Production of a large area diffuse arc plasma with multiple cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Cheng; Cui Hai-Chao; Li Wan-Wan; Liao Meng-Ran; Xia Wei-Dong; Xia Wei-Luo

2017-01-01

An arc channel at atmospheric pressure tends to shrink generally. In this paper, a non-transferred DC arc plasma device with multiple cathode is introduced to produce a large area arc plasma at atmospheric pressure. This device is comprised of a 42-mm diameter tubular chamber, multiple cathode which is radially inserted into the chamber, and a tungsten anode with a nozzle in its center. In argon/helium atmosphere, a large area and circumferential homogenous diffuse arc plasma, which fills the entire cross section surrounded by the cathode tips, is observed. Results show that the uniformity and stability of diffuse arc plasma are strongly related to the plasma forming gas. Based on these experimental results, an explanation to the arc diffusion is suggested. Moreover, the electron excitation temperature and electron density measured in diffuse helium plasma are much lower than those of constricted arc column, which indicates the diffuse helium plasma probably deviates from the local thermodynamic equilibrium state. Unlike the common non-transferred arc plasma devices, this device can provide a condition for axial-fed feedstock particles. The plasma device is attempted to spheroidize alumina powders by using the central axis to send the powder. Results show that the powder produced is usually a typical hollow sphere. (paper)

Extending Data Worth Analyses to Select Multiple Observations Targeting Multiple Forecasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vilhelmsen, Troels Norvin; Ferre, Ty Paul

2017-01-01

. In the present study, we extend previous data worth analyses to include: simultaneous selection of multiple new measurements and consideration of multiple forecasts of interest. We show how the suggested approach can be used to optimize data collection. This can be used in a manner that suggests specific...... measurement sets or that produces probability maps indicating areas likely to be informative for specific forecasts. Moreover, we provide examples documenting that sequential measurement election approaches often lead to suboptimal designs and that estimates of data covariance should be included when...

On the possibility of the multiple inductively coupled plasma and helicon plasma sources for large-area processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jin-Won; Lee, Yun-Seong, E-mail: leeeeys@kaist.ac.kr; Chang, Hong-Young [Low-temperature Plasma Laboratory, Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); An, Sang-Hyuk [Agency of Defense Development, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-151 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

In this study, we attempted to determine the possibility of multiple inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and helicon plasma sources for large-area processes. Experiments were performed with the one and two coils to measure plasma and electrical parameters, and a circuit simulation was performed to measure the current at each coil in the 2-coil experiment. Based on the result, we could determine the possibility of multiple ICP sources due to a direct change of impedance due to current and saturation of impedance due to the skin-depth effect. However, a helicon plasma source is difficult to adapt to the multiple sources due to the consistent change of real impedance due to mode transition and the low uniformity of the B-field confinement. As a result, it is expected that ICP can be adapted to multiple sources for large-area processes.

Treatment Options for Plasma Cell Neoplasms (Including Multiple Myeloma)

Science.gov (United States)

... cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy. Immunomodulators are a type of biologic therapy. Thalidomide , lenalidomide , and pomalidomide are immunomodulators used to treat multiple myeloma and other plasma ...

A Case Study of Tack Tiles[R] Literacy Instruction for a Student with Multiple Disabilities Including Congenital Blindness

Science.gov (United States)

Klenk, Jessicia A.; Pufpaff, Lisa A.

2011-01-01

Research on literacy instruction for students with multiple disabilities is limited. Empirical research on braille instruction for students with multiple disabilities that include congenital blindness is virtually nonexistent. This case study offers initial insight into possible methods of early braille literacy instruction for a student with…

Object-Based Change Detection in Urban Areas from High Spatial Resolution Images Based on Multiple Features and Ensemble Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Wang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available To improve the accuracy of change detection in urban areas using bi-temporal high-resolution remote sensing images, a novel object-based change detection scheme combining multiple features and ensemble learning is proposed in this paper. Image segmentation is conducted to determine the objects in bi-temporal images separately. Subsequently, three kinds of object features, i.e., spectral, shape and texture, are extracted. Using the image differencing process, a difference image is generated and used as the input for nonlinear supervised classifiers, including k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, extreme learning machine and random forest. Finally, the results of multiple classifiers are integrated using an ensemble rule called weighted voting to generate the final change detection result. Experimental results of two pairs of real high-resolution remote sensing datasets demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the traditional methods in terms of overall accuracy and generates change detection maps with a higher number of homogeneous regions in urban areas. Moreover, the influences of segmentation scale and the feature selection strategy on the change detection performance are also analyzed and discussed.

Comparison of the Physical Education and Sports School Students' Multiple Intelligence Areas According to Demographic Features

Science.gov (United States)

Aslan, Cem Sinan

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare the multiple intelligence areas of a group of physical education and sports students according to their demographic features. In the study, "Multiple Intelligence Scale", consisting of 27 items, whose Turkish validity and reliability study have been done by Babacan (2012) and which is originally owned…

Performance Enhancement of Land Vehicle Positioning Using Multiple GPS Receivers in an Urban Area

OpenAIRE

Song, Jong-Hwa; Jee, Gyu-In

2016-01-01

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is the most widely used navigation system in land vehicle applications. In urban areas, the GPS suffers from insufficient signal strength, multipath propagation and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) errors, so it thus becomes difficult to obtain accurate and reliable position information. In this paper, an integration algorithm for multiple receivers is proposed to enhance the positioning performance of GPS for land vehicles in urban areas. The pseudoranges of multi...

Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis in the Metropolitan Area of Edirne City, Turkey

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Yahya Çelik

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: The prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis may vary according to the influence of the altitude of a geographical area as well as the genetic and environmental factors. This study ained to determine the incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Edirne population.Material and Methods: Patients with a definite diagnosis of MS according to McDonald’s criteria, admitted to one of the three MS clinics in Edirne, were included in this two-stage study. Also the records of hospitals in İstanbul serving patients from Edirne, have been evaluated. Results: The prevalence rate of confirmed MS patients was 33.9/100000 (95% CI: 32-36 in 2003. The mean annual incidence was 3.48/100000 (95% CI: 2.90-4.00. Mean age of the patients was 36.5±9.6 years. Mean age at onset was 29.2±8.5 years. Mean duration of disease was 6.9±5.2 years. Overall, 69.2% had a relapsing-remitting course, 20.5% had a primary progressive course and 10.3% had a secondary progressive course. Mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score was 3.04±2.18. The prevalence and annual incidence after one year was 36.5 per 100000 (95% CI: 33.2-38.6 and 2.60 per 100000 (95% CI: 2.1-3.8, respectively.Conclusion: This is the first city-based MS prevalence study performed in Turkey. The MS prevalence in Edirne is similar to that of Greece and Bulgaria but lower than that of European countries.

Clinical problems of multiple primary cancers including head and neck cancers. From the viewpoint of radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Masamichi; Myojin, Miyako; Nishiyama, Noriaki; Taguchi, Hiroshi; Takagi, Masaru; Tanaka, Katsuhiko

2003-01-01

A total of 2144 head and neck cancers were treated by radiotherapy at the National Sapporo Hospital between 1974 and 2001. Of these, 313 (14.6%) were found to have other primary cancers besides head and neck cancer, in which double cancers were 79% and triple or more cancers were 21%. Frequency according to primary site of the first head and neck cancer was oral cavity: 107/603 (17.7%), epipharynx cancer: 7/117 (6.0%), oropharyngeal cancer: 63/257 (24.5%), hypopharyngeal cancer: 65/200 (32.5%), laryngeal cancer: 114/558 (20.4%), and nose/paranasal sinus: 4.9% respectively. Esophageal cancer, head and neck cancer, lung cancer and gastric cancer were very frequent as other primary sites combined with the head and neck. The first onset region was the head and neck in 233 out of 313 cases with multiple primary cancers. The five-year survival rate from the onset of head and neck cancers is 52%, 10-year: 30%, and 5-year cause-specific survival rate 82%, and 10-year: 78%, respectively. The treatment possibilities in multiple primary cancers tend to be limited because the treatment areas are sometimes overlapped. New approaches to the treatment of multiple primary cancers should be considered in the future. (author)

Schooling Built on the Multiple Intelligences

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkel, Christine D.

