the results presented here under certain velocity regimes yield a Brinkman-to-Brinkman upscaling that allows using a single software platform to compute on both microscales and macroscales. In this paper, we discuss the homogenized Brinkman equations. We derive auxiliary cell problems to build correctors and calculate effective coefficients for certain velocity regimes. Due to the boundary effects, we construct

Implications of white striping and wooden breast abnormalities on quality traits of raw and marinated chicken meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudalal, S; Lorenzi, M; Soglia, F; Cavani, C; Petracci, M

2015-04-01

One of the consequences of intense genetic selection for growth of poultry is the recent appearance of abnormalities in chicken breast muscles, such as white striping (characterised by superficial white striations) and wooden breast (characterised by pale and bulged areas with substantial hardness). The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality traits of chicken fillets affected by white striping and wooden breast abnormalities. In two replications, 192 fillets were divided into the following four classes: normal (n=48; absence of any visual defects), white striping (n=48, presence of white striations), wooden breast (n=48; diffusely presence of hardened areas) and white striping/wooden breast (n=48; fillets affected by both abnormalities). Morphology, raw meat texture and technological properties were assessed in both unprocessed (pH, colour, drip loss, cooking loss and cooked meat shear force) and marinated meat (marinade uptake, purge loss, cooking loss and cooked meat shear force). Fillets affected by white striping, wooden breast or both abnormalities exhibited higher breast weights compared with normal fillets (305.5, 298.7, 318.3 and 244.7 g, respectively; Pcooking losses than white-striped fillets for both unprocessed and marinated meats. On the other hand, white-striped fillets showed a moderate decline in marinade and cooking yield. Fillets affected by both abnormalities had the highest (Pcooked meat, drip loss, purge loss and cooked meat shear force were negligible or relatively low and of little practical importance. Thus, the presence of white striping and wooden breast abnormalities impair not only breast meat appearance but also the quality of both raw and marinated meats mainly by reducing water holding/binding abilities.

Electronic structure of a striped nickelate studied by the exact exchange for correlated electrons (EECE) approach

KAUST Repository

Schwingenschlögl, Udo

2009-12-01

Motivated by a RIXS study of Wakimoto, et al.(Phys. Rev. Lett., 102 (2009) 157001) we use density functional theory to analyze the magnetic order in the nickelate La5/3Sr1/3NiO4 and the details of its crystal and electronic structure. We compare the generalized gradient approximation to the hybrid functional approach of exact exchange for correlated electrons (EECE). In contrast to the former, the latter reproduces the insulating state of the compound and the midgap states. The EECE approach, in general, appears to be appropriate for describing stripe phases in systems with orbital degrees of freedom. Copyright © EPLA, 2009.

Bulk temperature measurement in thermally striped pipe flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemure, N.; Olvera, J.R.; Ruggles, A.E.

1995-12-01

The hot leg flows in some Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) designs have a temperature distribution across the pipe cross-section. This condition is often referred to as a thermally striped flow. Here, the bulk temperature measurement of pipe flows with thermal striping is explored. An experiment is conducted to examine the feasibility of using temperature measurements on the external surface of the pipe to estimate the bulk temperature of the flow. Simple mixing models are used to characterize the development of the temperature profile in the flow. Simple averaging techniques and Backward Propagating Neural Net are used to predict bulk temperature from the external temperature measurements. Accurate bulk temperatures can be predicted. However, some temperature distributions in the flow effectively mask the bulk temperature from the wall and cause significant error in the bulk temperature predicted using this technique

Quantitative contrast-enhanced optical coherence tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winetraub, Yonatan; SoRelle, Elliott D. [Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Bio-X Program, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Biophysics Program, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Liba, Orly [Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Bio-X Program, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Zerda, Adam de la [Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Bio-X Program, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Biophysics Program, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305 (United States)

2016-01-11

We have developed a model to accurately quantify the signals produced by exogenous scattering agents used for contrast-enhanced Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). This model predicts distinct concentration-dependent signal trends that arise from the underlying physics of OCT detection. Accordingly, we show that real scattering particles can be described as simplified ideal scatterers with modified scattering intensity and concentration. The relation between OCT signal and particle concentration is approximately linear at concentrations lower than 0.8 particle per imaging voxel. However, at higher concentrations, interference effects cause signal to increase with a square root dependence on the number of particles within a voxel. Finally, high particle concentrations cause enough light attenuation to saturate the detected signal. Predictions were validated by comparison with measured OCT signals from gold nanorods (GNRs) prepared in water at concentrations ranging over five orders of magnitude (50 fM to 5 nM). In addition, we validated that our model accurately predicts the signal responses of GNRs in highly heterogeneous scattering environments including whole blood and living animals. By enabling particle quantification, this work provides a valuable tool for current and future contrast-enhanced in vivo OCT studies. More generally, the model described herein may inform the interpretation of detected signals in modalities that rely on coherence-based detection or are susceptible to interference effects.

Magnetic stripes and holes: Complex domain patterns in perforated films with weak perpendicular anisotropy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Valdés-Bango

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Hexagonal antidot arrays have been patterned on weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy NdCo films by e-beam lithography and lift off. Domain structure has been characterized by Magnetic Force Microscopy at remanence. On a local length scale, of the order of stripe pattern period, domain configuration is controlled by edge effects within the stripe pattern: stripe domains meet the hole boundary at either perpendicular or parallel orientation. On a longer length scale, in-plane magnetostatic effects dominate the system: clear superdomains are observed in the patterned film with average in-plane magnetization along the easy directions of the antidot array, correlated over several antidot array cells.

Magnetic stripes and holes: Complex domain patterns in perforated films with weak perpendicular anisotropy

Science.gov (United States)

Valdés-Bango, F.; Vélez, M.; Alvarez-Prado, L. M.; Alameda, J. M.; Martín, J. I.

2017-05-01

Hexagonal antidot arrays have been patterned on weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy NdCo films by e-beam lithography and lift off. Domain structure has been characterized by Magnetic Force Microscopy at remanence. On a local length scale, of the order of stripe pattern period, domain configuration is controlled by edge effects within the stripe pattern: stripe domains meet the hole boundary at either perpendicular or parallel orientation. On a longer length scale, in-plane magnetostatic effects dominate the system: clear superdomains are observed in the patterned film with average in-plane magnetization along the easy directions of the antidot array, correlated over several antidot array cells.

Detection, Occurrence, and Survey of Rice Stripe and Black-Streaked Dwarf Diseases in Zhejiang Province, China

OpenAIRE

Heng-mu ZHANG; Hua-di WANG; Jian YANG; Michael J ADAMS; Jian-ping CHEN

2013-01-01

The major viral diseases that occur on rice plants in Zhejiang Province, eastern China, are stripe and rice black-streaked dwarf diseases. Rice stripe disease is only caused by rice stripe tenuivirus (RSV), while rice black-streaked dwarf disease can be caused by rice black-streaked dwarf fijivirus (RBSDV) and/or southern rice black-streaked dwarf fijivirus (SRBSDV). Here we review the characterization of these viruses, methods for their detection, and extensive surveys showing their occurren...

Assessing the variability of Red Stripe Disease in Louisiana sugarcane using precision agriculture methods

Science.gov (United States)

Symptoms of red stripe disease caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae in Louisiana between 1985 and 2010 were limited to the leaf stripe form which caused no apparent yield loss. During 2010, the more severe top rot form was observed, and a study was initiated to investigate the distribution of r...

Magnetization dynamics of weak stripe domains in Fe-N thin films: a multi-technique complementary approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Camara, Ibrahima; Tacchi, Silvia; Garnier, Louis-Charles; Eddrief, Mahmoud; Fortuna, Franck; Carlotti, Giovanni; Marangolo, Massimiliano

2017-09-26

The resonant eigenmodes of a nitrogen-implanted iron α'-FeN characterized by weak stripe domains are investigated by Brillouin light scattering and broadband ferromagnetic resonance experiments, assisted by micromagnetic simulations. The spectrum of the dynamic eigenmodes in the presence of the weak stripes is very rich and two different families of modes can be selectively detected using different techniques or different experimental configurations. Attention is paid to the evolution of the mode frequencies and spatial profiles under the application of an external magnetic field, of variable intensity, in the direction parallel or transverse to the stripes. The different evolution of the modes with the external magnetic field is accompanied by a distinctive spatial localization in specific regions, such as the closure domains at the surface of the stripes and the bulk domains localized in the inner part of the stripes. The complementarity of BLS and FMR techniques, based on different selection rules, is found to be a fruitful tool for the study of the wealth of localized mag-netic excitations generally found in nanostructures. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Long-range transverse spin Seebeck effect in permalloy stripes using Sagnac interferometer microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Haoliang; McLaughlin, Ryan; Sun, Dali; Valy Vardeny, Z.

2018-04-01

Coupling of spins and phonons in ferromagnets (FM) may persist up to mm length scale, thus generating macroscopic spatially distributed spin accumulation along the direction of an applied thermal gradient to an FM slab. This typical feature of transverse spin Seebeck effect (TSSE) has been demonstrated so far using electrical detection methods in FM films, in particular in a patterned structure, in which FM stripes grown onto a substrate perpendicular to the applied thermal gradient direction are electrically and magnetically isolated. Here we report optically detected TSSE response in isolated FM stripes based on permalloy deposited on SiN substrate, upon the application of a thermal gradient. For these measurements we used the magneto-optic Kerr effect measured by an ultrasensitive Sagnac interferometer microscope that is immune to thermo-electrics artefacts. We found that the optical TSSE coefficient in the NiFe stripes geometry is about one order of magnitude smaller than that in the continuous NiFe film, which is due to the limited phonons path in the FM stripes along the thermal gradient direction. Our results further confirm the existence of TSSE response in conducting FM compounds.

Appraisal of wheat germplasm for adult plant resistance against stripe rust

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saleem Kamran

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The resurgence of wheat stripe rust is of great concern for world food security. Owing to resistance breakdown and the appearance of new virulent high-temperature adapted races of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst, many high yielding commercial varieties in the country lost their yield potential. Searching for new sources of resistance is the best approach to mitigate the problem. Quantitative resistance (partial or adult plant or durable resistance is reported to be more stable than race specific resistance. In the current perusal, a repertoire of 57 promising wheat lines along with the KLcheck line Morocco, developed through hybridisation and selection of local and international lines with International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT origin, were evaluated under natural field conditions at Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB during the 2012−2013 and 2013−2014 time periods. Final rust severity (FRS, the area under the rust progress curve (AURPC, the relative area under the rust progress curve (rAURPC, and the coefficient of infection (CI were unraveled to infer the level of quantitative resistance. Final rust severity was recorded when the susceptible check exhibited 100% severity. There were 21 lines which were immune (no disease, 16 which were resistant, five moderately resistant, two resistant-to-moderately resistant, one moderately resistant-to-moderately susceptible, 5 moderately susceptible-to-susceptible, one moderately susceptible, and six exhibited a susceptible response. Nevertheless, 51 lines exhibited a high level of partial resistance while the three lines, NW-5-1212-1, NW-7-30-1, and NW-7-5 all showed a moderate level of partial resistance based on FRS, while 54 lines, on the basis of AURPC and rAURPC, were identified as conferring a high level of partial resistance. Moreover, adult plant resistance was conferred by 47 wheat lines, based on CI value. It was striking that, 13 immune lines

Calibration of Binocular Vision Sensors Based on Unknown-Sized Elliptical Stripe Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen Liu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Most of the existing calibration methods for binocular stereo vision sensor (BSVS depend on a high-accuracy target with feature points that are difficult and costly to manufacture and. In complex light conditions, optical filters are used for BSVS, but they affect imaging quality. Hence, the use of a high-accuracy target with certain-sized feature points for calibration is not feasible under such complex conditions. To solve these problems, a calibration method based on unknown-sized elliptical stripe images is proposed. With known intrinsic parameters, the proposed method adopts the elliptical stripes located on the parallel planes as a medium to calibrate BSVS online. In comparison with the common calibration methods, the proposed method avoids utilizing high-accuracy target with certain-sized feature points. Therefore, the proposed method is not only easy to implement but is a realistic method for the calibration of BSVS with optical filter. Changing the size of elliptical curves projected on the target solves the difficulty of applying the proposed method in different fields of view and distances. Simulative and physical experiments are conducted to validate the efficiency of the proposed method. When the field of view is approximately 400 mm × 300 mm, the proposed method can reach a calibration accuracy of 0.03 mm, which is comparable with that of Zhang’s method.

Analysis of antibody aggregate content at extremely high concentrations using sedimentation velocity with a novel interference optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Schilling, Kristian; Krause, Frank

2015-01-01

Monoclonal antibodies represent the most important group of protein-based biopharmaceuticals. During formulation, manufacturing, or storage, antibodies may suffer post-translational modifications altering their physical and chemical properties. Such induced conformational changes may lead to the formation of aggregates, which can not only reduce their efficiency but also be immunogenic. Therefore, it is essential to monitor the amount of size variants to ensure consistency and quality of pharmaceutical antibodies. In many cases, antibodies are formulated at very high concentrations > 50 g/L, mostly along with high amounts of sugar-based excipients. As a consequence, all routine aggregation analysis methods, such as size-exclusion chromatography, cannot monitor the size distribution at those original conditions, but only after dilution and usually under completely different solvent conditions. In contrast, sedimentation velocity (SV) allows to analyze samples directly in the product formulation, both with limited sample-matrix interactions and minimal dilution. One prerequisite for the analysis of highly concentrated samples is the detection of steep concentration gradients with sufficient resolution: Commercially available ultracentrifuges are not able to resolve such steep interference profiles. With the development of our Advanced Interference Detection Array (AIDA), it has become possible to register interferograms of solutions as highly concentrated as 150 g/L. The other major difficulty encountered at high protein concentrations is the pronounced non-ideal sedimentation behavior resulting from repulsive intermolecular interactions, for which a comprehensive theoretical modelling has not yet been achieved. Here, we report the first SV analysis of highly concentrated antibodies up to 147 g/L employing the unique AIDA ultracentrifuge. By developing a consistent experimental design and data fit approach, we were able to provide a reliable estimation of the minimum

Multi-location wheat stripe rust QTL analysis: genetic background and epistatic interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vazquez, M Dolores; Zemetra, Robert; Peterson, C James; Chen, Xianming M; Heesacker, Adam; Mundt, Christopher C

2015-07-01

Epistasis and genetic background were important influences on expression of stripe rust resistance in two wheat RIL populations, one with resistance conditioned by two major genes and the other conditioned by several minor QTL. Stripe rust is a foliar disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) caused by the air-borne fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and is present in most regions around the world where commercial wheat is grown. Breeding for durable resistance to stripe rust continues to be a priority, but also is a challenge due to the complexity of interactions among resistance genes and to the wide diversity and continuous evolution of the pathogen races. The goal of this study was to detect chromosomal regions for resistance to stripe rust in two winter wheat populations, 'Tubbs'/'NSA-98-0995' (T/N) and 'Einstein'/'Tubbs' (E/T), evaluated across seven environments and mapped with diversity array technology and simple sequence repeat markers covering polymorphic regions of ≈1480 and 1117 cM, respectively. Analysis of variance for phenotypic data revealed significant (P located in chromosomes 2AS and 6AL, with epistatic interaction between them, were responsible for the main phenotypic response. For the T/N population, eight QTL were identified, with those in chromosomes 2AL and 2BL accounting for the largest percentage of the phenotypic variance.

Genome-wide association mapping reveals a rich genetic architecture of stripe rust resistance loci in emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Weizhen; Maccaferri, Marco; Chen, Xianming; Laghetti, Gaetano; Pignone, Domenico; Pumphrey, Michael; Tuberosa, Roberto

2017-11-01

SNP-based genome scanning in worldwide domesticated emmer germplasm showed high genetic diversity, rapid linkage disequilibrium decay and 51 loci for stripe rust resistance, a large proportion of which were novel. Cultivated emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum), one of the oldest domesticated crops in the world, is a potentially rich reservoir of variation for improvement of resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in wheat. Resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) in emmer wheat has been under-investigated. Here, we employed genome-wide association (GWAS) mapping with a mixed linear model to dissect effective stripe rust resistance loci in a worldwide collection of 176 cultivated emmer wheat accessions. Adult plants were tested in six environments and seedlings were evaluated with five races from the United States and one from Italy under greenhouse conditions. Five accessions were resistant across all experiments. The panel was genotyped with the wheat 90,000 Illumina iSelect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and 5106 polymorphic SNP markers with mapped positions were obtained. A high level of genetic diversity and fast linkage disequilibrium decay were observed. In total, we identified 14 loci associated with field resistance in multiple environments. Thirty-seven loci were significantly associated with all-stage (seedling) resistance and six of them were effective against multiple races. Of the 51 total loci, 29 were mapped distantly from previously reported stripe rust resistance genes or quantitative trait loci and represent newly discovered resistance loci. Our results suggest that GWAS is an effective method for characterizing genes in cultivated emmer wheat and confirm that emmer wheat is a rich source of stripe rust resistance loci that can be used for wheat improvement.

Assessing the Effects of Suomi NPP VIIRS M15/M16 Detector Radiometric Stability and Relative Spectral Response Variation on Striping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhuo Wang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Modern satellite radiometers have many detectors with different relative spectral response (RSR. Effect of RSR differences on striping and the root cause of striping in sensor data record (SDR radiance and brightness temperature products have not been well studied. A previous study used MODTRAN radiative transfer model (RTM to analyze striping. In this study, we make efforts to find the possible root causes of striping. Line-by-Line RTM (LBLRTM is used to evaluate the effect of RSR difference on striping and the atmospheric dependency for VIIRS bands M15 and M16. The results show that previous study using MODTRAN is repeatable: the striping is related to the difference between band-averaged and detector-level RSR, and the BT difference has some atmospheric dependency. We also analyzed VIIRS earth view (EV data with several striping index methods. Since the EV data is complex, we further analyze the onboard calibration data. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA test shows that the noise along track direction is the major reason for striping. We also found evidence of correlation between solar diffuser (SD and blackbody (BB for detector 1 in M15. Digital Count Restoration (DCR and detector instability are possibly related to the striping in SD and EV data, but further analysis is needed. These findings can potentially lead to further SDR processing improvements.

Integration of multiple theories for the simulation of laser interference lithography processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Te-Hsun; Yang, Yin-Kuang; Fu, Chien-Chung

2017-11-24

The periodic structure of laser interference lithography (LIL) fabrication is superior to other lithography technologies. In contrast to traditional lithography, LIL has the advantages of being a simple optical system with no mask requirements, low cost, high depth of focus, and large patterning area in a single exposure. Generally, a simulation pattern for the periodic structure is obtained through optical interference prior to its fabrication through LIL. However, the LIL process is complex and combines the fields of optical and polymer materials; thus, a single simulation theory cannot reflect the real situation. Therefore, this research integrates multiple theories, including those of optical interference, standing waves, and photoresist characteristics, to create a mathematical model for the LIL process. The mathematical model can accurately estimate the exposure time and reduce the LIL process duration through trial and error.

Integration of multiple theories for the simulation of laser interference lithography processes

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Te-Hsun; Yang, Yin-Kuang; Fu, Chien-Chung

2017-11-01

The periodic structure of laser interference lithography (LIL) fabrication is superior to other lithography technologies. In contrast to traditional lithography, LIL has the advantages of being a simple optical system with no mask requirements, low cost, high depth of focus, and large patterning area in a single exposure. Generally, a simulation pattern for the periodic structure is obtained through optical interference prior to its fabrication through LIL. However, the LIL process is complex and combines the fields of optical and polymer materials; thus, a single simulation theory cannot reflect the real situation. Therefore, this research integrates multiple theories, including those of optical interference, standing waves, and photoresist characteristics, to create a mathematical model for the LIL process. The mathematical model can accurately estimate the exposure time and reduce the LIL process duration through trial and error.

Systemic response of Korean dark-striped field mice, Apodenmus agrarius coreae after high-dose- rate γ-irradiation: Organ weights, hemato-chemistry, apoptosis of splenocytes and sperm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Kwang Hee; Choi, Hoon; Joo, Hyun Jin; Kim, Hee Sun [Radiation Health Research Institute, KHNP, Gyeongju (Korea, Republic of); Keum, Dong Kwon [Nuclear Environment Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-11-15

Since the territory of the radio-contaminated area is in homeogenous in radiation level and spectrum, investigation of the genetical mutation process in the natural animal populations inhabiting the radioontaminated areas will be provide a realistic picture of genetic effects for radiation exposure. However, little is known about the basic data such as systemic responses after ionizing radiation exposures in wild small rodents. Taking into account different radio-sensitivity of dark-striped field mice (A. a. coreae, THOMAS), the objective of the study is focus on investigate the level of systemic responses, included organ weights, hemato-chemistry and apoptosis in splenocytes and sperm of caudal epididymis after high-dose-rate irradiation especially as a potential biological dosimeter in radio-ecology. Figure 1 summarizes the results of the apoptotic events in spleen (data not shown at here) and in sperm of caudal epididymis at 24hrs after a single high-dose-rate γ-irradiation. The results of apoptosis in spleen and sperm caused by exposure to different doses of γ-irradiation are displayed. The data show that the field striped mice after irradiated with more than high dose of 0.5 Gy induces an significantly increased apoptosis. Results also shown that for exposure to 0.5 Gy, the apoptosis of both organs ware decreased compared to those of other γ-irradiated mice.

Evaluation of thermal striping risks: Limitation of cracks initiation and propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drubay, B.; Acker, D.

1994-01-01

Thermal striping is the effect of a rapid random oscillation of surface temperature inducing a corresponding fluctuation of surface strains. It occurs on components situated in the mixing zone of coolant streams of different temperatures and is characterised by large numbers of strain cycles having the potential to add to the fatigue damage produced by strain cycles associated with all other plant operating events. The purpose of this paper is to describe the R and D works performed in the frame of the European Fast Reactor project between 1985 and 1992 on the thermal striping: experimental works and validation of assessment methodology. (author)

Tidal-Induced Ocean Dynamics as Cause of Enceladus' Tiger Stripe Pattern

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeersen, B. L.; Maas, L. R.; van Oers, S.; Rabitti, A.; Jara-Orue, H.

2013-12-01

One of the most peculiar features on Saturn moon Enceladus is its so-called tiger stripe pattern at the geologically active South Polar Terrain (SPT), as first observed in detail by the Cassini spacecraft early 2005. It is generally assumed that the four almost parallel surface lines that constitute this pattern are faults in the icy surface overlying a confined salty water reservoir. Indeed, later Cassini observations have shown that salty water jets originate from the tiger stripes [e.g., Hansen et al., Science, 311, 1422-1425, 2006; Postberg et al., Nature, 474, 620-622, 2011]. The periodic activity of the tiger stripe faults shows a strong correlation with tidal forcing. Jets emanating from specific fault lines seem to be triggered at those places of the faults where tidal-induced stresses are largest immediately following closest orbital approach with Saturn [e.g., Hurford et al., Nature, 447, 292-294, 2007]. Thus jet activity seems to be directly induced by tidal forcing. However, this does not explain the characteristic regular pattern of the stripes themselves. Here we explore the possibility that this pattern is formed and maintained by induced, tidally and rotationally driven, fluid motions in the ocean underneath the icy surface of the tiger-stripe region. The remarkable spatial regularity of Enceladus' SPT fault lines is reminiscent of that observed at the surface of confined density-stratified fluids by the action of induced internal gravity waves. Theoretical analysis, numerical simulations and laboratory water tank experiments all indicate that wave attractors - particular limit orbits to which waves are focused in a fluid basin - naturally emerge in gravitationally (radial salt concentration or temperature differences) or rotationally stratified confined fluids as a function of forcing periodicity and fluid basin geometry [Maas et al., Nature, 338, 557-561, 1997]. We have found that ocean dynamical wave attractors induced by tidal-effective forcing

Hematologic and plasma chemistry RIs for cultured Striped catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) in recirculating aquaculture systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Galagarza, Oscar A; Kuhn, David D; Smith, Stephen A; Hrubec, Terry C

2017-09-01

Striped catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) is a valuable aquaculture fish species produced primarily in Southeast Asia. In the United States, it is bred as an ornamental species. Striped catfish has high productivity and great demand in numerous countries around the world, yet little is known about its normal physiology. The objective of this study was to establish hematologic and blood chemistry RIs for healthy juvenile Striped catfish. Blood samples were collected from 70 Striped catfish raised in recirculating aquaculture systems. Whole blood and plasma samples were analyzed for multiple hematologic and chemistry variables using standard techniques. The RIs for hematology were as follows: PCV 23.5-35.9%, MCV 106.3-156.6 fL, RBC count 1.79-2.75 × 10 6 cells/μL, thrombocytes 26,318-73,333 cells/μL, total WBC count 36,294-94,286 cells/μL, total lymphocytes 18,997-59,998 cells/μL, small lymphocytes 13,763-51,490 cells/μL, large lymphocytes 715-21,200 cells/μL, granulocytes 4504-18,291 cells/μL, and monocytes 0-7549 cells/μL. Plasma chemistry RIs were the following: ALP 32.7-74.6 U/L, AST 20.3-1235.8 U/L, sodium 135.2-147.7 mmol/L, potassium 3.3-5.0 mmol/L, chloride 120.1-133.6 mmol/L, calcium 2.7-3.6 mmol/L, magnesium 0.9-1.3 mmol/L, phosphorous 1.4-2.7 mmol/L, glucose 4.6-7.6 mmol/L, cholesterol 2.8-5.3 mmol/L, total protein 30-42 g/L, albumin 7-11 g/L, globulin 22-32 g/L, albumin:globulin ratio 0.27-0.37, creatinine 0-8 μmol/L, and osmolality 251.8-327.9 mOsm/kg. Reference intervals reported here can help veterinarians and fish health specialists monitor the health status of Striped catfish under recirculating aquaculture conditions for research, exhibition, and production purposes. © 2017 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Cross-polarisation discrimination-induced interference in dual-polarised high-capacity satellite communication systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulkareem Sarki Karasuwa

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The design of spectrally-efficient, high-throughput satellite (HTS systems with capacity approaching one terabit per second requires operating at Ka-band frequencies and above, where there are several gigahertz of allocated radio spectrum, using multiple spot beams with dual orthogonal polarisation mode. At these high frequencies, rain attenuation poses a major obstacle to the design of high-availability satellite links which are needed for the realisation of ubiquitous broadband multimedia communication services including high-speed Internet access at rural and remote locations. Furthermore, depolarisation-induced interference in such systems could have a performance-limiting impact if a co-channel cross-polar signal combines with system noise to drive the carrier-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (CNIR below an acceptable threshold. This paper employs real measurement data to investigate the impact of depolarisation-induced interference on dual-polarised HTS systems for temperate and tropical climatic regions. Scenarios that cause significant system performance degradation are analysed, including the effects of signal frequency, antenna size, and regional rainfall rate. The impact of depolarisation on system performance is quantified by the reductions in the CNIR and link availability of a dual-polarised system when compared with those of a similarly-dimensioned single-polarised system.

The Michelson interferometer-how to detect invisible interference patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verovnik, Ivo; Likar, Andrej

2004-01-01

In a Michelson interferometer, the contrast of the interference pattern fades away due to incoherence of light when the mirrors are not in equidistant positions. We propose an experiment where the distance between the interference fringes can be determined, even when the difference in length of the interferometer arms is far beyond the coherence length of the light, i.e. when the interference pattern disappears completely for the naked eye. We used a semiconductor laser with two photodiodes as sensors, which enabled us to follow the fluctuations of the light intensity on the screen. The distance between invisible interference fringes was determined from periodic changes of the summed fluctuating signal, obtained by changing the distance between the two sensors

Asymptotic expansions for high-contrast linear elasticity

KAUST Repository

Poveda, Leonardo A.; Huepo, Sebastian; Calo, Victor M.; Galvis, Juan

2015-01-01

We study linear elasticity problems with high contrast in the coefficients using asymptotic limits recently introduced. We derive an asymptotic expansion to solve heterogeneous elasticity problems in terms of the contrast in the coefficients. We study the convergence of the expansion in the H1 norm. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

Asymptotic expansions for high-contrast linear elasticity

KAUST Repository

Poveda, Leonardo A.

2015-03-01

We study linear elasticity problems with high contrast in the coefficients using asymptotic limits recently introduced. We derive an asymptotic expansion to solve heterogeneous elasticity problems in terms of the contrast in the coefficients. We study the convergence of the expansion in the H1 norm. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

Theoretical and experimental investigations of efficient light coupling with spatially varied all dielectric striped waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Y. A.; Tandogan, S. E.; Hayran, Z.; Giden, I. H.; Turduev, M.; Kurt, H.

2017-07-01

Integrated photonic systems require efficient, compact, and broadband solutions for strong light coupling into and out of optical waveguides. The present work investigates an efficient optical power transferring the problem between optical waveguides having different widths of in/out terminals. We propose a considerably practical and feasible concept to implement and design an optical coupler by introducing gradually index modulation to the coupler section. The index profile of the coupler section is modulated with a Gaussian function by the help of striped waveguides. The effective medium theory is used to replace the original spatially varying index profile with dielectric stripes of a finite length/width having a constant effective refractive index. 2D and 3D finite-difference time-domain analyzes are utilized to investigate the sampling effect of the designed optical coupler and to determine the parameters that play a crucial role in enhancing the optical power transfer performance. Comparing the coupling performance of conventional benchmark adiabatic and butt couplers with the designed striped waveguide coupler, the corresponding coupling efficiency increases from approximately 30% to 95% over a wide frequency interval. In addition, to realize the realistic optical coupler appropriate to integrated photonic applications, the proposed structure is numerically designed on a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The implemented SOI platform based optical coupler operates in the telecom wavelength regime (λ = 1.55 μm), and the dimensions of the striped coupler are kept as 9.77 μm (along the transverse to propagation direction) and 7.69 μm (along the propagation direction) where the unit distance is fixed to be 465 nm. Finally, to demonstrate the operating design principle, the microwave experiments are conducted and the spot size conversion ratio as high as 7.1:1 is measured, whereas a coupling efficiency over 60% in the frequency range of 5.0-16.0 GHz has been also

Halftoning for high-contrast imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kasper M.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available High-contrast instruments, such as SPHERE (upcoming planet finder instrument for the ESO-VLT, or EPICS (planet hunter project for the future E-ELT, will require customized components with spatially varying transmission (e.g. coronagraphs, optical components that reduce the contrast between a companion and its parent star. The goal of these sub-systems is to control the spatial transmission, either in a pupil plane (pupil apodization, or in a focal plane of the instrument (occulting mask, i.e. low-frequency filter. Reliably producing components with spatially varying transmission is not trivial, and different techniques have been already investigated for application to astronomy (e.g. metal deposition with spatially-varying thickness, or high-energy beam sensitive glass using e-beam lithography. We present some results related to the recent development of components with spatially varying transmission using a relatively simple technique analogous to the digital halftoning process used for printing applications.

Distracted and down: neural mechanisms of affective interference in subclinical depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Roselinde H; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Warren, Stacie L; Sutton, Bradley P; Miller, Gregory A; Heller, Wendy; Banich, Marie T

2015-05-01

Previous studies have shown that depressed individuals have difficulty directing attention away from negative distractors, a phenomenon known as affective interference. However, findings are mixed regarding the neural mechanisms and network dynamics of affective interference. The present study addressed these issues by comparing neural activation during emotion-word and color-word Stroop tasks in participants with varying levels of (primarily subclinical) depression. Depressive symptoms predicted increased activation to negative distractors in areas of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), regions implicated in cognitive control and internally directed attention, respectively. Increased dACC activity was also observed in the group-average response to incongruent distractors, suggesting that dACC activity during affective interference is related to overtaxed cognitive control. In contrast, regions of PCC were deactivated across the group in response to incongruent distractors, suggesting that PCC activity during affective interference represents task-independent processing. A psychophysiological interaction emerged in which higher depression predicted more positively correlated activity between dACC and PCC during affective interference, i.e. greater connectivity between cognitive control and internal-attention systems. These findings suggest that, when individuals high in depression are confronted by negative material, increased attention to internal thoughts and difficulty shifting resources to the external world interfere with goal-directed behavior. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Breeding biology of the Three-striped warbler in Venezuela: A contrast between tropical and temperate parulids

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, W.A.; Martin, T.E.

2009-01-01

We document reproductive life history traits of the Three-striped Warbler (Basileuterus tristriatus) from 146 nests in Venezuela and compare our results to data from the literature for other tropical and temperate parulid species. Mean (?? SE) clutch size was 1.96 ?? 0.03 eggs (n = 96) and fresh egg mass was 2.09 ?? 0.02 g. The incubation period was 15.8 ?? 0.2 days (n = 23) and the nestling period was 10.5 ?? 0.3 days (n = 12). Males did not incubate and rarely provided food for females during incubation. Females had 57 ?? 2% (n = 49) nest attentiveness (% of time on the nest incubating), which caused egg temperature to commonly become cold relative to development. Both adults fed nestlings and feeding rates increased with nestling age. The growth rate constant for nestlings based on mass was K 0.490, which is slower than for north temperate warblers. Predation was the primary source of nest failure and only 22% of nests were successful based on a Mayfield daily predation rate of 0.048 ?? 0.006. Our literature review indicates parulids differ strongly in life histories between temperate and tropical/subtropical sites with species in the tropics having, on average, smaller clutches, longer incubation periods, lower nest attentiveness, longer off-bouts, and longer nestling periods. ?? 2009 by the Wilson Ornithological Society.

Reconstruction methods for phase-contrast tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raven, C.

1997-02-01

Phase contrast imaging with coherent x-rays can be distinguished in outline imaging and holography, depending on the wavelength {lambda}, the object size d and the object-to-detector distance r. When r << d{sup 2}{lambda}, phase contrast occurs only in regions where the refractive index fastly changes, i.e. at interfaces and edges in the sample. With increasing object-to-detector distance we come in the area of holographic imaging. The image contrast outside the shadow region of the object is due to interference of the direct, undiffracted beam and a beam diffracted by the object, or, in terms of holography, the interference of a reference wave with the object wave. Both, outline imaging and holography, offer the possibility to obtain three dimensional information of the sample in conjunction with a tomographic technique. But the data treatment and the kind of information one can obtain from the reconstruction is different.

32 CFR Appendix E to Part 246 - Stars and Stripes (S&S) Board of Directors

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... of directors shall monitor planning and execution of the S&S business activities. 2. The S&S board of... DEFENSE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS STARS AND STRIPES (S&S) NEWSPAPER AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS Pt. 246, App. E Appendix E to Part 246—Stars and Stripes (S&S) Board of Directors A. Organization and Management...

Structural or pigmentary? Origin of the distinctive white stripe on the blue wing of a Morpho butterfly.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshioka, Shinya; Kinoshita, Shuichi

2006-01-22

A few species of Morpho butterflies have a distinctive white stripe pattern on their structurally coloured blue wings. Since the colour pattern of a butterfly wing is formed as a mosaic of differently coloured scales, several questions naturally arise: are the microstructures the same between the blue and white scales? How is the distinctive whiteness produced, structurally or by means of pigmentation? To answer these questions, we have performed structural and optical investigations of the stripe pattern of a butterfly, Morpho cypris. It is found that besides the dorsal and ventral scale layers, the wing substrate also has the corresponding stripe pattern. Quantitative optical measurements and analysis using a simple model for the wing structure reveal the origin of the higher reflectance which makes the white stripe brighter.

Phase-contrast X-ray CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momose, Atsushi [Hitachi Ltd., Saitama (Japan). Advanced Research Laboratory; Takeda, Tohoru; Itai, Yuji

1995-12-01

Phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography (CT) enabling the observation of biological soft tissues without contrast enhancement has been developed. The X-ray phase shift caused by an object is measured and input to a standard CT reconstruction algorithm. A thousand times increase in the image sensitivity to soft tissues is achieved compared with the conventional CT using absorption contrast. This is because the X-ray phase shift cross section of light elements is about a thousand times larger than the absorption cross section. The phase shift is detected using an X-ray interferometer and computer analyses of interference patterns. Experiments were performed using a synchrotron X-ray source. Excellent image sensitivity is demonstrated in the observation of cancerous rabbit liver. The CT images distinguish cancer lesion from normal liver tissue and, moreover, visualize the pathological condition in the lesion. Although the X-ray energy employed and the present observation area size are not suitable for medical applications as they are, phase-contrast X-ray CT is promising for investigating the internal structure of soft tissue which is almost transparent for X-rays. The high sensitivity also provides the advantage of reducing X-ray doses. (author).

Stripe domains in Fe-Zr-N nanocrystalline films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Craus, C.B.; Craus, C.B.; Chezan, A.R.; Siekman, Martin Herman; Lodder, J.C.; Boerma, D.O.; Niesen, L.

2002-01-01

We report on the transition between a magnetic stripe domain structure and in-plane orientation of the spins, as a function of nitrogen content, for 500nm thick Fe-Zr-N films prepared by DC reactive sputtering on glass substrates. The saturation field decreases and the saturation magnetization

NATURAL TRANSVERSE VIBRATIONS OF A PRESTRESSED ORTHOTROPIC PLATE-STRIPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Egorychev Oleg Aleksandrovich

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The article represents a new outlook at the boundary-value problem of natural vibrations of a homogeneous pre-stressed orthotropic plate-stripe. In the paper, the motion equation represents a new approximate hyperbolic equation (rather than a parabolic equation used in the majority of papers covering the same problem describing the vibration of a homogeneous orthotropic plate-stripe. The proposed research is based on newly derived boundary conditions describing the pin-edge, rigid, and elastic (vertical types of fixing, as well as the boundary conditions applicable to the unfixed edge of the plate. The paper contemplates the application of the Laplace transformation and a non-standard representation of a homogeneous differential equation with fixed factors. The article proposes a detailed representation of the problem of natural vibrations of a homogeneous orthotropic plate-stripe if rigidly fixed at opposite sides; besides, the article also provides frequency equations (no conclusions describing the plate characterized by the following boundary conditions: rigid fixing at one side and pin-edge fixing at the opposite side; pin-edge fixing at one side and free (unfixed other side; rigid fixing at one side and elastic fixing at the other side. The results described in the article may be helpful if applied in the construction sector whenever flat structural elements are considered. Moreover, specialists in solid mechanics and theory of elasticity may benefit from the ideas proposed in the article.

The componential processing of fractions in adults and children: effects of stimuli variability and contextual interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li; Fang, Qiaochu; Gabriel, Florence C; Szücs, Dénes

2014-01-01

Recent studies have indicated that people have a strong tendency to compare fractions based on constituent numerators or denominators. This is called componential processing. This study explored whether componential processing was preferred in tasks involving high stimuli variability and high contextual interference, when fractions could be compared based either on the holistic values of fractions or on their denominators. Here, stimuli variability referred to the fact that fractions were not monotonous but diversiform. Contextual interference referred to the fact that the processing of fractions was interfered by other stimuli. To our ends, three tasks were used. In Task 1, participants compared a standard fraction 1/5 to unit fractions. This task was used as a low stimuli variability and low contextual interference task. In Task 2 stimuli variability was increased by mixing unit and non-unit fractions. In Task 3, high contextual interference was created by incorporating decimals into fractions. The RT results showed that the processing patterns of fractions were very similar for adults and children. In task 1 and task 3, only componential processing was utilzied. In contrast, both holistic processing and componential processing were utilized in task 2. These results suggest that, if individuals are presented with the opportunity to perform componential processing, both adults and children will tend to do so, even if they are faced with high variability of fractions or high contextual interference.