2009-01-01

This article features a school built on multiple intelligences. As the first multiple intelligences school in the world, the Key Learning Community shapes its students' days to include significant time in the musical, spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences, as well as the more traditional areas of logical-mathematical and linguistics. In…

Investigation of subsidence event over multiple seam mining area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohli, K.K.

1999-01-01

An investigation was performed to determine the sequence of events which caused the 1987 surface subsidence and related damage to several homes in Walker County, Alabama, USA. Surface affects compared to mine maps indicated the subsidence to be mine related. However, two coal seams had been worked under this area. The upper seam, the American seam, ranged from 250 to 280 feet beneath the surface in the area in question. It was mined-out before 1955 by room-and-pillar method leaving in place narrow-long pillars to support the overburden strata, and abandoned in 1955. The lower seam, the Mary Lee seam, ranged from 650 to 700 feet beneath the surface. The Mary Lee seam had been abandoned in 1966 and subsequently became flooded. The dewatering of the Mary Lee seam workings in 1985 caused the submerged pillars to be exposed to the atmosphere. Due to multiple seam mining and the fact that workings had been inundated then dewatered, a subsurface investigation ensued to determine the sequence and ultimate cause of surface subsidence. Core sample tests with fracture analysis in conjunction with down-the-hole TV camera inspections provided necessary information to determine that the subsidence started in the lower seam and progressed through the upper coal seam to the surface. Evidence from the investigation program established that dewatering of the lower seam workings caused the marginally stable support pillars and the roof to collapse. This failure triggered additional subsidence in the upper seam which broadened the area of influence at the surface

33 CFR 125.15 - Access to waterfront facilities, and port and harbor areas, including vessels and harbor craft...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., and port and harbor areas, including vessels and harbor craft therein. 125.15 Section 125.15....15 Access to waterfront facilities, and port and harbor areas, including vessels and harbor craft....09 to those waterfront facilities, and port and harbor areas, including vessels and harbor craft...

Numerical Treatment of Two-phase Flow in Porous Media Including Specific Interfacial Area

KAUST Repository

El-Amin, Mohamed

2015-06-01

In this work, we present a numerical treatment for the model of two-phase flow in porous media including specific interfacial area. For numerical discretization we use the cell-centered finite difference (CCFD) method based on the shifting-matrices method which can reduce the time-consuming operations. A new iterative implicit algorithm has been developed to solve the problem under consideration. All advection and advection-like terms that appear in saturation equation and interfacial area equation are treated using upwind schemes. Selected simulation results such as pc–Sw–awn surface, capillary pressure, saturation and specific interfacial area with various values of model parameters have been introduced. The simulation results show a good agreement with those in the literature using either pore network modeling or Darcy scale modeling.

Individual mediodorsal thalamic neurons project to multiple areas of the rat prefrontal cortex: A single neuron-tracing study using virus vectors.

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Kuramoto, Eriko; Pan, Shixiu; Furuta, Takahiro; Tanaka, Yasuhiro R; Iwai, Haruki; Yamanaka, Atsushi; Ohno, Sachi; Kaneko, Takeshi; Goto, Tetsuya; Hioki, Hiroyuki

2017-01-01

The prefrontal cortex has an important role in a variety of cognitive and executive processes, and is generally defined by its reciprocal connections with the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD). The rat MD is mainly subdivided into three segments, the medial (MDm), central (MDc), and lateral (MDl) divisions, on the basis of the cytoarchitecture and chemoarchitecture. The MD segments are known to topographically project to multiple prefrontal areas at the population level: the MDm mainly to the prelimbic, infralimbic, and agranular insular areas; the MDc to the orbital and agranular insular areas; and the MDl to the prelimbic and anterior cingulate areas. However, it is unknown whether individual MD neurons project to single or multiple prefrontal cortical areas. In the present study, we visualized individual MD neurons with Sindbis virus vectors, and reconstructed whole structures of MD neurons. While the main cortical projection targets of MDm, MDc, and MDl neurons were generally consistent with those of previous results, it was found that individual MD neurons sent their axon fibers to multiple prefrontal areas, and displayed various projection patterns in the target areas. Furthermore, the axons of single MD neurons were not homogeneously spread, but were rather distributed to form patchy axon arbors approximately 1 mm in diameter. The multiple-area projections and patchy axon arbors of single MD neurons might be able to coactivate cortical neuron groups in distant prefrontal areas simultaneously. Furthermore, considerable heterogeneity of the projection patterns is likely, to recruit the different sets of cortical neurons, and thus contributes to a variety of prefrontal functions. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:166-185, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of method for evaluating estimated inundation area by using river flood analysis based on multiple flood scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, T.; Takahashi, T.

2017-12-01

Non-structural mitigation measures such as flood hazard map based on estimated inundation area have been more important because heavy rains exceeding the design rainfall frequently occur in recent years. However, conventional method may lead to an underestimation of the area because assumed locations of dike breach in river flood analysis are limited to the cases exceeding the high-water level. The objective of this study is to consider the uncertainty of estimated inundation area with difference of the location of dike breach in river flood analysis. This study proposed multiple flood scenarios which can set automatically multiple locations of dike breach in river flood analysis. The major premise of adopting this method is not to be able to predict the location of dike breach correctly. The proposed method utilized interval of dike breach which is distance of dike breaches placed next to each other. That is, multiple locations of dike breach were set every interval of dike breach. The 2D shallow water equations was adopted as the governing equation of river flood analysis, and the leap-frog scheme with staggered grid was used. The river flood analysis was verified by applying for the 2015 Kinugawa river flooding, and the proposed multiple flood scenarios was applied for the Akutagawa river in Takatsuki city. As the result of computation in the Akutagawa river, a comparison with each computed maximum inundation depth of dike breaches placed next to each other proved that the proposed method enabled to prevent underestimation of estimated inundation area. Further, the analyses on spatial distribution of inundation class and maximum inundation depth in each of the measurement points also proved that the optimum interval of dike breach which can evaluate the maximum inundation area using the minimum assumed locations of dike breach. In brief, this study found the optimum interval of dike breach in the Akutagawa river, which enabled estimated maximum inundation area

A multi-disciplinary approach for the integrated assessment of multiple risks in delta areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Sperotto, Anna; Torresan, Silvia; Critto, Andrea; Marcomini, Antonio

2016-04-01

The assessment of climate change related risks is notoriously difficult due to the complex and uncertain combinations of hazardous events that might happen, the multiplicity of physical processes involved, the continuous changes and interactions of environmental and socio-economic systems. One important challenge lies in predicting and modelling cascades of natural and man -made hazard events which can be triggered by climate change, encompassing different spatial and temporal scales. Another regard the potentially difficult integration of environmental, social and economic disciplines in the multi-risk concept. Finally, the effective interaction between scientists and stakeholders is essential to ensure that multi-risk knowledge is translated into efficient adaptation and management strategies. The assessment is even more complex at the scale of deltaic systems which are particularly vulnerable to global environmental changes, due to the fragile equilibrium between the presence of valuable natural ecosystems and relevant economic activities. Improving our capacity to assess the combined effects of multiple hazards (e.g. sea-level rise, storm surges, reduction in sediment load, local subsidence, saltwater intrusion) is therefore essential to identify timely opportunities for adaptation. A holistic multi-risk approach is here proposed to integrate terminology, metrics and methodologies from different research fields (i.e. environmental, social and economic sciences) thus creating shared knowledge areas to advance multi risk assessment and management in delta regions. A first testing of the approach, including the application of Bayesian network analysis for the assessment of impacts of climate change on key natural systems (e.g. wetlands, protected areas, beaches) and socio-economic activities (e.g. agriculture, tourism), is applied in the Po river delta in Northern Italy. The approach is based on a bottom-up process involving local stakeholders early in different

Cerebellar abnormalities contribute to disability including cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.