L'analyse contrastive: histoire et situation actuelle (Contrastive Analysis: History and Current Situation).

Science.gov (United States)

Py, Bernard

1984-01-01

It is suggested that it is not between two languages that transfers and interference occur, but within the learner. The learner mediates and constructs this relationship according to acquisition operations, processes, strategies, and stages that contrastive analysis, despite its utility, can neither account for nor predict. (MSE)

Visualization of living terminal hypertrophic chondrocytes of growth plate cartilage in situ by differential interference contrast microscopy and time-lapse cinematography.

Science.gov (United States)

Farnum, C E; Turgai, J; Wilsman, N J

1990-09-01

The functional unit within the growth plate consists of a column of chondrocytes that passes through a sequence of phases including proliferation, hypertrophy, and death. It is important to our understanding of the biology of the growth plate to determine if distal hypertrophic cells are viable, highly differentiated cells with the potential of actively controlling terminal events of endochondral ossification prior to their death at the chondro-osseous junction. This study for the first time reports on the visualization of living hypertrophic chondrocytes in situ, including the terminal hypertrophic chondrocyte. Chondrocytes in growth plate explants are visualized using rectified differential interference contrast microscopy. We record and measure, using time-lapse cinematography, the rate of movement of subcellular organelles at the limit of resolution of this light microscopy system. Control experiments to assess viability of hypertrophic chondrocytes include coincubating organ cultures with the intravital dye fluorescein diacetate to assess the integrity of the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic esterases. In this system, all hypertrophic chondrocytes, including the very terminal chondrocyte, exist as rounded, fully hydrated cells. By the criteria of intravital dye staining and organelle movement, distal hypertrophic chondrocytes are identical to chondrocytes in the proliferative and early hypertrophic cell zones.

Understanding quantum interference in general nonlocality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Haijun

2011-01-01

In this paper we attempt to give a new understanding of quantum double-slit interference of fermions in the framework of general nonlocality (GN) [J. Math. Phys. 49, 033513 (2008)] by studying the self-(inter)action of matter wave. From the metric of the GN, we derive a special formalism to interpret the interference contrast when the self-action is perturbative. According to the formalism, the characteristic of interference pattern is in agreement with experiment qualitatively. As examples, we apply the formalism to the cases governed by Schroedinger current and Dirac current, respectively, both of which are relevant to topology. The gap between these two cases corresponds to the fermion magnetic moment, which is possible to test in the near future. In addition, a general interference formalism for both perturbative and nonperturbative self-actions is presented. By analyzing the general formalism we predict that in the nonperturbative limit there is no interference at all. And by comparison with the special formalism of Schroedinger current, the coupling strength of self-action in the limit is found to be ∞. In the perturbative case, the interference from self-action turns out to be the same as that from the standard approach of quantum theory. Then comparing the corresponding coefficients quantitatively we conclude that the coupling strength of self-action in this case falls in the interval [0, 1].

Toxicity of bromate to striped bass ichthyoplankton (Morone saxatilis) and juvenile spot (Leiostomus xanthurus).

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, L B; Burton, D T; Rhoderick, J C

1981-10-01

Striped bass (Morone saxatillis) eggs (12 h after fertilization) and larvae (4 d after hatching) and juvenile spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) were exposed to a series of bromate concentrations for 4, 10, and 10 d, respectively, using static replacement bioassay techniques. Three-dimensional mortality response surfaces were constructed by computerized probit regression techniques. Newly hatched striped bass prolarvae were most sensitive to bromate and had a 96-h LC50 of 30.8 mg/l (as BrO3-). Four-day-old striped bass larvae were less sensitive, with 2- to 10-d LC50s ranging from 605.0 to 92.6 mg/l BrO3-, respectively. Juvenile spot were least sensitive, with 1- to 10-d LC50s ranging from 698.0 to 278.6 mg/l BrO3-, respectively.

Picosecond laser registration of interference pattern by oxidation of thin Cr films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veiko, Vadim; Yarchuk, Michail [ITMO University, Kronverksky Ave. 49, St. Petersburg, 197101 (Russian Federation); Zakoldaev, Roman, E-mail: zakoldaev@gmail.com [ITMO University, Kronverksky Ave. 49, St. Petersburg, 197101 (Russian Federation); Gedvilas, Mindaugas; Račiukaitis, Gediminas [Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanoriu Ave. 231, LT-02300, Vilnius (Lithuania); Kuzivanov, Michail; Baranov, Alexander [ITMO University, Kronverksky Ave. 49, St. Petersburg, 197101 (Russian Federation)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Periodical patterning of thin films was achieved by combining two technologies. • Selective chemical etching was combined with laser-induced oxidation. • Formation of the protective oxide layer prevented of chromium film from etching. • 1D binary grating with the chromium stripe width of 750 nm was fabricated. - Abstract: The laser oxidation of thin metallic films followed by its selective chemical etching is a promising method for the formation of binary metal structures on the glass substrates. It is important to confirm that even a single ultrashort laser pulse irradiation is able to create the protective oxide layer that makes possible to imprint the thermochemical image. Results of the thermo-chemical treatment of thin chromium films irradiated by picosecond laser pulse utilizing two and four beam interference combined with the chemical etching are presented. The spatial resolution of this method can be high enough due to thermo-chemical sharpening and can be close to the diffraction limit. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was applied for characterization of the chemical composition of the protective oxide layers formed under atmospheric conditions on the surface of thin chromium films.

Use of non-natal estuaries by migratory striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in summer

Science.gov (United States)

Mather, M. E.; Finn, John T.; Ferry, K.H.; Deegan, Linda A.; Nelson, G.A.

2009-01-01

For most migratory fish, little is known about the location and size of foraging areas or how long individuals remain in foraging areas, even though these attributes may affect their growth, survival, and impact on local prey. We tested whether striped bass (Morone saxatilis Walbaum), found in Massachusetts in summer, were migratory, how long they stayed in non-natal estuaries, whether observed spatial patterns differed from random model predictions, whether fish returned to the same area across multiple years, and whether fishing effort could explain recapture patterns. Anchor tags were attached to striped bass that were caught and released in Massachusetts in 1999 and 2000, and recaptured between 1999 and 2007. In fall, tagged striped bass were caught south of where they were released in summer, confirming that fish were coastal migrants. In the first summer, 77% and 100% of the recaptured fish in the Great Marsh and along the Massachusetts coast, respectively, were caught in the same place where they were released. About two thirds of all fish recaptured near where they were released were caught 2-7 years after tagging. Our study shows that smaller (400-500 mm total length) striped bass migrate hundreds of kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean coast, cease their mobile lifestyle in summer when they use a relatively localized area for foraging (<20 km2), and return to these same foraging areas in subsequent years.

Iterative Soft Decision Interference Cancellation for DS-CDMA Employing the Distribution of Interference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerstacker WolfgangH

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A well-known receiver strategy for direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA transmission is iterative soft decision interference cancellation. For calculation of soft estimates used for cancellation, the distribution of residual interference is commonly assumed to be Gaussian. In this paper, we analyze matched filter-based iterative soft decision interference cancellation (MF ISDIC when utilizing an approximation of the actual probability density function (pdf of residual interference. In addition, a hybrid scheme is proposed, which reduces computational complexity by considering the strongest residual interferers according to their pdf while the Gaussian assumption is applied to the weak residual interferers. It turns out that the bit error ratio decreases already noticeably when only a small number of residual interferers is regarded according to their pdf. For the considered DS-CDMA transmission the bit error ratio decreases by 80% for high signal-to-noise ratios when modeling all residual interferers but the strongest three to be Gaussian distributed.

Performance comparison of optical interference cancellation system architectures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Maddie; Chang, Matt; Deng, Yanhua; Prucnal, Paul R

2013-04-10

The performance of three optics-based interference cancellation systems are compared and contrasted with each other, and with traditional electronic techniques for interference cancellation. The comparison is based on a set of common performance metrics that we have developed for this purpose. It is shown that thorough evaluation of our optical approaches takes into account the traditional notions of depth of cancellation and dynamic range, along with notions of link loss and uniformity of cancellation. Our evaluation shows that our use of optical components affords performance that surpasses traditional electronic approaches, and that the optimal choice for an optical interference canceller requires taking into account the performance metrics discussed in this paper.

Invasion of the striped mollusks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

Introduced to this country only five years ago, the prolific zebra mussel has infested the Great Lakes and has already begun to move into fresh waters beyond the region. Dense populations in utility water systems have caused serious problems, reducing plant efficiency and blocking lines used for cooling and fire fighting. Experts say the striped mollusk has the potential to become the industry's worst biological problem, possibly affecting 70% of US power plants. While it appears that the invader is here to stay, EPRI and others continue to develop and refine techniques to control mussel growth

Magnonic quantum spin Hall state in the zigzag and stripe phases of the antiferromagnetic honeycomb lattice

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ki Hoon; Chung, Suk Bum; Park, Kisoo; Park, Je-Geun

2018-05-01

We investigated the topological property of magnon bands in the collinear magnetic orders of zigzag and stripe phases for the antiferromagnetic honeycomb lattice and identified Berry curvature and symmetry constraints on the magnon band structure. Different symmetries of both zigzag and stripe phases lead to different topological properties, in particular, the magnon bands of the stripe phase being disentangled with a finite Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) term with nonzero spin Chern number. This is corroborated by calculating the spin Nernst effect. Our study establishes the existence of a nontrivial magnon band topology for all observed collinear antiferromagnetic honeycomb lattices in the presence of the DM term.

Technological quality, mineral profile, and sensory attributes of broiler chicken breasts affected by White Striping and Wooden Breast myopathies.

Science.gov (United States)

Tasoniero, G; Cullere, M; Cecchinato, M; Puolanne, E; Dalle Zotte, A

2016-11-01

The aim of the research was to study the impact of white striping and wooden breast myopathies on the technological quality, mineral, and sensory profile of poultry meat. With this purpose, a total of 138 breasts were selected for a control group with normal breasts (N), a group of breasts characterised by white striping (WS) myopathy, and a group of breasts having both white striping and wooden breast myopathies (WSWB). Data revealed that the simultaneous presence of the two myopathies, with respect to the WS lesion individually considered, had a further detrimental effect on pH (6.04 vs. 5.96; P white striping and wooden breast myopathies. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Sustained eruptions on Enceladus explained by turbulent dissipation in tiger stripes

Science.gov (United States)

Kite, Edwin S.; Rubin, Allan M.

2016-04-01

Spacecraft observations suggest that the plumes of Saturn’s moon Enceladus draw water from a subsurface ocean, but the sustainability of conduits linking ocean and surface is not understood. Observations show eruptions from “tiger stripe” fissures that are sustained (although tidally modulated) throughout each orbit, and since the 2005 discovery of the plumes. Peak plume flux lags peak tidal extension by ˜1 rad, suggestive of resonance. Here, we show that a model of the tiger stripes as tidally flexed slots that puncture the ice shell can simultaneously explain the persistence of the eruptions through the tidal cycle, the phase lag, and the total power output of the tiger stripe terrain, while suggesting that eruptions are maintained over geological timescales. The delay associated with flushing and refilling of O(1)-m-wide slots with ocean water causes erupted flux to lag tidal forcing and helps to buttress slots against closure, while tidally pumped in-slot flow leads to heating and mechanical disruption that staves off slot freezeout. Much narrower and much wider slots cannot be sustained. In the presence of long-lived slots, the 106-y average power output of the tiger stripes is buffered by a feedback between ice melt-back and subsidence to O(1010) W, which is similar to observed power output, suggesting long-term stability. Turbulent dissipation makes testable predictions for the final flybys of Enceladus by Cassini. Our model shows how open connections to an ocean can be reconciled with, and sustain, long-lived eruptions. Turbulent dissipation in long-lived slots helps maintain the ocean against freezing, maintains access by future Enceladus missions to ocean materials, and is plausibly the major energy source for tiger stripe activity.

Optimum angle of incidence for monochromatic interference in transparent films on absorbing substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, R.H.; Sand, M.L.

1980-01-01

Angles of incidence for s- and p-polarized light have been computed and confirmed experimentally for which monochromatic interference in transparent thin films on absorbing substrates results in optimum interference fringe contrast (visibility=1). Under these angles of incidence and with polarized light, film thickness determinations which are not possible at normal incidence or with unpolarized light can be carried out by use of thin-film interference

Modulation of the innate immune responses in the striped ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thus, most of the innate non-specific immune responses are inducible though they are constitutive of fish immune system exhibiting a basal level of activity even in the absence of pathogen challenge. Keywords: Aeromonas hydrophila, Experimental challenge, Innate immune response, Striped snakehead murrel ...

Effect of genotype, gender and feed restriction on growth, meat quality and the occurrence of white striping and wooden breast in broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Trocino, A; Piccirillo, A; Birolo, M; Radaelli, G; Bertotto, D; Filiou, E; Petracci, M; Xiccato, G

2015-12-01

Due to their importance for the control of meat quality in broiler chickens, the present study aimed at identifying the factors associated with the occurrence of myopathies and characterizing the meat properties when affected by myopathies. To this aim, a total of 768 broiler chickens were reared until slaughter (46 d) to evaluate the effect of genotype, gender, and feeding regime (ad libitum vs. restricted rate, 80% from 13 to 21 d of age) on performance and meat quality. Standard broilers were heavier (3,270 vs. 3,139 g; Pbroilers. Males showed higher final live weight (3,492 vs. 2,845 g) and lower feed conversion (1.54 vs. 1.63) than females (Pwhite-striped breasts (69.5 vs. 79.5%; PWhite-striped fillets had higher pHu (5.87 vs. 5.83), and lower a* (-0.81 vs. -0.59) and b* color indexes (13.7 vs. 14.5) (Pmyopathy occurrence. In contrast, gender and feed restriction affected performance, meat quality, and breast abnormalities. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

'J-KAREN' - high intensity, high contrast laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Mori, Michiaki; Nakai, Yoshiki; Okada, Hajime; Sasao, Hajime; Sagisaka, Akito; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Tanaka, Momoko; Kondo, Kiminori; Tateno, Ryo; Sugiyama, Akira; Daido, Hiroyuki; Koike, Masato; Kawanishi, Syunichi; Shimomura, Takuya; Tanoue, Manabu; Wakai, Daisuke; Kondo, Shuji; Kanazawa, Shuhei

2010-01-01

We report on the high intensity, high contrast double chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) Ti:sapphire laser system (named J-KAREN). By use of an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) preamplifier that is seeded by a cleaned high-energy pulse, a background amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) level of 10 -10 relative to the peak main femtosecond pulse on the picosecond timescales demonstrated with an output energy of 1.7 J and a pulse duration of 30 fs, corresponding to a peak power of 60TW at a 10 Hz repetition rate. This system which uses a cryogenically-cooled Ti:sapphire final amplifier generates focused peak intensity in excess of 10 20 W/cm 2 at a 10 Hz repetition rate. (author)

Intervertebral Disk Disease in 3 Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krauss, M.W.; Benato, L.; McDonnell, J.; Schoemaker, N.J.; Westerhof, I.; Bronson, E.; Gielen, I.; van Caelenberg, A.; Hellebuyck, T.; Meij, B.P.; de Decker, S.

Objective To describe diagnostic findings, surgical technique, and outcome in 3 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) with a history of paraparesis. Study Design Case series. Animals Skunks (n = 3) with paraparesis. Methods Neurologic examination revealed upper motor neuron disease (T2–L2) in 2 skunks

Does selection against transcriptional interference shape retroelement-free regions in mammalian genomes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mourier, Tobias; Willerslev, Eske

2008-01-01

in generating and maintaining retroelement-free regions in the human genome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on the known transcriptional properties of retroelements, we expect long interspersed elements (LINEs) to be able to display a high degree of transcriptional interference. In contrast, we expect......BACKGROUND: Eukaryotic genomes are scattered with retroelements that proliferate through retrotransposition. Although retroelements make up around 40 percent of the human genome, large regions are found to be completely devoid of retroelements. This has been hypothesised to be a result of genomic...... activity of LINEs has been identified previously. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our observations are consistent with the notion that selection against transcriptional interference has contributed to the maintenance and/or generation of retroelement-free regions in the human genome....

A numerical analysis of the Born approximation for image formation modeling of differential interference contrast microscopy for human embryos

Science.gov (United States)

Trattner, Sigal; Feigin, Micha; Greenspan, Hayit; Sochen, Nir

2008-03-01

The differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope is commonly used for the visualization of live biological specimens. It enables the view of the transparent specimens while preserving their viability, being a non-invasive modality. Fertility clinics often use the DIC microscope for evaluation of human embryos quality. Towards quantification and reconstruction of the visualized specimens, an image formation model for DIC imaging is sought and the interaction of light waves with biological matter is examined. In many image formation models the light-matter interaction is expressed via the first Born approximation. The validity region of this approximation is defined in a theoretical bound which limits its use to very small specimens with low dielectric contrast. In this work the Born approximation is investigated via the Helmholtz equation, which describes the interaction between the specimen and light. A solution on the lens field is derived using the Gaussian Legendre quadrature formulation. This numerical scheme is considered both accurate and efficient and has shortened significantly the computation time as compared to integration methods that required a great amount of sampling for satisfying the Whittaker - Shannon sampling theorem. By comparing the numerical results with the theoretical values it is shown that the theoretical bound is not directly relevant to microscopic imaging and is far too limiting. The numerical exhaustive experiments show that the Born approximation is inappropriate for modeling the visualization of thick human embryos.

High-throughput measurement of recombination rates and genetic interference in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Raffoux, Xavier; Bourge, Mickael; Dumas, Fabrice; Martin, Olivier C; Falque, Matthieu

2018-06-01

Allelic recombination owing to meiotic crossovers is a major driver of genome evolution, as well as a key player for the selection of high-performing genotypes in economically important species. Therefore, we developed a high-throughput and low-cost method to measure recombination rates and crossover patterning (including interference) in large populations of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombination and interference were analysed by flow cytometry, which allows time-consuming steps such as tetrad microdissection or spore growth to be avoided. Moreover, our method can also be used to compare recombination in wild-type vs. mutant individuals or in different environmental conditions, even if the changes in recombination rates are small. Furthermore, meiotic mutants often present recombination and/or pairing defects affecting spore viability but our method does not involve growth steps and thus avoids filtering out non-viable spores. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Conducted Interference Immunity Characteristics to High-speed Power Line Communication System

Science.gov (United States)

Tokuda, Masamitsu; Hosoya, Satoshi; Yamagata, Toru; Matsuo, Takashi

In this paper, we measured the immunity characteristics to the conducted interference wave, from the aspect of PHY rate (physical layer data rate) of PLC (Power Line Communication) system, and compared with simulation results by MATLAB/ Simulink. When the interference signal is impressed to the OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) signal, the PHY rate decrease rapidly below C/I (Carrier / Interference) = 25dB and become nearly zero around C/I = -35dB, and so it turns out that the PLC System with OFDM signal has a good narrowband interference immunity characteristic. In addition, it is revealed that the PHY rate of PLC modem can be calculated by MATLAB/Simulink even when the narrowband interference signal is impressed through the power line. Furthermore, we examined the improving effect of the notch band for the immunity characteristics to the conducted interference wave. As a result, it is revealed that the PHY rate normalized by the maximum value increases by 15∼25% by inserting the notch when impressing the interference signal in the notch band and C/I is improved by 10∼15dB by inserting the notch.

Species Profiles. Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic). STRIPED BASS,

Science.gov (United States)

1983-10-01

Adult striped bass were reported to survival. Time to death for unfed lar- tolerate temperatures from 0°-30°C(32 ° - vae was longer at lower...Allison, L. 0. J. A. Hutcheson, R. H. Ray. Horseman , W. H. Keirsey, and and T. L. Wellborn, Jr. 1969. C. A. Shirley. 1975. Fishes. Striped bass, 1968

Semantic Interference in Immediate and Delayed Naming and Reading: Attention and Task Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Piai, Vitoria; Roelofs, Ardi; Schriefers, Herbert

2011-01-01

Disagreement exists about whether lexical selection in word production is a competitive process. Competition predicts semantic interference from distractor words in immediate but not in delayed picture naming. In contrast, Janssen, Schirm, Mahon, and Caramazza (2008) obtained semantic interference in delayed picture naming when participants had to…

Sensitivity of juvenile striped bass to chemicals used in aquaculture

Science.gov (United States)

Bills, Terry D.; Marking, Leif L.; Howe, George E.

1993-01-01

Efforts to restore anadromous striped bass (Morone saxatilis) populations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies over the past 20 years have concentrated on hatchery culture to supplement dwindling natural reproduction. Adult fish captured for artificial spawning are stressed by handling and crowding in rearing ponds and are often exposed to therapeutants, anesthetics, disinfectants, and herbicides used in fish culture. We determined the toxicity of 17 fishery chemicals (chloramine-T, erythromycin, formalin, Hyamine 3500, Roccal, malachite green, sulfamerazine, benzocaine, etomidate, Finquel (MS-222) , metomidate, quinaldine sulfate, chlorine, potassium permanganate, Aquazine, copper sulfate, and Rodeo) to striped bass fry (average weight = 1 g) in reconstituted water (total hardness 40 mg/L) at 12 degree C. The 96-h LC50's (concentration calculated to produce 50% mortality in a population) ranged from 0.129 mg/L for malachite green to 340 mg/L for erythromycin. We also determined the effects of selected levels of water temperature, hardness, and pH on the toxicity of chloramine-T, formalin, malachite green, and Roccal. There were no differences in toxicity for any of the chemicals at any water quality variable tested except for chloramine-T, which was about 25 times more toxic in soft, acid water than in soft, alkaline water. Our data show that the striped bass is as sensitive to fishery chemicals as rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), but is generally less resistant than bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

Mapping of stripe rust resistance gene in an Aegilops caudata ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

PUNEET INDER TOOR

A pair of stripe rust and leaf rust resistance genes was introgressed from Aegilops caudata, a nonprogenitor diploid species with the CC genome, to cultivated .... infector rows and experimental material with the mixture of uredinospores of Pst ...

Hexagon and stripe patterns in dielectric barrier streamer discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Lifang; He Yafeng; Yin Zengqian; Chai Zhifang

2004-01-01

We present a specially designed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system for the study of pattern formation. Hexagon and stripe patterns have been observed in a streamer discharge in a DBD for the first time. The phase diagram of pattern types as a function of applied voltage is given

Screening of wheat germplasm for the source of resistance against leaf and stripe rust under climatic conditions in Bhakkar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatti, M.A.; Burhan, M.; Shahzad, M.A.; Aslam, M.

2009-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to assess the level of resistance and susceptibility against stripe and leaf rust of wheat at Arid Zone Research 1, Institute, Bhakkar during, Rabi 2009, One hundred wheat genotypes were sown in second week of November. Each test line/variety of planted in two rows of 2 meter reach will two row of Morocco after every three entries to increase the disease pressure, fest lines/ varieties were inoculated thrice with highly susceptible Morocco and two most virulent Lr-26 and Lr-23 patho type. Out of eighty four test entries/varieties screened against le leaf rust, 5 exhibited resistant 21 moderately susceptible, 20 susceptible, 28 moderately resistant and 10 were highly susceptible. The present investigation indicated that there was no highly resistant lines/variety with zero disease severity. On the other hand, as regards stripe rust, out of thirty seven lines/varieties only two lines were susceptible to disease, Among other lines/ varieties, 12 resistant, 11 moderately resistant, 6 moderately susceptible and 2 susceptible against disease. Four (4) lines /varieties proved as highly resistant with zero disease severity.

Resistance to Interference of Olfactory Perceptual Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, Richard J.; Case, Trevor I.; Tomiczek, Caroline

2007-01-01

Olfactory memory is especially persistent. The current study explored whether this applies to a form of perceptual learning, in which experience of an odor mixture results in greater judged similarity between its elements. Experiment 1A contrasted 2 forms of interference procedure, "compound" (mixture AW, followed by presentation of new mixtures…

Measurement Error Affects Risk Estimates for Recruitment to the Hudson River Stock of Striped Bass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis J. Dunning

2002-01-01

Full Text Available We examined the consequences of ignoring the distinction between measurement error and natural variability in an assessment of risk to the Hudson River stock of striped bass posed by entrainment at the Bowline Point, Indian Point, and Roseton power plants. Risk was defined as the probability that recruitment of age-1+ striped bass would decline by 80% or more, relative to the equilibrium value, at least once during the time periods examined (1, 5, 10, and 15 years. Measurement error, estimated using two abundance indices from independent beach seine surveys conducted on the Hudson River, accounted for 50% of the variability in one index and 56% of the variability in the other. If a measurement error of 50% was ignored and all of the variability in abundance was attributed to natural causes, the risk that recruitment of age-1+ striped bass would decline by 80% or more after 15 years was 0.308 at the current level of entrainment mortality (11%. However, the risk decreased almost tenfold (0.032 if a measurement error of 50% was considered. The change in risk attributable to decreasing the entrainment mortality rate from 11 to 0% was very small (0.009 and similar in magnitude to the change in risk associated with an action proposed in Amendment #5 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic striped bass (0.006— an increase in the instantaneous fishing mortality rate from 0.33 to 0.4. The proposed increase in fishing mortality was not considered an adverse environmental impact, which suggests that potentially costly efforts to reduce entrainment mortality on the Hudson River stock of striped bass are not warranted.

Aleutian Disease: An Emerging Disease in Free-Ranging Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) From California.

Science.gov (United States)

LaDouceur, E E B; Anderson, M; Ritchie, B W; Ciembor, P; Rimoldi, G; Piazza, M; Pesti, D; Clifford, D L; Giannitti, F

2015-11-01

Aleutian disease virus (ADV, Amdovirus, Parvoviridae) primarily infects farmed mustelids (mink and ferrets) but also other fur-bearing animals and humans. Three Aleutian disease (AD) cases have been described in captive striped skunks; however, little is known about the relevance of AD in free-ranging carnivores. This work describes the pathological findings and temporospatial distribution in 7 cases of AD in free-ranging striped skunks. All cases showed neurologic disease and were found in a 46-month period (2010-2013) within a localized geographical region in California. Lesions included multisystemic plasmacytic and lymphocytic inflammation (ie, interstitial nephritis, myocarditis, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, pneumonia, and splenitis), glomerulonephritis, arteritis with or without fibrinoid necrosis in several organs (ie, kidney, heart, brain, and spleen), splenomegaly, ascites/hydrothorax, and/or encephalomalacia with cerebral microangiopathy. ADV infection was confirmed in all cases by specific polymerase chain reaction and/or in situ hybridization. The results suggest that AD is an emerging disease in free-ranging striped skunks in California. © The Author(s) 2014.

Neonatal Perirhinal Lesions in Rhesus Macaques Alter Performance on Working Memory Tasks with High Proactive Interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Alison R; Nadji, Ryhan; Bachevalier, Jocelyne

2015-01-01

The lateral prefrontal cortex is known for its contribution to working memory (WM) processes in both humans and animals. Yet, recent studies indicate that the prefrontal cortex is part of a broader network of interconnected brain areas involved in WM. Within the medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures, the perirhinal cortex, which has extensive direct interactions with the lateral and orbital prefrontal cortex, is required to form active/flexible representations of familiar objects. However, its participation in WM processes has not be fully explored. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of neonatal perirhinal lesions on maintenance and monitoring WM processes. As adults, animals with neonatal perirhinal lesions and their matched controls were tested in three object-based (non-spatial) WM tasks that tapped different WM processing domains, e.g., maintenance only (Session-unique Delayed-nonmatching-to Sample, SU-DNMS), and maintenance and monitoring (Object-Self-Order, OBJ-SO; Serial Order Memory Task, SOMT). Neonatal perirhinal lesions transiently impaired the acquisition of SU-DNMS at a short (5 s) delay, but not when re-tested with a longer delay (30 s). The same neonatal lesions severely impacted acquisition of OBJ-SO task, and the impairment was characterized by a sharp increase in perseverative errors. By contrast, neonatal perirhinal lesion spared the ability to monitor the temporal order of items in WM as measured by the SOMT. Contrary to the SU-DNMS and OBJ-SO, which re-use the same stimuli across trials and thus produce proactive interference, the SOMT uses novel objects on each trial and is devoid of interference. Therefore, the impairment of monkeys with neonatal perirhinal lesions on SU-DNMS and OBJ-SO tasks is likely to be caused by an inability to solve working memory tasks with high proactive interference. The sparing of performance on the SOMT demonstrates that neonatal perirhinal lesions do not alter working memory processes per se but

Neonatal perirhinal lesions in rhesus macaques alter performance on working memory tasks with high proactive interference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alison R Weiss

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The lateral prefrontal cortex is known for its contribution to working memory (WM processes in both humans and animals. Yet, recent studies indicate that the prefrontal cortex is part of a broader network of interconnected brain areas involved in WM. Within the medial temporal lobe structures, the perirhinal cortex, which has extensive direct interactions with the lateral and orbital prefrontal cortex, is required to form active/flexible representations of familiar objects. However, its participation in WM processes has not be fully explored. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of neonatal perirhinal lesions on maintenance and monitoring WM processes. As adults, animals with neonatal perirhinal lesions and their matched controls were tested in three object-based (non-spatial WM tasks that tapped different WM processing domains, e.g. maintenance only (Session-unique Delayed-nonmatching-to Sample, SU-DNMS, and maintenance and monitoring (Object-Self-Order, OBJ-SO; Serial Order Memory Task, SOMT. Neonatal perirhinal lesions transiently impaired the acquisition of SU-DNMS at a short (5s delay, but not when re-tested with a longer delay (30s. The same neonatal lesions severely impacted acquisition of OBJ-SO task, and the impairment was characterized by a sharp increase in perseverative errors. By contrast, neonatal perirhinal lesion spared the ability to monitor the temporal order of items in WM as measured by the SOMT. Contrary to the SU-DNMS and OBJ-SO, which re-use the same stimuli across trials and thus produce proactive interference, the SOMT uses novel objects on each trial and is devoid of interference. Therefore, the impairment of monkeys with neonatal perirhinal lesions on SU-DNMS and OBJ-SO tasks is likely to be caused by an inability to solve working memory tasks with high proactive interference. The sparing of performance on the SOMT demonstrates that neonatal perirhinal lesions do not alter working memory processes per se

Propagation of dark stripe beams in nonlinear media: Snake instability and creation of optical vortices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mamaev, A.V.; Saffman, M.; Zozulya, A.A.

1996-01-01

We analyze the evolution of (1+1) dimensional dark stripe beams in bulk media with a photorefractive nonlinear response. These beams, including solitary wave solutions, are shown to be unstable with respect to symmetry breaking and formation of structure along the initially homogeneous coordinate....... Experimental results show the complete sequence of events starting from self-focusing of the stripe, its bending due to the snake instability, and subsequent decay into a set of optical vortices....

Response to "Critical Assessment of the Evidence for Striped Nanoparticles".

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quy Khac Ong

Full Text Available Stirling et al., (10.1371/journal.pone.0108482 presented an analysis on some of our publications on the formation of stripe-like domains on mixed-ligand coated gold nanoparticles. The authors shed doubts on some of our results however no valid argument is provided against what we have shown since our first publication: scanning tunneling microscopy (STM images of striped nanoparticles show stripe-like domains that are independent of imaging parameters and in particular of imaging speed. We have consistently ruled out the presence of artifacts by comparing sets of images acquired at different tip speeds, finding invariance of the stipe-like domains. Stirling and co-workers incorrectly analyzed this key control, using a different microscope and imaging conditions that do not compare to ours. We show here data proving that our approach is rigorous. Furthermore, we never solely relied on image analysis to draw our conclusions; we have always used the chemical nature of the particles to assess the veracity of our images. Stirling et al. do not provide any justification for the spacing of the features that we find on nanoparticles: ~1 nm for mixed ligand particles and ~ 0.5 nm for homoligand particles. Hence our two central arguments remain unmodified: independence from imaging parameters and dependence on ligand shell chemical composition. The paper report observations on our STM images; none is a sufficient condition to prove that our images are artifacts. We thoroughly addressed issues related to STM artifacts throughout our microscopy work. Stirling et al. provide guidelines for what they consider good STM images of nanoparticles, such images are indeed present in our literature. They conclude that the evidences we provided to date are insufficient, this is a departure from one of the authors' previous article which concluded that our images were composed of artifacts. Given that four independent laboratories have reproduced our measurements and

The preparation of immunochromatographic stripe of methamphetamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Jing; Liu Yibing; Zhou Ling; Guo Weizheng

2004-01-01

A gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA) is developed for methamphetamine in urine. Colloidal gold is obtained by reducing the gold chloride with sodium citrate, and labeled methamphetamine monoclonal antibody. The drug or metabolite competes with the immobilized drug conjugate in the test area for the limited colloidal gold-labeled antibody complex in which the stripe is made to screen the drug abuser. This method has sensitivity of 1000 μg/L, and without cross-reaction with some drugs

Improvement in light-output efficiency of near-ultraviolet InGaN-GaN LEDs fabricated on stripe patterned sapphire substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y.J.; Hsu, T.C.; Kuo, H.C.; Wang, S.C.; Yang, Y.L.; Yen, S.N.; Chu, Y.T.; Shen, Y.J.; Hsieh, M.H.; Jou, M.J.; Lee, B.J.

2005-01-01

InGaN/GaN multi-quantum wells near ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated on a patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) with parallel stripe along the sapphire direction by using low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The forward- and reverse-bias electrical characteristics of the stripe PSS LEDs are, respectively, similar and better than those of conventional LEDs on sapphire substrate. The output power of the epoxy package of stripe PSS LED was 20% higher than that of the conventional LEDs. The enhancement of output power is due not only to the reduction of dislocation density but also to the release of the guided light in LEDs by the geometric shape of the stripe PSS, according to the ray-tracing analysis

Some effects of temperature, chlorine, and copper on the survival and growth of the coon stripe shrimp, Pandalus danae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, C.I.; Thatcher, T.O.; Apts, C.W.

1975-03-01

The CTM (Critical Thermal Maxima) values for coon stripe shrimp increase with an increase in shrimp size. The CTM values for coon strip shrimp increase with an increase in the rate at which the temperature is elevated. Coon stripe shrimp are more resistant to chlorine when acclimated and exposed at 7.5 0 C-10 0 C than (a) when acclimated at 7.5 0 C and exposed at 15 0 C or 20 0 C, or when (b) acclimated and exposed at 15 0 C which is near their optimum short-term growth temperature (16 0 C). The optimal growing temperature for (1 to 7g) coon stripe shrimp for periods up to one month is 16 0 C. Copper at a concentration of 0.04 mg/l effectively retards the growth of (1-2g) coon stripe shrimp at 16 0 C over a one-month period. Chlorine at a concentration of 0.18 mg/l is lethal to (1-2g) coon stripe shrimp at 16 0 C and reduced their growth at 0.08 mg/l over a one-month period. (U.S.)

Lexical decisions in adults with low and high susceptibility to pattern-related visual stress: a preliminary investigation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James M Gilchrist

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Pattern-related visual stress (PRVS is a form of sensory hypersensitivity that some people experience when viewing high contrast repeating patterns, notably alternating dark and light stripes. Those susceptible to PRVS typically have a strong aversion to such stimuli, and this is often accompanied by experiences of visual discomfort and disturbance. The patterns most likely to elicit symptoms of PRVS have a square-wave grating configuration of spatial frequency ~ 3 cycles/degree. Such stimuli are characteristic of printed text in which lines of words and the spaces between them present a high contrast grating-like stimulus. Consequently, much printed reading material has the potential to elicit PRVS that may impair reading performance, and this problem is now thought to be common in individuals with reading difficulties including dyslexia. However, the manner in which PRVS affects reading ability is unknown. One possibility is that the early sensory visual stress may interfere with the later cognitive word recognition stage of the reading process, resulting in reading performance that is slower and/or less accurate.To explore the association of PRVS with word recognition ability, lexical decision performance (speed and accuracy to words and pronounceable non-words was measured in two groups of adults, having low and high susceptibility to PRVS. Results showed that lexical decisions were generally faster but less accurate in high-PRVS, and also that high-PRVS participants made decisions significantly faster for words than for non-words, revealing a strong lexicality effect that was not present in low-PRVS. These findings are novel and, as yet, unconfirmed by other studies. We consider possible interpretation in terms of cortical activity and perceptual mechanisms.

Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and tetrachlorodibenzofurans in Atlantic coast striped bass and in selected Hudson River fish, waterfowl and sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Keefe, P; Hilker, D; Meyer, C; Aldous, K; Shane, L; Donnelly, R; Smith, R; Sloan, R; Skinner, L; Horn, E

1884-01-01

In striped bass samples from the lower Hudson River and its estuary 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) was found at concentrations from 16 to 120 pg/g (ppt). Striped bass from two other locations (Rhode Island coastal waters and Chesapeake Bay, Maryland) had <5 ppt, 2,3,7,8-TCDD. The contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (2,3,7,8-TCDF), was found in striped bass from all three locations with concentrations varying from 6 ppt in Chesapeake Bay to 78 ppt in the Hudson River. Results from a limited number of non-migratory fish (carp and goldfish) and sediments suggest that the upper Hudson River is not a source for 2,3,7,8-TCDD/2,3,7,8-TCDF contamination of striped bass. 26 references, 3 tables.

Embedded high-contrast distributed grating structures

Science.gov (United States)

Zubrzycki, Walter J.; Vawter, Gregory A.; Allerman, Andrew A.

2002-01-01

A new class of fabrication methods for embedded distributed grating structures is claimed, together with optical devices which include such structures. These new methods are the only known approach to making defect-free high-dielectric contrast grating structures, which are smaller and more efficient than are conventional grating structures.

Interference control in working memory: comparing groups of children with atypical development.

Science.gov (United States)

Palladino, Paola; Ferrari, Marcella

2013-01-01

The study aimed to test whether working memory deficits in children at risk of Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be attributed to deficits in interference control, thereby implicating prefrontal systems. Two groups of children known for showing poor working memory (i.e., children with poor comprehension and children with ADHD) were compared to a group of children with specific reading decoding problems (i.e., having severe problems in phonological rather than working memory) and to a control group. All children were tested with a verbal working memory task. Interference control of irrelevant items was examined by a lexical decision task presented immediately after the final recall in about half the trials, selected at random. The interference control measure was therefore directly related to working memory performance. Results confirmed deficient working memory performance in poor comprehenders and children at risk of ADHD + LD. More interestingly, this working memory deficit was associated with greater activation of irrelevant information than in the control group. Poor decoders showed more efficient interference control, in contrast to poor comprehenders and ADHD + LD children. These results indicated that interfering items were still highly accessible to working memory in children who fail the working memory task. In turn, these findings strengthen and clarify the role of interference control, one of the most critical prefrontal functions, in working memory.

Frozen into stripes: fate of the critical Ising model after a quench.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, T; Picco, M

2013-09-01

In this article we study numerically the final state of the two-dimensional ferromagnetic critical Ising model after a quench to zero temperature. Beginning from equilibrium at T_{c}, the system can be blocked in a variety of infinitely long lived stripe states in addition to the ground state. Similar results have already been obtained for an infinite temperature initial condition and an interesting connection to exact percolation crossing probabilities has emerged. Here we complete this picture by providing an example of stripe states precisely related to initial crossing probabilities for various boundary conditions. We thus show that this is not specific to percolation but rather that it depends on the properties of spanning clusters in the initial state.

Combined effects of 60Co dose and high frequency interferences on a discrete bipolar transistor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doridant, A.; Raoult, J.; Jarrix, S.; Blain, A.; Dusseau, L.; Hoffmann, P.; Chatry, N.; Calvel, P.