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Katrin Weier

Full Text Available The cerebellum is known to be involved not only in motor but also cognitive and affective processes. Structural changes in the cerebellum in relation to cognitive dysfunction are an emerging topic in the field of neuro-psychiatric disorders. In Multiple Sclerosis (MS cerebellar motor and cognitive dysfunction occur in parallel, early in the onset of the disease, and the cerebellum is one of the predilection sites of atrophy. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between cerebellar volumes, clinical cerebellar signs, cognitive functioning and fatigue in MS. Cerebellar volumetry was conducted using T1-weighted MPRAGE magnetic resonance imaging of 172 MS patients. All patients underwent a clinical and brief neuropsychological assessment (information processing speed, working memory, including fatigue testing. Patients with and without cerebellar signs differed significantly regarding normalized cerebellar total volume (nTCV, normalized brain volume (nBV and whole brain T2 lesion volume (LV. Patients with cerebellar dysfunction likewise performed worse in cognitive tests. A regression analysis indicated that age and nTCV explained 26.3% of the variance in SDMT (symbol digit modalities test performance. However, only age, T2 LV and nBV remained predictors in the full model (r(2 = 0.36. The full model for the prediction of PASAT (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test scores (r(2 = 0.23 included age, cerebellar and T2 LV. In the case of fatigue, only age and nBV (r(2 = 0.17 emerged as significant predictors. These data support the view that cerebellar abnormalities contribute to disability, including cognitive impairment in MS. However, this contribution does not seem to be independent of, and may even be dominated by wider spread MS pathology as reflected by nBV and T2 LV.

Subpixel Snow-covered Area Including Differentiated Grain Size from AVIRIS Data Over the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, R.; Calvin, W. M.; Harpold, A. A.

2016-12-01

Mountain snow storage is the dominant source of water for humans and ecosystems in western North America. Consequently, the spatial distribution of snow-covered area is fundamental to both hydrological, ecological, and climate models. Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data were collected along the entire Sierra Nevada mountain range extending from north of Lake Tahoe to south of Mt. Whitney during the 2015 and 2016 snow-covered season. The AVIRIS dataset used in this experiment consists of 224 contiguous spectral channels with wavelengths ranging 400-2500 nanometers at a 15-meter spatial pixel size. Data from the Sierras were acquired on four days: 2/24/15 during a very low snow year, 3/24/16 near maximum snow accumulation, and 5/12/16 and 5/18/16 during snow ablation and snow loss. Previous retrieval of subpixel snow-covered area in alpine regions used multiple snow endmembers due to the sensitivity of snow spectral reflectance to grain size. We will present a model that analyzes multiple endmembers of varying snow grain size, vegetation, rock, and soil in segmented regions along the Sierra Nevada to determine snow-cover spatial extent, snow sub-pixel fraction and approximate grain size or melt state. The root mean squared error will provide a spectrum-wide assessment of the mixture model's goodness-of-fit. Analysis will compare snow-covered area and snow-cover depletion in the 2016 year, and annual variation from the 2015 year. Field data were also acquired on three days concurrent with the 2016 flights in the Sagehen Experimental Forest and will support ground validation of the airborne data set.

[Brodmann Areas 8 and 9 Including the Frontal Eye Field].

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Masataka

2017-04-01

Based on cytoarchitectonic analyses, Brodmann assigned numbers 8 and 9 to certain areas of the dorsal and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) in humans and monkeys. Petrides and Pandya re-analyzed the cytoarchitectures of the human and monkey PFCs, and proposed slightly different brain maps for both species. They assigned numbers 8, 9 and 9/46 to the areas that were originally named areas 8 and 9. Areas 8 and 9 have both lateral and medial regions respectively. The lateral area 8 is important for conditional discrimination learning. The frontal eye field which occupies the most caudal region of area 8, is responsible for visual attention and control of eye movements. The lateral area 9 and area 9/46 are functionally similar to area 46 and play important roles in executive control. The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) comprises the medial regions of areas 8 and 9 and is related to "Theory of Mind" and social cognition. The DMPFC is also known to show "default mode of brain activity" (i.e., more activity during rest than during cognitive task).

Determining the feasibility of establishing new multiple-use marine protected areas in Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Vásquez-Lavín, Felipe; Simon, Jeanne W; Paz-Lerdón, Ximena

2013-12-01

This paper evaluates the feasibility of establishing a multiple-use marine protected area. The methodology was applied to evaluate three proposed sites in Chile with diverse conservation needs, social stress and poverty levels, and different economic activities (small-scale fishing, heavy industry, and mining activities). We use two broad categories for the evaluation: socio-economic and political-institutional. The methodology uses a combination of secondary data with personal interviews, workshops, and focus groups with stakeholders (e.g., fishermen, unions, politicians, social organizations) from different political, social, and economic backgrounds to characterize current and potential natural and social resources and to evaluate in an ordinal scale the feasibility of establishing the protected area. The methodology allows us to correctly identify the challenges faced in each site and can be used to develop appropriate strategies for balancing economic, social, and environmental objectives. This methodology can be replicated to evaluate the feasibility of other marine or terrestrial protected areas.

Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Brainstem Volumes, Plaques, and Surface Area in the Occipital Regions of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alper, F.; Kantarci, M.; Altunkaynak, E.; Varoglu, A. O.; Karaman, A.; Oral, E.; Okur, A. [Ataturk Univ., Erzurum (Turkey). Depts. of Radiology, Histology, Neurology and Embryology, Psychiatry

2006-07-15

Purpose: To determine brainstem volumes, number of plaques, and surface areas in the occipital lobes of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), and to investigate whether there is any correlation between brainstem volume and the number/surface areas of plaque in the occipital lobes. Material and Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging was obtained on 14 relapsing-remitting (RR) and 13 secondary progressive (SP) MS patients and 26 female control subjects. The Cavalieri method was used by modern design stereology to measure brainstem volume. The point-counting grid was used to evaluate sclerotic plaque surface areas in the occipital lobe. The number of plaques in the imaging section was calculated. Results: Brainstem volumes for RR and SP with multiple sclerosis and control subjects were 3647 mm{sup 3} , 3515 mm{sup 3} , and 4517 mm{sup 3} , respectively. Mean number of plaques in the right-left occipital lobe was found to be 2.7-3.4 in RR-MS and 5.2-2.8 in SP-MS. Mean plaque surface area in the right-left occipital lobe was determined to be 58.52-88.24 mm{sup 2} in RR MS and 124.3-64.82 mm{sup 2} in SP MS. Brainstem volumes were significantly reduced in both groups of patients with MS compared to controls ( P <0.01). Conclusion: Magnetic-resonance-estimated volume and surface area values in multiple sclerosis may facilitate our understanding of the clinical situation of patients and provide a simple index for evaluating therapeutic efficiency.

Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Brainstem Volumes, Plaques, and Surface Area in the Occipital Regions of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alper, F.; Kantarci, M.; Altunkaynak, E.; Varoglu, A. O.; Karaman, A.; Oral, E.; Okur, A.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To determine brainstem volumes, number of plaques, and surface areas in the occipital lobes of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), and to investigate whether there is any correlation between brainstem volume and the number/surface areas of plaque in the occipital lobes. Material and Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging was obtained on 14 relapsing-remitting (RR) and 13 secondary progressive (SP) MS patients and 26 female control subjects. The Cavalieri method was used by modern design stereology to measure brainstem volume. The point-counting grid was used to evaluate sclerotic plaque surface areas in the occipital lobe. The number of plaques in the imaging section was calculated. Results: Brainstem volumes for RR and SP with multiple sclerosis and control subjects were 3647 mm 3 , 3515 mm 3 , and 4517 mm 3 , respectively. Mean number of plaques in the right-left occipital lobe was found to be 2.7-3.4 in RR-MS and 5.2-2.8 in SP-MS. Mean plaque surface area in the right-left occipital lobe was determined to be 58.52-88.24 mm 2 in RR MS and 124.3-64.82 mm 2 in SP MS. Brainstem volumes were significantly reduced in both groups of patients with MS compared to controls ( P <0.01). Conclusion: Magnetic-resonance-estimated volume and surface area values in multiple sclerosis may facilitate our understanding of the clinical situation of patients and provide a simple index for evaluating therapeutic efficiency

Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: comments on a series of 250 cases, including 10 patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Broggi, G; Ferroli, P; Franzini, A; Servello, D; Dones, I

2000-01-01

To examine surgical findings and results of microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN), including patients with multiple sclerosis, to bring new insight about the role of microvascular compression in the pathogenesis of the disorder and the role of MVD in its treatment. Between 1990 and 1998, 250 patients affected by trigeminal neuralgia underwent MVD in the Department of Neurosurgery of the "Istituto Nazionale Neurologico C Besta" in Milan. Limiting the review to the period 1991-6, to exclude the "learning period" (the first 50 cases) and patients with less than 1 year follow up, surgical findings and results were critically analysed in 148 consecutive cases, including 10 patients with multiple sclerosis. Vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve was found in all cases. The recurrence rate was 15.3% (follow up 1-7 years, mean 38 months). In five of 10 patients with multiple sclerosis an excellent result was achieved (follow up 12-39 months, mean 24 months). Patients with TN for more than 84 months did significantly worse than those with a shorter history (p<0.05). There was no mortality and most complications occurred in the learning period. Surgical complications were not related to age of the patients. Aetiopathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia remains a mystery. These findings suggest a common neuromodulatory role of microvascular compression in both patients with or without multiple sclerosis rather than a direct causal role. MVD was found to be a safe and effective procedure to relieve typical TN in patients of all ages. It should be proposed as first choice surgery to all patients affected by TN, even in selected cases with multiple sclerosis, to give them the opportunity of pain relief without sensory deficits.

Comment Period for Proposed Remedy Selection Plan for Multiple Training Areas located at Joint Base Cape Cod

Science.gov (United States)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comment on the EPA’s proposal indicating no further action is needed for multiple Training Areas on the Camp Edwards portion of Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC).

Multiple-land use practices in transfrontier conservation areas: the case of Greater Mapungubwe straddling parts of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinthumule Ndidzulafhi Innocent

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs have recently emerged as the 21st century approach to managing protected areas in southern Africa. Unlike national parks and other protected areas that place emphasis only on the protection of plant and animal species within their borders, transfrontier conservation areas promote conservation beyond the borders of protected areas. Consequently, this mega-conservation initiative encourage multiple land-use practices with the purpose of improving rural livelihoods whilst promoting biodiversity conservation. Thus, land parcels under different forms of tenure are brought together into a common nature conservation project. This study argues that the integration of various land-use practices within one area benefits conservation goals at the expense of local communities and irrigation farmers. To substantiate this argument, the study draws on fieldwork material collected in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area spanning parts of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The study concludes that multiple-land use practices in transfrontier conservation areas is only promoted by wildlife managers to gain access to extra land.

Ranking contributing areas of salt and selenium in the Lower Gunnison River Basin, Colorado, using multiple linear regression models

Science.gov (United States)

Linard, Joshua I.

2013-01-01

Mitigating the effects of salt and selenium on water quality in the Grand Valley and lower Gunnison River Basin in western Colorado is a major concern for land managers. Previous modeling indicated means to improve the models by including more detailed geospatial data and a more rigorous method for developing the models. After evaluating all possible combinations of geospatial variables, four multiple linear regression models resulted that could estimate irrigation-season salt yield, nonirrigation-season salt yield, irrigation-season selenium yield, and nonirrigation-season selenium yield. The adjusted r-squared and the residual standard error (in units of log-transformed yield) of the models were, respectively, 0.87 and 2.03 for the irrigation-season salt model, 0.90 and 1.25 for the nonirrigation-season salt model, 0.85 and 2.94 for the irrigation-season selenium model, and 0.93 and 1.75 for the nonirrigation-season selenium model. The four models were used to estimate yields and loads from contributing areas corresponding to 12-digit hydrologic unit codes in the lower Gunnison River Basin study area. Each of the 175 contributing areas was ranked according to its estimated mean seasonal yield of salt and selenium.

How Children Living in Poor Areas of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Perceive Their Own Multiple Intelligences

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, Pauline; Humble, Steve; Chan, David W.

2016-01-01

This study was carried out with 1,857 poor children from 17 schools, living in low-income areas of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. All children took the "Student Multiple Intelligences Profile" (SMIP) questionnaire as part of a bigger project that gathered data around concepts and beliefs of talent. This paper sets out two aims, first to…

Local scale multiple quantitative risk assessment and uncertainty evaluation in a densely urbanised area (Brescia, Italy

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S. Lari

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The study of the interactions between natural and anthropogenic risks is necessary for quantitative risk assessment in areas affected by active natural processes, high population density and strong economic activities.

We present a multiple quantitative risk assessment on a 420 km² high risk area (Brescia and surroundings, Lombardy, Northern Italy, for flood, seismic and industrial accident scenarios. Expected economic annual losses are quantified for each scenario and annual exceedance probability-loss curves are calculated. Uncertainty on the input variables is propagated by means of three different methodologies: Monte-Carlo-Simulation, First Order Second Moment, and point estimate.

Expected losses calculated by means of the three approaches show similar values for the whole study area, about 64 000 000 € for earthquakes, about 10 000 000 € for floods, and about 3000 € for industrial accidents. Locally, expected losses assume quite different values if calculated with the three different approaches, with differences up to 19%.

The uncertainties on the expected losses and their propagation, performed with the three methods, are compared and discussed in the paper. In some cases, uncertainty reaches significant values (up to almost 50% of the expected loss. This underlines the necessity of including uncertainty in quantitative risk assessment, especially when it is used as a support for territorial planning and decision making. The method is developed thinking at a possible application at a regional-national scale, on the basis of data available in Italy over the national territory.

Small Area Indices of Multiple Deprivation in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Michael; Barnes, Helen; Wright, Gemma; Roberts, Benjamin

2010-01-01

This paper presents the Provincial Indices of Multiple Deprivation that were constructed by the authors at ward level using 2001 Census data for each of South Africa's nine provinces. The principles adopted in conceptualising the indices are described and multiple deprivation is defined as a weighted combination of discrete dimensions of…

Plasma Cell Neoplasms (Including Multiple Myeloma) Treatment (PDQ®)—Patient Version

Science.gov (United States)

Plasma cell neoplasms occur when abnormal plasma cells or myeloma cells form tumors in the bones or soft tissues of the body. Multiple myeloma, plasmacytoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) are different types of plasma cell neoplasms. Find out about risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic tests, prognosis, and treatment for these diseases.

Extending Data Worth Analyses to Select Multiple Observations Targeting Multiple Forecasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilhelmsen, Troels N; Ferré, Ty P A

2017-09-15

Hydrological models are often set up to provide specific forecasts of interest. Owing to the inherent uncertainty in data used to derive model structure and used to constrain parameter variations, the model forecasts will be uncertain. Additional data collection is often performed to minimize this forecast uncertainty. Given our common financial restrictions, it is critical that we identify data with maximal information content with respect to forecast of interest. In practice, this often devolves to qualitative decisions based on expert opinion. However, there is no assurance that this will lead to optimal design, especially for complex hydrogeological problems. Specifically, these complexities include considerations of multiple forecasts, shared information among potential observations, information content of existing data, and the assumptions and simplifications underlying model construction. In the present study, we extend previous data worth analyses to include: simultaneous selection of multiple new measurements and consideration of multiple forecasts of interest. We show how the suggested approach can be used to optimize data collection. This can be used in a manner that suggests specific measurement sets or that produces probability maps indicating areas likely to be informative for specific forecasts. Moreover, we provide examples documenting that sequential measurement election approaches often lead to suboptimal designs and that estimates of data covariance should be included when selecting future measurement sets. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

Catchment areas for public transport

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jonas Lohmann Elkjær; Landex, Alex

2008-01-01

In the planning of public transport catchment areas of stops are often included to estimate potential number of travellers. There are different approaches to GIS-based catchment area analyses depending on the desired level of detail. The Circular Buffer approach is the fundamental, but also....../from stations. The article also shows how the refinement of the Service Area approach with additional time resistance results in smaller catchment areas when the feeder routes cross stairs. It is concluded that GIS-based catchment area analyses are a multiple decision support tool for planning of public...... transport where the level of detail can be suited to the purpose....