2012-01-01

This paper concerns bipolar transistors subject to a double aggression: dose irradiation and high-frequency interference. The electromagnetic interference is injected in a contactless way in the near-field zone around the device. Parameters of the interference are power and frequency, the latter largely out of band of operation of the transistors. The output voltage of the transistor exhibits changes, due to rectification and to some extent to current crowding. The importance of the base bias set-up for the type of change occurring in voltage is displayed. After irradiation with a 60 Co source, the voltage output will change under electromagnetic interference but sometimes in an opposite way as initially measured. The impact of the irradiation with respect to electromagnetic susceptibility is highlighted from a physical point of view. Finally preliminary results of simulation for susceptibility prediction are given and a discussion is given on the limits of the transistor model used. (authors)

Genome-wide association mapping for stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis F. sp. tritici) in US Pacific Northwest winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Naruoka, Y; Garland-Campbell, K A; Carter, A H

2015-06-01

Potential novel and known QTL for race-specific all-stage and adult plant resistance to stripe rust were identified by genome-wide association mapping in the US PNW winter wheat accessions. Stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis F. sp. tritici; also known as yellow rust) is a globally devastating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and a major threat to wheat production in the US Pacific Northwest (PNW), therefore both adult plant and all-stage resistance have been introduced into the winter wheat breeding programs in the PNW. The goal of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and molecular markers for these resistances through genome-wide association (GWAS) mapping in winter wheat accessions adapted to the PNW. Stripe rust response for adult plants was evaluated in naturally occurring epidemics in a total of nine environments in Washington State, USA. Seedling response was evaluated with three races under artificial inoculation in the greenhouse. The panel was genotyped with the 9K Illumina Wheat single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and additional markers linked to previously reported genes and QTL for stripe rust resistance. The population was grouped into three sub-populations. Markers linked to Yr17 and previously reported QTL for stripe rust resistance were identified on chromosomes 1B, 2A, and 2B. Potentially novel QTL associated with race-specific seedling response were identified on chromosomes 1B and 1D. Potentially novel QTL associated with adult plant response were located on chromosomes 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, and 4B. Stripe rust was reduced when multiple alleles for resistance were present. The resistant allele frequencies were different among sub-populations in the panel. This information provides breeders with germplasm and closely linked markers for stripe rust resistance to facilitate the transfer of multiple loci for durable stripe rust resistance into wheat breeding lines and cultivars.

Low-voltage back-gated atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition based graphene-striped channel transistor with high-κ dielectric showing room-temperature mobility > 11 000 cm2/V·s

KAUST Repository

Smith, Casey; Qaisi, Ramy M.; Liu, Zhihong; Yu, Qingkai; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2013-01-01

Utilization of graphene may help realize innovative low-power replacements for III-V materials based high electron mobility transistors while extending operational frequencies closer to the THz regime for superior wireless communications, imaging, and other novel applications. Device architectures explored to date suffer a fundamental performance roadblock due to lack of compatible deposition techniques for nanometer-scale dielectrics required to efficiently modulate graphene transconductance (gm) while maintaining low gate capacitance-voltage product (CgsVgs). Here we show integration of a scaled (10 nm) high-κ gate dielectric aluminum oxide (Al2O3) with an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD)-derived graphene channel composed of multiple 0.25 μm stripes to repeatedly realize room-temperature mobility of 11 000 cm 2/V·s or higher. This high performance is attributed to the APCVD graphene growth quality, excellent interfacial properties of the gate dielectric, conductivity enhancement in the graphene stripes due to low t ox/Wgraphene ratio, and scaled high-κ dielectric gate modulation of carrier density allowing full actuation of the device with only ±1 V applied bias. The superior drive current and conductance at Vdd = 1 V compared to other top-gated devices requiring undesirable seed (such as aluminum and poly vinyl alcohol)-assisted dielectric deposition, bottom gate devices requiring excessive gate voltage for actuation, or monolithic (nonstriped) channels suggest that this facile transistor structure provides critical insight toward future device design and process integration to maximize CVD-based graphene transistor performance. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Low-voltage back-gated atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition based graphene-striped channel transistor with high-κ dielectric showing room-temperature mobility > 11 000 cm2/V·s

KAUST Repository

Smith, Casey

2013-07-23

Utilization of graphene may help realize innovative low-power replacements for III-V materials based high electron mobility transistors while extending operational frequencies closer to the THz regime for superior wireless communications, imaging, and other novel applications. Device architectures explored to date suffer a fundamental performance roadblock due to lack of compatible deposition techniques for nanometer-scale dielectrics required to efficiently modulate graphene transconductance (gm) while maintaining low gate capacitance-voltage product (CgsVgs). Here we show integration of a scaled (10 nm) high-κ gate dielectric aluminum oxide (Al2O3) with an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD)-derived graphene channel composed of multiple 0.25 μm stripes to repeatedly realize room-temperature mobility of 11 000 cm 2/V·s or higher. This high performance is attributed to the APCVD graphene growth quality, excellent interfacial properties of the gate dielectric, conductivity enhancement in the graphene stripes due to low t ox/Wgraphene ratio, and scaled high-κ dielectric gate modulation of carrier density allowing full actuation of the device with only ±1 V applied bias. The superior drive current and conductance at Vdd = 1 V compared to other top-gated devices requiring undesirable seed (such as aluminum and poly vinyl alcohol)-assisted dielectric deposition, bottom gate devices requiring excessive gate voltage for actuation, or monolithic (nonstriped) channels suggest that this facile transistor structure provides critical insight toward future device design and process integration to maximize CVD-based graphene transistor performance. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Adaptive striping watershed segmentation method for processing microscopic images of overlapping irregular-shaped and multicentre particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, X; Bai, B; Xu, N; Wu, K

2015-04-01

Oversegmentation is a major drawback of the morphological watershed algorithm. Here, we study and reveal that the oversegmentation is not only because of the irregular shapes of the particle images, which people are familiar with, but also because of some particles, such as ellipses, with more than one centre. A new parameter, the striping level, is introduced and the criterion for striping parameter is built to help find the right markers prior to segmentation. An adaptive striping watershed algorithm is established by applying a procedure, called the marker searching algorithm, to find the markers, which can effectively suppress the oversegmentation. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by analysing some typical particle images including the images of gold nanorod ensembles. © 2014 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2014 Royal Microscopical Society.

Experimental evaluation of high speed impulse radio UWB interference on WiMAX narrowband systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Xianbin; Yin, Xiaoli; Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso

2010-01-01

Interference of high speed impulse radio ultrawideband (IR-UWB) on 5.735GHz single carrier 64/256-QAM WiMAX narrowband signals is experimentally investigated. The experimental results indicate that the coexistence of 625Mbps and 2Gbps IR-UWB signals causes penalties of 3dB and 0.5dB respectively...... to the WiMAX channel. At higher bit rates, IR-UWB technology is therefore expected to reduce its interference on WiMAX signals. This work serves as further motivation for the exploration of IR-UWB systems with higher speed and higher capacity....

Using the phase-space imager to analyze partially coherent imaging systems: bright-field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast, differential phase contrast, and spiral phase contrast

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Shalin B.; Sheppard, Colin J. R.

2010-05-01

Various methods that use large illumination aperture (i.e. partially coherent illumination) have been developed for making transparent (i.e. phase) specimens visible. These methods were developed to provide qualitative contrast rather than quantitative measurement-coherent illumination has been relied upon for quantitative phase analysis. Partially coherent illumination has some important advantages over coherent illumination and can be used for measurement of the specimen's phase distribution. However, quantitative analysis and image computation in partially coherent systems have not been explored fully due to the lack of a general, physically insightful and computationally efficient model of image formation. We have developed a phase-space model that satisfies these requirements. In this paper, we employ this model (called the phase-space imager) to elucidate five different partially coherent systems mentioned in the title. We compute images of an optical fiber under these systems and verify some of them with experimental images. These results and simulated images of a general phase profile are used to compare the contrast and the resolution of the imaging systems. We show that, for quantitative phase imaging of a thin specimen with matched illumination, differential phase contrast offers linear transfer of specimen information to the image. We also show that the edge enhancement properties of spiral phase contrast are compromised significantly as the coherence of illumination is reduced. The results demonstrate that the phase-space imager model provides a useful framework for analysis, calibration, and design of partially coherent imaging methods.

Identification and characterization of pleiotropic and co-located resistance loci to leaf rust and stripe rust in bread wheat cultivar Sujata.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Caixia; Zhang, Yelun; Herrera-Foessel, Sybil A; Basnet, Bhoja R; Huerta-Espino, Julio; Lagudah, Evans S; Singh, Ravi P

2015-03-01

Two new co-located resistance loci, QLr.cim - 1AS/QYr.cim - 1AS and QLr.cim - 7BL/YrSuj , in combination with Lr46 / Yr29 and Lr67/Yr46 , and a new leaf rust resistance quantitative trait loci, conferred high resistance to rusts in adult plant stage. The tall Indian bread wheat cultivar Sujata displays high and low infection types to leaf rust and stripe rust, respectively, at the seedling stage in greenhouse tests. It was also highly resistant to both rusts at adult plant stage in field trials in Mexico. The genetic basis of this resistance was investigated in a population of 148 F5 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cross Avocet × Sujata. The parents and RIL population were characterized in field trials for resistance to leaf rust during 2011 at El Batán, and 2012 and 2013 at Ciudad Obregón, Mexico, and for stripe rust during 2011 and 2012 at Toluca, Mexico; they were also characterized three times for stripe rust at seedling stage in the greenhouse. The RILs were genotyped with diversity arrays technology and simple sequence repeat markers. The final genetic map was constructed with 673 polymorphic markers. Inclusive composite interval mapping analysis detected two new significant co-located resistance loci, QLr.cim-1AS/QYr.cim-1AS and QLr.cim-7BL/YrSuj, on chromosomes 1AS and 7BL, respectively. The chromosomal position of QLr.cim-7BL overlapped with the seedling stripe rust resistance gene, temporarily designated as YrSuj. Two previously reported pleiotropic adult plant resistance genes, Lr46/Yr29 and Lr67/Yr46, and a new leaf rust resistance quantitative trait loci derived from Avocet were also mapped in the population. The two new co-located resistance loci are expected to contribute to breeding durable rust resistance in wheat. Closely linked molecular markers can be used to transfer all four resistance loci simultaneously to modern wheat varieties.

A microsatellite linkage map of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) reveals conserved synteny with the hree-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Science.gov (United States)

Background: The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and its relatives (genus Morone) are of great importance to fisheries and aquaculture in North America. As part of a collaborative effort to employ molecular genetic technologies in striped bass breeding programs, nearly 500 microsatellite markers were...

Nanoscale control of stripe-ordered magnetic domain walls by vertical spin transfer torque in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 film

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing; Wu, Shizhe; Ma, Ji; Xie, Lishan; Wang, Chuanshou; Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed; Zhang, Yuelin; Xia, Ke; Nan, Ce-Wen; Zhang, Jinxing

2018-02-01

Stripe-ordered domains with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy have been intensively investigated due to their potential applications in high-density magnetic data-storage devices. However, the conventional control methods (e.g., epitaxial strain, local heating, magnetic field, and magnetoelectric effect) of the stripe-ordered domain walls either cannot meet the demands for miniaturization and low power consumption of spintronic devices or require high strength of the electric field due to the small value of the magnetoelectric effect at room temperature. Here, a domain-wall resistive effect of 0.1% was clarified in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin films between the configurations of current in the plane and perpendicular to the plane of walls. Furthermore, a reversible nanoscale control of the domain-wall re-orientation by vertical spin transfer torque across the probe/film interface was achieved, where a probe voltage of 0.1 V was applied on a manganite-based capacitor. We also demonstrated that the stripe-ordered magnetic domain-wall re-orientation strongly depends on the AC frequency of the scanning probe voltage which was applied on the capacitor.

Stripe domains and magnetoresistance in thermally deposited nickel films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sparks, P.D.; Stern, N.P.; Snowden, D.S.; Kappus, B.A.; Checkelsky, J.G.; Harberger, S.S.; Fusello, A.M.; Eckert, J.C.

2004-01-01

We report a study of the domain structure and magnetoresistance of thermally deposited nickel films. For films thicker than 17 nm, we observe striped domains with period varying with film thickness as a power law with exponent 0.21±0.02 up to 120 nm thickness. There is a negative magnetoresistance for fields out of the plane

Stripe domains and magnetoresistance in thermally deposited nickel films

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, P. D.; Stern, N. P.; Snowden, D. S.; Kappus, B. A.; Checkelsky, J. G.; Harberger, S. S.; Fusello, A. M.; Eckert, J. C.

2004-05-01

We report a study of the domain structure and magnetoresistance of thermally deposited nickel films. For films thicker than 17nm, we observe striped domains with period varying with film thickness as a power law with exponent 0.21+/-0.02 up to 120nm thickness. There is a negative magnetoresistance for fields out of the plane.

Stripe domains and magnetoresistance in thermally deposited nickel films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sparks, P.D. E-mail: sparks@hmc.edu; Stern, N.P.; Snowden, D.S.; Kappus, B.A.; Checkelsky, J.G.; Harberger, S.S.; Fusello, A.M.; Eckert, J.C

2004-05-01

We report a study of the domain structure and magnetoresistance of thermally deposited nickel films. For films thicker than 17 nm, we observe striped domains with period varying with film thickness as a power law with exponent 0.21{+-}0.02 up to 120 nm thickness. There is a negative magnetoresistance for fields out of the plane.

Leaf and stripe rust resistance among Ethiopian grown wheat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The result indicated that 20 varieties and lines harbor resistance to the leaf rust and 26 to the stripe rust pathotypes showing infection types <2+. Twelve bread wheat varieties and lines (Et-13 A2, HAR 1407 [Tusie], HAR 1775 [Tura], HAR 1920, HAR 2192, HAR 2534, HAR 2536, HAR 2561, HAR 2563 and three durum lines ...

Primary Salvage Survey of the Interference of Radiowaves Emitted by Smartphones on Medical Equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

Takao, Hiroyuki; Yeh, Yu Chih; Arita, Hiroyuki; Obatake, Takumi; Sakano, Teppei; Kurihara, Minoru; Matsuki, Akira; Ishibashi, Toshihiro; Murayama, Yuichi

2016-10-01

Use of mobile phones has become a standard reality of everyday living for many people worldwide, including medical professionals, as data sharing has drastically helped to improve quality of care. This increase in the use of mobile phones within hospitals and medical facilities has raised concern regarding the influence of radio waves on medical equipment. Although comprehensive studies have examined the effects of electromagnetic interference from 2G wireless communication and personal digital cellular systems on medical equipment, similar studies on more recent wireless technologies such as Long Term Evolution, wideband code division multiple access, and high-speed uplink access have yet to be published. Numerous tests targeting current wireless technologies were conducted between December 2012 and March 2013 in an anechoic chamber, shielded from external radio signals, with a dipole antenna to assess the effects of smartphone interference on several types of medical equipment. The interference produced by electromagnetic waves across five frequency bands from four telecommunication standards was assessed on 49 components from 22 pieces of medical equipment. Of the 22 pieces of medical equipment tested, 13 experienced interference at maximum transmission power. In contrast, at minimum transmission power, the maximum interference distance varied from 2 to 5 cm for different wireless devices. Four machines were affected at the minimum transmission power, and the maximum interference distance at the maximum transmission power was 38 cm. Results show that the interference from smartphones on medical equipment is very controllable.

Memory, priority encoding, and overcoming high-value proactive interference in younger and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Michael C; Castel, Alan D

2013-01-01

It is often necessary to remember important information while directing attention away from encoding less valuable information. To examine how aging influences the ability to control and update the encoding of high-value information, younger and older adults studied six lists of words that varied in terms of the point values associated with each word. The words were paired with the same high and low point values for three study-test cycles, but on the fourth and subsequent cycles the value-word pairings were switched such that the lowest value pairs became the highest values (and vice versa). For the first three study-test cycles, younger adults outperformed older adults in terms of the number of words recalled and overall point totals, but performance was similar in terms of selectively remembering high-value words. When the values were switched, both groups displayed substantial interference from the previous pairings. Although both groups improved with additional study-test cycles, only younger adults were able to fully recover from the interference effects. A similar, and more pronounced, set of results were obtained when positive and negative point values were paired with the words. The findings are interpreted in a value-directed remembering framework, emphasizing the role of benefits and costs of strategic encoding and age-related differences in the effects of interference on memory.

Mice as stowaways? Colonization history of Danish striped field mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Liselotte Wesley; Jacobsen, Magnus; Vedel-Smith, Christina; Jensen, Thomas Secher

2017-07-01

Species from the steppe region of Eastern Europe likely colonized northwestern Europe in connection with agriculture after 6500 BP. The striped field mouse ( Apodemus agrarius Pallas, 1783), is a steppe-derived species often found in human crops. It is common on the southern Danish islands of Lolland and Falster, which have been isolated from mainland Europe since approximately 10 300-8000 BP. Thus, this species could have been brought in with humans in connection with agriculture, or it could be an earlier natural invader. We sequenced 86 full mitochondrial genomes from the northwestern range of the striped field mouse, analysed phylogenetic relationships and estimated divergence time. The results supported human-induced colonization of Denmark in the Subatlantic or Subboreal period. A newly discovered population from Central Jutland in Denmark diverged from Falster approximately 100-670 years ago, again favouring human introduction. One individual from Sweden turned out to be a recent introduction from Central Jutland. © 2017 The Author(s).

The path of chewing movement before and after experimental occlusal interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Y; Shiga, H

1991-01-01

To understand functions of the masticatory system accurate recording and analysis of mandibular movement are indispensable. The purpose of this experiment was to find functional differences in the path of masticatory movement due to experimental occlusal interference. Occlusal interference was placed on the mandibular first molar or cuspid of the habitual chewing side in seven normal subjects. While subjects were asked to masticate gum on one side at a time, jaw movements were recorded and analyzed using an automatic masticatory movement analysis system previously developed. Standard deviations (SD) of the vertical and lateral elements in the opening and closing phases were calculated and compared before and after the occlusal interference. In the opening phase the SDs increased significantly with either the interference placed on the cuspid or molar tooth. In the closing phase it generally increased with either the interference. The effect was significantly more with the cuspid interference than that of the molar tooth. The SD of the vertical element is also generally increased with either interference. However, in contrast to the lateral element, the effect of the molar interference on the vertical element was significantly more than that of the cuspid.

Line broadening interference for high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectra under inhomogeneous magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Zhiliang; Yang, Jian; Lin, Yanqin; Chen, Zhong; Chen, Youhe

2015-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy serves as an important tool for analyzing chemicals and biological metabolites. However, its performance is subject to the magnetic-field homogeneity. Under inhomogeneous fields, peaks are broadened to overlap each other, introducing difficulties for assignments. Here, we propose a method termed as line broadening interference (LBI) to provide high-resolution information under inhomogeneous magnetic fields by employing certain gradients in the indirect dimension to interfere the magnetic-field inhomogeneity. The conventional spectral-line broadening is thus interfered to be non-diagonal, avoiding the overlapping among adjacent resonances. Furthermore, an inhomogeneity correction algorithm is developed based on pattern recognition to recover the high-resolution information from LBI spectra. Theoretical deductions are performed to offer systematic and detailed analyses on the proposed method. Moreover, experiments are conducted to prove the feasibility of the proposed method for yielding high-resolution spectra in inhomogeneous magnetic fields

Event-related potential evidence for separable automatic and controlled retrieval processes in proactive interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergström, Zara M; O'Connor, Richard J; Li, Martin K-H; Simons, Jon S

2012-05-21

Interference between competing memories is a major source of retrieval failure, yet, surprisingly little is known about how competitive memory activation arises in the brain. One possibility is that interference during episodic retrieval might be produced by relatively automatic conceptual priming mechanisms that are independent of strategic retrieval processes. Such priming-driven interference might occur when the competing memories have strong pre-existing associations to the retrieval cue. We used ERPs to measure the neural dynamics of retrieval competition, and investigated whether the ERP correlates of interference were affected by varying task demands for selective retrieval. Participants encoded cue words that were presented either two or four times, paired either with the same or different strongly associated words across repetitions. In a subsequent test, participants either selectively recalled each cue's most recent associate, or simply judged how many times a cue had been presented, without requiring selective recall. Interference effects on test performance were only seen in the recall task. In contrast, ERPs during test revealed an early posterior positivity for high interference items that was present in both retrieval tasks. This early ERP effect likely reflects a conceptual priming-related N400 reduction when many associations to a cue were pre-activated. A later parietal positivity resembling the ERP correlate of conscious recollection was found only in the recall task. The results suggest that early effects of proactive interference are relatively automatic and independent of intentional retrieval processes, consistent with suggestions that interference can arise through conceptual priming. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toward nonlinear magnonics: Intensity-dependent spin-wave switching in insulating side-coupled magnetic stripes

Science.gov (United States)

Sadovnikov, A. V.; Odintsov, S. A.; Beginin, E. N.; Sheshukova, S. E.; Sharaevskii, Yu. P.; Nikitov, S. A.

2017-10-01

We demonstrate that the nonlinear spin-wave transport in two laterally parallel magnetic stripes exhibit the intensity-dependent power exchange between the adjacent spin-wave channels. By the means of Brillouin light scattering technique, we investigate collective nonlinear spin-wave dynamics in the presence of magnetodipolar coupling. The nonlinear intensity-dependent effect reveals itself in the spin-wave mode transformation and differential nonlinear spin-wave phase shift in each adjacent magnetic stripe. The proposed analytical theory, based on the coupled Ginzburg-Landau equations, predicts the geometry design involving the reduction of power requirement to the all-magnonic switching. A very good agreement between calculation and experiment was found. In addition, a micromagnetic and finite-element approach has been independently used to study the nonlinear behavior of spin waves in adjacent stripes and the nonlinear transformation of spatial profiles of spin-wave modes. Our results show that the proposed spin-wave coupling mechanism provides the basis for nonlinear magnonic circuits and opens the perspectives for all-magnonic computing architecture.

Interference and memory capacity limitations.

Science.gov (United States)

Endress, Ansgar D; Szabó, Szilárd

2017-10-01

Working memory (WM) is thought to have a fixed and limited capacity. However, the origins of these capacity limitations are debated, and generally attributed to active, attentional processes. Here, we show that the existence of interference among items in memory mathematically guarantees fixed and limited capacity limits under very general conditions, irrespective of any processing assumptions. Assuming that interference (a) increases with the number of interfering items and (b) brings memory performance to chance levels for large numbers of interfering items, capacity limits are a simple function of the relative influence of memorization and interference. In contrast, we show that time-based memory limitations do not lead to fixed memory capacity limitations that are independent of the timing properties of an experiment. We show that interference can mimic both slot-like and continuous resource-like memory limitations, suggesting that these types of memory performance might not be as different as commonly believed. We speculate that slot-like WM limitations might arise from crowding-like phenomena in memory when participants have to retrieve items. Further, based on earlier research on parallel attention and enumeration, we suggest that crowding-like phenomena might be a common reason for the 3 major cognitive capacity limitations. As suggested by Miller (1956) and Cowan (2001), these capacity limitations might arise because of a common reason, even though they likely rely on distinct processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Stripe-PZT Sensor-Based Baseline-Free Crack Diagnosis in a Structure with a Welded Stiffener

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-Kyu An

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a stripe-PZT sensor-based baseline-free crack diagnosis technique in the heat affected zone (HAZ of a structure with a welded stiffener. The proposed technique enables one to identify and localize a crack in the HAZ using only current data measured using a stripe-PZT sensor. The use of the stripe-PZT sensor makes it possible to significantly improve the applicability to real structures and minimize man-made errors associated with the installation process by embedding multiple piezoelectric sensors onto a printed circuit board. Moreover, a new frequency-wavenumber analysis-based baseline-free crack diagnosis algorithm minimizes false alarms caused by environmental variations by avoiding simple comparison with the baseline data accumulated from the pristine condition of a target structure. The proposed technique is numerically as well as experimentally validated using a plate-like structure with a welded stiffener, reveling that it successfully identifies and localizes a crack in HAZ.

Stripe-PZT Sensor-Based Baseline-Free Crack Diagnosis in a Structure with a Welded Stiffener.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Yun-Kyu; Shen, Zhiqi; Wu, Zhishen

2016-09-16

This paper proposes a stripe-PZT sensor-based baseline-free crack diagnosis technique in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of a structure with a welded stiffener. The proposed technique enables one to identify and localize a crack in the HAZ using only current data measured using a stripe-PZT sensor. The use of the stripe-PZT sensor makes it possible to significantly improve the applicability to real structures and minimize man-made errors associated with the installation process by embedding multiple piezoelectric sensors onto a printed circuit board. Moreover, a new frequency-wavenumber analysis-based baseline-free crack diagnosis algorithm minimizes false alarms caused by environmental variations by avoiding simple comparison with the baseline data accumulated from the pristine condition of a target structure. The proposed technique is numerically as well as experimentally validated using a plate-like structure with a welded stiffener, reveling that it successfully identifies and localizes a crack in HAZ.

Efficacy of high iodine concentration contrast medium with saline pushing in hepatic CT in patients with chronic liver disease. Comparison of high doses-standard contrast medium concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matoba, Munetaka; Kondo, Tamaki; Nishikawa, Takahiro; Kuginuki, Yasuaki; Yokota, Hajime; Higashi, Kotaro; Tonami, Hisao

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the enhancement of liver parenchyama with high iodine concentration contrast medium with saline pushing to that with high doses standard iodine concentration in hepatic CT in patients with chronic liver disease. There was no statistically significant difference regarding to the enhancement of liver parenchyama between the 370 mgI/ml of contrast medium with saline pushing and high doses standard iodine concentration contrast medium. (author)

High spatial resolution and high contrast visualization of brain arteries and veins. Impact of blood pool contrast agent and water-selective excitation imaging at 3T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spuentrup, E.; Jacobs, J.E.; Kleimann, J.F.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To investigate a blood pool contrast agent and water-selective excitation imaging at 3 T for high spatial and high contrast imaging of brain vessels including the veins. Methods and Results: 48 clinical patients (47 ± 18 years old) were included. Based on clinical findings, twenty-four patients received a single dose of standard extracellular Gadoterate-meglumine (Dotarem registered ) and 24 received the blood pool contrast agent Gadofosveset (Vasovist registered ). After finishing routine MR protocols, all patients were investigated with two high spatial resolution (0.15 mm 3 voxel size) gradient echo sequences in random order in the equilibrium phase (steady-state) as approved by the review board: A standard RF-spoiled gradient-echo sequence (HR-SS, TR/TE 5.1 / 2.3 msec, FA 30 ) and a fat-suppressed gradient-echo sequence with water-selective excitation (HR-FS, 1331 binominal-pulse, TR/TE 8.8 / 3.8 msec, FA 30 ). The images were subjectively assessed (image quality with vessel contrast, artifacts, depiction of lesions) by two investigators and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were compared using the Student's t-test. The image quality and CNR in the HR-FS were significantly superior compared to the HR-SS for both contrast agents (p < 0.05). The CNR was also improved when using the blood pool agent but only to a minor extent while the subjective image quality was similar for both contrast agents. Conclusion: The utilized sequence with water-selective excitation improved image quality and CNR properties in high spatial resolution imaging of brain arteries and veins. The used blood pool contrast agent improved the CNR only to a minor extent over the extracellular contrast agent. (orig.)

Prefrontal inhibition of threat processing protects working memory from interference.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert James Clarke

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Bottom-up processes can interrupt ongoing cognitive processing in order to adaptively respond to emotional stimuli of high potential significance, such as those that threaten wellbeing. However it is vital that this interference can be modulated in certain contexts to focus on current tasks. Deficits in the ability to maintain the appropriate balance between cognitive and emotional demands can severely impact on day-to-day activities. This fMRI study examined this interaction between threat processing and cognition; 18 adult participants performed a visuospatial working memory (WM task with two load conditions, in the presence and absence of anxiety induction by threat of electric shock. Threat of shock interfered with performance in the low cognitive load condition; however interference was eradicated under high load, consistent with engagement of emotion regulation mechanisms. Under low load the amygdala showed significant activation to threat of shock that was modulated by high cognitive load. A directed top-down control contrast identified two regions associated with top-down control; ventrolateral PFC and dorsal ACC. Dynamic causal modelling provided further evidence that under high cognitive load, top-down inhibition is exerted on the amygdala and its outputs to prefrontal regions. Additionally, we hypothesised that individual differences in a separate, non-emotional top-down control task would predict the recruitment of dorsal ACC and ventrolateral PFC during top-down control of threat. Consistent with this, performance on a separate dichotic listening task predicted dorsal ACC and ventrolateral PFC activation during high WM load under threat of shock, though activation in these regions did not directly correlate with WM performance. Together, the findings suggest that under high cognitive load and threat, top-down control is exerted by dACC and vlPFC to inhibit threat processing, thus enabling WM performance without threat

Siim Nestor soovitab : Supreme 7aastane. White Stripes / Siim Nestor

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Nestor, Siim, 1974-

2005-01-01

Kolmik Supreme tähistab oma 7. tegutsemisaastat 24. juunil Von Krahlis, kus toimub ka Krecki debüütalbumi "If You Live" (väljaandjaks ettevõte Umblu) esitlus. Detroidi blues-rock duo White Stripes esitleb oma uut albumit "Get Behind Me Satan" 29. juunil Tallinnas klubis Hollywood

Engineering two-photon high-dimensional states through quantum interference

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yingwen; Roux, Filippus S.; Konrad, Thomas; Agnew, Megan; Leach, Jonathan; Forbes, Andrew

2016-01-01

Many protocols in quantum science, for example, linear optical quantum computing, require access to large-scale entangled quantum states. Such systems can be realized through many-particle qubits, but this approach often suffers from scalability problems. An alternative strategy is to consider a lesser number of particles that exist in high-dimensional states. The spatial modes of light are one such candidate that provides access to high-dimensional quantum states, and thus they increase the storage and processing potential of quantum information systems. We demonstrate the controlled engineering of two-photon high-dimensional states entangled in their orbital angular momentum through Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. We prepare a large range of high-dimensional entangled states and implement precise quantum state filtering. We characterize the full quantum state before and after the filter, and are thus able to determine that only the antisymmetric component of the initial state remains. This work paves the way for high-dimensional processing and communication of multiphoton quantum states, for example, in teleportation beyond qubits. PMID:26933685

Isolation and molecular cytogenetic characterization of a wheat - Leymus mollis double monosomic addition line and its progenies with resistance to stripe rust.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaofei; Li, Xin; Wang, Changyou; Chen, Chunhuan; Tian, Zengrong; Ji, Wanquan

2017-12-01

A common wheat - Leymus mollis (2n = 4x = 28, NsNsXmXm) double monosomic addition line, M11003-4-3-8/13/15 (2n = 44 = 42T.a + L.m2 + L.m3), with stripe rust resistance was developed (where T.a represents Triticum aestivum chromosome, L.m represents L. mollis chromosome, and L.m2/3 represents L. mollis chromosome of homoeologous groups 2 and 3). The progenies of line M11003-4-3-8/13/15 were characterized by cytological observation, specific molecular markers, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Among the progenies, there existed five different types (I, II, III, IV, and V) of chromosome constitution, the formulas of which were 2n = 44 = 42T.a + 1L.m2 + 1L.m3, 2n = 43 = 42T.a + 1L.m2, 2n = 43 = 42T.a + 1L.m3, 2n = 42 = 42T.a, and 2n = 44 = 42T.a + 2L.m2, respectively. Field disease screening showed that types I and III showed high resistance to stripe rust, while types II, IV, and V were susceptible. Leymus mollis was almost immune to stripe rust, whereas the wheat parent, cultivar 7182, was susceptible. Therefore, we concluded that the stripe rust resistance originated from L. mollis. These various lines could be further fully exploited as important disease resistance materials to enrich wheat genetic resources.

High contrast laser marking of alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penide, J.; Quintero, F.; Riveiro, A.; Fernández, A.; Val, J. del; Comesaña, R.; Lusquiños, F.; Pou, J.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Laser marking of alumina using near infrared (NIR) lasers was experimentally analyzed. • Color change produced by NIR lasers is due to thermally induced oxygen vacancies. • Laser marking results obtained using NIR lasers and green laser are compared. • High contrast marks on alumina were achieved. - Abstract: Alumina serves as raw material for a broad range of advanced ceramic products. These elements should usually be identified by some characters or symbols printed directly on them. In this sense, laser marking is an efficient, reliable and widely implemented process in industry. However, laser marking of alumina still leads to poor results since the process is not able to produce a dark mark, yielding bad contrast. In this paper, we present an experimental study on the process of marking alumina by three different lasers working in two wavelengths: 1064 nm (Near-infrared) and 532 nm (visible, green radiation). A colorimetric analysis has been carried out in order to compare the resulting marks and its contrast. The most suitable laser operating conditions were also defined and are reported here. Moreover, the physical process of marking by NIR lasers is discussed in detail. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were also employed to analyze the results. Finally, we propose an explanation for the differences of the coloration induced under different atmospheres and laser parameters. We concluded that the atmosphere is the key parameter, being the inert one the best choice to produce the darkest marks

High contrast laser beam collimation testing using two proximately placed holographic optical elements

Science.gov (United States)

Rajkumar; Dubey, Rajiv; Debnath, Sanjit K.; Chhachhia, D. P.

2018-05-01

Accuracy in laser beam collimation is very important in systems used for precision measurements. The present work reports a technique for collimation testing of laser beams using two proximately placed holographic optical elements (HOEs). The required HOEs are designed and fabricated such that upon illumination with the test beam, they release two laterally sheared wavefronts, at desired angles from the directly transmitted beam, that superimpose each other to generate straight interference fringes. Deviation from the collimation of the test beam results in orientation of these otherwise horizontal fringes. The novelty of this setup comes from the fact that HOEs are lightweight, as well as easy to fabricate as compared to conventional wedge plates used for collimation testing, and generate high contrast fringes compared to other interferometry, holography, Talbot and Moiré based techniques in a compact manner. The proposed technique is experimentally validated by measuring the orientation of fringes by an angle of 16.4° when a collimating lens of focal length 200 mm is defocused by 600 μm. The accuracy in the setting of this collimation position is obtained to be 10 μm.

Characterization of molecular diversity and genome-wide mapping of loci associated with resistance to stripe rust and stem rust in Ethiopian bread wheat accessions.

Science.gov (United States)

Muleta, Kebede T; Rouse, Matthew N; Rynearson, Sheri; Chen, Xianming; Buta, Bedada G; Pumphrey, Michael O

2017-08-04

The narrow genetic basis of resistance in modern wheat cultivars and the strong selection response of pathogen populations have been responsible for periodic and devastating epidemics of the wheat rust diseases. Characterizing new sources of resistance and incorporating multiple genes into elite cultivars is the most widely accepted current mechanism to achieve durable varietal performance against changes in pathogen virulence. Here, we report a high-density molecular characterization and genome-wide association study (GWAS) of stripe rust and stem rust resistance in 190 Ethiopian bread wheat lines based on phenotypic data from multi-environment field trials and seedling resistance screening experiments. A total of 24,281 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers filtered from the wheat 90 K iSelect genotyping assay was used to survey Ethiopian germplasm for population structure, genetic diversity and marker-trait associations. Upon screening for field resistance to stripe rust in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Ethiopia over multiple growing seasons, and against multiple races of stripe rust and stem rust at seedling stage, eight accessions displayed resistance to all tested races of stem rust and field resistance to stripe rust in all environments. Our GWAS results show 15 loci were significantly associated with seedling and adult plant resistance to stripe rust at false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted probability (P) rust in the Ethiopian wheat accessions. Many of the identified resistance loci were mapped close to previously identified rust resistance genes; however, three loci on the short arms of chromosomes 5A and 7B for stripe rust resistance and two on chromosomes 3B and 7B for stem rust resistance may be novel. Our results demonstrate that considerable genetic variation resides within the landrace accessions that can be utilized to broaden the genetic base of rust resistance in wheat breeding germplasm. The molecular markers identified in

Anatomical studies of the gastrointestinal tract of the striped sand ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A study was carried out on the gross anatomical, morphometric features and histology of the gastrointestinal tract of the Striped Sand Snake (Psammophis sibilans). Ten snakes (five males and five females) were euthanized and dissected for the study. The gastrointestinal tract appeared as a straight tubular organ from oral ...

Stripe segregation and magnetic coupling in the nickelate La 5/3Sr1/3NiO4

KAUST Repository

Schwingenschlögl, Udo

2009-03-02

We investigate the consequences of the stripe formation in the nickelate La5/3Sr1/3NiO4 for the details of its crystal structure and electronic states. Our data are based on numerical simulations within density functional theory (DFT) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The on-site Coulomb interaction is included in terms of the LDA+U scheme. Structure optimization of preliminary experimental data indicates a strong interaction between the structural and electronic degrees of freedom. In particular, we find a segregation of the diagonal filled stripes induced by a delicate interplay with the magnetic coupling. Beyond the cooperative effect of stripe segregation and spin order, distinct octahedral distortions are essential for the formation of an insulating state. © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interference, confinement and non Franck-Condon effects in photoionization of H{sub 2} molecules at high photon energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, J; MartIn, F [Departamento de Quimica, C-9, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Fojon, O, E-mail: jorge@phys.au.d, E-mail: ofojon@fceia.unr.edu.a, E-mail: fernando.martin@uam.e [Institute de Fisica Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario (Argentina)

2009-11-01

We study in detail photoionization of H{sub 2} molecules by high energy photons. Bound and continuum states are accurately evaluated by using B-spline basis functions. The usual Franck-Condon behavior is not followed when the molecule is parallel to the polarization direction. The origin of this anomaly is related to interference effects. Moreover, it is shown that at these high photon energies, the nuclear asymmetry parameter exhibits a reminiscence of these interference patterns.

Frequent video game players resist perceptual interference.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaron V Berard

Full Text Available Playing certain types of video games for a long time can improve a wide range of mental processes, from visual acuity to cognitive control. Frequent gamers have also displayed generalized improvements in perceptual learning. In the Texture Discrimination Task (TDT, a widely used perceptual learning paradigm, participants report the orientation of a target embedded in a field of lines and demonstrate robust over-night improvement. However, changing the orientation of the background lines midway through TDT training interferes with overnight improvements in overall performance on TDT. Interestingly, prior research has suggested that this effect will not occur if a one-hour break is allowed in between the changes. These results have suggested that after training is over, it may take some time for learning to become stabilized and resilient against interference. Here, we tested whether frequent gamers have faster stabilization of perceptual learning compared to non-gamers and examined the effect of daily video game playing on interference of training of TDT with one background orientation on perceptual learning of TDT with a different background orientation. As a result, we found that non-gamers showed overnight performance improvement only on one background orientation, replicating previous results with the interference in TDT. In contrast, frequent gamers demonstrated overnight improvements in performance with both background orientations, suggesting that they are better able to overcome interference in perceptual learning. This resistance to interference suggests that video game playing not only enhances the amplitude and speed of perceptual learning but also leads to faster and/or more robust stabilization of perceptual learning.