DOPA, a Digital Observatory for Protected Areas including Monitoring and Forecasting Services

Science.gov (United States)

Dubois, Gregoire; Hartley, Andrew; Peedell, Stephen; de Jesus, Jorge; Ó Tuama, Éamonn; Cottam, Andrew; May, Ian; Fisher, Ian; Nativi, Stefano; Bertrand, Francis

2010-05-01

The Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA) is a biodiversity information system currently developed as an interoperable web service at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in collaboration with other international organizations, including GBIF, UNEP-WCMC, Birdlife International and RSPB. DOPA is designed to assess the state and pressure of Protected Areas (PAs) and to prioritize them accordingly, in order to support decision making and fund allocation processes. To become an operational web service allowing the automatic monitoring of protected areas, DOPA needs to be able to capture the dynamics of spatio-temporal changes in habitats and anthropogenic pressure on PAs as well as the changes in the species distributions. Because some of the most valuable natural ecosystems and species on the planet cover large areas making field monitoring methods very difficult for a large scale assessment, the automatic collection and processing of remote sensing data are processes at the heart of the problem. To further be able to forecast changes due to climate change, DOPA has to rely on an architecture that enables it to communicate with the appropriate modeling web services. The purpose of this presentation is to present the architecture of the DOPA with special attention to e-Habitat, its web processing service designed for assessing the irreplaceability of habitats as well as for the modeling of habitats under different climate change scenarios. The use of open standards for spatial data and of open source programming languages for the development of the core functionalities of the system are expected to encourage the participation of the scientific community beyond the current partnerships and to favour the sharing of such an observatory which could be installed at any other location. Acknowledgement: Part of this work is funded under the 7th Framework Programme by the EuroGEOSS (www.eurogeoss.eu) project of the European Commission. The views

Multiple telecouplings and their complex interrelationships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianguo Liu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Increasingly, the world is becoming socioeconomically and environmentally connected, but many studies have focused on human-environment interactions within a particular area. Although some studies have considered the impacts of external factors, there is little research on multiple reciprocal socioeconomic and environmental interactions between a focal area and other areas. Here we address this important knowledge gap by applying the new integrated framework of telecouplings (socioeconomic and environmental interactions between two or more areas over distances. Results show that even a protected area - i.e., the Wolong Nature Reserve for giant pandas in southwest China - has multiple telecoupling processes with the rest of the world; these include panda loans, tourism, information dissemination, conservation subsidies, and trade of agricultural and industrial products. The telecoupling processes exhibit nonlinear patterns, they change over time, and they have varying socioeconomic and environmental effects across the world. We also find complex relationships among different telecouplings - e.g., amplification, offsetting, spatial overlaps - which cannot be detected by traditional separate studies. Such an integrated study leads to a more comprehensive understanding of distant human-environment interactions and has significant implications for global sustainability and human well-being.

Robust multiple frequency multiple power localization schemes in the presence of multiple jamming attacks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Abdulqader Hussein

Full Text Available Localization of the wireless sensor network is a vital area acquiring an impressive research concern and called upon to expand more with the rising of its applications. As localization is gaining prominence in wireless sensor network, it is vulnerable to jamming attacks. Jamming attacks disrupt communication opportunity among the sender and receiver and deeply impact the localization process, leading to a huge error of the estimated sensor node position. Therefore, detection and elimination of jamming influence are absolutely indispensable. Range-based techniques especially Received Signal Strength (RSS is facing severe impact of these attacks. This paper proposes algorithms based on Combination Multiple Frequency Multiple Power Localization (C-MFMPL and Step Function Multiple Frequency Multiple Power Localization (SF-MFMPL. The algorithms have been tested in the presence of multiple types of jamming attacks including capture and replay, random and constant jammers over a log normal shadow fading propagation model. In order to overcome the impact of random and constant jammers, the proposed method uses two sets of frequencies shared by the implemented anchor nodes to obtain the averaged RSS readings all over the transmitted frequencies successfully. In addition, three stages of filters have been used to cope with the replayed beacons caused by the capture and replay jammers. In this paper the localization performance of the proposed algorithms for the ideal case which is defined by without the existence of the jamming attack are compared with the case of jamming attacks. The main contribution of this paper is to achieve robust localization performance in the presence of multiple jamming attacks under log normal shadow fading environment with a different simulation conditions and scenarios.

The Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis in the Metropolitan Area of Rome: A Capture-Recapture Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Farcomeni, Alessio; Cortese, Antonio; Sgarlata, Eleonora; Alunni Fegatelli, Danilo; Marfia, Gerolama Alessandra; Buttari, Fabio; Mirabella, Massimiliano; De Fino, Chiara; Prosperini, Luca; Pozzilli, Carlo; Grasso, Maria Grazia; Iasevoli, Luigi; Di Battista, Giancarlo; Millefiorini, Enrico

2018-03-02

Limited data are available on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in central Italy. The objective of this study is to estimate MS prevalence in the metropolitan area of Rome. We used the capture-recapture method to calculate prevalence estimates in the study area. The selected prevalence day was December 31, 2015. A total of 1,007 patients, with a definite diagnosis of MS according to the revised McDonald's criteria, were considered for crude, age- and sex-specific prevalence estimation. The overall crude prevalence rate was 146.2 cases per 100,000 (95% CI 119.9-172.5). A higher prevalence rate was recorded in females (194.1, 95% CI 149.6-238.6) than in males (93.0, 95% CI 67.2-118.8) with a female to male ratio of 1.8. Age-specific prevalence peaked in the 25-34 , 35-44 and 45-54 years class; moreover, it was found to increase up to the 45-54 years age group in females and the 35-44 years age group in males, decreasing thereafter. The results confirm that the metropolitan area of Rome is a high-risk area for MS. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

76 FR 33155 - Safety Zones; Multiple Firework Displays in Captain of the Port, Puget Sound Area of Responsibility

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-08

... Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule is not an economically significant rule and does not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that may disproportionately affect children...-AA00 Safety Zones; Multiple Firework Displays in Captain of the Port, Puget Sound Area of...

Retrofitting the Low Impact Development Practices into Developed Urban areas Including Barriers and Potential Solution

Science.gov (United States)

Shafique, Muhammad; Kim, Reeho

2017-06-01

Low impact development (LID)/green infrastructure (GI) practices have been identified as the sustainable practices of managing the stormwater in urban areas. Due to the increasing population, most of the cities are more developing which results in the change of natural area into impervious areas (roads, buildings etc.). Moreover, urbanization and climate change are causing many water-related problems and making over cities unsafe and insecure. Under these circumstances, there is a need to introduce new stormwater management practices into developed cities to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization. For this purpose, retrofitting low impact development practices demands more attention to reduce these water-related problems and trying to make our cities sustainable. In developed areas, there is a little space is available for the retrofitting of LID practices for the stormwater management. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate place to retrofitting LID practices needs more concern. This paper describes the successfully applied retrofitting LID practices around the globe. It also includes the process of applying retrofitting LID practices at the suitable place with the suitable combination. Optimal places for the retrofitting of different LID practices are also mentioned. This paper also highlights the barriers and potential solutions of retrofitting LID practices in urban areas.

Retrofitting the Low Impact Development Practices into Developed Urban areas Including Barriers and Potential Solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shafique Muhammad

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Low impact development (LID/green infrastructure (GI practices have been identified as the sustainable practices of managing the stormwater in urban areas. Due to the increasing population, most of the cities are more developing which results in the change of natural area into impervious areas (roads, buildings etc.. Moreover, urbanization and climate change are causing many water-related problems and making over cities unsafe and insecure. Under these circumstances, there is a need to introduce new stormwater management practices into developed cities to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization. For this purpose, retrofitting low impact development practices demands more attention to reduce these water-related problems and trying to make our cities sustainable. In developed areas, there is a little space is available for the retrofitting of LID practices for the stormwater management. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate place to retrofitting LID practices needs more concern. This paper describes the successfully applied retrofitting LID practices around the globe. It also includes the process of applying retrofitting LID practices at the suitable place with the suitable combination. Optimal places for the retrofitting of different LID practices are also mentioned. This paper also highlights the barriers and potential solutions of retrofitting LID practices in urban areas.