Frequent video game players resist perceptual interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Berard, Aaron V; Cain, Matthew S; Watanabe, Takeo; Sasaki, Yuka

2015-01-01

Playing certain types of video games for a long time can improve a wide range of mental processes, from visual acuity to cognitive control. Frequent gamers have also displayed generalized improvements in perceptual learning. In the Texture Discrimination Task (TDT), a widely used perceptual learning paradigm, participants report the orientation of a target embedded in a field of lines and demonstrate robust over-night improvement. However, changing the orientation of the background lines midway through TDT training interferes with overnight improvements in overall performance on TDT. Interestingly, prior research has suggested that this effect will not occur if a one-hour break is allowed in between the changes. These results have suggested that after training is over, it may take some time for learning to become stabilized and resilient against interference. Here, we tested whether frequent gamers have faster stabilization of perceptual learning compared to non-gamers and examined the effect of daily video game playing on interference of training of TDT with one background orientation on perceptual learning of TDT with a different background orientation. As a result, we found that non-gamers showed overnight performance improvement only on one background orientation, replicating previous results with the interference in TDT. In contrast, frequent gamers demonstrated overnight improvements in performance with both background orientations, suggesting that they are better able to overcome interference in perceptual learning. This resistance to interference suggests that video game playing not only enhances the amplitude and speed of perceptual learning but also leads to faster and/or more robust stabilization of perceptual learning.

Influence of stripe rust infection on the photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system of susceptible and resistant wheat cultivars at the adult plant stage.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yang-Er; Cui, Jun-Mei; Su, Yan-Qiu; Yuan, Shu; Yuan, Ming; Zhang, Huai-Yu

2015-01-01

Wheat stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Pst), is one of the most serious diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. To gain a better understanding of the protective mechanism against stripe rust at the adult plant stage, the differences in photosystem II and antioxidant enzymatic systems between susceptible and resistant wheat in response to stripe rust disease (P. striiformis) were investigated. We found that chlorophyll fluorescence and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes were higher in resistant wheat than in susceptible wheat after stripe rust infection. Compared with the susceptible wheat, the resistant wheat accumulated a higher level of D1 protein and a lower level of reactive oxygen species after infection. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that D1 and light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) phosphorylation are involved in the resistance to stripe rust in wheat. The CP29 protein was phosphorylated under stripe rust infection, like its phosphorylation in other monocots under environmental stresses. More extensive damages occur on the thylakoid membranes in the susceptible wheat compared with the resistant wheat. The findings provide evidence that thylakoid protein phosphorylation and antioxidant enzyme systems play important roles in plant responses and defense to biotic stress.

High-contrast MacNeille-PBS-based LCOS projection systems

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianmin; Robinson, Michael G.; Sharp, Gary D.

2005-04-01

Contrast limits are investigated for MacNeille PBS based LCOS projection systems that use retarder stack filters (RSF). The two contributing factors are considered separately; namely the color management system and the panel port. To enhance performance of the former, skew ray compensated RSFs are introduced. For the latter, a general methodology is presented to optimize contrast by compensating the LCOS panel. It is shown that the orientation of the LCOS panel and compensator, relative to the MacNeille PBS, is critical. The significant impact of AR coating performance on system contrast is also revealed. A high contrast architecture will be presented by way of example.

Gd-HOPO Based High Relaxivity MRI Contrast Agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Datta, Ankona; Raymond, Kenneth

2008-11-06

Tris-bidentate HOPO-based ligands developed in our laboratory were designed to complement the coordination preferences of Gd{sup 3+}, especially its oxophilicity. The HOPO ligands provide a hexadentate coordination environment for Gd{sup 3+} in which all he donor atoms are oxygen. Because Gd{sup 3+} favors eight or nine coordination, this design provides two to three open sites for inner-sphere water molecules. These water molecules rapidly exchange with bulk solution, hence affecting the relaxation rates of bulk water olecules. The parameters affecting the efficiency of these contrast agents have been tuned to improve contrast while still maintaining a high thermodynamic stability for Gd{sup 3+} binding. The Gd- HOPO-based contrast agents surpass current commercially available agents ecause of a higher number of inner-sphere water molecules, rapid exchange of inner-sphere water molecules via an associative mechanism, and a long electronic relaxation time. The contrast enhancement provided by these agents is at least twice that of commercial contrast gents, which are based on polyaminocarboxylate ligands.

Portfolio Optimization Using Particle Swarms with Stripes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Villalobos Arias

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper it is consider the Portfolio Optimization Problem developed by Markowitz [11]. The basic assumption is that the investor tries to maximize his/her profit and at the same time, wants to minimize the risk. This problem is usually solved using a scalarization approach (with one objective. Here it is solved it as a bi-objective  optimization problem. It uses a new version of the algorithm of Particle Swarm Optimization for Multi-Objective Problems to which it implemented a method of the stripes to improve dispersion.

REM sleep rescues learning from interference

Science.gov (United States)

McDevitt, Elizabeth A.; Duggan, Katherine A.; Mednick, Sara C.

2015-01-01

Classical human memory studies investigating the acquisition of temporally-linked events have found that the memories for two events will interfere with each other and cause forgetting (i.e., interference; Wixted, 2004). Importantly, sleep helps consolidate memories and protect them from subsequent interference (Ellenbogen, Hulbert, Stickgold, Dinges, & Thompson-Schill, 2006). We asked whether sleep can also repair memories that have already been damaged by interference. Using a perceptual learning paradigm, we induced interference either before or after a consolidation period. We varied brain states during consolidation by comparing active wake, quiet wake, and naps with either non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM), or both NREM and REM sleep. When interference occurred after consolidation, sleep and wake both produced learning. However, interference prior to consolidation impaired memory, with retroactive interference showing more disruption than proactive interference. Sleep rescued learning damaged by interference. Critically, only naps that contained REM sleep were able to rescue learning that was highly disrupted by retroactive interference. Furthermore, the magnitude of rescued learning was correlated with the amount of REM sleep. We demonstrate the first evidence of a process by which the brain can rescue and consolidate memories damaged by interference, and that this process requires REM sleep. We explain these results within a theoretical model that considers how interference during encoding interacts with consolidation processes to predict which memories are retained or lost. PMID:25498222

Enhanced resistance to stripe rust disease in transgenic wheat expressing the rice chitinase gene RC24.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xuan; Wang, Jian; Du, Zhen; Zhang, Chen; Li, Lan; Xu, Ziqin

2013-10-01

Stripe rust is a devastating fungal disease of wheat worldwide which is primarily caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp tritici. Transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) expressing rice class chitinase gene RC24 were developed by particle bombardment of immature embryos and tested for resistance to Puccinia striiformis f.sp tritici. under greenhouse and field conditions. Putative transformants were selected on kanamycin-containing media. Polymease chain reaction indicated that RC24 was transferred into 17 transformants obtained from bombardment of 1,684 immature embryos. Integration of RC24 was confirmed by Southern blot with a RC24-labeled probe and expression of RC24 was verified by RT-PCR. Nine transgenic T1 lines exhibited enhanced resistance to stripe rust infection with lines XN8 and BF4 showing the highest level of resistance. Southern blot hybridization confirmed the stable inheritance of RC24 in transgenic T1 plants. Resistance to stripe rust in transgenic T2 and T3 XN8 and BF4 plants was confirmed over two consecutive years in the field. Increased yield (27-36 %) was recorded for transgenic T2 and T3 XN8 and BF4 plants compared to controls. These results suggest that rice class I chitinase RC24 can be used to engineer stripe rust resistance in wheat.

High temperature radio-frequency superconducting quantum interference device system for detection of magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pretzell, Alf

2012-01-01

This doctoral thesis was aimed at establishing a set-up with high-temperature superconductor (HTS) radio-frequency (rf) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) technology for the detection of magnetic nanoparticles and in particular for testing applications of magnetic nanoparticle immunoassays. It was part of the EU-project ''Biodiagnostics'' running from 2005 to 2008. The method of magnetic binding assays was developed as an alternative to other methods of concentration determination like enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), or fluorescent immunoassay. The ELISA has sensitivities down to analyte-concentrations of pg/ml. Multiple incubation and washing steps have to be performed for these techniques, the analyte has to diffuse to the site of binding. The magnetic assay uses magnetic nanoparticles as markers for the substance to be detected. It is being explored by current research and shows similar sensitivity compared to ELISA but in contrast - does not need any washing and can be read out directly after binding - can be applied in solution with opaque media, e.g. blood or muddy water - additionally allows magnetic separation or concentration - in combination with small magnetoresistive or Hall sensors, allows detection of only a few particles or even single beads. For medical or environmental samples, maybe opaque and containing a multitude of substances, it would be advantageous to devise an instrument, which allows to be read out quickly and with high sensitivity. Due to the mentioned items the magnetic assay might be a possibility here.

Numerical investigation on thermal stratification and striping phenomena in various coolants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zumao Yang; Muramatsu, Toshiharu

2000-02-01

It is important to study thermal stratification and striping phenomena for they can induce thermal fatigue failure of structures. This presentation uses the AQUA code, which has been developed in Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC), to investigate the characteristics of these thermal phenomena in water, liquid sodium, liquid lead and carbon dioxide gas. There are altogether eight calculated cases with same Richardson number and initial inlet hot velocity in thermal stratification calculations, in which four cases have same velocity difference between inlet hot and cold fluid, the other four cases with same temperature difference. The calculated results show: (1) The fluid's properties and initial conditions have considerable effects on thermal stratification, which is decided by the combination of such as thermal conduction, viscous dissipation and buoyant force, etc., and (2) The gas has distinctive thermal stratification characteristics from those of liquid because for horizontal flow in the transportation of momentum and energy, the drastic exchange usually happens at the hot-cold interface for liquid, however, the buoyancy and natural convection make the quick exchange position depart from the hot-cold interface for gas. In thermal striping analysis, only the first step work has been finished. The calculated results show: (1) the vertical flow has some difference in thermal stratification characteristics from those of horizontal flow, and (2) For deep thermal striping analysis in the calculated area, more attention should be paid to the center area along Z-direction for liquid and small velocity area for gas. (author)

Assessment of potential impact of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant thermal effluent on the Watts Bar Reservoir striped bass population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heuer, J.H.; McIntosh, D.; Ostrowski, P.; Tomljanovich, D.A.

1983-11-01

This report is an assessment of potential adverse impact to striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in Watts Bar Reservoir caused by thermal effluent from operation of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP). The Clinch River arm of Watts Bar Reservoir is occupied by adult striped bass during the warmest months of the year. Concern was raised that operation of the CRBRP, specifically thermal discharges, could conflict with management of striped bass. In all cases examined the thermal plume becomes nearly imperceptible within a short distance from the discharge pipe (about 30 ft [10 m]) compared to river width (about 630 ft [190 m]). Under worst case conditions any presence of the plume in the main channel (opposite side of the river from the discharge) will be confined to the surface layer of the water. An ample portion of river cross sections containing ambient temperature water for passage or residence of adult striped bass will always be available in the vicinity of this thermal effluent. Although a small portion of river cross section would exceed the thermal tolerance of striped bass, the fish would naturally avoid this area and seek out adjacent cooler water. Therefore, it is concluded the CRBRP thermal effluent will not significantly affect the integrity of the striped bass thermal refuge in the Clinch River arm of Watts Bar Reservoir. At this time there is no need to consider alternative diffuser designs and thermal modeling. 8 references, 3 figures, 2 tables

An Interference-Aware Traffic-Priority-Based Link Scheduling Algorithm for Interference Mitigation in Multiple Wireless Body Area Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thien T. T. Le

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Currently, wireless body area networks (WBANs are effectively used for health monitoring services. However, in cases where WBANs are densely deployed, interference among WBANs can cause serious degradation of network performance and reliability. Inter-WBAN interference can be reduced by scheduling the communication links of interfering WBANs. In this paper, we propose an interference-aware traffic-priority-based link scheduling (ITLS algorithm to overcome inter-WBAN interference in densely deployed WBANs. First, we model a network with multiple WBANs as an interference graph where node-level interference and traffic priority are taken into account. Second, we formulate link scheduling for multiple WBANs as an optimization model where the objective is to maximize the throughput of the entire network while ensuring the traffic priority of sensor nodes. Finally, we propose the ITLS algorithm for multiple WBANs on the basis of the optimization model. High spatial reuse is also achieved in the proposed ITLS algorithm. The proposed ITLS achieves high spatial reuse while considering traffic priority, packet length, and the number of interfered sensor nodes. Our simulation results show that the proposed ITLS significantly increases spatial reuse and network throughput with lower delay by mitigating inter-WBAN interference.

Post-deposition control of ferroelastic stripe domains and internal electric field by thermal treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feigl, L.; Iwanowska, M.; Sandu, C. S.; Setter, N. [Ceramics Laboratory, EPFL-Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, CH-1015 Switzerland (Switzerland); Janolin, P.-E. [Laboratoire Structures, Propriétés et Modélisation des Solides, UMR CNRS-École Centrale Paris, Grande Voie des Vignes, 92295 Châtenay-Malabry Cedex (France); Yamada, T. [Department of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan); PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 (Japan)

2015-01-19

The dependence of the formation of ferroelastic stripe domain patterns on the thermal history is investigated by detailed piezoresponse force microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments after and during annealing of tensile strained tetragonal Pb(Ti,Zr)O{sub 3} epitaxial thin films on DyScO{sub 3} substrates. In particular, the ferroelastic pattern is reversibly interchanged between a cross-hatched and a stripe domain pattern if the films are cooled at different rates after annealing above the formation temperature of a-domains. Different types of 180° and non-180° patterns can be created, depending on the thermal treatment. The changes in the 180° domain structure and lattice parameters are attributed to a change of oxygen vacancy concentration, which results in a modification of the internal electric field and unit cell size, causing also a shift of T{sub C}. Thermal treatment is done on rhombohedral La:BiFeO{sub 3} thin films as well. It is observed that also in these films, appropriate heat treatment modifies the domain pattern and films with a stripe domain pattern can be created, confirming the general validity of the developed model.

Stronger interference from distractors in the right hemifield during visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlei, Christophe; Kerzel, Dirk

2018-03-01

The orientation-bias hypothesis states that there is a bias to attend to the right visual hemifield (RVF) when there is spatial competition between stimuli in the left and right hemifield [Pollmann, S. (1996). A pop-out induced extinction-like phenomenon in neurologically intact subjects. Neuropsychologia, 34(5), 413-425. doi: 10.1016/0028-3932(95)00125-5 ]. In support of this hypothesis, stronger interference was reported for RVF distractors with contralateral targets. In contrast, previous studies using rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) found stronger interference from distractors in the left visual hemifield (LVF). We used the additional singleton paradigm to test whether this discrepancy was due to the different distractor features that were employed (colour vs. orientation). Interference from the colour distractor with contralateral targets was larger in the RVF than in the LVF. However, the asymmetrical interference disappeared when observers had to search for an inconspicuous colour target instead of the inconspicuous shape target. We suggest that the LVF orienting-bias is limited to situations where search is driven by bottom-up saliency (singleton search) instead of top-down search goals (feature search). In contrast, analysis of the literature suggests the opposite for the LVF bias in RSVP tasks. Thus, the attentional asymmetry may depend on whether the task involves temporal or spatial competition, and whether search is based on bottom-up or top-down signals.

High contrast computed tomography with synchrotron radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Itai, Yuji; Takeda, Tohoru; Akatsuka, Takao; Maeda, Tomokazu; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Uchida, Akira; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Kazama, Masahiro; Wu, Jin; Ando, Masami

1995-02-01

This article describes a new monochromatic x-ray CT system using synchrotron radiation with applications in biomedical diagnosis which is currently under development. The system is designed to provide clear images and to detect contrast materials at low concentration for the quantitative functional evaluation of organs in correspondence with their anatomical structures. In this system, with x-ray energy changing from 30 to 52 keV, images can be obtained to detect various contrast materials (iodine, barium, and gadolinium), and K-edge energy subtraction is applied. Herein, the features of the new system designed to enhance the advantages of SR are reported. With the introduction of a double-crystal monochromator, the high-order x-ray contamination is eliminated. The newly designed CCD detector with a wide dynamic range of 60 000:1 has a spatial resolution of 200 μm. The resulting image quality, which is expected to show improved contrast and spatial resolution, is currently under investigation.

Sleep can reduce proactive interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, Magdalena; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2014-01-01

Sleep has repeatedly been connected to processes of memory consolidation. While extensive research indeed documents beneficial effects of sleep on memory, little is yet known about the role of sleep for interference effects in episodic memory. Although two prior studies reported sleep to reduce retroactive interference, no sleep effect has previously been found for proactive interference. Here we applied a study format differing from that employed by the prior studies to induce a high degree of proactive interference, and asked participants to encode a single list or two interfering lists of paired associates via pure study cycles. Testing occurred after 12 hours of diurnal wakefulness or nocturnal sleep. Consistent with the prior work, we found sleep in comparison to wake did not affect memory for the single list, but reduced retroactive interference. In addition we found sleep reduced proactive interference, and reduced retroactive and proactive interference to the same extent. The finding is consistent with the view that arising benefits of sleep are caused by the reactivation of memory contents during sleep, which has been suggested to strengthen and stabilise memories. Such stabilisation may make memories less susceptible to competition from interfering memories at test and thus reduce interference effects.

Invasion of the striped mollusks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-09-01

Introduced to this country only five years ago, the prolific zebra mussel has infested the Great Lakes and has already begun to move into fresh waters beyond the region. Dense populations in utility water systems have caused serious problems, reducing plant efficiency and blocking lines used for cooling and fire fighting. Experts say the striped mollusk has the potential to become the industry's worst biological problem, possibly affecting 70% of US power plants. While it appears that the invader is here to stay, EPRI and others continue to develop and refine techniques to control mussel growth. This article describes how the mollusk got here, reviews the problems it can cause and what is being done to mitigate the problems and control the growth and spread of the mollusk.

Submicrometer Metallic Barcodes

Science.gov (United States)

Nicewarner-Peña, Sheila R.; Freeman, R. Griffith; Reiss, Brian D.; He, Lin; Peña, David J.; Walton, Ian D.; Cromer, Remy; Keating, Christine D.; Natan, Michael J.

2001-10-01

We synthesized multimetal microrods intrinsically encoded with submicrometer stripes. Complex striping patterns are readily prepared by sequential electrochemical deposition of metal ions into templates with uniformly sized pores. The differential reflectivity of adjacent stripes enables identification of the striping patterns by conventional light microscopy. This readout mechanism does not interfere with the use of fluorescence for detection of analytes bound to particles by affinity capture, as demonstrated by DNA and protein bioassays.

Cooperation for Interference Management: A GDoF Perspective

KAUST Repository

Gherekhloo, Soheil

2016-10-13

The impact of cooperation on interference management is investigated by studying an elemental wireless network, the so-called symmetric interference relay channel (IRC), from a generalized degrees of freedom (GDoF) perspective. This is motivated by the fact that the deployment of relays is considered as a remedy to overcome the bottleneck of current systems in terms of achievable rates. The focus of this paper is on the regime in which the interference link is weaker than the source-relay link in the IRC. Our approach toward studying the GDoF goes through the capacity analysis of the linear deterministic IRC (LD-IRC). New upper bounds on the sum capacity of the LD-IRC based on genie-aided approaches are established. These upper bounds together with some existing upper bounds are achieved by using four novel transmission schemes. Extending the upper bounds and the transmission schemes to the Gaussian case, the GDoF of the Gaussian IRC is characterized for the aforementioned regime. This completes the GDoF results available in the literature for the symmetric GDoF. It turns out that even if the incoming and outgoing links of the relay are both weaker than the desired channel, involving a relay can increase the GDoF. Interestingly, utilizing the relay in this case can increase the slope of the GDoF from -2 [in the interference channel (IC)] to -1 or 0. This shrinks the regime where ignoring the interference by treating it as noise is optimal. Furthermore, the analysis shows that if the relay ingoing and outgoing links are sufficiently strong, the relay is able to neutralize the interference completely. In this case, the bottleneck of the transmission will be the interference links, and hence, the GDoF increases if the interference link gets stronger. It is shown that in the strong interference regime, in contrast to the IC, the GDoF can be a monotonically decreasing function of the interference level. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Mansik; Song, Wentao; Huynh, Elizabeth; Kim, Jungho; Kim, Jeesu; Helfield, Brandon L.; Leung, Ben Y. C.; Goertz, David E.; Zheng, Gang; Oh, Jungtaek; Lovell, Jonathan F.; Kim, Chulhong

2014-01-01

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are highly complementary modalities since both use ultrasonic detection for operation. Increasingly, photoacoustic and ultrasound have been integrated in terms of hardware instrumentation. To generate a broadly accessible dual-modality contrast agent, we generated microbubbles (a standard ultrasound contrast agent) in a solution of methylene blue (a standard photoacoustic dye). This MB2 solution was formed effectively and was optimized as a dual-modality contrast solution. As microbubble concentration increased (with methylene blue concentration constant), photoacoustic signal was attenuated in the MB2 solution. When methylene blue concentration increased (with microbubble concentration held constant), no ultrasonic interference was observed. Using an MB2 solution that strongly attenuated all photoacoustic signal, high powered ultrasound could be used to burst the microbubbles and dramatically enhance photoacoustic contrast (>800-fold increase), providing a new method for spatiotemporal control of photoacoustic signal generation.

Production of wood vinegars from coconut shells and additional materials for control of termite workers, Odontotermes sp. and striped mealy bugs, Ferrisia virgata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunan Wititsiri

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Coconut shells and coir are considered as wastes of coconut based products that have not been utilized efficiently.By using these abundant bioresources, which are widely available in Thailand, as raw materials, we were able to producewood vinegars that may be alternatives to termiticides and pesticides. The wood vinegars were obtained from carbonizationprocess using a 200-liter fuel tank as charcoal brazier under temperatures of 300-400°C. In this study, termiticidal and pesticidalactivities of wood vinegars were evaluated against termite workers, Odontotermes sp., and striped mealy bugs, Ferrisiavirgata, using direct contact application. Percent mortalities in the experiments were recorded after 24 hours and correctedfor control mortality with Abbott’s formula. Wood vinegars of 850, 696, and 898 milliliters were produced from coconut shell(wood vinegar A and the mixture of coconut shell and coir (wood vinegar B and the mixture of coconut shell, coir and holybasil (wood vinegar C, respectively. Wood vinegar A exhibited high termiticidal activity against termite workers at a dilutionof 1:50, wood vinegar: sterile water (v/v. By this way, 85% (81.71% corrected mortality of termite workers were killed afterthe 24 hours of test. At a dilution of 1:10, both wood vinegar A and B had exhibited high pesticidal activities against mealybugs, 96% (95.12% corrected mortality of striped mealy bugs were killed by those wood vinegars. In the weakest termiticidaland pesticidal activities, wood vinegar C was able to kill 60% (51.22% corrected mortality of termite workers at a dilution of1:50 within 24 hours. Also it killed 93% (91.89% corrected mortality of striped mealy bugs with a dilution of 1:10 (v/v withinthe same amount of time. Post-hoc comparisons (Tukey test revealed that wood vinegar A possessed the most effectivetermiticidal activity against termite workers. However, a similarity in high pesticidal activity was found among three woodvinegars

Progress in high index contrast integrated optics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baets, R.G.F.; Bienstman, P.; Bogaerts, W.; Brouckaert, J.; De Backere, P.; Dumon, P.; Roelkens, G.; Scheerlinck, S.; Smit, M.K.; Taillaert, D.; Van Campenhout, J.; Van Laere, F.; Thourhout, Van D.

2007-01-01

A large fraction of the recent innovation in integrated optics is enabled by the use of high index contrast structures and devices. The strong confinement achievable in such devices allows for dramatic performance benefits and downscaling. In this paper the progress in this field is reviewed.

Spatial aspects of the reproductive and feeding biology of the striped ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aspects of the reproductive and feeding biology of two allopatric populations of the striped robber, Brycinus lateralis, a small characin species inhabiting the northern riverine floodplain and southern drainage rivers, were investigated. Both populations were similar in the biological aspects studied, with the flood cycle having ...

Laser self-mixing interference fibre sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Jun; Zhao Yan; Jin Guofan

2008-01-01

Fibre sensors exhibit a number of advantages over other sensors such as high sensitivity, electric insulation, corrosion resistance, interference rejection and so on. And laser self-mixing interference can accurately detect the phase difference of feedback light. In this paper, a novel laser self-mixing interference fibre sensor that combines the advantages of fibre sensors with those of laser self-mixing interference is presented. Experimental configurations are set up to study the relationship between laser power output and phase of laser feedback light when the fibre trembles or when the fibre is stretched or pressed. The theoretical analysis of pressure sensors based on laser self-mixing interference is indicated to accord with the experimental results. (classical areas of phenomenology)

Naturally occurring deletions of hunchback binding sites in the even-skipped stripe 3+7 enhancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnar Palsson

Full Text Available Changes in regulatory DNA contribute to phenotypic differences within and between taxa. Comparative studies show that many transcription factor binding sites (TFBS are conserved between species whereas functional studies reveal that some mutations segregating within species alter TFBS function. Consistently, in this analysis of 13 regulatory elements in Drosophila melanogaster populations, single base and insertion/deletion polymorphism are rare in characterized regulatory elements. Experimentally defined TFBS are nearly devoid of segregating mutations and, as has been shown before, are quite conserved. For instance 8 of 11 Hunchback binding sites in the stripe 3+7 enhancer of even-skipped are conserved between D. melanogaster and Drosophila virilis. Oddly, we found a 72 bp deletion that removes one of these binding sites (Hb8, segregating within D. melanogaster. Furthermore, a 45 bp deletion polymorphism in the spacer between the stripe 3+7 and stripe 2 enhancers, removes another predicted Hunchback site. These two deletions are separated by ∼250 bp, sit on distinct haplotypes, and segregate at appreciable frequency. The Hb8Δ is at 5 to 35% frequency in the new world, but also shows cosmopolitan distribution. There is depletion of sequence variation on the Hb8Δ-carrying haplotype. Quantitative genetic tests indicate that Hb8Δ affects developmental time, but not viability of offspring. The Eve expression pattern differs between inbred lines, but the stripe 3 and 7 boundaries seem unaffected by Hb8Δ. The data reveal segregating variation in regulatory elements, which may reflect evolutionary turnover of characterized TFBS due to drift or co-evolution.

Naturally occurring deletions of hunchback binding sites in the even-skipped stripe 3+7 enhancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Palsson, Arnar; Wesolowska, Natalia; Reynisdóttir, Sigrún; Ludwig, Michael Z; Kreitman, Martin

2014-01-01

Changes in regulatory DNA contribute to phenotypic differences within and between taxa. Comparative studies show that many transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) are conserved between species whereas functional studies reveal that some mutations segregating within species alter TFBS function. Consistently, in this analysis of 13 regulatory elements in Drosophila melanogaster populations, single base and insertion/deletion polymorphism are rare in characterized regulatory elements. Experimentally defined TFBS are nearly devoid of segregating mutations and, as has been shown before, are quite conserved. For instance 8 of 11 Hunchback binding sites in the stripe 3+7 enhancer of even-skipped are conserved between D. melanogaster and Drosophila virilis. Oddly, we found a 72 bp deletion that removes one of these binding sites (Hb8), segregating within D. melanogaster. Furthermore, a 45 bp deletion polymorphism in the spacer between the stripe 3+7 and stripe 2 enhancers, removes another predicted Hunchback site. These two deletions are separated by ∼250 bp, sit on distinct haplotypes, and segregate at appreciable frequency. The Hb8Δ is at 5 to 35% frequency in the new world, but also shows cosmopolitan distribution. There is depletion of sequence variation on the Hb8Δ-carrying haplotype. Quantitative genetic tests indicate that Hb8Δ affects developmental time, but not viability of offspring. The Eve expression pattern differs between inbred lines, but the stripe 3 and 7 boundaries seem unaffected by Hb8Δ. The data reveal segregating variation in regulatory elements, which may reflect evolutionary turnover of characterized TFBS due to drift or co-evolution.

Linearly polarized photoluminescence of anisotropically strained c-plane GaN layers on stripe-shaped cavity-engineered sapphire substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jongmyeong; Moon, Daeyoung; Lee, Seungmin; Lee, Donghyun; Yang, Duyoung; Jang, Jeonghwan; Park, Yongjo; Yoon, Euijoon

2018-05-01

Anisotropic in-plane strain and resultant linearly polarized photoluminescence (PL) of c-plane GaN layers were realized by using a stripe-shaped cavity-engineered sapphire substrate (SCES). High resolution X-ray reciprocal space mapping measurements revealed that the GaN layers on the SCES were under significant anisotropic in-plane strain of -0.0140% and -0.1351% along the directions perpendicular and parallel to the stripe pattern, respectively. The anisotropic in-plane strain in the GaN layers was attributed to the anisotropic strain relaxation due to the anisotropic arrangement of cavity-incorporated membranes. Linearly polarized PL behavior such as the observed angle-dependent shift in PL peak position and intensity comparable with the calculated value based on k.p perturbation theory. It was found that the polarized PL behavior was attributed to the modification of valence band structures induced by anisotropic in-plane strain in the GaN layers on the SCES.

The effect of extremely high glucose concentrations on 21 routine chemistry and thyroid Abbott assays: interference study

OpenAIRE

?uhadar, Serap; K?seo?lu, Mehmet; ?inpolat, Yasemin; Bu?dayc?, G?ler; Usta, Murat; Semerci, Tuna

2016-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Extremely high glucose concentrations have been shown to interfere with creatinine assays especially with Jaffe method in peritoneal dialysate. Because diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in the world, laboratories study with varying glucose concentrations. We investigated whether different levels of glucose spiked in serum interfere with 21 routine chemistry and thyroid assays at glucose concentrations between 17-51 mmol/L. Materials and methods: Base...

Molecular mapping of stripe rust resistance gene YrSE5756 in synthetic hexaploid wheat and its transfer to common wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.J.; Wang, C.Y.; Zhang, H.

2015-01-01

Synthetic hexaploid wheat is an important germplasm resource for transfer of beneficial genes from alien species to common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Synthetic hexaploid wheat SE5756 confers a high level of resistance against a wide range of races of Puccinia striiformis West. f. sp. tritici Eriks. et Henn.(Pst). The objectives of this study were to determine the inheritance pattern, adjacent molecular markers, and chromosomal location of the stripe rust resistance gene in SE5756 and to develop new germplasm. We constructed a segregating population of 116 F2 plants and corresponding F2:3 families from a cross between SE5756 and Xinong979 with Pst races CYR32. Genetic analysis revealed that a single dominant gene, tentatively designated as YrSE5756, was responsible for seedling stage stripe rust resistance in SE5756. A genetic map, encompassing Xwmc626, Xwmc269, Xgwm11, Xbarx137, Xwmc419, Xwmc85, Xgpw5237, Xwmc134, WE173, Xwmc631, and YrSE5756, spanned 70.1 cM on chromosome 1BS. Xwmc419 and Xwmc85 were flanking markers tightly linked to YrSE5756 at genetic distances of 2.3 and 1.8 cM. Typical adult plant responses of the SE5756, varieties of the carrier Yr10 and Yr15, Chuanmai 42 (Yr24/Yr26), Yuanfeng 175 (Yr24/Yr26) and Huixianhong resistant to mixture Pst races (CYR32, CYR33 and V26) were experimented. The results showed that YrSE5756 was likely a new resistance stripe rust gene different from Yr24/Yr26, Yr10 and Yr15. From cross and backcross populations of SE5756/Xinong 979, we developed four new wheat lines with large seeds, stripe rust resistance, and improved agronomic traits: N07178-1, N07178-2, N08256-1, and N08256-2. These new germplasm lines could serve as sources of resistance to stripe rust in wheat breeding. SE5756 has the very vital significance in the development of breeding and expand our resistance germplasm resource gene pool. (author)

Interference of daratumumab with pretransfusion testing, mimicking a high-titer, low avidity like antibody

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei-Hwa Lin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Daratumumab is a monoclonal immunoglobulin against CD38 and has been approved for treating patients with refractory multiple myeloma. The presence of daratumumab in the sera can interfere with pretransfusion testing due to the weakly expression of CD38 on red cells. The reactivity could be mistaken as autoantibody (if autocontrol is positive or alloantibody (if autocontrol is negative. We present a case that demonstrates daratumumab could mimic a high titer low avidity (HTLA alloantibody. A 34-year-old male patient of refractory myeloma was recruited in phase three clinical trial involving daratumumab. Samples were sent to the blood bank for pretransfusion testing. Without knowledge of patient having used daratumumab, we mistook the reactivity in the patient's sera as an HTLA antibody due to the results of negative autocontrol and high titers of antibody activity. Antibody screen showed a panreactive pattern and the reactivity against screening cells was up to a titer of 1: 1240. The reactivity was weaker against cord cells than adult cells, became weaker against ZZAP-treated cells and became negative against DDT-treated cells. A discussion with attending physician finally revealed the reactivity was due to the interference caused by daratumumab. The case demonstrates good communication is essential in performing pretransfusion testing for patients receiving daratumumab and other new biological regimens that can interfere with compatibility test.

Methods to assess impacts on Hudson River striped bass: report for the period October 1, 1977 to September 30, 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnthouse, L.W.; Christensen, S.W.; Kirk, B.L.; Kumar, K.D.; Van Winkle, W.

1980-06-01

The overall objective of this project is to develop and apply quantitative methods for assessing the effects of power plant entrainment and impingement on the Hudson River striped bass population. During the two years covered in this reporting period, our work dealt with five interrelated aspects of this assessment problem: (1) young-of-the year models, (2) mortality of entrained eggs, larvae, and juveniles, (3) projection of long-term impacts using stock recruitment models, (4) relative contribution of the Hudson River stock to the Atlantic coastal striped bass population, and (5) distribution of entrainable striped bass life stages in the immediate vicinity of power plant intakes

Study the effect of striping in two-step anodizing process on pore arrangement of nano-porous alumina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahimi, M.H. [Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Saramad, S., E-mail: ssaramad@aut.ac.ir [Department of Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Hafez Avenue, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tabaian, S.H.; Marashi, S.P. [Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Zolfaghari, A. [Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Centre of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohammadalinezhad, M. [Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2009-10-15

Two-step anodic oxidation of aluminum is generally employed to produce the ordered porous anodized alumina (PAA). Dissolving away (striping) the oxide film after the first anodizing step plays a key role in the final arrangement of nano-pores. In this work, different striping durations between 1 and 6 h were applied to the sample that was initially anodized at a constant voltage of 40 V at 17 deg. C for 15 h. The striping duration of 3 h was realized as the optimum time for achieving the best ordering degree for the pores. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used during and at the end of the process to examine the cross section and finishing surface of the specimens. Linear-angular fast Fourier transform (LA-FFT), an in-house technique based on MATLAB software, was employed to assess the ordering degree of the anodized samples.

Study the effect of striping in two-step anodizing process on pore arrangement of nano-porous alumina

Science.gov (United States)

Rahimi, M. H.; Saramad, S.; Tabaian, S. H.; Marashi, S. P.; Zolfaghari, A.; Mohammadalinezhad, M.

2009-10-01

Two-step anodic oxidation of aluminum is generally employed to produce the ordered porous anodized alumina (PAA). Dissolving away (striping) the oxide film after the first anodizing step plays a key role in the final arrangement of nano-pores. In this work, different striping durations between 1 and 6 h were applied to the sample that was initially anodized at a constant voltage of 40 V at 17 °C for 15 h. The striping duration of 3 h was realized as the optimum time for achieving the best ordering degree for the pores. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used during and at the end of the process to examine the cross section and finishing surface of the specimens. Linear-angular fast Fourier transform (LA-FFT), an in-house technique based on MATLAB software, was employed to assess the ordering degree of the anodized samples.

Study the effect of striping in two-step anodizing process on pore arrangement of nano-porous alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahimi, M.H.; Saramad, S.; Tabaian, S.H.; Marashi, S.P.; Zolfaghari, A.; Mohammadalinezhad, M.

2009-01-01

Two-step anodic oxidation of aluminum is generally employed to produce the ordered porous anodized alumina (PAA). Dissolving away (striping) the oxide film after the first anodizing step plays a key role in the final arrangement of nano-pores. In this work, different striping durations between 1 and 6 h were applied to the sample that was initially anodized at a constant voltage of 40 V at 17 deg. C for 15 h. The striping duration of 3 h was realized as the optimum time for achieving the best ordering degree for the pores. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used during and at the end of the process to examine the cross section and finishing surface of the specimens. Linear-angular fast Fourier transform (LA-FFT), an in-house technique based on MATLAB software, was employed to assess the ordering degree of the anodized samples.

Genetics and molecular mapping of genes for race-specific all-stage resistance and non-race-specific high-temperature adult-plant resistance to stripe rust in spring wheat cultivar Alpowa.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, F; Chen, X M

2007-05-01

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most widespread and destructive wheat diseases worldwide. Growing resistant cultivars is the preferred control of the disease. The spring wheat cultivar 'Alpowa' has both race-specific, all-stage resistance and non-race-specific, high-temperature adult-plant (HTAP) resistances to stripe rust. To identify genes for the stripe rust resistances, Alpowa was crossed with 'Avocet Susceptible' (AVS). Seedlings of the parents, and F(1), F(2) and F(3) progeny were tested with races PST-1 and PST-21 of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici under controlled greenhouse conditions. Alpowa has a single partially dominant gene, designated as YrAlp, conferring all-stage resistance. Resistance gene analog polymorphism (RGAP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) techniques were used to identify molecular markers linked to YrAlp. A linkage group of five RGAP markers and two SSR markers was constructed for YrAlp using 136 F(3) lines. Amplification of a set of nulli-tetrasomic Chinese Spring lines with RGAP markers Xwgp47 and Xwgp48 and the two SSR markers indicated that YrAlp is located on the short arm of chromosome 1B. To map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the non-race-specific HTAP resistance, the parents and 136 F(3) lines were tested at two sites near Pullman and one site near Mount Vernon, Washington, under naturally infected conditions. A major HTAP QTL was consistently detected across environments and was located on chromosome 7BL. Because of its chromosomal location and the non-race-specific nature of the HTAP resistance, this gene is different from previously described genes for adult-plant resistance, and is therefore designated Yr39. The gene contributed to 64.2% of the total variation of relative area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) data and 59.1% of the total variation of infection type data recorded at the heading-flowering stages. Two RGAP markers, Xwgp36 and Xwgp45 with the highest R (2) values

Magnetic stripes in the UCoGe superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mora, Pablo de la [Departemento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 70-542, 04510 Mexico DF, Mexico and Institute de Investigacion en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Morelia (Mexico); Navarro, O, E-mail: delamora@unam.m [Instituto de Investigacion en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 70-360, 04510 Mexico DF (Mexico)

2009-05-01

The magnetic superconductor UCoGe is analyzed with an electronic structure package, spin-orbit coupling and intra-atomic repulsion (via Hubbard U{sub H}) were included. The possibility of an antiferromagnetic configuration is studied, but it is found to be unstable, also the non-collinear magnetization seems to be ruled out. The magnetization is given mainly by the Co-atoms with M = 0.6 mu{sub B}/f.u. The U-atoms have two magnetic moments; M = 0.07 and 0.32 mu{sub B}/f.u. arranged in an alternated planes along the b-direction forming magnetic stripes.

Does selection against transcriptional interference shape retroelement-free regions in mammalian genomes?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tobias Mourier

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Eukaryotic genomes are scattered with retroelements that proliferate through retrotransposition. Although retroelements make up around 40 percent of the human genome, large regions are found to be completely devoid of retroelements. This has been hypothesised to be a result of genomic regions being intolerant to insertions of retroelements. The inadvertent transcriptional activity of retroelements may affect neighbouring genes, which in turn could be detrimental to an organism. We speculate that such retroelement transcription, or transcriptional interference, is a contributing factor in generating and maintaining retroelement-free regions in the human genome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on the known transcriptional properties of retroelements, we expect long interspersed elements (LINEs to be able to display a high degree of transcriptional interference. In contrast, we expect short interspersed elements (SINEs to display very low levels of transcriptional interference. We find that genomic regions devoid of long interspersed elements (LINEs are enriched for protein-coding genes, but that this is not the case for regions devoid of short interspersed elements (SINEs. This is expected if genes are subject to selection against transcriptional interference. We do not find microRNAs to be associated with genomic regions devoid of either SINEs or LINEs. We further observe an increased relative activity of genes overlapping LINE-free regions during early embryogenesis, where activity of LINEs has been identified previously. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our observations are consistent with the notion that selection against transcriptional interference has contributed to the maintenance and/or generation of retroelement-free regions in the human genome.

Improvements in gastric diagnosis by using high density contrast media with low viscosity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toischer, H.P.

1983-01-01

In a retrospective clinical study, 150 unselected double contrast examinations of the stomach using conventional contrast media (100 g/100 ml barium sulphate) were compared with a similar number of examinations using a high density contrast medium of flow viscosity (250 g/100 ml barium sulphate). The high density contrast medium was distinctly better for demonstrating detail of the gastric mucosa. The uneveness of coating and instability of the older high density contrast media was observed in 15.5% of cases and, in no instance, did this make it impossible to reach a diagnosis. (orig.) [de

Mapping of stripe rust resistance gene in an Aegilops caudate introgression line in wheat and its genetic association with leaf rust resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Toor, Puneet Inder; Kaur, Satinder; Bansal, Mitaly; Yadav, Bharat; Chhuneja, Parveen

2016-12-01

A pair of stripe rust and leaf rust resistance genes was introgressed from Aegilops caudata, a nonprogenitor diploid species with the CC genome, to cultivated wheat. Inheritance and genetic mapping of stripe rust resistance gene in backcrossrecombinant inbred line (BC-RIL) population derived from the cross of a wheat-Ae. caudata introgression line (IL) T291- 2(pau16060) with wheat cv. PBW343 is reported here. Segregation of BC-RILs for stripe rust resistance depicted a single major gene conditioning adult plant resistance (APR) with stripe rust reaction varying from TR-20MS in resistant RILs signifying the presence of some minor genes as well. Genetic association with leaf rust resistance revealed that two genes are located at a recombination distance of 13%. IL T291-2 had earlier been reported to carry introgressions on wheat chromosomes 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D and 7D. Genetic mapping indicated the introgression of stripe rust resistance gene on wheat chromosome 5DS in the region carrying leaf rust resistance gene LrAc, but as an independent introgression. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) and sequence-tagged site (STS) markers designed from the survey sequence data of 5DS enriched the target region harbouring stripe and leaf rust resistance genes. Stripe rust resistance locus, temporarily designated as YrAc, mapped at the distal most end of 5DS linked with a group of four colocated SSRs and two resistance gene analogue (RGA)-STS markers at a distance of 5.3 cM. LrAc mapped at a distance of 9.0 cM from the YrAc and at 2.8 cM from RGA-STS marker Ta5DS_2737450, YrAc and LrAc appear to be the candidate genes for marker-assisted enrichment of the wheat gene pool for rust resistance.

Interference and problem size effect in multiplication fact solving: Individual differences in brain activations and arithmetic performance.

Science.gov (United States)

De Visscher, Alice; Vogel, Stephan E; Reishofer, Gernot; Hassler, Eva; Koschutnig, Karl; De Smedt, Bert; Grabner, Roland H

2018-05-15

In the development of math ability, a large variability of performance in solving simple arithmetic problems is observed and has not found a compelling explanation yet. One robust effect in simple multiplication facts is the problem size effect, indicating better performance for small problems compared to large ones. Recently, behavioral studies brought to light another effect in multiplication facts, the interference effect. That is, high interfering problems (receiving more proactive interference from previously learned problems) are more difficult to retrieve than low interfering problems (in terms of physical feature overlap, namely the digits, De Visscher and Noël, 2014). At the behavioral level, the sensitivity to the interference effect is shown to explain individual differences in the performance of solving multiplications in children as well as in adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate the individual differences in multiplication ability in relation to the neural interference effect and the neural problem size effect. To that end, we used a paradigm developed by De Visscher, Berens, et al. (2015) that contrasts the interference effect and the problem size effect in a multiplication verification task, during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquisition. Forty-two healthy adults, who showed high variability in an arithmetic fluency test, participated in our fMRI study. In order to control for the general reasoning level, the IQ was taken into account in the individual differences analyses. Our findings revealed a neural interference effect linked to individual differences in multiplication in the left inferior frontal gyrus, while controlling for the IQ. This interference effect in the left inferior frontal gyrus showed a negative relation with individual differences in arithmetic fluency, indicating a higher interference effect for low performers compared to high performers. This region is suggested in the literature to be

Estudo histomorfológico do músculo pectoralis de frangos de corte acometidos com white striping

OpenAIRE

Tamara Zinn Ferreira

2014-01-01

A seleção de linhagens de frangos de corte com altas taxas de crescimento e aumento de rendimento muscular vem contribuindo para o surgimento de perdas significativas na indústria avícola em decorrência de modificações anatômicas. Dentre estas alterações, destaca-se uma miopatia que se caracteriza pelo aparecimento de graus de estrias esbranquiçadas no músculo Pectoralis major, as quais seguem a direção da fibra muscular, referida como white striping. A etiologia da white striping ainda é des...

Striped Marlin Hardparts and Gonads Collected by the PIRO Hawaii Longline Observer Program

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Compilation of all samples collected from striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) collected and brought to the Aiea Heights Research Facility by the PIRO Hawaii Longline...

The Indo-Pacific striped eel catfish, Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787, (Osteichtyes: Siluriformes, a new record from the Mediterranean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Golani

2002-09-01

Full Text Available The striped eel catfish, Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787, is recorded for the first time from the eastern Mediterranean coast of Israel. Seventeen specimens of this highly-venomous fish were caught by a commercial trawler at depths of 20 m. This species´ occurrence in the Mediterranean is the result of migration from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal (Lessepsian migration.

Low contrast detectability for color patterns variation of display images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogura, Akio

1998-01-01

In recent years, the radionuclide images are acquired in digital form and displayed with false colors for signal intensity. This color scales for signal intensity have various patterns. In this study, low contrast detectability was compared the performance of gray scale cording with three color scales: the hot color scale, prism color scale and stripe color scale. SPECT images of brain phantom were displayed using four color patterns. These printed images and display images were evaluated with ROC analysis. Display images were indicated higher detectability than printed images. The hot scale and gray scale images indicated better Az of ROC than prism scale images because the prism scale images showed higher false positive rate. (author)

Influence of chronic stress and oclusal interference on masseter muscle pain in rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonić-Kocijan, Suncana; Uhac, Ivone; Braut, Vedrana; Kovac, Zoran; Pavicić, Daniela Kovacević; Fugosić, Vesna; Urek, Miranda Muhvić

2009-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the individual effects of chronic stress and occlusal interference, as well as their combined influence on masseter muscle pain. Experiments were performed on 28 male Wistar rats. Animals were submitted to chronic stress procedure, exposed to occlusal interference, or exposed to both mantioned procedures. At the end of the procedure animals were submitted to orofacial formalin test, and nociceptive behavioral response was evaluated. Statisticaly significant difference of nociceptive behavioral response in chronicaly stressed rats and in the animals with occlusal interference in comparation to the control group were not obtained (p > 0.05). In contrast, nociceptive behavioral response was significantly increased in rats submitted to both of experimental procedures (p occlusal interference and chronic stress influence masseter muscle pain.

Explicit attention interferes with selective emotion processing in human extrastriate cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junghöfer Markus

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Brain imaging and event-related potential studies provide strong evidence that emotional stimuli guide selective attention in visual processing. A reflection of the emotional attention capture is the increased Early Posterior Negativity (EPN for pleasant and unpleasant compared to neutral images (~150–300 ms poststimulus. The present study explored whether this early emotion discrimination reflects an automatic phenomenon or is subject to interference by competing processing demands. Thus, emotional processing was assessed while participants performed a concurrent feature-based attention task varying in processing demands. Results Participants successfully performed the primary visual attention task as revealed by behavioral performance and selected event-related potential components (Selection Negativity and P3b. Replicating previous results, emotional modulation of the EPN was observed in a task condition with low processing demands. In contrast, pleasant and unpleasant pictures failed to elicit increased EPN amplitudes compared to neutral images in more difficult explicit attention task conditions. Further analyses determined that even the processing of pleasant and unpleasant pictures high in emotional arousal is subject to interference in experimental conditions with high task demand. Taken together, performing demanding feature-based counting tasks interfered with differential emotion processing indexed by the EPN. Conclusion The present findings demonstrate that taxing processing resources by a competing primary visual attention task markedly attenuated the early discrimination of emotional from neutral picture contents. Thus, these results provide further empirical support for an interference account of the emotion-attention interaction under conditions of competition. Previous studies revealed the interference of selective emotion processing when attentional resources were directed to locations of explicitly task

Explicit attention interferes with selective emotion processing in human extrastriate cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Schupp, Harald T; Stockburger, Jessica; Bublatzky, Florian; Junghöfer, Markus; Weike, Almut I; Hamm, Alfons O

2007-02-22

Brain imaging and event-related potential studies provide strong evidence that emotional stimuli guide selective attention in visual processing. A reflection of the emotional attention capture is the increased Early Posterior Negativity (EPN) for pleasant and unpleasant compared to neutral images (approximately 150-300 ms poststimulus). The present study explored whether this early emotion discrimination reflects an automatic phenomenon or is subject to interference by competing processing demands. Thus, emotional processing was assessed while participants performed a concurrent feature-based attention task varying in processing demands. Participants successfully performed the primary visual attention task as revealed by behavioral performance and selected event-related potential components (Selection Negativity and P3b). Replicating previous results, emotional modulation of the EPN was observed in a task condition with low processing demands. In contrast, pleasant and unpleasant pictures failed to elicit increased EPN amplitudes compared to neutral images in more difficult explicit attention task conditions. Further analyses determined that even the processing of pleasant and unpleasant pictures high in emotional arousal is subject to interference in experimental conditions with high task demand. Taken together, performing demanding feature-based counting tasks interfered with differential emotion processing indexed by the EPN. The present findings demonstrate that taxing processing resources by a competing primary visual attention task markedly attenuated the early discrimination of emotional from neutral picture contents. Thus, these results provide further empirical support for an interference account of the emotion-attention interaction under conditions of competition. Previous studies revealed the interference of selective emotion processing when attentional resources were directed to locations of explicitly task-relevant stimuli. The present data suggest

Red blood cell labeling with technetium-99m. Effect of radiopaque contrast agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finkel, J.; Chervu, L.R.; Bernstein, R.G.; Srivastava, S.C.

1988-01-01

Radiographic contrast agents have been reported in the literature to interfere significantly with red blood cell (RBC) labeling in vivo by Tc-99m. Moreover, in the presence of contrast agents, red cells have been known to undergo significant morphologic changes. These observations led to the current RBC labeling study in patients (N = 25) undergoing procedures with the administration of contrast media. Before and after contrast administration, blood samples were drawn from each patient into vacutainer tubes containing heparin and RBC labeling was performed using 1-ml aliquots of these samples following the Brookhaven National Laboratory protocol. The differences in average percentage labeling yield with and without contrast media were not significant. In vivo labeling in hypertensive rats with administration of contrast media up to 600 mg likewise consistently gave high labeling yields at all concentrations. Purported alterations in cell labeling attributed to contrast agents are not reflected in these studies, and other pathophysiologic factors need to be identified to substantiate the previous reports. In vitro study offers a potentially useful and simple method to delineate effects of various agents on cell labeling

Applications of phase-contrast x-ray imaging to medicine using an x-ray interferometer

Science.gov (United States)

Momose, Atsushi; Yoneyama, Akio; Takeda, Tohoru; Itai, Yuji; Tu, Jinhong; Hirano, Keiichi

1999-10-01

We are investigating possible medical applications of phase- contrast X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer. This paper introduces the strategy of the research project and the present status. The main subject is to broaden the observation area to enable in vivo observation. For this purpose, large X-ray interferometers were developed, and 2.5 cm X 1.5 cm interference patterns were generated using synchrotron X-rays. An improvement of the spatial resolution is also included in the project, and an X-ray interferometer designed for high-resolution phase-contrast X-ray imaging was fabricated and tested. In parallel with the instrumental developments, various soft tissues are observed by phase- contrast X-ray CT to find correspondence between the generated contrast and our histological knowledge. The observation done so far suggests that cancerous tissues are differentiated from normal tissues and that blood can produce phase contrast. Furthermore, this project includes exploring materials that modulate phase contrast for selective imaging.

The advantage of high relaxivity contrast agents in brain perfusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotton, F.; Hermier, M.

2006-01-01

Accurate MRI characterization of brain lesions is critical for planning therapeutic strategy, assessing prognosis and monitoring response to therapy. Conventional MRI with gadolinium-based contrast agents is useful for the evaluation of brain lesions, but this approach primarily depicts areas of disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) rather than tissue perfusion. Advanced MR imaging techniques such as dynamic contrast agent-enhanced perfusion MRI provide physiological information that complements the anatomic data available from conventional MRI. We evaluated brain perfusion imaging with gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA, MultiHance; Bracco Imaging, Milan, Italy). The contrast-enhanced perfusion technique was performed on a Philips Intera 1.5-T MR system. The technique used to obtain perfusion images was dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI, which is highly sensitive to T2* changes. Combined with PRESTO perfusion imaging, SENSE is applied to double the temporal resolution, thereby improving the signal intensity curve fit and, accordingly, the accuracy of the derived parametric images. MultiHance is the first gadolinium MR contrast agent with significantly higher T1 and T2 relaxivities than conventional MR contrast agents. The higher T1 relaxivity, and therefore better contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging, leads to significantly improved detection of BBB breakdown and hence improved brain tumor conspicuity and delineation. The higher T2 relaxivity allows high-quality T2*-weighted perfusion MRI and the derivation of good quality relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) maps. We determined the value of MultiHance for enhanced T2*-weighted perfusion imaging of histologically proven (by surgery or stereotaxic biopsy) intraaxial brain tumors (n=80), multiple sclerosis lesions (n=10), abscesses (n=4), neurolupus (n=15) and stroke (n=16). All the procedures carried out were safe and no adverse events occurred. The acquired perfusion images were of good quality in

Quantitative trait loci for resistance to stripe rust of wheat revealed using global field nurseries and opportunities for stacking resistance genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bokore, Firdissa E; Cuthbert, Richard D; Knox, Ron E; Randhawa, Harpinder S; Hiebert, Colin W; DePauw, Ron M; Singh, Asheesh K; Singh, Arti; Sharpe, Andrew G; N'Diaye, Amidou; Pozniak, Curtis J; McCartney, Curt; Ruan, Yuefeng; Berraies, Samia; Meyer, Brad; Munro, Catherine; Hay, Andy; Ammar, Karim; Huerta-Espino, Julio; Bhavani, Sridhar

2017-12-01

Quantitative trait loci controlling stripe rust resistance were identified in adapted Canadian spring wheat cultivars providing opportunity for breeders to stack loci using marker-assisted breeding. Stripe rust or yellow rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Erikss., is a devastating disease of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in many regions of the world. The objectives of this research were to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with stripe rust resistance in adapted Canadian spring wheat cultivars that are effective globally, and investigate opportunities for stacking resistance. Doubled haploid (DH) populations from the crosses Vesper/Lillian, Vesper/Stettler, Carberry/Vesper, Stettler/Red Fife and Carberry/AC Cadillac were phenotyped for stripe rust severity and infection response in field nurseries in Canada (Lethbridge and Swift Current), New Zealand (Lincoln), Mexico (Toluca) and Kenya (Njoro), and genotyped with SNP markers. Six QTL for stripe rust resistance in the population of Vesper/Lillian, five in Vesper/Stettler, seven in Stettler/Red Fife, four in Carberry/Vesper and nine in Carberry/AC Cadillac were identified. Lillian contributed stripe rust resistance QTL on chromosomes 4B, 5A, 6B and 7D, AC Cadillac on 2A, 2B, 3B and 5B, Carberry on 1A, 1B, 4A, 4B, 7A and 7D, Stettler on 1A, 2A, 3D, 4A, 5B and 6A, Red Fife on 2D, 3B and 4B, and Vesper on 1B, 2B and 7A. QTL on 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5B, 7A and 7D were observed in multiple parents. The populations are compelling sources of recombination of many stripe rust resistance QTL for stacking disease resistance. Gene pyramiding should be possible with little chance of linkage drag of detrimental genes as the source parents were mostly adapted cultivars widely grown in Canada.

Monolayer assembly and striped architecture of Co nanoparticles on organic functionalized Si surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, S.-S.; Lim, D.K.; Park, J.-I.; Kim, S. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry and School of Molecular Science (BK 21), Daejeon (Korea); Cheon, J. [Yonsei University, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Seoul (Korea); Jeon, I.C. [Chonbuk National University, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chonbuk (Korea)

2005-03-01

We present a new strategy to fabricate a monolayer assembly of Br-terminated Co nanoparticles on functionalized Si surfaces by using chemical covalent bonding and microcontact printing method. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of the Co nanoparticles formed on the hydroxyl-terminated Si surface exhibit two-dimensional island networks with locally ordered arrays via covalent linkage between nanoparticles and surface. On the other hand, SAMs of the nanoparticles on the aminopropyl-terminated Si surface show an individual and random distribution over an entire surface. Furthermore, we have fabricated striped architectures of Co nanoparticles using a combination of microcontact printing and covalent linkage. Microcontact printing of octadecyltrichlorosilane and selective covalent linkage between nanoparticles and functionalized Si surfaces lead to a hybrid nanostructure with selectively assembled nanoparticles stripes on the patterned functionalized Si surfaces. (orig.)

Identification of QTL conferring resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei) and leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) in barley using nested association mapping (NAM).

Science.gov (United States)

Vatter, Thomas; Maurer, Andreas; Perovic, Dragan; Kopahnke, Doris; Pillen, Klaus; Ordon, Frank

2018-01-01

The biotrophic rust fungi Puccinia hordei and Puccinia striiformis are important barley pathogens with the potential to cause high yield losses through an epidemic spread. The identification of QTL conferring resistance to these pathogens is the basis for targeted breeding approaches aiming to improve stripe rust and leaf rust resistance of modern cultivars. Exploiting the allelic richness of wild barley accessions proved to be a valuable tool to broaden the genetic base of resistance of barley cultivars. In this study, SNP-based nested association mapping (NAM) was performed to map stripe rust and leaf rust resistance QTL in the barley NAM population HEB-25, comprising 1,420 lines derived from BC1S3 generation. By scoring the percentage of infected leaf area, followed by calculation of the area under the disease progress curve and the average ordinate during a two-year field trial, a large variability of resistance across and within HEB-25 families was observed. NAM based on 5,715 informative SNPs resulted in the identification of twelve and eleven robust QTL for resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust, respectively. Out of these, eight QTL for stripe rust and two QTL for leaf rust are considered novel showing no overlap with previously reported resistance QTL. Overall, resistance to both pathogens in HEB-25 is most likely due to the accumulation of numerous small effect loci. In addition, the NAM results indicate that the 25 wild donor QTL alleles present in HEB-25 strongly differ in regard to their individual effect on rust resistance. In future, the NAM concept will allow to select and combine individual wild barley alleles from different HEB parents to increase rust resistance in barley. The HEB-25 results will support to unravel the genetic basis of rust resistance in barley, and to improve resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust of modern barley cultivars.

Effect of the tiger stripes on the deformation of Saturn's moon Enceladus

Science.gov (United States)

Souček, Ondřej; Hron, Jaroslav; Běhounková, Marie; Čadek, Ondřej

2016-07-01

Enceladus is a small icy moon of Saturn with active jets of water emanating from fractures around the south pole, informally called tiger stripes, which might be connected to a subsurface water ocean. The effect of these features on periodic tidal deformation of the moon has so far been neglected because of the difficulties associated with implementation of faults in continuum mechanics models. Here we estimate the maximum possible impact of the tiger stripes on tidal deformation and heat production within Enceladus's ice shell by representing them as narrow zones with negligible frictional and bulk resistance passing vertically through the whole ice shell. Assuming a uniform ice shell thickness of 25 km, consistent with the recent estimate of libration, we demonstrate that the faults can dramatically change the distribution of stress and strain in Enceladus's south polar region, leading to a significant increase of the heat production in this area.

Quantitative DIC microscopy using an off-axis self-interference approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Dan; Oh, Seungeun; Choi, Wonshik; Yamauchi, Toyohiko; Dorn, August; Yaqoob, Zahid; Dasari, Ramachandra R; Feld, Michael S

2010-07-15

Traditional Normarski differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy is a very powerful method for imaging nonstained biological samples. However, one of its major limitations is the nonquantitative nature of the imaging. To overcome this problem, we developed a quantitative DIC microscopy method based on off-axis sample self-interference. The digital holography algorithm is applied to obtain quantitative phase gradients in orthogonal directions, which leads to a quantitative phase image through a spiral integration of the phase gradients. This method is practically simple to implement on any standard microscope without stringent requirements on polarization optics. Optical sectioning can be obtained through enlarged illumination NA.

Stripe-teeth metamaterial Al- and Nb-based rectennas (Presentation Recording)

Science.gov (United States)

Osgood, Richard M.; Giardini, Stephen A.; Carlson, Joel B.; Joghee, Prabhuram; O'Hayre, Ryan P.; Diest, Kenneth; Rothschild, Mordechai

2015-09-01

Unlike a semiconductor, where the absorption is limited by the band gap, a "microrectenna array" could theoretically very efficiently rectify any desired portion of the infrared frequency spectrum (25 - 400 THz). We investigated vertical metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes that rectify vertical high-frequency fields produced by a metamaterial planar stripe-teeth Al or Au array (above the diodes), similar to stripe arrays that have demonstrated near-perfect absorption in the infrared due to critical coupling [1]. Using our design rules that maximize asymmetry (and therefore the component of the electric field pointed into the substrate, analogous to Second Harmonic Generation), we designed, fabricated, and analyzed these metamaterial-based microrectenna arrays. NbOx and Al2O3 were produced by anodization and ALD, respectively. Smaller visible-light Pt-NbOx-Nb rectennas have produced output power when illuminated by visible (514 nm) light [2]. The resonances of these new Au/NbOx/Nb and Al/Al2O3/Al microrectenna arrays, with larger dimensions and more complex nanostructures than in Ref. 1, were characterized by microscopic FTIR microscopy and agreed well with FDTD models, once the experimental refractive index values were entered into the model. Current-voltage measurements were carried out, showed that the Al/Al2O3/Al diodes have very large barrier heights and breakdown voltages, and were compared to our model of the MIM diode. We calculate expected THz-rectification using classical [3] and quantum [4] rectification models, and compare to measurements of direct current output, under infrared illumination. [1] C. Wu, et. al., Phys. Rev. B 84 (2011) 075102. [2] R. M. Osgood III, et. al., Proc. SPIE 8096, 809610 (2011). [3] A. Sanchez, et. al., J. Appl. Phys. 49 (1978) 5270. [4] J. R. Tucker and M. J. Feldman, Rev. of Mod. Phys. 57, (1985)1055.

Domain Decomposition Preconditioners for Multiscale Flows in High-Contrast Media

KAUST Repository

Galvis, Juan; Efendiev, Yalchin

2010-01-01

In this paper, we study domain decomposition preconditioners for multiscale flows in high-contrast media. We consider flow equations governed by elliptic equations in heterogeneous media with a large contrast in the coefficients. Our main goal is to develop domain decomposition preconditioners with the condition number that is independent of the contrast when there are variations within coarse regions. This is accomplished by designing coarse-scale spaces and interpolators that represent important features of the solution within each coarse region. The important features are characterized by the connectivities of high-conductivity regions. To detect these connectivities, we introduce an eigenvalue problem that automatically detects high-conductivity regions via a large gap in the spectrum. A main observation is that this eigenvalue problem has a few small, asymptotically vanishing eigenvalues. The number of these small eigenvalues is the same as the number of connected high-conductivity regions. The coarse spaces are constructed such that they span eigenfunctions corresponding to these small eigenvalues. These spaces are used within two-level additive Schwarz preconditioners as well as overlapping methods for the Schur complement to design preconditioners. We show that the condition number of the preconditioned systems is independent of the contrast. More detailed studies are performed for the case when the high-conductivity region is connected within coarse block neighborhoods. Our numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results presented in this paper. © 2010 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Quantitative interpretation of nuclear logging data by adopting point-by-point spectrum striping deconvolution technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Bin; Liu Ling; Zhou Shumin; Zhou Rongsheng

2006-01-01

The paper discusses the gamma-ray spectrum interpretation technology on nuclear logging. The principles of familiar quantitative interpretation methods, including the average content method and the traditional spectrum striping method, are introduced, and their limitation of determining the contents of radioactive elements on unsaturated ledges (where radioactive elements distribute unevenly) is presented. On the basis of the intensity gamma-logging quantitative interpretation technology by using the deconvolution method, a new quantitative interpretation method of separating radioactive elements is presented for interpreting the gamma spectrum logging. This is a point-by-point spectrum striping deconvolution technology which can give the logging data a quantitative interpretation. (authors)

Comparison of hematologic and serologic profiles of broiler birds with normal and severe degrees of white striping in breast fillets.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuttappan, V A; Huff, G R; Huff, W E; Hargis, B M; Apple, J K; Coon, C; Owens, C M

2013-02-01

White striping is the white striation occasionally observed parallel to the direction of muscle fibers in broiler breast fillets and thighs at the processing plant. Broiler breast fillets can be categorized as normal (NORM), moderate (MOD), or severe (SEV) based on the degree of white striping. Histologically, SEV fillets are characterized by the highest degree of degeneration of muscle fibers along with fibrosis and lipidosis when compared with NORM. The present study was undertaken to compare the hematologic and serologic profiles of broilers with NORM and SEV degrees of white striping to get more information on the systemic changes associated with the condition. Day-old male broiler chicks of a commercial strain were grown on the same diet in 6 replicate pens (n = 32 birds/pen). Blood samples (5 mL) were collected from the wing vein of each bird on the day before processing for analyzing hematologic and serologic profiles. At 63 d, the birds were weighed and processed in a commercial inline processing system. Weight of the butterfly fillets, liver, and abdominal fat pad were recorded. Left-side fillets were scored to obtain the degree of white striping for each bird. Representative samples for NORM (n = 24) and SEV (n = 17) categories were selected to compare the hematologic and serologic profiles. The SEV birds had greater (P white striping. The elevated serum enzyme levels confirm the muscle damage associated with the degenerative myopathy in SEV birds.

Low level perceptual, not attentional, processes modulate distractor interference in high perceptual load displays: evidence from neglect/extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Mevorach, Carmel; Tsal, Yehoshua; Humphreys, Glyn W

2014-01-10

According to perceptual load theory (Lavie, 2005) distractor interference is determined by the availability of attentional resources. If target processing does not exhaust resources (with low perceptual load) distractor processing will take place resulting in interference with a primary task; however, when target processing uses-up attentional capacity (with high perceptual load) interference can be avoided. An alternative account (Tsal and Benoni, 2010a) suggests that perceptual load effects can be based on distractor dilution by the mere presence of additional neutral items in high-load displays so that the effect is not driven by the amount of attention resources required for target processing. Here we tested whether patients with unilateral neglect or extinction would show dilution effects from neutral items in their contralesional (neglected/extinguished) field, even though these items do not impose increased perceptual load on the target and at the same time attract reduced attentional resources compared to stimuli in the ipsilesional field. Thus, such items do not affect the amount of attention resources available for distractor processing. We found that contralesional neutral elements can eliminate distractor interference as strongly as centrally presented ones in neglect/extinction patients, despite contralesional items being less well attended. The data are consistent with an account in terms of perceptual dilution of distracters rather than available resources for distractor processing. We conclude that distractor dilution can underlie the elimination of distractor interference in visual displays.

Low level perceptual, not attentional, processes modulate distractor interference in high perceptual Load displays: evidence from neglect/extinction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmel eMevorach

2014-01-01

Full Text Available According to perceptual load theory (Lavie, 2005 distractor interference is determined by the availability of attentional resources. If target processing does not exhaust resources (with low perceptual load distractor processing will take place resulting in interference with a primary task; however when target processing uses-up attentional capacity (with high perceptual load interference can be avoided. An alternative account (Tsal & Benoni, 2010 suggests that perceptual load effects can be based on distractor dilution by the mere presence of additional neutral items in high load displays so that the effect is not driven by the amount of attention resources required for target processing. Here we tested whether patients with unilateral neglect or extinction would show dilution effects from neutral items in their contralesional (neglected/extinguished field, even though these items do not impose increased perceptual load on the target and at the same time attract reduced attentional resources compared to stimuli in the ipsilesional field. Thus, such items do not affect the amount of attention resources available for distractor processing. We found that contralesional neutral elements can eliminate distractor interference as strongly as centrally presented ones in neglect/extinction patients, despite contralesional items being less well attended. The data are consistent with an account in terms of perceptual dilution of distracters rather than available resources for distractor processing. We conclude that distractor dilution can underlie the elimination of distractor interference in visual displays.

Spatially correlated disorder in striped precursor magnetic modulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porta, Marcel; Castan, Teresa; LLoveras, Pol; Planes, Antoni; Saxena, Avadh

2007-01-01

We use a Ginzburg-Landau model that includes long-range dipolar interactions and spatially correlated quenched-in disorder coupled to the local magnetization to study the properties of the precursor magnetic modulations as a function of the characteristics of the disorder. We find that although the modulation pattern is very robust and does not depend on details of the pair correlation function G(r), the scaling behaviour of the characteristic length of the striped magnetic modulations depends on the behaviour of G(r) for small values of r

Exploiting Genetic Interference for Antiviral Therapy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth J Tanner

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Rapidly evolving viruses are a major threat to human health. Such viruses are often highly pathogenic (e.g., influenza virus, HIV, Ebola virus and routinely circumvent therapeutic intervention through mutational escape. Error-prone genome replication generates heterogeneous viral populations that rapidly adapt to new selection pressures, leading to resistance that emerges with treatment. However, population heterogeneity bears a cost: when multiple viral variants replicate within a cell, they can potentially interfere with each other, lowering viral fitness. This genetic interference can be exploited for antiviral strategies, either by taking advantage of a virus's inherent genetic diversity or through generating de novo interference by engineering a competing genome. Here, we discuss two such antiviral strategies, dominant drug targeting and therapeutic interfering particles. Both strategies harness the power of genetic interference to surmount two particularly vexing obstacles-the evolution of drug resistance and targeting therapy to high-risk populations-both of which impede treatment in resource-poor settings.

Real-time single-molecule imaging of quantum interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Juffmann, Thomas; Milic, Adriana; Müllneritsch, Michael; Asenbaum, Peter; Tsukernik, Alexander; Tüxen, Jens; Mayor, Marcel; Cheshnovsky, Ori; Arndt, Markus

2012-03-25

The observation of interference patterns in double-slit experiments with massive particles is generally regarded as the ultimate demonstration of the quantum nature of these objects. Such matter-wave interference has been observed for electrons, neutrons, atoms and molecules and, in contrast to classical physics, quantum interference can be observed when single particles arrive at the detector one by one. The build-up of such patterns in experiments with electrons has been described as the "most beautiful experiment in physics". Here, we show how a combination of nanofabrication and nano-imaging allows us to record the full two-dimensional build-up of quantum interference patterns in real time for phthalocyanine molecules and for derivatives of phthalocyanine molecules, which have masses of 514 AMU and 1,298 AMU respectively. A laser-controlled micro-evaporation source was used to produce a beam of molecules with the required intensity and coherence, and the gratings were machined in 10-nm-thick silicon nitride membranes to reduce the effect of van der Waals forces. Wide-field fluorescence microscopy detected the position of each molecule with an accuracy of 10 nm and revealed the build-up of a deterministic ensemble interference pattern from single molecules that arrived stochastically at the detector. In addition to providing this particularly clear demonstration of wave-particle duality, our approach could also be used to study larger molecules and explore the boundary between quantum and classical physics.

Extraction and characterisation of gelatin from the skin of striped ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Functional properties of gelatin from skin of striped catfish with and without bleaching for 48 h by 5% H2O2 (w/v)) were studied. Gelatin from skin bleached with 5% H2O2 for 48 h showed the highest yield (16.18 g). Bleaching not only improved the colour of gelatin gel by increasing the L* (lightness)-value and decreasing ...

Maturation of polarization and luminance contrast sensitivities in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis).

Science.gov (United States)

Cartron, Lelia; Dickel, Ludovic; Shashar, Nadav; Darmaillacq, Anne-Sophie

2013-06-01

Polarization sensitivity is a characteristic of the visual system of cephalopods. It has been well documented in adult cuttlefish, which use polarization sensitivity in a large range of tasks such as communication, orientation and predation. Because cuttlefish do not benefit from parental care, their visual system (including the ability to detect motion) must be efficient from hatching to enable them to detect prey or predators. We studied the maturation and functionality of polarization sensitivity in newly hatched cuttlefish. In a first experiment, we examined the response of juvenile cuttlefish from hatching to the age of 1 month towards a moving, vertically oriented grating (contrasting and polarized stripes) using an optomotor response apparatus. Cuttlefish showed differences in maturation of polarization versus luminance contrast motion detection. In a second experiment, we examined the involvement of polarization information in prey preference and detection in cuttlefish of the same age. Cuttlefish preferentially chose not to attack transparent prey whose polarization contrast had been removed with a depolarizing filter. Performances of prey detection based on luminance contrast improved with age. Polarization contrast can help cuttlefish detect transparent prey. Our results suggest that polarization is not a simple modulation of luminance information, but rather that it is processed as a distinct channel of visual information. Both luminance and polarization sensitivity are functional, though not fully matured, in newly hatched cuttlefish and seem to help in prey detection.

Scattering (stochastic) recoupling of a coupled ten-stripe AlGaAs-GaAs-InGaAs quantum-well heterostructure laser

Science.gov (United States)

Kellogg, D. A.; Holonyak, N.

2001-04-01

Data are presented on coupled ten-stripe AlGaAs-GaAs-InGaAs quantum well heterostructure (QWH) lasers recoupled stochastically at the cleaved end mirrors. Recoupling of neighboring elements of a ten-stripe laser is accomplished by the scattering (random feedback) afforded by applying ˜10-μm-diam Al powder or 0.3 μm α-Al2O3 polishing compound in microscopy immersion oil or in epoxy at the cleaved ends (mirrors). Data on QWH samples with the end mirrors coated with the scatterer (Al or Al2O3 powder in "liquid") exhibit spectral and far-field broadening, as well as increased laser threshold because of the reduced cavity Q. Single mode operation is possible with the conventional evanescent wave coupling of the ten-stripe QWH and is destroyed, even the laser operation itself, with the scattering recoupling (dephasing) at the end mirrors, which is reversible (removable). The narrow ten-stripe QWH laser with strong end-mirror scattering, a long amplifier with random feedback, indicates that a photopumped III-V or II-VI powder (a random "wall" cavity) has little or no merit.

Top predators, mesopredators and their prey: interference ecosystems along bioclimatic productivity gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmhagen, B; Ludwig, G; Rushton, S P; Helle, P; Lindén, H

2010-07-01

1. The Mesopredator Release Hypothesis (MRH) suggests that top predator suppression of mesopredators is a key ecosystem function with cascading impacts on herbivore prey, but it remains to be shown that this top-down cascade impacts the large-scale structure of ecosystems. 2. The Exploitation Ecosystems Hypothesis (EEH) predicts that regional ecosystem structures are determined by top-down exploitation and bottom-up productivity. In contrast to MRH, EEH assumes that interference among predators has a negligible impact on the structure of ecosystems with three trophic levels. 3. We use the recolonization of a top predator in a three-level boreal ecosystem as a natural experiment to test if large-scale biomass distributions and population trends support MRH. Inspired by EEH, we also test if top-down interference and bottom-up productivity impact regional ecosystem structures. 4. We use data from the Finnish Wildlife Triangle Scheme which has monitored top predator (lynx, Lynx lynx), mesopredator (red fox, Vulpes vulpes) and prey (mountain hare, Lepus timidus) abundance for 17 years in a 200 000 km(2) study area which covers a distinct productivity gradient. 5. Fox biomass was lower than expected from productivity where lynx biomass was high, whilst hare biomass was lower than expected from productivity where fox biomass was high. Hence, where interference controlled fox abundance, lynx had an indirect positive impact on hare abundance as predicted by MRH. The rates of change indicated that lynx expansion gradually suppressed fox biomass. 6. Lynx status caused shifts between ecosystem structures. In the 'interference ecosystem', lynx and hare biomass increased with productivity whilst fox biomass did not. In the 'mesopredator release ecosystem', fox biomass increased with productivity but hare biomass did not. Thus, biomass controlled top-down did not respond to changes in productivity. This fulfils a critical prediction of EEH. 7. We conclude that the cascade

High-contrast coronagraph performance in the presence of DM actuator defects

Science.gov (United States)

Sidick, Erkin; Shaklan, Stuart; Cady, Eric

2015-09-01

Deformable Mirrors (DMs) are critical elements in high contrast coronagraphs, requiring precision and stability measured in picometers to enable detection of Earth-like exoplanets. Occasionally DM actuators or their associated cables or electronics fail, requiring a wavefront control algorithm to compensate for actuators that may be displaced from their neighbors by hundreds of nanometers. We have carried out experiments on our High-Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) to study the impact of failed actuators in partial fulfilment of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph optical model validation milestone. We show that the wavefront control algorithm adapts to several broken actuators and maintains dark-hole contrast in broadband light.

High-Contrast Coronagraph Performance in the Presence of DM Actuator Defects

Science.gov (United States)

Sidick, Erkin; Shaklan, Stuart; Cady, Eric

2015-01-01

Deformable Mirrors (DMs) are critical elements in high contrast coronagraphs, requiring precision and stability measured in picometers to enable detection of Earth-like exoplanets. Occasionally DM actuators or their associated cables or electronics fail, requiring a wavefront control algorithm to compensate for actuators that may be displaced from their neighbors by hundreds of nanometers. We have carried out experiments on our High-Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) to study the impact of failed actuators in partial fulfillment of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph optical model validation milestone. We show that the wavefront control algorithm adapts to several broken actuators and maintains dark-hole contrast in broadband light.

High-contrast x-ray microtomography in dental research

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Graham; Mills, David

2017-09-01

X-ray microtomography (XMT) is a well-established technique in dental research. The technique has been used extensively to explore the complex morphology of the root canal system, and to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate root canal instrumentation and filling efficacy in extracted teeth; enabling different techniques to be compared. Densitometric information can be used to identify and map demineralized tissue resulting from tooth decay (caries) and, in extracted teeth, the method can be used to evaluate different methods of excavation. More recently, high contrast XMT is being used to investigate the relationship between external insults to teeth and the pulpal reaction. When such insults occur, fluid may flow through dentinal tubules as a result of cracking or porosity in enamel. Over time, there is an increase in mineralization along the paths of the tubules from the pulp to the damaged region in enamel and this can be visualized using high contrast XMT. The scanner used for this employs time-delay integration to minimize the effects of detector inhomogeneity in order to greatly increase the upper limit on signal-to-noise ratio that can be achieved with long exposure times. When enamel cracks are present in extracted teeth, the presence of these pathways indicates that the cracking occurred prior to extraction. At high contrast, growth lines are occasionally seen in deciduous teeth which may have resulted from periods of maternal illness. Various other anomalies in mineralization resulting from trauma or genetic abnormalities can also be investigated using this technique.