Ozone impact minimization through coordinated scheduling of turnaround operations from multiple olefin plants in an ozone nonattainment area

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Sijie; Wang, Sujing; Xu, Qiang; Ho, Thomas

2018-03-01

Turnaround operations (start-up and shutdown) are critical operations in olefin plants, which emit large quantities of VOCs, NOx and CO. The emission has great potentials to impact the ozone level in ozone nonattainment areas. This study demonstrates a novel practice to minimize the ozone impact through coordinated scheduling of turnaround operations from multiple olefin plants located in Houston, Texas, an ozone nonattainment area. The study considered two olefin plants scheduled to conduct turnaround operations: one start-up and one shutdown, simultaneously on the same day within a five-hour window. Through dynamic simulations of the turnaround operations using ASPEN Plus Dynamics and air quality simulations using CAMx, the study predicts the ozone impact from the combined effect of the two turnaround operations under different starting-time scenarios. The simulations predict that the ozone impact from planned turnaround operations ranges from a maximum of 11.4 ppb to a minimum of 1.4 ppb. Hence, a reduction of up to 10.0 ppb can be achieved on a single day based on the selected two simulation days. This study demonstrates a cost-effective and environmentally benign ozone control practice for relevant stakeholders, including environmental agencies, regional plant operators, and local communities.

75 FR 4138 - Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-26

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) AGENCY... the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that a meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer...

75 FR 39330 - Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-08

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) AGENCY... Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that a meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel...

75 FR 62629 - Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-12

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) AGENCY... the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that a meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer...

75 FR 10864 - Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-09

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) AGENCY... Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that a meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel...

75 FR 47061 - Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (including the states of Iowa, Kansas...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-04

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (including the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) AGENCY... the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that a meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer...

75 FR 55404 - Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-10

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Including the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) AGENCY... the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that a meeting of the Area 5 Taxpayer...

GIS coupled Multiple Criteria based Decision Support for Classification of Urban Coastal Areas in India

Science.gov (United States)

Dhiman, R.; Kalbar, P.; Inamdar, A. B.

2017-12-01

Coastal area classification in India is a challenge for federal and state government agencies due to fragile institutional framework, unclear directions in implementation of costal regulations and violations happening at private and government level. This work is an attempt to improvise the objectivity of existing classification methods to synergies the ecological systems and socioeconomic development in coastal cities. We developed a Geographic information system coupled Multi-criteria Decision Making (GIS-MCDM) approach to classify urban coastal areas where utility functions are used to transform the costal features into quantitative membership values after assessing the sensitivity of urban coastal ecosystem. Furthermore, these membership values for costal features are applied in different weighting schemes to derive Coastal Area Index (CAI) which classifies the coastal areas in four distinct categories viz. 1) No Development Zone, 2) Highly Sensitive Zone, 3) Moderately Sensitive Zone and 4) Low Sensitive Zone based on the sensitivity of urban coastal ecosystem. Mumbai, a coastal megacity in India is used as case study for demonstration of proposed method. Finally, uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo approach to validate the sensitivity of CAI under specific multiple scenarios is carried out. Results of CAI method shows the clear demarcation of coastal areas in GIS environment based on the ecological sensitivity. CAI provides better decision support for federal and state level agencies to classify urban coastal areas according to the regional requirement of coastal resources considering resilience and sustainable development. CAI method will strengthen the existing institutional framework for decision making in classification of urban coastal areas where most effective coastal management options can be proposed.

Multiple-Ring Digital Communication Network

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkham, Harold

1992-01-01

Optical-fiber digital communication network to support data-acquisition and control functions of electric-power-distribution networks. Optical-fiber links of communication network follow power-distribution routes. Since fiber crosses open power switches, communication network includes multiple interconnected loops with occasional spurs. At each intersection node is needed. Nodes of communication network include power-distribution substations and power-controlling units. In addition to serving data acquisition and control functions, each node acts as repeater, passing on messages to next node(s). Multiple-ring communication network operates on new AbNET protocol and features fiber-optic communication.

Identification of dust storm source areas in West Asia using multiple environmental datasets.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Hui; Amiraslani, Farshad; Liu, Jian; Zhou, Na

2015-01-01

Sand and Dust storms are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. West Asia Region, especially Tigris-Euphrates alluvial plain, has been recognized as one of the most important dust source areas in the world. In this paper, a method is applied to extract SDS (Sand and Dust Storms) sources in West Asia region using thematic maps, climate and geography, HYSPLIT model and satellite images. Out of 50 dust storms happened during 2000-2013 and collected in form of MODIS images, 27 events were incorporated as demonstrations of the simulated trajectories by HYSPLIT model. Besides, a dataset of the newly released Landsat images was used as base-map for the interpretation of SDS source regions. As a result, six main clusters were recognized as dust source areas. Of which, 3 clusters situated in Tigris-Euphrates plain were identified as severe SDS sources (including 70% dust storms in this research). Another cluster in Sistan plain is also a potential source area. This approach also confirmed six main paths causing dust storms. These paths are driven by the climate system including Siberian and Polar anticyclones, monsoon from Indian Subcontinent and depression from north of Africa. The identification of SDS source areas and paths will improve our understandings on the mechanisms and impacts of dust storms on socio-economy and environment of the region. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesizing monochromatic 3-D images by multiple-exposure rainbow holography with vertical area-partition approach

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

翟宏琛; 王明伟; 刘福民; 母国光

2002-01-01

We report for the first time the theoretical analysis and experimental results of a white-light reconstructed monochromatic 3-D image synthesizing tomograms by multiple rainbow holo-graphy with vertical-area partition (VAP) approach. The theoretical and experimental results show that 3-D monochromatic image can be synthesized by recording the master hologram by VAP ap-proach without any distortions either in gray scale or in geometrical position. A 3-D monochromatic image synthesized from a series of medical tomograms is presented in this paper for the first time.

A Hierarchical Approach for Measuring the Consistency of Water Areas between Multiple Representations of Tile Maps with Different Scales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yilang Shen

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In geographic information systems, the reliability of querying, analysing, or reasoning results depends on the data quality. One central criterion of data quality is consistency, and identifying inconsistencies is crucial for maintaining the integrity of spatial data from multiple sources or at multiple resolutions. In traditional methods of consistency assessment, vector data are used as the primary experimental data. In this manuscript, we describe the use of a new type of raster data, tile maps, to access the consistency of information from multiscale representations of the water bodies that make up drainage systems. We describe a hierarchical methodology to determine the spatial consistency of tile-map datasets that display water areas in a raster format. Three characteristic indices, the degree of global feature consistency, the degree of local feature consistency, and the degree of overlap, are proposed to measure the consistency of multiscale representations of water areas. The perceptual hash algorithm and the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT descriptor are applied to extract and measure the global and local features of water areas. By performing combined calculations using these three characteristic indices, the degrees of consistency of multiscale representations of water areas can be divided into five grades: exactly consistent, highly consistent, moderately consistent, less consistent, and inconsistent. For evaluation purposes, the proposed method is applied to several test areas from the Tiandi map of China. In addition, we identify key technologies that are related to the process of extracting water areas from a tile map. The accuracy of the consistency assessment method is evaluated, and our experimental results confirm that the proposed methodology is efficient and accurate.

MultipleColposcopyJCO

Science.gov (United States)

Performing multiple biopsies during a procedure known as colposcopy—visual inspection of the cervix—is more effective than performing only a single biopsy of the worst-appearing area for detecting cervical cancer precursors. This multiple biopsy approach

Stator for a rotating electrical machine having multiple control windings

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Manoj R.; Lewandowski, Chad R.

2001-07-17

A rotating electric machine is provided which includes multiple independent control windings for compensating for rotor imbalances and for levitating/centering the rotor. The multiple independent control windings are placed at different axial locations along the rotor to oppose forces created by imbalances at different axial locations along the rotor. The multiple control windings can also be used to levitate/center the rotor with a relatively small magnetic field per unit area since the rotor and/or the main power winding provides the bias field.