Generation of ultra-intense and ultra-short laser pulses with high temporal contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Julien, A.

2006-03-01

The topic of this thesis work concerns the design and the characterization of an efficient device devoted to the temporal contrast improvement for ultra-intense femtosecond laser pulses. The contrast is defined as the intensity ratio between the main femtosecond pulse and its nanosecond pedestal. This pedestal is the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), inherent with laser amplification mechanism. The ASE background has dramatic effects for laser-matter interactions on a solid target. The presented work consists in the theoretical and experimental study of a temporal filter based on a third order nonlinear effect acting on the pulse polarization. We have studied several kinds of nonlinear filters. The selected device is based on the process of cross-polarized wave generation (XPW) in crystals with an anisotropic third-order nonlinear susceptibility. This nonlinear filter has been experimented on various femtosecond systems. It allows a contrast improvement of several orders of magnitude, as demonstrated by temporal profiles measurements on a large intensity dynamic. A device to improve the nonlinear process conversion efficiency, it means the filter transmission, has also been achieved. This method is based on constructive interferences between XPW signals generated in different crystals. This setup has made it possible to reach experimentally the maximum theoretical efficiency ( >20%) and in the same time ensures the system stability. At least, we have demonstrated that the filter preserves, or even improves, spectral and spatial qualities of the laser pulse. These results are thus particularly promising and allow contemplating the implementation of the filter in current femtosecond systems. (author)

Polarization-Independent Wideband High-Index-Contrast Grating Mirror

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bekele, Dagmawi Alemayehu; Park, Gyeong Cheol; Malureanu, Radu

2015-01-01

Island-type two-dimensional high-index-contrast grating mirror based on a standard silicon-on-insulator wafer have been experimentally demonstrated. The measured spectra shows a bandwidth of ∼192 nm with a reflectivity over 99% as well as polarization independence. Numerical simulations show...

Liver imaging with MDCT and high concentration contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spielmann, Audrey L.

2003-01-01

Liver imaging has advanced greatly over the last 10 years with helical CT capability and more recently the addition of multidetector-row CT (MDCT). Multidetector CT technology facilitates imaging at faster speeds with improved image quality and less breathing artifact [Abdom. Imaging 25 (2000) 643]. Exquisite three-dimensional data sets can be obtained with thin collimation providing improved lesion detection, multiplanar imaging, and the ability to perform CT angiography of the liver and mesenteric vessels. New challenges arise with this advance in technology including safety considerations. The radiation dose to the patient has increased with MDCT and this is compounded by the ability to perform multi-phase liver imaging. Furthermore, issues of contrast media administration require reconsideration including optimal timing and rate of administration, the total volume of contrast needed and the ideal iodine concentration of the contrast media. Recently, the use of high concentration contrast media (HCCM) has been explored and study results to date will be reviewed

The relationship between target quality and interference in sound zones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baykaner, Khan; Coleman, Phillip; Mason, Russell

2015-01-01

Sound zone systems aim to control sound fields in such a way that multiple listeners can enjoy different audio programs within the same room with minimal acoustic interference. Often, there is a trade-off between the acoustic contrast achieved between the zones and the fidelity of the reproduced...... audio program in the target zone. A listening test was conducted to obtain subjective measures of distraction, target quality, and overall quality of listening experience for ecologically valid programs within a sound zoning system. Sound zones were reproduced using acoustic contrast control, planarity...

An Interference Cancellation Scheme for High Reliability Based on MIMO Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Hyun Ro

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This article proposes a new interference cancellation scheme in a half-duplex based two-path relay system. In the conventional two-path relay system, inter-relay-interference (IRI which severely degrades the error performances at a destination occurs because a source and a relay transmit signals simultaneously at a specific time. The proposed scheme removes the IRI at a relay for higher signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR to receive interference free signal at a destination, unlike the conventional relay system, which removes IRI at a destination. To handle the IRI, the proposed scheme uses multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO signal detection at the relays and it makes low-complexity signal processing at a destination which is a usually mobile user. At the relays, the proposed scheme uses the low-complexity QR decomposition-M algorithm (QRD-M to optimally remove the IRI. Also, for obtaining diversity gain, the proposed scheme uses cyclic delay diversity (CDD to transmit the signals at a source and the relays. In simulation results, the error performance for the proposed scheme is better when the distance between one relay and another relay is low unlike the conventional scheme because the QRD-M detects received signal in order of higher post signal-to-noise ratio (SNR.

The optimal use of contrast agents at high field MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trattnig, Siegfried; Pinker, Kathia; Ba-Ssalamah, Ahmed; Noebauer-Huhmann, Iris-Melanie

2006-01-01

The intravenous administration of a standard dose of conventional gadolinium-based contrast agents produces higher contrast between the tumor and normal brain at 3.0 Tesla (T) than at 1.5 T, which allows reducing the dose to half of the standard one to produce similar contrast at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T. The assessment of cumulative triple-dose 3.0 T images obtained the best results in the detection of brain metastases compared to other sequences. The contrast agent dose for dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced perfusion MR imaging at 3.0 T can be reduced to 0.1 mmol compared to 0.2 mmol at 1.5 T due to the increased susceptibility effects at higher magnetic field strengths. Contrast agent application makes susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) at 3.0 T clinically attractive, with an increase in spatial resolution within the same scan time. Whereas a double dose of conventional gadolinium-based contrast agents was optimal in SWI with respect to sensitivity and image quality, a standard dose of gadobenate dimeglumine, which has a two-fold higher T1-relaxivity in blood, produced the same effect. For MR-arthrography, optimized concentrations of gadolinium-based contrast agents are similar at 3.0 and 1.5 T. In summary, high field MRI requires the optimization of the contrast agent dose in different clinical applications. (orig.)

Mining centuries old in-situ conserved Turkish wheat landraces for grain yield and stripe rust resistance genes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepmala Sehgal

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Wheat landraces in Turkey are an important genetic resource for wheat improvement. An exhaustive five-year (2009-2014 effort made by the International Winter Wheat Improvement Programme (IWWIP a cooperative program between the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of Turkey, the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA, led to the collection and documentation of around 2,000 landrace populations from 55 provinces throughout Turkey. This study reports the genetic characterization of a subset of bread wheat landraces collected in 2010 from 11 diverse provinces using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS technology. The potential of this collection to identify loci determining grain yield and stripe rust resistance via genome-wide association (GWA analysis was explored. A high genetic diversity (diversity index = 0.260 and a moderate population structure based on highly inherited spike traits was revealed in the panel. The linkage disequilibrium decayed at 10 cM across the whole genome and was slower as compared to other landrace collections. In addition to previously reported QTL, GWA analysis also identified new candidate genomic regions for stripe rust resistance, grain yield and spike productivity components. New candidate genomic regions reflect the potential of this landrace collection to further increase genetic diversity in elite germplasm.

Passive bookshelf faulting driven by gravitational spreading as the cause of the tiger-stripe-fracture formation and development in the South Polar Terrain of Enceladus

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, A.; Pappalardo, R. T.

2013-12-01

Detailed photogeologic mapping of the tiger-stripe fractures in the South Polar Terrain (SPT) of Enceladus indicates that these structures are left-slip faults and terminate at hook-shaped fold-thrust zones and/or Y-shaped horsetail splay-fault zones. The semi-square-shaped tectonic domain that hosts the tiger-stripe faults is bounded by right-slip and left-slip faults on the north and south edges and fold-thrust and extensional zones on the western and eastern edges. We explain the above observations by a passive bookshelf-faulting model in which individual tiger-stripe faults are bounded by deformable wall rocks accommodating distributed deformation. Based on topographic data, we suggest that gravitational spreading had caused the SPT to spread unevenly from west to east. This process was accommodated by right-slip and left-slip faulting on the north and south sides and thrusting and extension along the eastern and southern margins of the tiger-stripe tectonic domain. The uneven spreading, expressed by a gradual northward increase in the number of extensional faults and thrusts/folds along the western and eastern margins, was accommodated by distributed right-slip simple shear across the whole tiger-stripe tectonic domain. This mode of deformation in turn resulted in the development of a passive bookshelf-fault system characterized by left-slip faulting on individual tiger-stripe fractures.

High-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging of collagen and elastin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuo, S M [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Chen, J X [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Luo, T S [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Chen, H L [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Zhao, J J [Department of Skin, Affiliated Xiehe Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001 (China)

2007-07-15

Collagen and elastin, as the major components in the extracellular matrix (ECM), are intrinsic indicators of physiological and pathological states. Here, we have developed a high-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging technique to imaging collagen and elastin by detecting simultaneously two photon-excited fluorescence (TPEF) from elastin and second-harmonic generation (SHG) from collagen. Our results show that this technique can obtain a high-contrast TPEF/SHG image in human dermis and permit direct visualization of collagen and elastin. It was shown that the technique can provide collagen and elastin structural information to determine collagen and elastin fibril orientation and distribution and acquire some morphometric properties. It was found that the in-depth TPEF/SHG imaging and 3-D reconstruction of TPEF/SHG images can extract more collagen and elastin structural and biochemical information. The study results suggest that the high-contrast multimodel nonlinear imaging provides a powerful tool to study ECM intrinsic components and has the potential to provide more important information for the diagnosis of tissue.

High-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging of collagen and elastin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuo, S M; Chen, J X; Luo, T S; Chen, H L; Zhao, J J

2007-01-01

Collagen and elastin, as the major components in the extracellular matrix (ECM), are intrinsic indicators of physiological and pathological states. Here, we have developed a high-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging technique to imaging collagen and elastin by detecting simultaneously two photon-excited fluorescence (TPEF) from elastin and second-harmonic generation (SHG) from collagen. Our results show that this technique can obtain a high-contrast TPEF/SHG image in human dermis and permit direct visualization of collagen and elastin. It was shown that the technique can provide collagen and elastin structural information to determine collagen and elastin fibril orientation and distribution and acquire some morphometric properties. It was found that the in-depth TPEF/SHG imaging and 3-D reconstruction of TPEF/SHG images can extract more collagen and elastin structural and biochemical information. The study results suggest that the high-contrast multimodel nonlinear imaging provides a powerful tool to study ECM intrinsic components and has the potential to provide more important information for the diagnosis of tissue

Cognitive interference management in heterogeneous networks

CERN Document Server

Marabissi, Dania

2015-01-01

This brief investigates the role of interference management in Heterogeneous Networks (Het Nets), focusing on cognitive approaches and the use of beamforming. Key concepts of Het Nets are introduced and different deployment strategies are examined, such as sharing the same frequency band of the macro cells or using new high frequency bands. Particular attention is devoted to co-channel deployment and to the problem of interference management, addressing various strategies that can be adopted to handle the interference between the cells. In addition, the brief explores cognitive small cells which are able to avoid or limit interference by using suitable beamforming and resource allocation schemes. The suggested solutions are supported by numerical results in terms of performance evaluations and comparisons.

AGN Populations in Large-volume X-Ray Surveys: Photometric Redshifts and Population Types Found in the Stripe 82X Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Ananna, Tonima Tasnin; Salvato, Mara; LaMassa, Stephanie; Urry, C. Megan; Cappelluti, Nico; Cardamone, Carolin; Civano, Francesca; Farrah, Duncan; Gilfanov, Marat; Glikman, Eilat; Hamilton, Mark; Kirkpatrick, Allison; Lanzuisi, Giorgio; Marchesi, Stefano; Merloni, Andrea; Nandra, Kirpal; Natarajan, Priyamvada; Richards, Gordon T.; Timlin, John

2017-11-01

Multiwavelength surveys covering large sky volumes are necessary to obtain an accurate census of rare objects such as high-luminosity and/or high-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Stripe 82X is a 31.3 X-ray survey with Chandra and XMM-Newton observations overlapping the legacy Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 field, which has a rich investment of multiwavelength coverage from the ultraviolet to the radio. The wide-area nature of this survey presents new challenges for photometric redshifts for AGNs compared to previous work on narrow-deep fields because it probes different populations of objects that need to be identified and represented in the library of templates. Here we present an updated X-ray plus multiwavelength matched catalog, including Spitzer counterparts, and estimated photometric redshifts for 5961 (96% of a total of 6181) X-ray sources that have a normalized median absolute deviation, σnmad=0.06, and an outlier fraction, η = 13.7%. The populations found in this survey and the template libraries used for photometric redshifts provide important guiding principles for upcoming large-area surveys such as eROSITA and 3XMM (in X-ray) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (optical).

Interference of Multiple Surface Plasmon Polaritons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Dapeng; Yuan, Xiaocong; Lin, Jiao

2017-01-01

Benefiting from strongly electromagnetic confinement and enhancement effects, surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) hold great promises for tailoring light on micro and nanoscale. By contrast with previous efforts which massively concentrate on localized SPP mode, we investigated the propagating SPPs in this paper. A number of symmetrical gratings on metal surface are employed to excite multiple SPPs. Interestingly, the exotic interfering phenomena have been observed. They show good agreement with free-space interferences and take advantage of precise controllability. These findings will be promising in the applications of optical tweezers and SPP lithography. (paper)

Beamforming design with proactive interference cancelation in MISO interference channels

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yang; Tian, Yafei; Yang, Chenyang

2015-12-01

In this paper, we design coordinated beamforming at base stations (BSs) to facilitate interference cancelation at users in interference networks, where each BS is equipped with multiple antennas and each user is with a single antenna. By assuming that each user can select the best decoding strategy to mitigate the interference, either canceling the interference after decoding when it is strong or treating it as noise when it is weak, we optimize the beamforming vectors that maximize the sum rate for the networks under different interference scenarios and find the solutions of beamforming with closed-form expressions. The inherent design principles are then analyzed, and the performance gain over passive interference cancelation is demonstrated through simulations in heterogeneous cellular networks.

Stripe rust and leaf rust resistance QTL mapping, epistatic interactions, and co-localization with stem rust resistance loci in spring wheat evaluated over three continents.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, A; Knox, R E; DePauw, R M; Singh, A K; Cuthbert, R D; Campbell, H L; Shorter, S; Bhavani, S

2014-11-01

In wheat, advantageous gene-rich or pleiotropic regions for stripe, leaf, and stem rust and epistatic interactions between rust resistance loci should be accounted for in plant breeding strategies. Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) and stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. tritici Eriks) contribute to major production losses in many regions worldwide. The objectives of this research were to identify and study epistatic interactions of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for stripe and leaf rust resistance in a doubled haploid (DH) population derived from the cross of Canadian wheat cultivars, AC Cadillac and Carberry. The relationship of leaf and stripe rust resistance QTL that co-located with stem rust resistance QTL previously mapped in this population was also investigated. The Carberry/AC Cadillac population was genotyped with DArT(®) and simple sequence repeat markers. The parents and population were phenotyped for stripe rust severity and infection response in field rust nurseries in Kenya (Njoro), Canada (Swift Current), and New Zealand (Lincoln); and for leaf rust severity and infection response in field nurseries in Canada (Swift Current) and New Zealand (Lincoln). AC Cadillac was a source of stripe rust resistance QTL on chromosomes 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 5B, and 7B; and Carberry was a source of resistance on chromosomes 2B, 4B, and 7A. AC Cadillac contributed QTL for resistance to leaf rust on chromosome 2A and Carberry contributed QTL on chromosomes 2B and 4B. Stripe rust resistance QTL co-localized with previously reported stem rust resistance QTL on 2B, 3B, and 7B, while leaf rust resistance QTL co-localized with 4B stem rust resistance QTL. Several epistatic interactions were identified both for stripe and leaf rust resistance QTL. We have identified useful combinations of genetic loci with main and epistatic effects. Multiple disease resistance regions identified on chromosomes 2A, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, and 7B are prime candidates for further investigation and

Low cognitive load strengthens distractor interference while high load attenuates when cognitive load and distractor possess similar visual characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Minamoto, Takehiro; Shipstead, Zach; Osaka, Naoyuki; Engle, Randall W

2015-07-01

Studies on visual cognitive load have reported inconsistent effects of distractor interference when distractors have visual characteristic that are similar to the cognitive load. Some studies have shown that the cognitive load enhances distractor interference, while others reported an attenuating effect. We attribute these inconsistencies to the amount of cognitive load that a person is required to maintain. Lower amounts of cognitive load increase distractor interference by orienting attention toward visually similar distractors. Higher amounts of cognitive load attenuate distractor interference by depleting attentional resources needed to process distractors. In the present study, cognitive load consisted of faces (Experiments 1-3) or scenes (Experiment 2). Participants performed a selective attention task in which they ignored face distractors while judging a color of a target dot presented nearby, under differing amounts of load. Across these experiments distractor interference was greater in the low-load condition and smaller in the high-load condition when the content of the cognitive load had similar visual characteristic to the distractors. We also found that when a series of judgments needed to be made, the effect was apparent for the first trial but not for the second. We further tested an involvement of working memory capacity (WMC) in the load effect (Experiment 3). Interestingly, both high and low WMC groups received an equivalent effect of the cognitive load in the first distractor, suggesting these effects are fairly automatic.

Distractor interference during a choice limb reaching task.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Ray

Full Text Available According to action-centered models of attention, the patterns of distractor interference that emerge in selective reaching tasks are related to the time and effort required to resolve a race for activation between competing target and non-target response producing processes. Previous studies have only used unimanual aiming tasks and, as such, only examined the effects of competition that occurs within a limb. The results of studies using unimanual aiming movements often reveal an "ipsilateral effect"--distractors on the same side of space as the effector cause greater interference than distractors on the opposite side of space. The cost of the competition when response selection is between the limbs has yet to be addressed. Participants in the present study executed reaching movements to 1 of 4 (2 left, 2 right possible target locations with and without a distractor. Participants made ipsilateral reaches (left hand to left targets, right hand to right targets. In contrast to studies using unimanual aiming movements, a "contralateral effect" was observed; distractors affording responses for the other hand (in contralateral space caused more interference than distractors affording responses for the same hand. The findings from the present research demonstrate that when certain portions of response planning must be resolved prior to response initiation, distractors that code for that dimension cause the greatest interference.

Escaping the recent past: which stimulus dimensions influence proactive interference?

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Kimberly S; Berman, Marc G; Jonides, John; Lustig, Cindy

2013-07-01

Proactive interference occurs when information from the past disrupts current processing and is a major source of confusion and errors in short-term memory (STM; Wickens, Born, & Allen, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 2:440-445, 1963). The present investigation examines potential boundary conditions for interference, testing the hypothesis that potential competitors must be similar along task-relevant dimensions to influence proactive interference effects. We manipulated both the type of task being completed (Experiments 1, 2, and 3) and dimensions of similarity irrelevant to the current task (Experiments 4 and 5) to determine how the recent presentation of a probe item would affect the speed with which participants could reject that item. Experiments 1, 2, and 3 contrasted STM judgments, which require temporal information, with semantic and perceptual judgments, for which temporal information is irrelevant. In Experiments 4 and 5, task-irrelevant information (perceptual similarity) was manipulated within the recent probes task. We found that interference from past items affected STM task performance but did not affect performance in semantic or perceptual judgment tasks. Conversely, similarity along a nominally irrelevant perceptual dimension did not affect the magnitude of interference in STM tasks. Results are consistent with the view that items in STM are represented by noisy codes consisting of multiple dimensions and that interference occurs when items are similar to each other and, thus, compete along the dimensions relevant to target selection.

Genetics of adult plant stripe rust resistance in CSP44, a selection ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

areas of temperate zones (Johnson 1988). Yield losses can be considerable, ranging from about 40 per cent to com- plete destruction of the crop depending upon the growth stage at which the disease attacks. Using diverse genes for resistance against stripe rust disease is the most eco- nomical and environmentally safe ...

Single-photon interference experiment for high schools

Science.gov (United States)

Bondani, Maria

2014-07-01

We follow the reductio ad absurdum reasoning described in the book "Sneaking a Look at God's Cards" by Giancarlo Ghirardi to demonstrate the wave-particle duality of light in a Mach-Zehnder interferometric setup analog to the conventional Young double-slit experiment. We aim at showing the double nature of light by measuring the existence of interference fringes down to the single-photon level. The setup includes a strongly attenuated laser, polarizing beam splitters, half-waveplates, polarizers and single-photon detectors.

Uniform irradiation of adjustable target spots in high-power laser driver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Xiujuan; Li Jinghui; Li Huagang; Li Yang; Lin Zunqi

2011-01-01

For smoothing and shaping the on-target laser patterns flexibly in high-power laser drivers, a scheme has been developed that includes a zoom lens array and two-dimensional smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD). The size of the target pattern can be controlled handily by adjusting the focal length of the zoom lens array, while the profile of the pattern can be shaped by fine tuning the distance between the target and the focal plane of the principal focusing lens. High-frequency stripes inside the pattern caused by beamlet interference are wiped off by spectral dispersion. Detailed simulations indicate that SSD works somewhat differently for spots of different sizes. For small spots, SSD mainly smooths the intensity modulation of low-to-middle spatial frequency, while for large spots, SSD sweeps the fine speckle structure to reduce nonuniformity of middle-to-high frequency. Spatial spectra of the target patterns are given and their uniformity is evaluated.

Laser-matter interaction at high intensity and high temporal contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doumy, G.

2006-01-01

The continuous progress in the development of laser installations has already lead to ultra-short pulses capable of achieving very high focalized intensities (I > 10 18 W/cm 2 ). At these intensities, matter presents new non-linear behaviours, due to the fact that the electrons are accelerated to relativistic speeds. The experimental access to this interaction regime on solid targets has long been forbidden because of the presence, alongside the femtosecond pulse, of a pedestal (mainly due to the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) which occurs in the laser chain) intense enough to modify the state of the target. In this thesis, we first characterized, both experimentally and theoretically, a device which allows an improvement of the temporal contrast of the pulse: the Plasma Mirror. It consists in adjusting the focusing of the pulse on a dielectric target, so that the pedestal is mainly transmitted, while the main pulse is reflected by the overcritical plasma that it forms at the surface. The implementation of such a device on the UHI 10 laser facility (CEA Saclay - 10 TW - 60 fs) then allowed us to study the interaction between ultra-intense, high contrast pulses with solid targets. In a first part, we managed to generate and characterize dense plasmas resulting directly from the interaction between the main pulse and very thin foils (100 nm). This characterization was realized by using an XUV source obtained by high order harmonics generation in a rare gas jet. In a second part, we studied experimentally the phenomenon of high order harmonics generation on solid targets, which is still badly understood, but could potentially lead to a new kind of energetic ultra-short XUV sources. (author)

Highly Efficient and Reliable Transparent Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Film.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Li-Chuan; Yan, Ding-Xiang; Liu, Xiaofeng; Ma, Rujun; Wu, Hong-Yuan; Li, Zhong-Ming

2018-04-11

Electromagnetic protection in optoelectronic instruments such as optical windows and electronic displays is challenging because of the essential requirements of a high optical transmittance and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE). Herein, we demonstrate the creation of an efficient transparent EMI shielding film that is composed of calcium alginate (CA), silver nanowires (AgNWs), and polyurethane (PU), via a facile and low-cost Mayer-rod coating method. The CA/AgNW/PU film with a high optical transmittance of 92% achieves an EMI SE of 20.7 dB, which meets the requirements for commercial shielding applications. A superior EMI SE of 31.3 dB could be achieved, whereas the transparent film still maintains a transmittance of 81%. The integrated efficient EMI SE and high transmittance are superior to those of most previously reported transparent EMI shielding materials. Moreover, our transparent films exhibit a highly reliable shielding ability in a complex service environment, with 98 and 96% EMI SE retentions even after 30 min of ultrasound treatment and 5000 bending cycles (1.5 mm radius), respectively. The comprehensive performance that is associated with the facile fabrication strategy imparts the CA/AgNW/PU film with great potential as an optimized EMI shielding material in emerging optoelectronic devices, such as flexible solar cells, displays, and touch panels.

Identification of QTL conferring resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei) and leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) in barley using nested association mapping (NAM)

Science.gov (United States)

Vatter, Thomas; Maurer, Andreas; Perovic, Dragan; Kopahnke, Doris; Pillen, Klaus

2018-01-01

The biotrophic rust fungi Puccinia hordei and Puccinia striiformis are important barley pathogens with the potential to cause high yield losses through an epidemic spread. The identification of QTL conferring resistance to these pathogens is the basis for targeted breeding approaches aiming to improve stripe rust and leaf rust resistance of modern cultivars. Exploiting the allelic richness of wild barley accessions proved to be a valuable tool to broaden the genetic base of resistance of barley cultivars. In this study, SNP-based nested association mapping (NAM) was performed to map stripe rust and leaf rust resistance QTL in the barley NAM population HEB-25, comprising 1,420 lines derived from BC1S3 generation. By scoring the percentage of infected leaf area, followed by calculation of the area under the disease progress curve and the average ordinate during a two-year field trial, a large variability of resistance across and within HEB-25 families was observed. NAM based on 5,715 informative SNPs resulted in the identification of twelve and eleven robust QTL for resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust, respectively. Out of these, eight QTL for stripe rust and two QTL for leaf rust are considered novel showing no overlap with previously reported resistance QTL. Overall, resistance to both pathogens in HEB-25 is most likely due to the accumulation of numerous small effect loci. In addition, the NAM results indicate that the 25 wild donor QTL alleles present in HEB-25 strongly differ in regard to their individual effect on rust resistance. In future, the NAM concept will allow to select and combine individual wild barley alleles from different HEB parents to increase rust resistance in barley. The HEB-25 results will support to unravel the genetic basis of rust resistance in barley, and to improve resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust of modern barley cultivars. PMID:29370232

Identification of QTL conferring resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei and leaf rust (Puccinia hordei in barley using nested association mapping (NAM.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Vatter

Full Text Available The biotrophic rust fungi Puccinia hordei and Puccinia striiformis are important barley pathogens with the potential to cause high yield losses through an epidemic spread. The identification of QTL conferring resistance to these pathogens is the basis for targeted breeding approaches aiming to improve stripe rust and leaf rust resistance of modern cultivars. Exploiting the allelic richness of wild barley accessions proved to be a valuable tool to broaden the genetic base of resistance of barley cultivars. In this study, SNP-based nested association mapping (NAM was performed to map stripe rust and leaf rust resistance QTL in the barley NAM population HEB-25, comprising 1,420 lines derived from BC1S3 generation. By scoring the percentage of infected leaf area, followed by calculation of the area under the disease progress curve and the average ordinate during a two-year field trial, a large variability of resistance across and within HEB-25 families was observed. NAM based on 5,715 informative SNPs resulted in the identification of twelve and eleven robust QTL for resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust, respectively. Out of these, eight QTL for stripe rust and two QTL for leaf rust are considered novel showing no overlap with previously reported resistance QTL. Overall, resistance to both pathogens in HEB-25 is most likely due to the accumulation of numerous small effect loci. In addition, the NAM results indicate that the 25 wild donor QTL alleles present in HEB-25 strongly differ in regard to their individual effect on rust resistance. In future, the NAM concept will allow to select and combine individual wild barley alleles from different HEB parents to increase rust resistance in barley. The HEB-25 results will support to unravel the genetic basis of rust resistance in barley, and to improve resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust of modern barley cultivars.

Are precues effective in proactively controlling taboo interference during speech production?

Science.gov (United States)

White, Katherine K; Abrams, Lise; Hsi, Lisa R; Watkins, Emily C

2018-02-07

This research investigated whether precues engage proactive control to reduce emotional interference during speech production. A picture-word interference task required participants to name target pictures accompanied by taboo, negative, or neutral distractors. Proactive control was manipulated by presenting precues that signalled the type of distractor that would appear on the next trial. Experiment 1 included one block of trials with precues and one without, whereas Experiment 2 mixed precued and uncued trials. Consistent with previous research, picture naming was slowed in both experiments when distractors were taboo or negative compared to neutral, with the greatest slowing effect when distractors were taboo. Evidence that precues engaged proactive control to reduce interference from taboo (but not negative) distractors was found in Experiment 1. In contrast, mixing precued trials in Experiment 2 resulted in no taboo cueing benefit. These results suggest that item-level proactive control can be engaged under certain conditions to reduce taboo interference during speech production, findings that help to refine a role for cognitive control of distraction during speech production.

Application and research of artificial water mist on photoelectric interference

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yuejun; Ren, Baolin

2018-04-01

Water mist is a new type of photoelectric interfering material. It can exert a strong interference and shielding effect on infrared light, laser and radar wave through scattering, reflection, refraction and absorption. Based on this, this paper illustrates the application of an artificial high pressure water mist technology in infrared interference system. First, the operating principle of the infrared interference system is introduced. Next, the design principle of self-excited rotary vortex nozzle, the key part of the system, is elaborated. Then, the calculation of the main control parameters of the system is clarified. In the end, the paper verifies interference and shielding effect of the system by experiment. Experiment shows that the interference system can significantly reduce infrared signature of the target, featuring excellent infrared interference performance and high practical value.

High-throughput, high-resolution X-ray phase contrast tomographic microscopy for visualisation of soft tissue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDonald, S A; Marone, F; Hintermueller, C; Stampanoni, M [Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Bensadoun, J-C; Aebischer, P, E-mail: samuel.mcdonald@psi.c [EPFL, School of Life Sciences, Station 15, 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2009-09-01

The use of conventional absorption based X-ray microtomography can become limited for samples showing only very weak absorption contrast. However, a wide range of samples studied in biology and materials science can produce significant phase shifts of the X-ray beam, and thus the use of the phase signal can provide substantially increased contrast and therefore new and otherwise inaccessible information. The application of two approaches for high-throughput, high-resolution X-ray phase contrast tomography, both available on the TOMCAT beamline of the SLS, is illustrated. Differential Phase Contrast (DPC) imaging uses a grating interferometer and a phase-stepping technique. It has been integrated into the beamline environment on TOMCAT in terms of the fast acquisition and reconstruction of data and the availability to scan samples within an aqueous environment. The second phase contrast approach is a modified transfer of intensity approach that can yield the 3D distribution of the phase (refractive index) of a weakly absorbing object from a single tomographic dataset. These methods are being used for the evaluation of cell integrity in 3D, with the specific aim of following and analyzing progressive cell degeneration to increase knowledge of the mechanistic events of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Static and high-frequency magnetic properties of stripe domain structure in a plate of finite sizes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mal'ginova, S.D.; Doroshenko, R.A.; Shul'ga, N.V.

2006-01-01

A model that enables to carry out self-consistent calculations of the main parameters of stripe domain structure (DS) and at the same time those of properties of domain walls (DW) of a multiple-axis finite (in all directions) ferromagnet depending on the sizes of a sample, material parameters and intensity of a magnetic field is offered. The calculations of the properties of DS (direction of magnetization in domains, widths, ferromagnetic resonance, etc.) are carried out on a computer for plates (1 1 0), rectangular shapes of a cubic ferromagnet with axes of light magnetization along trigonal directions in a magnetic field [-1 1 0]. It is shown, that in plates of different shapes there can be a structure with Neel DW alongside with DS with Bloch DW. Their features are noticeably exhibited, in particular, in different dependence of the number of domains, and also frequencies of a ferromagnetic resonance from a magnetic field

How a high working memory capacity can increase proactive interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinwascher, Merle A; Meiser, Thorsten

2016-08-01

Previous findings suggested that a high working memory capacity (WMC) is potentially associated with a higher susceptibility to proactive interference (PI) if the latter is measured under high cognitive load. To explain such a finding, we propose to consider susceptibility to PI as a net effect of individual executive processes and the intrinsic potential for PI. With the latter, we refer to the amount of information that is activated at a given time and that has the potential to exert PI subsequently. In two studies deploying generalized linear mixed models, susceptibility to PI was modeled as the decline of performance over trials of a complex span task. The results revealed that a higher WMC was associated with a higher susceptibility to PI. Moreover, the number of stimuli recalled in one trial as a proxy variable for the intrinsic potential for PI negatively affected memory performance in the subsequent trial. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The time-course of feature interference in agreement comprehension: Multiple mechanisms and asymmetrical attraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, Darren; Nicol, Janet; Brehm, Laurel

2014-10-01

Attraction interference in language comprehension and production may be as a result of common or different processes. In the present paper, we investigate attraction interference during language comprehension, focusing on the contexts in which interference arises and the time-course of these effects. Using evidence from event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and sentence judgment times, we show that agreement attraction in comprehension is best explained as morphosyntactic interference during memory retrieval. This stands in contrast to attraction as a message-level process involving the representation of the subject NP's number features, which is a strong contributor to attraction in production. We thus argue that the cognitive antecedents of agreement attraction in comprehension are non-identical with those of attraction in production, and moreover, that attraction in comprehension is primarily a consequence of similarity-based interference in cue-based memory retrieval processes. We suggest that mechanisms responsible for attraction during language comprehension are a subset of those involved in language production.

Dual-wavelength recording, a simple algorithm to eliminate interferences due to UV-absorbing substances in capillary electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Seaux, Liesbeth; Van Houcke, Sofie; Dumoulin, Els; Fiers, Tom; Lecocq, Elke; Delanghe, Joris R

2014-08-01

Analytical interferences have been described due to the presence of various exogenous UV-absorbing substances in serum. Iodine-based X-ray contrast agents and various antibiotics have been reported to interfere with interpretation of serum protein pherograms, resulting in false diagnosis of paraproteinemia. In the present study, we have explored the possibility of measuring UV absorbance at two distinct wavelengths (210 and 246 nm) to distinguish between true and false paraproteins on a Helena V8 clinical electrophoresis instrument. This study demonstrates that most substances potentially interfering with serum protein electrophoresis show UV-absorption spectra that are distinct from those of serum proteins. Scanning at 246 nm allows detection of all described interfering agents. Comparing pherograms recorded at both wavelengths (210 and 246 nm) enables to distinguish paraproteins from UV-absorbing substances. In case of a true paraprotein, the peak with an electrophoretic mobility in the gamma-region decreases, whereas the X-ray contrast media and antibiotics show an increased absorption when compared to the basic setting (210 nm). The finding of iodine-containing contrast media interfering with serum protein electrophoresis is not uncommon. In a clinical series, interference induced by contrast media was reported in 54 cases (of 13 237 analyses), corresponding with a prevalence of 0.4%. In the same series, 1631 true paraproteins (12.3%) were detected. Implementation of the proposed algorithm may significantly improve the interpretation of routine electrophoresis results. However, attention should still be paid to possible interference due to presence of atypical proteins fractions (e.g., tumor markers, C3). © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The V-SHARK high contrast imager at LBT

Science.gov (United States)

Pedichini, F.; Ambrosino, F.; Centrone, M.; Farinato, J.; Li Causi, G.; Pinna, E.; Puglisi, A.; Stangalini, M.; Testa, V.

2016-08-01

In the framework of the SHARK project the visible channel is a novel instrument synergic to the NIR channel and exploiting the performances of the LBT XAO at visible wavelengths. The status of the project is presented together with the design study of this innovative instrument optimized for high contrast imaging by means of high frame rate. Its expected results will be presented comparing the simulations with the real data of the "Forerunner" experiment taken at 630nm.

Human response to interference with TV picture quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janischewskyj, W.; Harvey, E.B.

1980-10-01

Corona on transmission line conductors and spark gaps on loose or defective transmission line hardware can give rise to visual interference to television interference. The extent to which the interference is a concern (i.e., annoying) depends on the intensity of the interference as well as the strength of the television signal and can best be expressed as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the decibel difference between the wanted signal and the unwanted noise (interference). The study documented in this report has assessed, through subjective testing involving over 500 subjects, the interference level, as a function of SNR, of three different sources of interference: wet-weather conductor corona, a large spark gap (5 mm), and a small spark gap (0.8 mm). The results of the study should be particularly useful to the utility industry in assessing the environmental impact of high-voltage transmission lines.

A highly conspicuous mineralized composite photonic architecture in the translucent shell of the blue-rayed limpet

OpenAIRE

Li, Ling; Kolle, Stefan; Weaver, James C.; Ortiz, Christine; Aizenberg, Joanna; Kolle, Mathias

2015-01-01

Many species rely on diverse selections of entirely organic photonic structures for the manipulation of light and the display of striking colours. Here we report the discovery of a mineralized hierarchical photonic architecture embedded within the translucent shell of the blue-rayed limpet Patella pellucida. The bright colour of the limpet’s stripes originates from light interference in a periodically layered zig-zag architecture of crystallographically co-oriented calcite lamellae. Beneath t...

Contrast-enhanced CT with a High-Affinity Cationic Contrast Agent for Imaging ex Vivo Bovine, Intact ex Vivo Rabbit, and in Vivo Rabbit Cartilage

OpenAIRE

Stewart, Rachel C.; Bansal, Prashant N.; Entezari, Vahid; Lusic, Hrvoje; Nazarian, Rosalynn M.; Snyder, Brian D.; Grinstaff, Mark W.

2013-01-01

The high affinity of a cationic iodinated contrast agent for cartilage provides better tissue visualization, easier segmentation, higher contrast-to-noise ratios, and longer usable imaging windows and requires a lower dose of injected contrast agent compared with an anionic contrast agent.

Erasing and blurring memories: The differential impact of interference on separate aspects of forgetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Sol Z; Fidalgo, Celia; Barense, Morgan D; Lee, Andy C H; Cant, Jonathan S; Ferber, Susanne

2017-11-01

Interference disrupts information processing across many timescales, from immediate perception to memory over short and long durations. The widely held similarity assumption states that as similarity between interfering information and memory contents increases, so too does the degree of impairment. However, information is lost from memory in different ways. For instance, studied content might be erased in an all-or-nothing manner. Alternatively, information may be retained but the precision might be degraded or blurred. Here, we asked whether the similarity of interfering information to memory contents might differentially impact these 2 aspects of forgetting. Observers studied colored images of real-world objects, each followed by a stream of interfering objects. Across 4 experiments, we manipulated the similarity between the studied object and the interfering objects in circular color space. After interference, memory for object color was tested continuously on a color wheel, which in combination with mixture modeling, allowed for estimation of how erasing and blurring differentially contribute to forgetting. In contrast to the similarity assumption, we show that highly dissimilar interfering items caused the greatest increase in random guess responses, suggesting a greater frequency of memory erasure (Experiments 1-3). Moreover, we found that observers were generally able to resist interference from highly similar items, perhaps through surround suppression (Experiments 1 and 4). Finally, we report that interference from items of intermediate similarity tended to blur or decrease memory precision (Experiments 3 and 4). These results reveal that the nature of visual similarity can differentially alter how information is lost from memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Selective interference with pacemaker activity by electrical dental devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, C S; Leonelli, F M; Latham, E

1998-01-01

We sought to determine whether electromagnetic interference with cardiac pacemakers occurs during the operation of contemporary electrical dental equipment. Fourteen electrical dental devices were tested in vitro for their ability to interfere with the function of two Medtronics cardiac pacemakers (one a dual-chamber, bipolar Thera 7942 pacemaker, the other a single-chamber, unipolar Minix 8340 pacemaker). Atrial and ventricular pacemaker output and electrocardiographic activity were monitored by means of telemetry with the use of a Medtronics 9760/90 programmer. Atrial and ventricular pacing were inhibited by electromagnetic interference produced by the electrosurgical unit up to a distance of 10 cm, by the ultrasonic bath cleaner up to 30 cm, and by the magnetorestrictive ultrasonic scalers up to 37.5 cm. In contrast, operation of the amalgamator, electric pulp tester, composite curing light, dental handpieces, electric toothbrush, microwave oven, dental chair and light, ENAC ultrasonic instrument, radiography unit, and sonic scaler did not alter pacing rate or rhythm. These results suggest that certain electrosurgical and ultrasonic instruments may produce deleterious effects in medically fragile patients with cardiac pacemakers.