Multiple imaging procedures including MRI for the bladder cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikata, Noriharu; Suzuki, Makoto; Takeuchi, Takumi; Kunisawa, Yositaka; Fukutani, Keiko; Kawabe, Kazuki

1986-01-01

Endoscopic photography, double contrast cystography, transurethral echography, X-ray CT scan, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) were utilized for the staging diagnosis of the four patients with carcinoma of the bladder. In the first case, a 70-year-old man, since all of the five imaging procedures suggested a superficial and pedunculated tumor, his bladder cancer was considered T1. The classification of stage T3 carcinoma was made for the second 86-year-old male. Because all of his imaging examinations showed a tumor infiltrating deep muscle and penetrating the bladder wall. The third case was a 36-year-old male. His clinical stage was diagnosed as T2 or T3a by cystophotography, double contrast cystogram, ultrasonography, and X-ray CT scan. However, MRI showed only thickened bladder wall and the infiltrating tumor could not be distinguished from the hypertrophic wall. The last patient, a 85-year-old female, had a smaller Ta cancer. Her double contrast cystography revealed the small tumor at the lateral bladder wall. But, the tumor could not be detected by transaxial, sagittal and coronal scans. Multiple imaging procedures combining MRI and staging diagnosis of the bladder carcinoma were discussed. (author)

Multiple time scale dynamics

CERN Document Server

Kuehn, Christian

2015-01-01

This book provides an introduction to dynamical systems with multiple time scales. The approach it takes is to provide an overview of key areas, particularly topics that are less available in the introductory form.  The broad range of topics included makes it accessible for students and researchers new to the field to gain a quick and thorough overview. The first of its kind, this book merges a wide variety of different mathematical techniques into a more unified framework. The book is highly illustrated with many examples and exercises and an extensive bibliography. The target audience of this  book are senior undergraduates, graduate students as well as researchers interested in using the multiple time scale dynamics theory in nonlinear science, either from a theoretical or a mathematical modeling perspective. 

Design of Endoscopic Capsule With Multiple Cameras.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Yingke; Xie, Xiang; Li, Guolin; Sun, Tianjia; Wang, Dan; Yin, Zheng; Zhang, Pengfei; Wang, Zhihua

2015-08-01

In order to reduce the miss rate of the wireless capsule endoscopy, in this paper, we propose a new system of the endoscopic capsule with multiple cameras. A master-slave architecture, including an efficient bus architecture and a four level clock management architecture, is applied for the Multiple Cameras Endoscopic Capsule (MCEC). For covering more area of the gastrointestinal tract wall with low power, multiple cameras with a smart image capture strategy, including movement sensitive control and camera selection, are used in the MCEC. To reduce the data transfer bandwidth and power consumption to prolong the MCEC's working life, a low complexity image compressor with PSNR 40.7 dB and compression rate 86% is implemented. A chipset is designed and implemented for the MCEC and a six cameras endoscopic capsule prototype is implemented by using the chipset. With the smart image capture strategy, the coverage rate of the MCEC prototype can achieve 98% and its power consumption is only about 7.1 mW.

Therapeutic use of sport climbing for patients with multiple sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Ožura

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Sport climbing is a form of exercise that requires complex and variable movement. Because of the use of the so-called "top-rope system", this is a safe activity appropriate for individuals with physical disabilities. Therefore, climbing might prove to be an effective form of therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic neurological disease that may include motor and cognitive deficits as well as affective disturbances. The illness is characterized by multifocal areas of brain damage (plaques, as consequence of autoimmune inflammation. Sport climbing might be a potentially useful activity for treating spasticity, improving a person's self image and certain aspects of cognition, such as attention and executive functions, as well as for managing emotional disturbances. All of the above are areas where patients with multiple sclerosis might be in need of assistance. The article also describes the experience of a patient with multiple sclerosis who was enrolled in our climbing program. Future research is needed to evaluate the effect of climbing therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis.

Temporal Sequence of Visuo-Auditory Interaction in Multiple Areas of the Guinea Pig Visual Cortex

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimura, Masataka; Song, Wen-Jie

2012-01-01

Recent studies in humans and monkeys have reported that acoustic stimulation influences visual responses in the primary visual cortex (V1). Such influences can be generated in V1, either by direct auditory projections or by feedback projections from extrastriate cortices. To test these hypotheses, cortical activities were recorded using optical imaging at a high spatiotemporal resolution from multiple areas of the guinea pig visual cortex, to visual and/or acoustic stimulations. Visuo-auditory interactions were evaluated according to differences between responses evoked by combined auditory and visual stimulation, and the sum of responses evoked by separate visual and auditory stimulations. Simultaneous presentation of visual and acoustic stimulations resulted in significant interactions in V1, which occurred earlier than in other visual areas. When acoustic stimulation preceded visual stimulation, significant visuo-auditory interactions were detected only in V1. These results suggest that V1 is a cortical origin of visuo-auditory interaction. PMID:23029483

An Evaluation of Population Density Mapping and Built up Area Estimates in Sri Lanka Using Multiple Methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Engstrom, R.; Soundararajan, V.; Newhouse, D.

2017-12-01

In this study we examine how well multiple population density and built up estimates that utilize satellite data compare in Sri Lanka. The population relationship is examined at the Gram Niladhari (GN) level, the lowest administrative unit in Sri Lanka from the 2011 census. For this study we have two spatial domains, the whole country and a 3,500km2 sub-sample, for which we have complete high spatial resolution imagery coverage. For both the entire country and the sub-sample we examine how consistent are the existing publicly available measures of population constructed from satellite imagery at predicting population density? For just the sub-sample we examine how well do a suite of values derived from high spatial resolution satellite imagery predict population density and how does our built up area estimate compare to other publicly available estimates. Population measures were obtained from the Sri Lankan census, and were downloaded from Facebook, WorldPoP, GPW, and Landscan. Percentage built-up area at the GN level was calculated from three sources: Facebook, Global Urban Footprint (GUF), and the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL). For the sub-sample we have derived a variety of indicators from the high spatial resolution imagery. Using deep learning convolutional neural networks, an object oriented, and a non-overlapping block, spatial feature approach. Variables calculated include: cars, shadows (a proxy for building height), built up area, and buildings, roof types, roads, type of agriculture, NDVI, Pantex, and Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) and others. Results indicate that population estimates are accurate at the higher, DS Division level but not necessarily at the GN level. Estimates from Facebook correlated well with census population (GN correlation of 0.91) but measures from GPW and WorldPop are more weakly correlated (0.64 and 0.34). Estimates of built-up area appear to be reliable. In the 32 DSD-subsample, Facebook's built- up area measure

Habitat prioritization across large landscapes, multiple seasons, and novel areas: an example using greater sage-grouse in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, Bradley C.; Doherty, Kevin E.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bedrosian, Bryan; Gummer, David; Holloran, Matthew J.; Johnson, Gregory D.; Kaczor, Nicholas W.; Kirol, Christopher P.; Mandich, Cheryl A.; Marshall, David; McKee, Gwyn; Olson, Chad; Pratt, Aaron C.; Swanson, Christopher C.; Walker, Brett L.

2014-01-01

Animal habitat selection is an important and expansive area of research in ecology. In particular, the study of habitat selection is critical in habitat prioritization efforts for species of conservation concern. Landscape planning for species is happening at ever-increasing extents because of the appreciation for the role of landscape-scale patterns in species persistence coupled to improved datasets for species and habitats, and the expanding and intensifying footprint of human land uses on the landscape. We present a large-scale collaborative effort to develop habitat selection models across large landscapes and multiple seasons for prioritizing habitat for a species of conservation concern. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter sage-grouse) occur in western semi-arid landscapes in North America. Range-wide population declines of this species have been documented, and it is currently considered as “warranted but precluded” from listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. Wyoming is predicted to remain a stronghold for sage-grouse populations and contains approximately 37% of remaining birds. We compiled location data from 14 unique radiotelemetry studies (data collected 1994–2010) and habitat data from high-quality, biologically relevant, geographic information system (GIS) layers across Wyoming. We developed habitat selection models for greater sage-grouse across Wyoming for 3 distinct life stages: 1) nesting, 2) summer, and 3) winter. We developed patch and landscape models across 4 extents, producing statewide and regional (southwest, central, northeast) models for Wyoming. Habitat selection varied among regions and seasons, yet preferred habitat attributes generally matched the extensive literature on sage-grouse seasonal habitat requirements. Across seasons and regions, birds preferred areas with greater percentage sagebrush cover and avoided paved roads, agriculture, and forested areas. Birds consistently preferred