Phase Contrast Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menk, Ralf Hendrik

2008-01-01

All standard (medical) x-ray imaging technologies, rely primarily on the amplitude properties of the incident radiation, and do not depend on its phase. This is unchanged since the discovery by Roentgen that the intensity of an x-ray beam, as measured by the exposure on a film, was related to the relative transmission properties of an object. However, recently various imaging techniques have emerged which depend on the phase of the x-rays as well as the amplitude. Phase becomes important when the beam is coherent and the imaging system is sensitive to interference phenomena. Significant new advances have been made in coherent optic theory and techniques, which now promise phase information in medical imaging. The development of perfect crystal optics and the increasing availability of synchrotron radiation facilities have contributed to a significant increase in the application of phase based imaging in materials and life sciences. Unique source characteristics such as high intensity, monochromaticity, coherence and high collimating provide an ideal source for advanced imaging. Phase contrast imaging has been applied in both projection and computed tomography modes, and recent applications have been made in the field of medical imaging. Due to the underlying principle of X-ray detection conventional image receptors register only intensities of wave fields and not their phases. During the last decade basically five different methods were developed that translate the phase information into intensity variations. These methods are based on measuring the phase shift φ directly (using interference phenomena), the gradient ∇ φ , or the Laplacian ∇ 2 φ. All three methods can be applied to polychromatic X-ray sources keeping in mind that the native source is synchrotron radiation, featuring monochromatic and reasonable coherent X-ray beams. Due to the vast difference in the coefficients that are driven absorption and phase effects (factor 1,000-10,000 in the energy

Reducing dietary protein in pond production of hybrid striped bass - study shows a significant reduction is possible in digestible protein level in commercial diets

Science.gov (United States)

In previous work, we demonstrated that diets containing 40% digestible protein (DP) (45% crude protein) and 18 %lipid supplemented with Met and Lys resulted in superior performance and nutrient retentions in hybrid striped bass compared to less energy-dense diets when rearing hybrid striped bass at ...

Use of high concentration contrast media: principles and rationale--vascular district

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleischmann, Dominik.

2003-01-01

Optimal contrast medium delivery remains a crucial issue in CT angiography and it will become even more critical with continuously evolving, faster CT scanner technology. This review article first explains the fundamentals of arterial enhancement using mathematical models of early contrast medium dynamics. The relationship of contrast medium volume, injection flow rates and injection duration are explicitly illustrated. Next, current techniques of contrast medium application are reviewed, with particular attention to methods of accurate timing of the scanning delay (test-bolus and automated bolus triggering), tools for automated saline-flushing of the veins (double-syringe power injectors) and the use of high-concentration contrast medium. From there, rational CT angiographic injection protocols for a wide range of selectable acquisition times for 4-, 8- and 16-channel MDCT are proposed

Phase-contrast tomographic imaging using an X-ray interferometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momose, A. [Hitachi Ltd, Advanced Research Lab., Saitama (Japan); Takeda, T.; Itai, Y. [Univ. of Tsukuba, Inst. of Clinical Medicine, Ibaraki (Japan); Yoneyama, A. [Hitachi Ltd, Central Resarch Lab., Tokyo (Japan); Hirano, K. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Inst. of Materials Structure Science, Ibaraki (Japan)

1998-05-01

Apparatus for phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography using a monolithic X-ray interferometer is presented with some observational results for human breast tissues. Structures characteristic of the tissues were revealed in the phase-contrast tomograms. The procedure of image analysis consists of phase retrieval from X-ray interference patterns and tomographic image reconstruction from the retrieved phase shift. Next, feasibility of phase-contrast imaging using a two-crystal X-ray interferometer was studied aiming at in vivo observation in the future. In a preliminary study, the two-crystal X-ray interferometer was capable of generating fringes of 70% visibility using synchrotron X-rays. 35 refs.

Phase-contrast tomographic imaging using an X-ray interferometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Momose, A.; Takeda, T.; Itai, Y.; Yoneyama, A.; Hirano, K.

1998-01-01

Apparatus for phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography using a monolithic X-ray interferometer is presented with some observational results for human breast tissues. Structures characteristic of the tissues were revealed in the phase-contrast tomograms. The procedure of image analysis consists of phase retrieval from X-ray interference patterns and tomographic image reconstruction from the retrieved phase shift. Next, feasibility of phase-contrast imaging using a two-crystal X-ray interferometer was studied aiming at in vivo observation in the future. In a preliminary study, the two-crystal X-ray interferometer was capable of generating fringes of 70% visibility using synchrotron X-rays

High-dose contrast-enhanced MRI in multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koudriavtseva, T.; Pozzilli, C.; Di Biasi, C.; Iannilli, M.; Trasimeni, G.; Gasperini, C.; Argentino, C.; Gualdi, G.F.

1996-01-01

Contrast-enhanced MRI is effective for assessing disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) and may provide an outcome measure for testing the efficacy of treatment in clinical trials. To compare the sensitivity of high-dose gadolinium-HP-DO3A with that of a standard dose of gadolinium-DTPA, we studied 16 patients with relapsing-remitting MS in the acute phase of the disease. Each underwent two MRI examinations within at most 48 h. The initial MRI study was with a standard dose of gadolinium-DTPA (0.1 mmol/kg), and the second one an experimental dose of gadolinium-HP-DO3A (0.3 mmol/kg). No adverse effects were attributed to the contrast media. The high-dose study revealed more enhancing lesions than the standard-dose study (56 vs 38). This difference was found to be more relevant for infratentorial and small lesions. Furthermore, with the higher dose, there was a marked qualitative improvement in the visibility and delineation of the lesions. (orig.). With 4 figs., 2 tabs

High-dose contrast-enhanced MRI in multiple sclerosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koudriavtseva, T. [Department of Neurosciences, University of Rome ``La Sapienza`` Rome (Italy); Pozzilli, C. [Department of Neurosciences, University of Rome ``La Sapienza`` Rome (Italy); Di Biasi, C. [MR Unit, Clinica Medica 1, University of Rome ``La Sapienza``, Rome (Italy); Iannilli, M. [MR Unit, Clinica Medica 1, University of Rome ``La Sapienza``, Rome (Italy); Trasimeni, G. [MR Unit, Clinica Medica 1, University of Rome ``La Sapienza``, Rome (Italy); Gasperini, C. [Department of Neurosciences, University of Rome ``La Sapienza`` Rome (Italy); Argentino, C. [Department of Neurosciences, University of Rome ``La Sapienza`` Rome (Italy); Gualdi, G.F. [MR Unit, Clinica Medica 1, University of Rome ``La Sapienza``, Rome (Italy)

1996-05-01

Contrast-enhanced MRI is effective for assessing disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) and may provide an outcome measure for testing the efficacy of treatment in clinical trials. To compare the sensitivity of high-dose gadolinium-HP-DO3A with that of a standard dose of gadolinium-DTPA, we studied 16 patients with relapsing-remitting MS in the acute phase of the disease. Each underwent two MRI examinations within at most 48 h. The initial MRI study was with a standard dose of gadolinium-DTPA (0.1 mmol/kg), and the second one an experimental dose of gadolinium-HP-DO3A (0.3 mmol/kg). No adverse effects were attributed to the contrast media. The high-dose study revealed more enhancing lesions than the standard-dose study (56 vs 38). This difference was found to be more relevant for infratentorial and small lesions. Furthermore, with the higher dose, there was a marked qualitative improvement in the visibility and delineation of the lesions. (orig.). With 4 figs., 2 tabs.

Characterization of a high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Di; Yan, Aimin; Li, Yuhua; Wong, Molly D; Zheng, Bin; Wu, Xizeng; Liu, Hong

2015-05-01

In this research, a high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype was developed and characterized through quantitative investigations and phantom studies. The prototype system consists of an x-ray source, a motorized rotation stage, and a CMOS detector with a pixel pitch of 0.05 mm. The x-ray source was operated at 120 kVp for this study, and the objects were mounted on the rotation stage 76.2 cm (R1) from the source and 114.3 cm (R2) from the detector. The large air gap between the object and detector guarantees sufficient phase-shift effects. The quantitative evaluation of this prototype included modulation transfer function and noise power spectrum measurements conducted under both projection mode and tomosynthesis mode. Phantom studies were performed including three custom designed phantoms with complex structures: a five-layer bubble wrap phantom, a fishbone phantom, and a chicken breast phantom with embedded fibrils and mass structures extracted from an ACR phantom. In-plane images of the phantoms were acquired to investigate their image qualities through observation, intensity profile plots, edge enhancement evaluations, and/or contrast-to-noise ratio calculations. In addition, the robust phase-attenuation duality (PAD)-based phase retrieval method was applied to tomosynthesis for the first time in this research. It was utilized as a preprocessing method to fully exhibit phase contrast on the angular projection before reconstruction. The resolution and noise characteristics of this high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis prototype were successfully investigated and demonstrated. The phantom studies demonstrated that this imaging prototype can successfully remove the structure overlapping in phantom projections, obtain delineate interfaces, and achieve better contrast-to-noise ratio after applying phase retrieval to the angular projections. This research successfully demonstrated a high-energy in-line phase contrast tomosynthesis

A High-Speed Optical Diagnostic that uses Interference Filters to Measure Doppler Shifts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, S.F.; Cates, C.; Mauel, M.; Maurer, D.; Navratil, G.; Shilov, M.

2004-01-01

A high-speed, non-invasive velocity diagnostic has been developed for measuring plasma rotation. The Doppler shift is determined by employing two detectors that view line emission from the identical volume of plasma. Each detector views through an interference filter having a passband that varies linearly with wavelength. One detector views the plasma through a filter whose passband has a negative slope and the second detector views through one with a positive slope. Because each channel views the same volume of plasma, the ratio of the amplitudes is not sensitive to variations in plasma emission. With suitable knowledge of the filter characteristics and the relative gain, the Doppler shift is readily obtained in real time from the ratio of two channels without needing a low throughput spectrometer. The systematic errors--arising from temperature drifts, stability, and frequency response of the detectors and amplifiers, interference filter linearity, and ability to thoroughly homogenize the light from the fiber bundle--can be characterized well enough to obtain velocity data with + or - 1 km/sec with a time resolution of 0.3 msec

Renal streaky artifact during contrast-enhanced abdominal and pelvic CT: Comparison of high versus low osmolality contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dae Hong; Kim, Jong Chul; Lee, Chung Keun; Shin, Kyoung Suk

1994-01-01

Introduction of low osmolality contrast agent(LOCA) has allowed safer, more comfortable contrast-enhanced CT examination, but there has been significant increase in image degradation when evaluating the kidneys due to streaky artifact. The authors reviewed findings of contrast- enhanced abdominal and pelvic computed tomography(CT) to know the difference of renal streaky artifact between a high osmolality contrast agent (HOCA) and LOCA. This study included two hundred contrast-enhanced CT in 200 patients, 100 performed with HOCA(meglumine ioglicate, 150 ml) and 100 performed with LOCA (iopromide,150 ml). The severity of renal streaky artifact was compared between HOCA and LOCA groups. Of the scans performed with HOCA, 40 had no artifact, 52 had grade I artifact, 6 had grade II artifact, and 2 had grade III artifact. Of the scans preformed with LOCA, 23 had no artifact, 44 had grade I artifact, 29 had grade II artifact, and 4 had grade III artifact. There was significant difference in the degree of the streaky artifact depending upon the osmolality of the contrast media used(by χ 2 -test, P=.0001). The results of this study revealed a statistically significant increased incidence of artifacts and distortions of renal image with LOCA when compared with HOCA

Double-layered metal grating for high-performance refractive index sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guozhen; Shen, Yang; Xiao, Guohui; Jin, Chongjun

2015-04-06

The detection of minuscule changes in the local refractive index by localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs), carried by metal nanostructures, has been used successfully in applications such as real-time and label-free detection of molecular binding events. However, localized plasmons demonstrate 1-2 orders of magnitude lower figure of merit (FOM) compared with their propagating counterparts. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a high-performance refractive index sensor based on a structure of double-layered metal grating (DMG) with an FOM and FOM* reaching 38 and 40 respectively under normal incidence. Such a high FOM and FOM* arise from a result of a sharp fano resonance, which is caused by the coherent interference between the LSPR from the individual top gold stripes and Wood's anomaly (WA). Moreover, a small conformal decay length of ~68 nm is determined in DMG, indicating that the DMG is a promising candidate for label-free biomedical sensing.

High-contrast imaging with an arbitrary aperture: Active compensation of aperture discontinuities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pueyo, Laurent; Norman, Colin

2013-01-01

We present a new method to achieve high-contrast images using segmented and/or on-axis telescopes. Our approach relies on using two sequential deformable mirrors (DMs) to compensate for the large amplitude excursions in the telescope aperture due to secondary support structures and/or segment gaps. In this configuration the parameter landscape of DM surfaces that yield high-contrast point-spread functions is not linear, and nonlinear methods are needed to find the true minimum in the optimization topology. We solve the highly nonlinear Monge-Ampere equation that is the fundamental equation describing the physics of phase-induced amplitude modulation. We determine the optimum configuration for our two sequential DM system and show that high-throughput and high-contrast solutions can be achieved using realistic surface deformations that are accessible using existing technologies. We name this process Active Compensation of Aperture Discontinuities (ACAD). We show that for geometries similar to the James Webb Space Telescope, ACAD can attain at least 10 –7 in contrast and an order of magnitude higher for both the future extremely large telescopes and on-axis architectures reminiscent of the Hubble Space Telescope. We show that the converging nonlinear mappings resulting from our DM shapes actually damp near-field diffraction artifacts in the vicinity of the discontinuities. Thus, ACAD actually lowers the chromatic ringing due to diffraction by segment gaps and struts while not amplifying the diffraction at the aperture edges beyond the Fresnel regime. This outer Fresnel ringing can be mitigated by properly designing the optical system. Consequently, ACAD is a true broadband solution to the problem of high-contrast imaging with segmented and/or on-axis apertures. We finally show that once the nonlinear solution is found, fine tuning with linear methods used in wavefront control can be applied to further contrast by another order of magnitude. Generally speaking, the

A homology sound-based algorithm for speech signal interference

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yi-jiao; Chen, Hou-jin; Li, Ju-peng; Zhang, Zhan-song

2015-12-01

Aiming at secure analog speech communication, a homology sound-based algorithm for speech signal interference is proposed in this paper. We first split speech signal into phonetic fragments by a short-term energy method and establish an interference noise cache library with the phonetic fragments. Then we implement the homology sound interference by mixing the randomly selected interferential fragments and the original speech in real time. The computer simulation results indicated that the interference produced by this algorithm has advantages of real time, randomness, and high correlation with the original signal, comparing with the traditional noise interference methods such as white noise interference. After further studies, the proposed algorithm may be readily used in secure speech communication.

High contrast laser marking of alumina

Science.gov (United States)

Penide, J.; Quintero, F.; Riveiro, A.; Fernández, A.; del Val, J.; Comesaña, R.; Lusquiños, F.; Pou, J.

2015-05-01

Alumina serves as raw material for a broad range of advanced ceramic products. These elements should usually be identified by some characters or symbols printed directly on them. In this sense, laser marking is an efficient, reliable and widely implemented process in industry. However, laser marking of alumina still leads to poor results since the process is not able to produce a dark mark, yielding bad contrast. In this paper, we present an experimental study on the process of marking alumina by three different lasers working in two wavelengths: 1064 nm (Near-infrared) and 532 nm (visible, green radiation). A colorimetric analysis has been carried out in order to compare the resulting marks and its contrast. The most suitable laser operating conditions were also defined and are reported here. Moreover, the physical process of marking by NIR lasers is discussed in detail. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were also employed to analyze the results. Finally, we propose an explanation for the differences of the coloration induced under different atmospheres and laser parameters. We concluded that the atmosphere is the key parameter, being the inert one the best choice to produce the darkest marks.

Effective genes for resistance to stripe rust and virulence of Puccinia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The results revealed that stripe rust resistance genes Yr3, Yr5, Yr10, Yr15, Yr26, YrSP and YrCV were resistant, while Yr18 showed moderate susceptibility at all locations. Genes YrA-, Yr2, Yr6, Yr7, Yr8, Yr9, Yr17, Yr27 and gene combinations Opata (Yr27+Yr18) and Super Kauz (Yr9, Yr27, Yr18) were found susceptible.

Geographic distribution and spatial differentiation in the color pattern of abdominal stripes of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrique Batalha-Filho

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836, regionally known as "mandaçaia", has been traditionally divided in two distinct subspecies: M. quadrifasciata anthidioides and M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata. The main difference between the subspecies refers to the yellow metasomal stripes which are continuous in M. q. quadrifasciata and discontinuous in M. q. anthidioides. This study investigated the geographic differentiation in the metasomal stripes and characterized the restriction sites in the mtDNA of both chromatic types. Specimens from 198 localities were examined, and the variation observed in the pattern of stripes was grouped into distinct classes. The distribution pattern found in the present work agrees with the previously reported pattern: M. q. quadrifasciata inhabits the southern portion of the distribution, from Misiones, Argentina, southeastern Paraguay and Rio Grande do Sul to southern São Paulo, and M. q. anthidioides ranges from northeastern São Paulo to the northern Diamantina Plateau, Bahia, and westwards to the central portion of the Goiás state. It is documented for the first time the occurrence of two populations with continuous stripes inhabiting disjunct areas in relation to M. q. quadrifasciata - one in northern Minas Gerais and another in northeastern Bahia and Sergipe. The data of RFLP showed two restriction patterns, one present in M. q. quadrifasciata, and another in M. q. anthidioides and in populations with continuous metasomal stripes from northern Minas Gerais and northeastern Bahia and Sergipe. The observed patterns of geographic differentiation of M. quadrifasciata suggests the occurrence of repeated events of geographical isolation, followed by range expansion, that occurred probably during the cycles of climatic changes in the Pleistocene.

Interference Lithography for Vertical Photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Balls, Amy; Pei, Lei; Kvavle, Joshua; Sieler, Andrew; Schultz, Stephen; Linford, Matthew; Vanfleet, Richard; Davis, Robert

2009-10-01

We are exploring low cost approaches for fabricating three dimensional nanoscale structures. These vertical structures could significantly improve the efficiency of devices made from low cost photovoltaic materials. The nanoscale vertical structure provides a way to increase optical absorption in thin photovoltaic films without increasing the electronic carrier separation distance. The target structure is a high temperature transparent template with a dense array of holes on a 400 - 600 nm pitch fabricated by a combination of interference lithography and nanoembossing. First a master was fabricated using ultraviolet light interference lithography and the pattern was transferred into a silicon wafer master by silicon reactive ion etching. Embossing studies were performed with the master on several high temperature polymers.

Hypoxia tolerance and partitioning of bimodal respiration in the striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lefevre, Sjannie; Huong, Do Thi Thanh; Wang, Tobias

2011-01-01

Air-breathing fish are common in the tropics, and their importance in Asian aquaculture is increasing, but the respiratory physiology of some of the key species such as the striped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus Sauvage 1878 is unstudied. P. hypophthalmus is an interesting species...... to air-breathe. The possibility of reducing air-breathing frequency may be energetically beneficial for the fish, leaving more of the aerobic scope for growth and other activities, due to the proposed energetic costs of surfacing behavior....... as it appears to possess both well-developed gills and a modified swim bladder that functions as an air-breathing organ indicating a high capacity for both aquatic and aerial respiration. Using newly developed bimodal intermittent-closed respirometry, the partitioning of oxygen consumption in normoxia...

Comparable mechanisms of working memory interference by auditory and visual motion in youth and aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Jyoti; Zanto, Theodore; Nilakantan, Aneesha; Gazzaley, Adam

2013-08-01

Intrasensory interference during visual working memory (WM) maintenance by object stimuli (such as faces and scenes), has been shown to negatively impact WM performance, with greater detrimental impacts of interference observed in aging. Here we assessed age-related impacts by intrasensory WM interference from lower-level stimulus features such as visual and auditory motion stimuli. We consistently found that interference in the form of ignored distractions and secondary task interruptions presented during a WM maintenance period, degraded memory accuracy in both the visual and auditory domain. However, in contrast to prior studies assessing WM for visual object stimuli, feature-based interference effects were not observed to be significantly greater in older adults. Analyses of neural oscillations in the alpha frequency band further revealed preserved mechanisms of interference processing in terms of post-stimulus alpha suppression, which was observed maximally for secondary task interruptions in visual and auditory modalities in both younger and older adults. These results suggest that age-related sensitivity of WM to interference may be limited to complex object stimuli, at least at low WM loads. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stable and simple quantitative phase-contrast imaging by Fresnel biprism

Science.gov (United States)

Ebrahimi, Samira; Dashtdar, Masoomeh; Sánchez-Ortiga, Emilio; Martínez-Corral, Manuel; Javidi, Bahram

2018-03-01

Digital holographic (DH) microscopy has grown into a powerful nondestructive technique for the real-time study of living cells including dynamic membrane changes and cell fluctuations in nanometer and sub-nanometer scales. The conventional DH microscopy configurations require a separately generated coherent reference wave that results in a low phase stability and a necessity to precisely adjust the intensity ratio between two overlapping beams. In this work, we present a compact, simple, and very stable common-path DH microscope, employing a self-referencing configuration. The microscope is implemented by a diode laser as the source and a Fresnel biprism for splitting and recombining the beams simultaneously. In the overlapping area, linear interference fringes with high contrast are produced. The frequency of the interference pattern could be easily adjusted by displacement of the biprism along the optical axis without a decrease in fringe contrast. To evaluate the validity of the method, the spatial noise and temporal stability of the setup are compared with the common off-axis DH microscope based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. It is shown that the proposed technique has low mechanical noise as well as superb temporal stability with sub-nanometer precision without any external vibration isolation. The higher temporal stability improves the capabilities of the microscope for studying micro-object fluctuations, particularly in the case of biological specimens. Experimental results are presented using red blood cells and silica microspheres to demonstrate the system performance.

High-Fidelity Contrast Reaction Simulation Training: Performance Comparison of Faculty, Fellows, and Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeifer, Kyle; Staib, Lawrence; Arango, Jennifer; Kirsch, John; Arici, Mel; Kappus, Liana; Pahade, Jay

2016-01-01

Reactions to contrast material are uncommon in diagnostic radiology, and vary in clinical presentation from urticaria to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Prior studies have demonstrated a high error rate in contrast reaction management, with smaller studies using simulation demonstrating variable data on effectiveness. We sought to assess the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation in teaching contrast reaction management for residents, fellows, and attendings. A 20-question multiple-choice test assessing contrast reaction knowledge, with Likert-scale questions assessing subjective comfort levels of management of contrast reactions, was created. Three simulation scenarios that represented a moderate reaction, a severe reaction, and a contrast reaction mimic were completed in a one-hour period in a simulation laboratory. All participants completed a pretest and a posttest at one month. A six-month delayed posttest was given, but was optional for all participants. A total of 150 radiologists participated (residents = 52; fellows = 24; faculty = 74) in the pretest and posttest; and 105 participants completed the delayed posttest (residents = 31; fellows = 17; faculty = 57). A statistically significant increase was found in the one-month posttest (P < .00001) and the six-month posttest scores (P < .00001) and Likert scores (P < .001) assessing comfort level in managing all contrast reactions, compared with the pretest. Test scores and comfort level for moderate and severe reactions significantly decreased at six months, compared with the one-month posttest (P < .05). High-fidelity simulation is an effective learning tool, allowing practice of "high-acuity" situation management in a nonthreatening environment; the simulation training resulted in significant improvement in test scores, as well as an increase in subjective comfort in management of reactions, across all levels of training. A six-month refresher course is suggested, to maintain knowledge and comfort level in

Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Connecticut

OpenAIRE

Mitchell, S. M.; Richardson, D. J.; Lindsay, D. S.

2006-01-01

The prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was examined in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) from 8 cities in Connecticut. Ten (42%) of the 24 striped skunks, 2 of 7 (29%) opossums, and 12 of 12 (100%) raccoons were positive at dilutions of 1:50 or greater. These results suggest that T. gondii is prevalent in the environment, or prey items, or both, of these omnivores in Connecticut.

Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Connecticut.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Sheila M; Richardson, Dennis J; Lindsay, David S

2006-06-01

The prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was examined in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) from 8 cities in Connecticut. Ten (42%) of the 24 striped skunks, 2 of 7 (29%) opossums, and 12 of 12 (100%) raccoons were positive at dilutions of 1:50 or greater. These results suggest that T. gondii is prevalent in the environment, or prey items, or both, of these omnivores in Connecticut.

BUILDUP OF PROACTIVE INTERFERENCE IN JAPANESE KANJI LEARNING

OpenAIRE

FUJITA, Tadashi

1995-01-01

The discriminative assumption on buildup of proactive interference in short-term memory predicts that when intertrial similarity of items is high, the proactive interference is built up while interlist similarity of items is low, the proactive interference is not built up. To test the discriminative assumption in Japanese Kanji learning, intertrial similarity was changed by the acoustic, the radical (as one of the figurative properties), and the radical plus semantic properties in Kanji. For ...

Accessing High Spatial Resolution in Astronomy Using Interference Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonel, Cyril; Grasset, Sébastien; Maysonnave, Jean

2018-04-01

In astronomy, methods such as direct imaging or interferometry-based techniques (Michelson stellar interferometry for example) are used for observations. A particular advantage of interferometry is that it permits greater spatial resolution compared to direct imaging with a single telescope, which is limited by diffraction owing to the aperture of the instrument as shown by Rueckner et al. in a lecture demonstration. The focus of this paper, addressed to teachers and/or students in high schools and universities, is to easily underline both an application of interferometry in astronomy and stress its interest for resolution. To this end very simple optical experiments are presented to explain all the concepts. We show how an interference pattern resulting from the combined signals of two telescopes allows us to measure the distance between two stars with a resolution beyond the diffraction limit. Finally this work emphasizes the breathtaking resolution obtained in state-of-the-art instruments such as the VLTi (Very Large Telescope interferometer).

ERP evidence of distinct processes underlying semantic facilitation and interference in word production.

Science.gov (United States)

Python, Grégoire; Fargier, Raphaël; Laganaro, Marina

2018-02-01

In everyday conversations, we take advantage of lexical-semantic contexts to facilitate speech production, but at the same time, we also have to reduce interference and inhibit semantic competitors. The blocked cyclic naming paradigm (BCNP) has been used to investigate such context effects. Typical results on production latencies showed semantic facilitation (or no effect) during the first presentation cycle, and interference emerging in subsequent cycles. Even if semantic contexts might be just as facilitative as interfering, previous BCNP studies focused on interference, which was interpreted as reflecting lemma selection and self-monitoring processes. Facilitation in the first cycle was rarely considered/analysed, although it potentially informs on word production to the same extent as interference. Here we contrasted the event-related potential (ERP) signatures of both semantic facilitation and interference in a BCNP. ERPs differed between homogeneous and heterogeneous blocks from about 365 msec post picture onset in the first cycle (facilitation) and in an earlier time-window (270 msec post picture onset) in the third cycle (interference). Three different analyses of the ERPs converge towards distinct processes underlying semantic facilitation and interference (post-lexical vs lexical respectively). The loci of semantic facilitation and interference are interpreted in the context of different theoretical frameworks of language production: the post-lexical locus of semantic facilitation involves interactive phonological-semantic processes and/or self-monitoring, whereas the lexical locus of semantic interference is in line with selection through increased lexical competition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A combination drift chamber/pad chamber for very high readout rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiegel, L.; Cataldi, G.; Elia, V.; Mazur, P.; Murphy, C.T.; Smith, R.P.; Yang, W.; Alexopoulos, T.; Durandet, C.; Erwin, A.; Jennings, J.; Antoniazzi, L.; Introzzi, G.; Lanza, A.; Liguori, G.; Torre, P.; Arenton, M.; Conetti, S.; Cox, B.; Dukes, E.; Golovatyuk, V.; Hanlet, P.; McManus, A.; Nelson, K.; Recagni, M.; Segal, J.; Sun, J.; Ballagh, C.; Bingham, H.; Kaeding, T.; Lys, J.; Misawa, S.; Blankman, A.; Borodin, S.; Kononenko, W.; Newcomer, M.; Selove, W.; Trojak, T.; VanBerg, R.; Zhang, S.N.; Block, M.; Corti, G.; LeCompte, T.; Rosen, J.; Yao, T.; Boden, A.; Cline, D.; Ramachandran, S.; Rhoades, J.; Tokar, S.; Budagov, J.; Tsyganov, E.; Cao, Z.L.; He, M.; Wang, C.; Wei, C.; Zhang, N.; Chen, T.Y.; Yao, N.; Clark, K.; Jenkins, M.; Cooper, M.; Creti, P.; Gorini, E.; Grancagnolo, F.; Panareo, M.; Fortney, L.; Kowald, W.; Haire, M.; Judd, D.; Turnbull, L.; Wagoner, D.; Lau, K.; Mo, G.; Trischuk, J.

1991-11-01

Six medium-sized (∼1 x 2 m 2 ) drift chambers with pad and stripe readout have been constructed for and are presently operating in Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory experiment E-771. Each chamber module actually represents a pair of identical planes: two sets of anode wires, two sets of stripes, and two sets of pads. The wire planes are read out separately and represent X measurements in the coordinate system of the experiment. The twin stripe and pad planes are internally paired within the chamber modules; stripe signals represent Y measurements and pad signals combination X and Y measurements. Signals which develop on the stripes and pads are mirror (but inverted) images of what is seen on the wires. In addition to being used in the off-line pattern recognition, pad signals are also used as inputs to an on-line high transverse momentum (pt) trigger processor. While the techniques involved in the design and construction of the chambers are not novel, they may be of interest to experiments contemplating very large area, high rate chambers for future spectrometers

A combination drift chamber/pad chamber for very high readout rates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spiegel, L.; Cataldi, G.; Elia, V.; Mazur, P.; Murphy, C.T.; Smith, R.P.; Yang, W. (Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL (United States)); Alexopoulos, T.; Durandet, C.; Erwin, A.; Jennings, J. (Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (United States)); Antoniazzi, L.; Introzzi, G.; Lanza, A.; Liguori, G.; Torre, P. (Pavia Univ. (Italy) Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Rome (Italy)); Arenton, M.; Conetti, S.

1991-11-01

Six medium-sized ({approx}1 {times} 2 m{sup 2}) drift chambers with pad and stripe readout have been constructed for and are presently operating in Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory experiment E-771. Each chamber module actually represents a pair of identical planes: two sets of anode wires, two sets of stripes, and two sets of pads. The wire planes are read out separately and represent X measurements in the coordinate system of the experiment. The twin stripe and pad planes are internally paired within the chamber modules; stripe signals represent Y measurements and pad signals combination X and Y measurements. Signals which develop on the stripes and pads are mirror (but inverted) images of what is seen on the wires. In addition to being used in the off-line pattern recognition, pad signals are also used as inputs to an on-line high transverse momentum (pt) trigger processor. While the techniques involved in the design and construction of the chambers are not novel, they may be of interest to experiments contemplating very large area, high rate chambers for future spectrometers.

Software for imaging phase-shift interference microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Malinovski, I.; França, R. S.; Couceiro, I. B.

2018-03-01

In recent years absolute interference microscope was created at National Metrology Institute of Brazil (INMETRO). The instrument by principle of operation is imaging phase-shifting interferometer (PSI) equipped with two stabilized lasers of different colour as traceable reference wavelength sources. We report here some progress in development of the software for this instrument. The status of undergoing internal validation and verification of the software is also reported. In contrast with standard PSI method, different methodology of phase evaluation is applied. Therefore, instrument specific procedures for software validation and verification are adapted and discussed.

Arbitrary-ratio power splitter based on nonlinear multimode interference coupler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajaldini, Mehdi; Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat

2015-01-01

We propose an ultra-compact multimode interference (MMI) power splitter based on nonlinear effects from simulations using nonlinear modal propagation analysis (NMPA) cooperation with finite difference Method (FDM) to access free choice of splitting ratio. Conventional multimode interference power splitter could only obtain a few discrete ratios. The power splitting ratio may be adjusted continuously while the input set power is varying by a tunable laser. In fact, using an ultra- compact MMI with a simple structure that is launched by a tunable nonlinear input fulfills the problem of arbitrary-ratio in integrated photonics circuits. Silicon on insulator (SOI) is used as the offered material due to the high contrast refractive index and Centro symmetric properties. The high-resolution images at the end of the multimode waveguide in the simulated power splitter have a high power balance, whereas access to a free choice of splitting ratio is not possible under the linear regime in the proposed length range except changes in the dimension for any ratio. The compact dimensions and ideal performance of the device are established according to optimized parameters. The proposed regime can be extended to the design of M×N arbitrary power splitters ratio for programmable logic devices in all optical digital signal processing. The results of this study indicate that nonlinear modal propagation analysis solves the miniaturization problem for all-optical devices based on MMI couplers to achieve multiple functions in a compact planar integrated circuit and also overcomes the limitations of previously proposed methods for nonlinear MMI

Arbitrary-ratio power splitter based on nonlinear multimode interference coupler

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tajaldini, Mehdi [School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang (Malaysia); Young Researchers and Elite Club, Baft Branch, Islamic Azad University, Baft (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat [School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)

2015-04-24

We propose an ultra-compact multimode interference (MMI) power splitter based on nonlinear effects from simulations using nonlinear modal propagation analysis (NMPA) cooperation with finite difference Method (FDM) to access free choice of splitting ratio. Conventional multimode interference power splitter could only obtain a few discrete ratios. The power splitting ratio may be adjusted continuously while the input set power is varying by a tunable laser. In fact, using an ultra- compact MMI with a simple structure that is launched by a tunable nonlinear input fulfills the problem of arbitrary-ratio in integrated photonics circuits. Silicon on insulator (SOI) is used as the offered material due to the high contrast refractive index and Centro symmetric properties. The high-resolution images at the end of the multimode waveguide in the simulated power splitter have a high power balance, whereas access to a free choice of splitting ratio is not possible under the linear regime in the proposed length range except changes in the dimension for any ratio. The compact dimensions and ideal performance of the device are established according to optimized parameters. The proposed regime can be extended to the design of M×N arbitrary power splitters ratio for programmable logic devices in all optical digital signal processing. The results of this study indicate that nonlinear modal propagation analysis solves the miniaturization problem for all-optical devices based on MMI couplers to achieve multiple functions in a compact planar integrated circuit and also overcomes the limitations of previously proposed methods for nonlinear MMI.

Experimental occlusal interferences. Part III. Mandibular rotations induced by a rigid interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Rassouli, N M; Christensen, L V

1995-10-01

A rigid intercuspal interference (minimum mean height of 0.24 mm) was placed on either the right or left mandibular second premolar and first molar of 12 subjects. During brisk and forceful biting on the interference, rotational electrognathography measured maximum torque of the right and left mandibular condyles in the frontal and horizontal planes of orientation. All subjects showed frontal plan upward rotation (mean of 0.7 degrees) of the mandibular condyle contralateral to the interference. In 33% of the subjects there was no horizontal plane backward rotation. In 58% of the subjects there was horizontal plane backward rotation (mean of 0.5 degrees) of the mandibular condyle ipsilateral to the interference, and in one subject (8%) there was backward horizontal plane rotation (0.1 degree) of the mandibular condyle contralateral to the interference. It was inferred that the masseter muscle, ipsilateral to the interference, generated negative work in order to decelerate frontal plane 'unseating' of the mandibular condyle ipsilateral to the interference. It was inferred that the masseter muscle, contralateral to the interference, produced positive work in order to accelerate frontal plane 'seating' of the mandibular condyle contralateral to the interference. Finally, it was speculated that the impact forces of frontal plane 'seating' of the mandibular condyle, contralateral to the interference, might lead to 'vacuum sticking' of the temporomandibular joint disc because of the formation of negative hydrostatic pressures.

Evidence for Increased Aggressiveness in a Recent Widespread Strain of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici Causing Stripe Rust of Wheat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milus, Eugene A; Kristensen, Kristian; Hovmøller, Mogens S

2009-01-01

Stripe rust (yellow rust) of wheat, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, has become more severe in eastern United States, Australia, and elsewhere since 2000. Recent research has shown that this coincided with a global spread of two closely related strains that were similar based on vir...... that wheat rust fungi can adapt to warmer temperatures and cause severe disease in previously unfavorable environments......Stripe rust (yellow rust) of wheat, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, has become more severe in eastern United States, Australia, and elsewhere since 2000. Recent research has shown that this coincided with a global spread of two closely related strains that were similar based...... regimes for latent period, lesion length, lesion width, lesion area, and spore production on adult plants of a susceptible wheat cultivar with no known genes for resistance to stripe rust. "New" isolates (since 2000) were significantly more aggressive than "old" isolates (before 2000) for all variables...

San Francisco Estuary Striped Bass Migration History Determined by Electron-microprobe Analysis of Otolith Sr/Ca Ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ostrach, D J; Phillis, C C; Weber, P K; Ingram, B L; Zinkl, J G

2004-09-17

Habitat use has been shown to be an important factor in the bioaccumulation of contaminants in striped bass. This study examines migration in striped bass as part of a larger study investigating bioaccumulation and maternal transfer of xenobiotics to progeny in the San Francisco Estuary system. Habitat use, residence time and spawning migration over the life of females (n = 23) was studied. Female striped bass were collected between Knights Landing and Colusa on the Sacramento River during the spawning runs of 1999 and 2001. Otoliths were removed, processed and aged via otolith microstructure. Subsequently, otoliths were analyzed for strontium/calcium (Sr/Ca) ratio using an electron-microprobe to measure salinity exposure and to distinguish freshwater, estuary, and marine habitat use. Salinity exposure during the last year before capture was examined more closely for comparison of habitat use by the maternal parent to contaminant burden transferred to progeny. Results were selectively confirmed by ion microprobe analyses for habitat use. The Sr/Ca data demonstrate a wide range of migratory patterns. Age of initial ocean entry differs among individuals before returning to freshwater, presumably to spawn. Some fish reside in freshwater year-round, while others return to more saline habitats and make periodic migrations to freshwater. Frequency of habitat shifts and residence times differs among fish, as well as over the lifetime of individual fish. While at least one fish spent its final year in freshwater, the majority of spawning fish spent their final year in elevated salinity. However, not all fish migrated to freshwater to spawn in the previous year. Results from this investigation concerning migration history in striped bass can be combined with contaminant and histological developmental analyses to better understand the bioaccumulation of contaminants and the subsequent effects they and habitat use have on fish populations in the San Francisco Estuary system.

Experimental occlusal interferences. Part II. Masseteric EMG responses to an intercuspal interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, L V; Rassouli, N M

1995-07-01

In 12 subjects, a rigid unilateral intercuspal interference (minimum mean height of 0.24 mm) was placed on either the right or left mandibular second premolar and first molar (sagittal physiological equilibrium point of the hemimandibular dental arch). During brisk and forceful clenching on the interference, bipolar surface electromyograms were obtained from the right and left masseter muscles. On the side opposite the interference, myoelectric clenching activity was significantly reduced. Correlation analyses showed that the interference elicited a non-linear (complex) co-ordination of the amplitude, but not the duration, of bilateral masseteric clenching activity, i.e. frequently there was significant motor facilitation on the side of the interference, and significant motor inhibition on the side opposite the interference. Theoretical considerations predicted that brief clenching on the interference would easily lead to frontal plane rotatory motions of the mandible which, indeed, occurred clinically.

Three-Dimensional Constructive Interference in Steady State Sequences and Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Arrested Hydrocephalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Elkafrawy, Fatma; Reda, Ihab; Elsirafy, Mohamed; Gawad, Mohamed Saied Abdel; Elnaggar, Alaa; Khalek Abdel Razek, Ahmed Abdel

2017-02-01

To evaluate the role of three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state (3D-CISS) sequences and phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) in patients with arrested hydrocephalus. A prospective study of 20 patients with arrested hydrocephalus was carried out. All patients underwent PC-MRI and 3D-CISS for assessment of the aqueduct. Axial (through-plane), sagittal (in-plane) PC-MRI, and sagittal 3D-CISS were applied to assess the cerebral aqueduct and the spontaneous third ventriculostomy if present. Aqueductal patency was graded using 3D-CISS and PC-MRI. Quantitative analysis of flow through the aqueduct was performed using PC-MRI. The causes of obstruction were aqueductal obstruction in 75% (n = 15), third ventricular obstruction in 5% (n = 1), and fourth ventricular obstruction in 20% (n = 4). The cause of arrest of hydrocephalus was spontaneous third ventriculostomy in 65% (n = 13), endoscopic third ventriculostomy in 10% (n = 2), and ventriculoperitoneal shunt in 5% (n = 1), and no cause could be detected in 20% of patients (n = 4). There is a positive correlation (r = 0.80) and moderate agreement (κ = 0.509) of grading with PC-MRI and 3D-CISS sequences. The mean peak systolic velocity of cerebrospinal fluid was 1.86 ± 2.48 cm/second, the stroke volume was 6.43 ± 13.81 μL/cycle, and the mean flow was 0.21 ± 0.32 mL/minute. We concluded that 3D-CISS and PC-MRI are noninvasive sequences for diagnosis of the level and cause of arrested hydrocephalus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contrast media: interactions with other drugs and clinical tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morcos, Sameh K.; Exley, C.M.; Thomsen, Henrik S.

2005-01-01

Many patients with multiple medical problems who are receiving a variety of drugs are investigated with imaging techniques which require intravascular contrast media. The Contrast Media Safety Committee of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology therefore decided to review the literature and to draw up simple guidelines on interactions between contrast media and other drugs. An extensive literature search was carried out and summarized in a report. Based on the available information, simple guidelines have been drawn up. The report and guidelines were discussed at the 11th European Symposium on Urogenital Radiology in Santiago de Compostela. Contrast media may interact with other drugs, and may interfere with isotope studies and biochemical measurements. Awareness of the patient drug history is important to avoid potential hazards. Simple guidelines are presented. (orig.)

IETS and quantum interference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jacob Lykkebo; Gagliardi, Alessio; Pecchia, Alessandro

2014-01-01

Destructive quantum interference in single molecule electronics is an intriguing phenomenon; however, distinguishing quantum interference effects from generically low transmission is not trivial. In this paper, we discuss how quantum interference effects in the transmission lead to either low...... suppressed when quantum interference effects dominate. That is, we expand the understanding of propensity rules in inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy to molecules with destructive quantum interference....

Selection of reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR studies in striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba skin biopsies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casini Silvia

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Odontocete cetaceans occupy the top position of the marine food-web and are particularly sensitive to the bioaccumulation of lipophilic contaminants. The effects of environmental pollution on these species are highly debated and various ecotoxicological studies have addressed the impact of xenobiotic compounds on marine mammals, raising conservational concerns. Despite its sensitivity, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR has never been used to quantify gene induction caused by exposure of cetaceans to contaminants. A limitation for the application of qRT-PCR is the need for appropriate reference genes which allow the correct quantification of gene expression. A systematic evaluation of potential reference genes in cetacean skin biopsies is presented, in order to validate future qRT-PCR studies aiming at using the expression of selected genes as non-lethal biomarkers. Results Ten commonly used housekeeping genes (HKGs were partially sequenced in the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba and, for each gene, PCR primer pairs were specifically designed and tested in qRT-PCR assays. The expression of these potential control genes was examined in 30 striped dolphin skin biopsy samples, obtained from specimens sampled in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. The stability of selected control genes was determined using three different specific VBA applets (geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper which produce highly comparable results. Glyceraldehyde-3P-dehydrogenase (GAPDH and tyrosine 3-monooxygenase (YWHAZ always rank as the two most stably expressed HKGs according to the analysis with geNorm and Normfinder, and are defined as optimal control genes by BestKepeer. Ribosomal protein L4 (RPL4 and S18 (RPS18 also exhibit a remarkable stability of their expression levels. On the other hand, transferrin receptor (TFRC, phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1, hypoxanthine ribosyltransferase (HPRT1 and β-2-microglobin (B2M show variable expression

Ultra-High-Contrast Laser Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in Solid Targets

Science.gov (United States)

Higginson, Drew Pitney

The cone-guided fast ignition approach to Inertial Confinement Fusion requires laser-accelerated relativistic electrons to deposit kilojoules of energy within an imploded fuel core to initiate fusion burn. One obstacle to coupling electron energy into the core is the ablation of material, known as preplasma, by laser energy proceeding nanoseconds prior to the main pulse. This causes the laser-absorption surface to be pushed back hundreds of microns from the initial target surface; thus increasing the distance that electrons must travel to reach the imploded core. Previous experiments have shown an order of magnitude decrease in coupling into surrogate targets when intentionally increasing the amount of preplasma. Additionally, for electrons to deposit energy within the core, they should have kinetic energies on the order of a few MeV, as less energetic electrons will be stopped prior to the core and more energetic electrons will pass through the core without depositing much energy. Thus a quantitative understanding of the electron energy spectrum and how it responds to varied laser parameters is paramount for fast ignition. For the first time, this dissertation quantitatively investigates the acceleration of electrons using an ultra-high-contrast laser. Ultra-high-contrast lasers reduce the laser energy that reaches the target prior to the main pulse; drastically reducing the amount of preplasma. Experiments were performed in a cone-wire geometry relevant to fast ignition. These experiments irradiated the inner-tip of a Au cone with the laser and observed electrons that passed through a Cu wire attached to the outer-tip of the cone. The total emission of Kalpha x-rays is used as a diagnostic to infer the electron energy coupled into the wire. Imaging the x-ray emission allowed an effective path-length of electrons within the wire to be determined, which constrained the electron energy spectrum. Experiments were carried out on the ultra-high-contrast Trident laser

Wave-optical evaluation of interference fringes and wavefront phase in a hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by mirror optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamauchi, Kazuto; Yamamura, Kazuya; Mimura, Hidekazu; Sano, Yasuhisa; Saito, Akira; Endo, Katsuyoshi; Souvorov, Alexei; Yabashi, Makina; Tamasaku, Kenji; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Mori, Yuzo

2005-11-10

The intensity flatness and wavefront shape in a coherent hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by flat mirrors that have surface bumps modeled by Gaussian functions were investigated by use of a wave-optical simulation code. Simulated results revealed the necessity for peak-to-valley height accuracy of better than 1 nm at a lateral resolution near 0.1 mm to remove high-contrast interference fringes and appreciable wavefront phase errors. Three mirrors that had different surface qualities were tested at the 1 km-long beam line at the SPring-8/Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute. Interference fringes faded when the surface figure was corrected below the subnanometer level to a spatial resolution close to 0.1 mm, as indicated by the simulated results.

Nonintrusive iris image acquisition system based on a pan-tilt-zoom camera and light stripe projection

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Soweon; Jung, Ho Gi; Park, Kang Ryoung; Kim, Jaihie

2009-03-01

Although iris recognition is one of the most accurate biometric technologies, it has not yet been widely used in practical applications. This is mainly due to user inconvenience during the image acquisition phase. Specifically, users try to adjust their eye position within small capture volume at a close distance from the system. To overcome these problems, we propose a novel iris image acquisition system that provides users with unconstrained environments: a large operating range, enabling movement from standing posture, and capturing good-quality iris images in an acceptable time. The proposed system has the following three contributions compared with previous works: (1) the capture volume is significantly increased by using a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera guided by a light stripe projection, (2) the iris location in the large capture volume is found fast due to 1-D vertical face searching from the user's horizontal position obtained by the light stripe projection, and (3) zooming and focusing on the user's irises at a distance are accurate and fast using the estimated 3-D position of a face by the light stripe projection and the PTZ camera. Experimental results show that the proposed system can capture good-quality iris images in 2.479 s on average at a distance of 1.5 to 3 m, while allowing a limited amount of movement by the user.

In-phase and anti-phase interference fringes in rocking curves of resonant X-ray dynamical diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negishi, Riichirou; Fukamachi, Tomoe; Yoshizawa, Masami; Hirano, Kenji; Hirano, Keiichi; Kawamura, Takaaki

2008-01-01

We have observed the interference fringes that are in phase with each other in the diffracted and transmitted rocking curves of GaAs 200 reflection near the K-absorption edge of As. The fringes are in contrast with the well-known Pendelloesung fringes that are anti-phase with each other in the diffracted and transmitted waves. The origin of the in-phase interference fringe is analyzed to be due to the diffraction only by the imaginary part of the atomic scattering factor. It is also shown that the interference fringes become typical Pendelloesung fringes when the diffraction is caused only by the real part. (author)

Effectiveness of Alkali and Acid to Produce Collagen from Fish Skin of Striped Catifish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilda Lu’lu’in Nanda Alfira Devi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Fish skin is one of the alternative sources contained high protein  to isolate collagen. Fish skin generally extracted by the method of acid, alkali and enzymes. The study aim to determine the effectiveness of NaOHand acetic acid on catfish (Pangasius sp. skin extraction  process.  The concentrations of alkaline pretreatment were 0,05; 0,1; 0,15 and 0,2 M with the soaking time of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h by NaOH replacement in every 2 h. The concentrations of acetic acid for hydrolisis process were 0.05; 0.1; 0.15 and 0.2 M with the soaking time of 1, 2, and 3 h. The experimental design used for pretreatment process is split splot, while for the hydrolysis process is factorial completely randomized design. The results showed that pretreatment with a concentration of 0.05 M NaOH for 4 h has a significant effect for eliminating non-collagen protein (p<0.05. The acetic acid concentration of 0.15 M for 1 h also has a significant effect on fish skin swelling. The yield of striped catfish collagen was 17.272%, the protein content was 86%, and the viscosity was 12 cP. Fish skin extract was identified as type I collagen by functional groups and electrophoretic analysis. Collagen from striped catfish skin has α1 and α2 and protein structure with the molecular weight of α chain were 94 and 98 kDa, meanwhile the molecular wheight of β chain was 204 kD.

Codebook-based interference alignment for uplink MIMO interference channels

KAUST Repository

Lee, Hyun Ho; Park, Kihong; Ko, Youngchai; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2014-01-01

In this paper, we propose a codebook-based interference alignment (IA) scheme in the constant multiple-input multipleoutput (MIMO) interference channel especially for the uplink scenario. In our proposed scheme, we assume cooperation among base

Fine mapping of the Bsr1 barley stripe mosaic virus resistance gene in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Cui

Full Text Available The ND18 strain of Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV infects several lines of Brachypodium distachyon, a recently developed model system for genomics research in cereals. Among the inbred lines tested, Bd3-1 is highly resistant at 20 to 25 °C, whereas Bd21 is susceptible and infection results in an intense mosaic phenotype accompanied by high levels of replicating virus. We generated an F(6:7 recombinant inbred line (RIL population from a cross between Bd3-1 and Bd21 and used the RILs, and an F(2 population of a second Bd21 × Bd3-1 cross to evaluate the inheritance of resistance. The results indicate that resistance segregates as expected for a single dominant gene, which we have designated Barley stripe mosaic virus resistance 1 (Bsr1. We constructed a genetic linkage map of the RIL population using SNP markers to map this gene to within 705 Kb of the distal end of the top of chromosome 3. Additional CAPS and Indel markers were used to fine map Bsr1 to a 23 Kb interval containing five putative genes. Our study demonstrates the power of using RILs to rapidly map the genetic determinants of BSMV resistance in Brachypodium. Moreover, the RILs and their associated genetic map, when combined with the complete genomic sequence of Brachypodium, provide new resources for genetic analyses of many other traits.

Loci associated with resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) in a core collection of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Science.gov (United States)

Bulli, Peter; Rynearson, Sheri; Chen, Xianming; Pumphrey, Michael

2017-01-01

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Erikss. (Pst) remains one of the most significant diseases of wheat worldwide. We investigated stripe rust resistance by genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) in 959 spring wheat accessions from the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service National Small Grains Collection, representing major global production environments. The panel was characterized for field resistance in multi-environment field trials and seedling resistance under greenhouse conditions. A genome-wide set of 5,619 informative SNP markers were used to examine the population structure, linkage disequilibrium and marker-trait associations in the germplasm panel. Based on model-based analysis of population structure and hierarchical Ward clustering algorithm, the accessions were clustered into two major subgroups. These subgroups were largely separated according to geographic origin and improvement status of the accessions. A significant correlation was observed between the population sub-clusters and response to stripe rust infection. We identified 11 and 7 genomic regions with significant associations with stripe rust resistance at adult plant and seedling stages, respectively, based on a false discovery rate multiple correction method. The regions harboring all, except three, of the QTL identified from the field and greenhouse studies overlap with positions of previously reported QTL. Further work should aim at validating the identified QTL using proper germplasm and populations to enhance their utility in marker assisted breeding. PMID:28591221

Super-nonlinear fluorescence microscopy for high-contrast deep tissue imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Lu; Zhu, Xinxin; Chen, Zhixing; Min, Wei

2014-02-01

Two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy (TPFM) offers the highest penetration depth with subcellular resolution in light microscopy, due to its unique advantage of nonlinear excitation. However, a fundamental imaging-depth limit, accompanied by a vanishing signal-to-background contrast, still exists for TPFM when imaging deep into scattering samples. Formally, the focusing depth, at which the in-focus signal and the out-of-focus background are equal to each other, is defined as the fundamental imaging-depth limit. To go beyond this imaging-depth limit of TPFM, we report a new class of super-nonlinear fluorescence microscopy for high-contrast deep tissue imaging, including multiphoton activation and imaging (MPAI) harnessing novel photo-activatable fluorophores, stimulated emission reduced fluorescence (SERF) microscopy by adding a weak laser beam for stimulated emission, and two-photon induced focal saturation imaging with preferential depletion of ground-state fluorophores at focus. The resulting image contrasts all exhibit a higher-order (third- or fourth- order) nonlinear signal dependence on laser intensity than that in the standard TPFM. Both the physical principles and the imaging demonstrations will be provided for each super-nonlinear microscopy. In all these techniques, the created super-nonlinearity significantly enhances the imaging contrast and concurrently extends the imaging depth-limit of TPFM. Conceptually different from conventional multiphoton processes mediated by virtual states, our strategy constitutes a new class of fluorescence microscopy where high-order nonlinearity is mediated by real population transfer.

Motion contrast using optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Fingler, Jeffrey Paul

Diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases like age-related macular degeneration is very important for treatment of the disease as well as the development of future treatments. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical interference technique which can measure the three-dimensional structural information of the reflecting layers within a sample. In retinal imaging, OCT is used as the primary diagnostic tool for structural abnormalities such as retinal holes and detachments. The contrast within the images of this technique is based upon reflectivity changes from different regions of the retina. This thesis demonstrates the developments of methods used to produce additional contrast to the structural OCT images based on the tiny fluctuations of motion experienced by the mobile scatterers within a sample. Motion contrast was observed for motions smaller than 50 nm in images of a variety of samples. Initial contrast method demonstrations used Brownian motion differences to separate regions of a mobile Intralipid solution from a static agarose gel, chosen in concentration to minimize reflectivity contrast. Zebrafish embryos in the range of 3-4 days post fertilization were imaged using several motion contrast methods to determine the capabilities of identifying regions of vascular flow. Vasculature identification was demonstrated in zebrafish for blood vessels of all orientations as small as 10 microns in diameter. Mouse retinal imaging utilized the same motion contrast methods to determine the contrast capabilities for motions associated with vasculature within the retina. Improved contrast imaging techniques demonstrated comparable images to fluorescein angiography, the gold standard of retinal vascular imaging. Future studies can improve the demonstrated contrast analysis techniques and apply them towards human retinal motion contrast imaging for ophthalmic diagnostic purposes.

Effect of salinity on expression of branchial ion transporters in striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tipsmark, Christian Kølbaek; Madsen, Steffen Søndergaard; Borski, Russell John

2004-01-01

The time course of osmoregulatory adjustments and expressional changes of three key ion transporters in the gill were investigated in the striped bass during salinity acclimations. In three experiments, fish were transferred from fresh water (FW) to seawater (SW), from SW to FW, and from 15-ppt b...

High-energy x-ray grating-based phase-contrast radiography of human anatomy

Science.gov (United States)

Horn, Florian; Hauke, Christian; Lachner, Sebastian; Ludwig, Veronika; Pelzer, Georg; Rieger, Jens; Schuster, Max; Seifert, Maria; Wandner, Johannes; Wolf, Andreas; Michel, Thilo; Anton, Gisela

2016-03-01

X-ray grating-based phase-contrast Talbot-Lau interferometry is a promising imaging technology that has the potential to raise soft tissue contrast in comparison to conventional attenuation-based imaging. Additionally, it is sensitive to attenuation, refraction and scattering of the radiation and thus provides complementary and otherwise inaccessible information due to the dark-field image, which shows the sub-pixel size granularity of the measured object. Until recent progress the method has been mainly limited to photon energies below 40 keV. Scaling the method to photon energies that are sufficient to pass large and spacious objects represents a challenging task. This is caused by increasing demands regarding the fabrication process of the gratings and the broad spectra that come along with the use of polychromatic X-ray sources operated at high acceleration voltages. We designed a setup that is capable to reach high visibilities in the range from 50 to 120 kV. Therefore, spacious and dense parts of the human body with high attenuation can be measured, such as a human knee. The authors will show investigations on the resulting attenuation, differential phase-contrast and dark-field images. The images experimentally show that X-ray grating-based phase-contrast radiography is feasible with highly absorbing parts of the human body containing massive bones.

Mapping of stripe rust resistance QTL in Cappelle-Desprez × PBW343 RIL population effective in northern wheat belt of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, Sushma Kumari; Sharma, Davinder; Duhan, Joginder Singh; Saharan, Mahender Singh; Tiwari, Ratan; Sharma, Indu

2016-06-01

Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is most important and devastating disease of wheat worldwide, which affects the grain yields, quality and nutrition. To elucidate, the genetic basis of resistance, a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines was developed from a cross between resistant Cappelle-Desprez and susceptible cultivar PBW343 using single-seed descent. Variety PBW343 had been one of the most popular cultivars of North Western Plains Zone, for more than a decade, before succumbing to the stripe rust. Cappelle-Desprez, a source of durable adult plant resistance, has maintained its resistance against stripe rust for a long time in Europe. Map construction and QTL analysis were completed with 1012 polymorphic (DArT and SSR) markers. Screenings for stripe rust disease were carried out in field condition for two consecutive crop seasons (2012-2013 and 2013-2014). Susceptible parent (PBW343) achieved a significant level of disease i.e., 100 % in both the years. In present investigations, resistance in Cappelle-Desprez was found stable and response to the rust ranged from 0 to 1.5 % over the years. The estimated broad-sense heritability (h 2 ) of stripe rust rAUDPC in the mapping population was 0.82. The relative area under the disease progress curve data showed continuous distributions, indicating that trait was controlled multigenically. Genomic region identified on chromosome 2D, was located within the short arm, with flanking markers (Xgwm484-Xcfd73), explained phenotypic variation (PVE) ranged from 13.9 to 31.8 %. The genomic region identified on chromosome 5B was found with the effect of maximum contribution with flanking DArT markers (1376633|F|0-1207571|F|0), PVE ranged from 24 to 27.0 %. This can, therefore, be utilized for marker assisted selection in developing much needed stripe rust resistant lines for the northern wheat belt of India.

High-contrast imaging in the cloud with klipReduce and Findr

Science.gov (United States)

Haug-Baltzell, Asher; Males, Jared R.; Morzinski, Katie M.; Wu, Ya-Lin; Merchant, Nirav; Lyons, Eric; Close, Laird M.

2016-08-01

Astronomical data sets are growing ever larger, and the area of high contrast imaging of exoplanets is no exception. With the advent of fast, low-noise detectors operating at 10 to 1000 Hz, huge numbers of images can be taken during a single hours-long observation. High frame rates offer several advantages, such as improved registration, frame selection, and improved speckle calibration. However, advanced image processing algorithms are computationally challenging to apply. Here we describe a parallelized, cloud-based data reduction system developed for the Magellan Adaptive Optics VisAO camera, which is capable of rapidly exploring tens of thousands of parameter sets affecting the Karhunen-Loève image processing (KLIP) algorithm to produce high-quality direct images of exoplanets. We demonstrate these capabilities with a visible wavelength high contrast data set of a hydrogen-accreting brown dwarf companion.

A Near-Complete Haplotype-Phased Genome of the Dikaryotic Wheat Stripe Rust Fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici Reveals High Interhaplotype Diversity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Schwessinger

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A long-standing biological question is how evolution has shaped the genomic architecture of dikaryotic fungi. To answer this, high-quality genomic resources that enable haplotype comparisons are essential. Short-read genome assemblies for dikaryotic fungi are highly fragmented and lack haplotype-specific information due to the high heterozygosity and repeat content of these genomes. Here, we present a diploid-aware assembly of the wheat stripe rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici based on long reads using the FALCON-Unzip assembler. Transcriptome sequencing data sets were used to infer high-quality gene models and identify virulence genes involved in plant infection referred to as effectors. This represents the most complete Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici genome assembly to date (83 Mb, 156 contigs, N50 of 1.5 Mb and provides phased haplotype information for over 92% of the genome. Comparisons of the phase blocks revealed high interhaplotype diversity of over 6%. More than 25% of all genes lack a clear allelic counterpart. When we investigated genome features that potentially promote the rapid evolution of virulence, we found that candidate effector genes are spatially associated with conserved genes commonly found in basidiomycetes. Yet, candidate effectors that lack an allelic counterpart are more distant from conserved genes than allelic candidate effectors and are less likely to be evolutionarily conserved within the P. striiformis species complex and Pucciniales. In summary, this haplotype-phased assembly enabled us to discover novel genome features of a dikaryotic plant-pathogenic fungus previously hidden in collapsed and fragmented genome assemblies.

Interference of two photons in parametric down conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, R.; Hong, C.K.; Ou, Z.Y.; Mandel, L.

1986-01-01

A theoretical treatment is given of the process in which the two photons produced simultaneously in the parametric frequency splitting of light are allowed to interfere. It is shown that, while there is no interference in the usual sense involving quantities that are of the second order in the field, fourth-order interference effects are present. These may be revealed by measuring the joint probability of detecting two photons at two points x,x' in the interference plane with photoelectric detectors as a function of the separation x-x'. The probability exhibits a cosine modulation with x-x', with visibility that can approach 100%, even though the integration time in the experiment may greatly exceed the reciprocal bandwidth of the photons. The interference effect has a nonclassical origin and implies a violation of local realism in the highly correlated two-photon state

Unfolding of Vortices into Topological Stripes in a Multiferroic Material

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X.; Mostovoy, M.; Han, M. G.; Horibe, Y.; Aoki, T.; Zhu, Y.; Cheong, S.-W.

2014-06-01

Multiferroic hexagonal RMnO3 (R =rare earths) crystals exhibit dense networks of vortex lines at which six domain walls merge. While the domain walls can be readily moved with an applied electric field, the vortex cores so far have been impossible to control. Our experiments demonstrate that shear strain induces a Magnus-type force pulling vortices and antivortices in opposite directions and unfolding them into a topological stripe domain state. We discuss the analogy between this effect and the current-driven dynamics of vortices in superconductors and superfluids.

Contrast Induced by a Static Magnetic Field for Improved Detection in Nanodiamond Fluorescence Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Singam, Shashi K. R.; Motylewski, Jaroslaw; Monaco, Antonina; Gjorgievska, Elena; Bourgeois, Emilie; Nesládek, Milos; Giugliano, Michele; Goovaerts, Etienne

2016-12-01

Diamond nanoparticles with negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers are highly efficient nonblinking emitters that exhibit spin-dependent intensity. An attractive application of these emitters is background-free fluorescence microscopy exploiting the fluorescence quenching induced either by resonant microwaves (RMWs) or by an applied static magnetic field (SMF). Here, we compare RMW- and SMF-induced contrast measurements over a wide range of optical excitation rates for fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) and for NV centers shallowly buried under the (100)-oriented surface of a diamond single crystal (SC). Contrast levels are found to be systematically lower in the FNDs than in the SC. At low excitation rates, the RMW contrast initially rises to a maximum (up to 7% in FNDs and 13% in the SC) but then decreases steadily at higher intensities. Conversely, the SMF contrast increases from approximately 12% at low excitation rates to high values of 20% and 38% for the FNDs and SC, respectively. These observations are well described in a rate-equations model for the charged NV defect using parameters in good agreement with the literature. The SMF approach yields higher induced contrast in image collection under commonly applied optical excitation. Unlike the RMW method, there is no thermal load exerted on the aqueous media in biological samples in the SMF approach. We demonstrate imaging by SMF-induced contrast in neuronal cultures incorporating FNDs (i) in a setup for patch-clamp experiments in parallel with differential-interference-contrast microscopy, (ii) after a commonly used staining procedure as an illustration of the high selectivity against background fluorescence, and (iii) in a confocal fluorescence microscope in combination with bright-field microscopy.

Ultra High Resolution Imaging of Enceladus Tiger Stripe Thermal Emission with Cassini CIRS

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, John R.; Gorius, Nicolas; Howett, Carly; Verbiscer, Anne J.; Cassini CIRS Team

2017-10-01

In October 2015, Cassini flew within 48 km of Enceladus’ south pole. The spacecraft attitude was fixed during the flyby, but the roll angle of the spacecraft was chosen so that the remote sensing instrument fields of view passed over Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo Sulci. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) instrument obtained a single interferometer scan during the flyby, using a special mode, enabled by a flight software update, which bypassed numerical filters to improve the fidelity of the interferograms. This generated a total of 11 interferograms, at 5 contiguous spatial locations for each of the 7 - 9 micron (FP4) and 9 - 17 micron (FP3) focal planes, and a single larger field of view for the 17 - 500 micron focal plane (FP1). Strong spikes were seen in the interferograms when crossing each of the sulci, due to the rapid passage of warm material through the field of view. For FP3 and FP4, the temporal variations of the signals from the 5 contiguous detectors can be used to generated 5-pixel-wide images of the thermal emission, which show excellent agreement between the two focal planes. FP3 and FP4 spatial resolution, limited along track by the 5 msec time sampling of the interferogram, and across track by the CIRS field of view, is a remarkable 40 x 40 meters. At this resolution, the tiger stripe thermal emission shows a large amount of structure, including both continuous emission along the fractures, discrete hot spots less than 100 meters across, and extended emission with complex structure.

Mitigation of MIMO Co-Channel Interference using robust interference cancellation receiver

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rahman, Muhammad Imadur; De Carvalho, Elisabeth; Prasad, Ramjee

2007-01-01

(STBC) link may become equivalent to an interfering Spatial Multiplexing (SM) link. Using this knowledge and understanding, we propose an interference cancellation receiver robust to different types of MIMO interferers at cell edge for the Downlink (DL) of cellular systems. The receiver systematically...... performs a multiple symbol processing: this is the appropriate processing when the signal of interest or the signal of interferer is correlated across symbols, which is the case for STBC transmission. We evaluated different link combinations in terms of Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR......) statistics and Bit Error Rate (BER) performance in cellular Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems. We have found that the proposed multiple-symbol linear interference cancellation receiver performs satisfactorily when any kind of single 'logical' stream MIMO scheme is present...

Rearranging the lenslet array of the compact passive interference imaging system with high resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Gang; Wen, Desheng; Song, Zongxi

2017-10-01

With the development of aeronautics and astronautics, higher resolution requirement of the telescope was necessary. However, the increase in resolution of conventional telescope required larger apertures, whose size, weight and power consumption could be prohibitively expensive. This limited the further development of the telescope. This paper introduced a new imaging technology using interference—Compact Passive Interference Imaging Technology with High Resolution, and proposed a rearranging method for the arrangement of the lenslet array to obtain continuously object spatial frequency.

Computer code system for the R and D of nuclear fuel cycle with fast reactor. 2. Development and application of analytical evaluation system for thermal striping phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramatsu, Toshiharu

2001-01-01

Fluid-structure thermal interaction phenomena characterized by stationary random temperature fluctuations, namely thermal striping are observed in the downstream region such as a T-junction piping system of liquid metal fast reactors (LMFRs). Therefore, the piping wall located in the downstream region must be protected against the stationary random thermal process, which might induce high-cycle fatigue. This paper describes the evaluation system based on numerical simulation methods consisting of three thermohydraulics computer programs AQUA, DINUS-3 and THEMIS and of three thermomechanical computer programs BEMSET, FINAS and CANIS, for the thermal striping developed at Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC). Verification results for each computer code and the system are also introduced based on out-of-pile experimental data using water and sodium as working fluids. (author)

Experimental occlusal interferences. Part IV. Mandibular rotations induced by a pliable interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, L V; Rassouli, N M

1995-11-01

In 12 subjects, a pliable, yet unbreakable, intercuspal interference (aluminum shim onlay splint; uniform height of 0.25 mm) was placed between either the right or left maxillary and mandibular second premolars and first molars. During brief and forceful biting (dynamic chewing stroke of about 20 kg force) the interference emulated a semisoft food bolus, and at the end of biting (subsequent static clenching stroke of about 20 kg force) it emulated a rigid metal interference. During dynamic/static biting, rotational electrognathography measured maximum frontal and horizontal plane torque of the right and left mandibular condyles. Eleven subjects (92%) showed frontal plane upward rotation (mean of 1.0 degree) of the condyle contralateral to the interference, and one subject (8%) showed frontal plane upward rotation (0.4 degree) of the condyle ipsilateral to the interference. Two subjects (17%) showed no horizontal plane rotation; seven subjects (58%) showed backward rotation (mean of 0.4 degree) of the condyle contralateral to the interference; and three subjects (25%) showed backward rotation (mean of 0.3 degree) of the condyle ipsilateral to the interference. It is suggested that, in the presence of an occlusal interference, mastication may have both short- and long-term detrimental effects.

Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography with High-Contrast Dielectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Nurge, Mark

2010-01-01

The Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) system has been designed to complement the tools created to sense the presence of water in nonconductive spacecraft materials, by helping to not only find the approximate location of moisture but also its quantity and depth. The ECVT system has been created for use with a new image reconstruction algorithm capable of imaging high-contrast dielectric distributions. Rather than relying solely on mutual capacitance readings as is done in traditional electrical capacitance tomography applications, this method reconstructs high-resolution images using only the self-capacitance measurements. The image reconstruction method assumes that the material under inspection consists of a binary dielectric distribution, with either a high relative dielectric value representing the water or a low dielectric value for the background material. By constraining the unknown dielectric material to one of two values, the inverse math problem that must be solved to generate the image is no longer ill-determined. The image resolution becomes limited only by the accuracy and resolution of the measurement circuitry. Images were reconstructed using this method with both synthetic and real data acquired using an aluminum structure inserted at different positions within the sensing region. The cuboid geometry of the system has two parallel planes of 16 conductors arranged in a 4 4 pattern. The electrode geometry consists of parallel planes of copper conductors, connected through custom-built switch electronics, to a commercially available capacitance to digital converter. The figure shows two 4 4 arrays of electrodes milled from square sections of copper-clad circuit-board material and mounted on two pieces of glass-filled plastic backing, which were cut to approximately square shapes, 10 cm on a side. Each electrode is placed on 2.0-cm centers. The parallel arrays were mounted with the electrode arrays approximately 3 cm apart. The open ends

Mass-mortality in green striped tree dragons (Japalura splendida) associated with multiple viral infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Behncke, H; Stöhr, A C; Heckers, K O; Ball, I; Marschang, R E

2013-09-14

In spring 2011, high mortality in association with skin lesions, systemic haemorrhages and necrosis occurred in a group of green striped tree dragons (Japalura splendida) which were imported from southwestern China via Florida to Germany. Infections with various endoparasites were diagnosed in coprological examinations. Different antiparasitic and antibiotic treatments over a period of three months did not reduce the mortality rate. The remaining animals were therefore euthanased and submitted for additional testing. Predominant findings in pathological examination were granulomatous and necrotising inflammation of the skin, vacuolar tubulonephrosis of the distal renal tubules, hyperaemia and liver necrosis. Eosinophilic intranuclear and basophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were detected in the liver. Virological testing (PCR and virus isolation methods) demonstrated the presence of ranavirus, adenovirus and invertebrate iridovirus.

Characterizing the Heat Flow from Between Enceladus' Tiger Stripes

Science.gov (United States)

Howett, C.; Spencer, J. R.; Verbiscer, A.

2017-12-01

Enceladus' heat flow provides a fundamental constraint on its tidal dissipation mechanisms, orbital evolution, and the physical processes that generate the plumes. Determining the total amount of emission is proving difficult, as different techniques produce differing constraints. For example, an initial estimate of this value, 5.8±1.3 GW, was made by Spencer et al. (2006) using Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) 600 to 1100 cm-1 observations, which was refined using 10 to 600 cm-1 CIRS observations to 15.8±3.1 GW by Howett et al. (2011). However, recent reanalysis of high-spatial resolution 10 to 1100 cm-1 CIRS observations of Enceladus' active south polar region conducted by Spencer and Howett gives a heat flow of 4.64±0.23 GW. Whilst all of these heat flow estimates are much larger than those expected in a steady state, 1.1 GW (Meyer and Wisdom, 2007), their obvious discrepancy is a puzzle. In this work we seek to help understand these discrepancies by determining how much endogenic heat flow is coming from the funiscular terrain between Enceladus active tiger stripes.

Extended viral shedding of a low pathogenic avian influenza virus by striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Jeffrey Root

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis are susceptible to infection with some influenza A viruses. However, the viral shedding capability of this peri-domestic mammal and its potential role in influenza A virus ecology are largely undetermined. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Striped skunks were experimentally infected with a low pathogenic (LP H4N6 avian influenza virus (AIV and monitored for 20 days post infection (DPI. All of the skunks exposed to H4N6 AIV shed large quantities of viral RNA, as detected by real-time RT-PCR and confirmed for live virus with virus isolation, from nasal washes and oral swabs (maximum ≤ 10(6.02 PCR EID50 equivalent/mL and ≤ 10(5.19 PCR EID50 equivalent/mL, respectively. Some evidence of potential fecal shedding was also noted. Following necropsy on 20 DPI, viral RNA was detected in the nasal turbinates of one individual. All treatment animals yielded evidence of a serological response by 20 DPI. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicate that striped skunks have the potential to shed large quantities of viral RNA through the oral and nasal routes following exposure to a LP AIV. Considering the peri-domestic nature of these animals, along with the duration of shedding observed in this species, their presence on poultry and waterfowl operations could influence influenza A virus epidemiology. For example, this species could introduce a virus to a naive poultry flock or act as a trafficking mechanism of AIV to and from an infected poultry flock to naive flocks or wild bird populations.

THE z = 5 QUASAR LUMINOSITY FUNCTION FROM SDSS STRIPE 82

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGreer, Ian D.; Fan Xiaohui; Jiang Linhua; Richards, Gordon T.; Strauss, Michael A.; Ross, Nicholas P.; White, Martin; Shen Yue; Schneider, Donald P.; Brandt, W. Niel; Myers, Adam D.; DeGraf, Colin; Glikman, Eilat; Ge Jian; Streblyanska, Alina

2013-01-01

We present a measurement of the Type I quasar luminosity function at z = 5 using a large sample of spectroscopically confirmed quasars selected from optical imaging data. We measure the bright end (M 1450 2 , then extend to lower luminosities (M 1450 2 of deep, coadded imaging in the SDSS Stripe 82 region (the celestial equator in the Southern Galactic Cap). The faint sample includes 14 quasars with spectra obtained as ancillary science targets in the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, and 59 quasars observed at the MMT and Magellan telescopes. We construct a well-defined sample of 4.7 1450 * ∼-27). The bright-end slope is steep (β ∼ 1450 < –26) from z = 5 to z = 6 than from z = 4 to z = 5, suggesting a more rapid decline in quasar activity at high redshift than found in previous surveys. Our model for the quasar luminosity function predicts that quasars generate ∼30% of the ionizing photons required to keep hydrogen in the universe ionized at z = 5.

High-resolution short-exposure small-animal laboratory x-ray phase-contrast tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson, Daniel H.; Vågberg, William; Yaroshenko, Andre; Yildirim, Ali Önder; Hertz, Hans M.

2016-12-01

X-ray computed tomography of small animals and their organs is an essential tool in basic and preclinical biomedical research. In both phase-contrast and absorption tomography high spatial resolution and short exposure times are of key importance. However, the observable spatial resolutions and achievable exposure times are presently limited by system parameters rather than more fundamental constraints like, e.g., dose. Here we demonstrate laboratory tomography with few-ten μm spatial resolution and few-minute exposure time at an acceptable dose for small-animal imaging, both with absorption contrast and phase contrast. The method relies on a magnifying imaging scheme in combination with a high-power small-spot liquid-metal-jet electron-impact source. The tomographic imaging is demonstrated on intact mouse, phantoms and excised lungs, both healthy and with pulmonary emphysema.

Overfishing of small pelagic fishes increases trophic overlap between immature and mature striped dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Campos, Encarna; Borrell, Assumpció; Cardona, Luis; Forcada, Jaume; Aguilar, Alex

2011-01-01

The interactions among diet, ecology, physiology, and biochemistry affect N and C stable isotope signatures in animal tissues. Here, we examined if ecological segregation among animals in relation to sex and age existed by analyzing the signatures of δ(15)N and δ(13)C in the muscle of Western Mediterranean striped dolphins. Moreover, we used a Bayesian mixing model to study diet composition and investigated potential dietary changes over the last two decades in this population. For this, we compared isotope signatures in samples of stranded dolphins obtained during two epizootic events occurring in 1990 and 2007-2008. Mean δ(13)C values for females and males were not significantly different, but age-related variation indicated δ(13)C enrichment in both sexes, suggesting that females and males most likely fed in the same general areas, increasing their consumption of benthic prey with age. Enrichment of δ(15)N was only observed in females, suggesting a preference for larger or higher trophic level prey than males, which could reflect different nutritional requirements. δ(13)C values showed no temporal variation, although the mean δ(15)N signature decreased from 1990 to 2007-2008, which could indicate a dietary shift in the striped dolphin over the last two decades. The results of SIAR indicated that in 1990, hake and sardine together contributed to 60% on the diet of immature striped dolphins, and close to 90% for mature striped dolphins. Conversely, the diet of both groups in 2007-2008 was more diverse, as hake and sardine contributed to less than 40% of the entire diet. These results suggest a dietary change that was possibly related to changes in food availability, which is consistent with the depletion of sardine stocks by fishing.