Large-scale assessment of benthic communities across multiple marine protected areas using an autonomous underwater vehicle.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Renata; Marzinelli, Ezequiel M; Ayroza, Camila Rezende; Jordan, Alan; Figueira, Will F; Byrne, Maria; Malcolm, Hamish A; Williams, Stefan B; Steinberg, Peter D

2018-01-01

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are designed to reduce threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning from anthropogenic activities. Assessment of MPAs effectiveness requires synchronous sampling of protected and non-protected areas at multiple spatial and temporal scales. We used an autonomous underwater vehicle to map benthic communities in replicate 'no-take' and 'general-use' (fishing allowed) zones within three MPAs along 7o of latitude. We recorded 92 taxa and 38 morpho-groups across three large MPAs. We found that important habitat-forming biota (e.g. massive sponges) were more prevalent and abundant in no-take zones, while short ephemeral algae were more abundant in general-use zones, suggesting potential short-term effects of zoning (5-10 years). Yet, short-term effects of zoning were not detected at the community level (community structure or composition), while community structure varied significantly among MPAs. We conclude that by allowing rapid, simultaneous assessments at multiple spatial scales, autonomous underwater vehicles are useful to document changes in marine communities and identify adequate scales to manage them. This study advanced knowledge of marine benthic communities and their conservation in three ways. First, we quantified benthic biodiversity and abundance, generating the first baseline of these benthic communities against which the effectiveness of three large MPAs can be assessed. Second, we identified the taxonomic resolution necessary to assess both short and long-term effects of MPAs, concluding that coarse taxonomic resolution is sufficient given that analyses of community structure at different taxonomic levels were generally consistent. Yet, observed differences were taxa-specific and may have not been evident using our broader taxonomic classifications, a classification of mid to high taxonomic resolution may be necessary to determine zoning effects on key taxa. Third, we provide an example of statistical analyses and

Energy secretary's priorities include San Francisco area research projects

CERN Multimedia

Widener, A

2003-01-01

"Bay Area research labs got a big boost Monday when the Secretary of Energy unveiled his priorities for major research projects his agency hopes to fund over the next two decades. Among the agency's 28 top priorities are a major computer expansion and an experiment examining the expanding universe that could be housed at Lawrence Berkeley Lab and a powerful X-ray laser planned for the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center" (1 page).

Spatial-area selective retrieval of multiple object-place associations in a hierarchical cognitive map formed by theta phase coding.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Naoyuki; Yamaguchi, Yoko

2009-06-01

The human cognitive map is known to be hierarchically organized consisting of a set of perceptually clustered landmarks. Patient studies have demonstrated that these cognitive maps are maintained by the hippocampus, while the neural dynamics are still poorly understood. The authors have shown that the neural dynamic "theta phase precession" observed in the rodent hippocampus may be capable of forming hierarchical cognitive maps in humans. In the model, a visual input sequence consisting of object and scene features in the central and peripheral visual fields, respectively, results in the formation of a hierarchical cognitive map for object-place associations. Surprisingly, it is possible for such a complex memory structure to be formed in a few seconds. In this paper, we evaluate the memory retrieval of object-place associations in the hierarchical network formed by theta phase precession. The results show that multiple object-place associations can be retrieved with the initial cue of a scene input. Importantly, according to the wide-to-narrow unidirectional connections among scene units, the spatial area for object-place retrieval can be controlled by the spatial area of the initial cue input. These results indicate that the hierarchical cognitive maps have computational advantages on a spatial-area selective retrieval of multiple object-place associations. Theta phase precession dynamics is suggested as a fundamental neural mechanism of the human cognitive map.

Identification of Multiple Novel Viruses, Including a Parvovirus and a Hepevirus, in Feces of Red Foxes

Science.gov (United States)

van der Giessen, Joke; Haagmans, Bart L.; Osterhaus, Albert D. M. E.; Smits, Saskia L.

2013-01-01

Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are the most widespread members of the order of Carnivora. Since they often live in (peri)urban areas, they are a potential reservoir of viruses that transmit from wildlife to humans or domestic animals. Here we evaluated the fecal viral microbiome of 13 red foxes by random PCR in combination with next-generation sequencing. Various novel viruses, including a parvovirus, bocavirus, adeno-associated virus, hepevirus, astroviruses, and picobirnaviruses, were identified. PMID:23616657

Thermoelectric material including a multiple transition metal-doped type I clathrate crystal structure

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jihui [Lakeshore, CA; Shi, Xun [Troy, MI; Bai, Shengqiang [Shanghai, CN; Zhang, Wenqing [Shanghai, CN; Chen, Lidong [Shanghai, CN; Yang, Jiong [Shanghai, CN

2012-01-17

A thermoelectric material includes a multiple transition metal-doped type I clathrate crystal structure having the formula A.sub.8TM.sub.y.sub.1.sup.1TM.sub.y.sub.2.sup.2 . . . TM.sub.y.sub.n.sup.nM.sub.zX.sub.46-y.sub.1.sub.-y.sub.2.sub.- . . . -y.sub.n.sub.-z. In the formula, A is selected from the group consisting of barium, strontium, and europium; X is selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and tin; M is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gallium, and indium; TM.sup.1, TM.sup.2, and TM.sup.n are independently selected from the group consisting of 3d, 4d, and 5d transition metals; and y.sub.1, y.sub.2, y.sub.n and Z are actual compositions of TM.sup.1, TM.sup.2, TM.sup.n, and M, respectively. The actual compositions are based upon nominal compositions derived from the following equation: z=8q.sub.A-|.DELTA.q.sub.1|y.sub.1-|.DELTA.q.sub.2|y.sub.2- . . . -|.DELTA.q.sub.n|y.sub.n, wherein q.sub.A is a charge state of A, and wherein .DELTA.q.sub.1, .DELTA.q.sub.2, .DELTA.q.sub.n are, respectively, the nominal charge state of the first, second, and n-th TM.

Compound K, a Ginsenoside Metabolite, Inhibits Colon Cancer Growth via Multiple Pathways Including p53-p21 Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugene B. Chang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Compound K (20-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S-protopanaxadiol, CK, an intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng protopanaxadiol saponins, has been shown to inhibit cell growth in a variety of cancers. However, the mechanisms are not completely understood, especially in colorectal cancer (CRC. A xenograft tumor model was used first to examine the anti-CRC effect of CK in vivo. Then, multiple in vitro assays were applied to investigate the anticancer effects of CK including antiproliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. In addition, a qPCR array and western blot analysis were executed to screen and validate the molecules and pathways involved. We observed that CK significantly inhibited the growth of HCT-116 tumors in an athymic nude mouse xenograft model. CK significantly inhibited the proliferation of human CRC cell lines HCT-116, SW-480, and HT-29 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also observed that CK induced cell apoptosis and arrested the cell cycle in the G1 phase in HCT-116 cells. The processes were related to the upregulation of p53/p21, FoxO3a-p27/p15 and Smad3, and downregulation of cdc25A, CDK4/6 and cyclin D1/3. The major regulated targets of CK were cyclin dependent inhibitors, including p21, p27, and p15. These results indicate that CK inhibits transcriptional activation of multiple tumor-promoting pathways in CRC, suggesting that CK could be an active compound in the prevention or treatment of CRC.

Fatigue and Multiple Sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

... to navigation Skip to content Menu Navigation National Multiple Sclerosis Society Sign In In Your Area Donate Donate ... of MS What Causes MS? Who Gets MS? Multiple Sclerosis FAQs Types of MS Related Conditions Symptoms & Diagnosis ...

Validation on groundwater flow model including sea level change. Modeling on groundwater flow in coastal granite area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Takuma; Miyakawa, Kimio

2009-01-01

It is important to verify the groundwater flow model that reproduces pressure head, water chemistry, and groundwater age. However, water chemistry and groundwater age are considered to be influenced by historical events. In this study, sea level change during glacial-interglacial cycle was taken into account for simulating salinity and groundwater age at coastal granite area. As a result of simulation, salinity movement could not catch up with sea level changes, and mixing zone was formed below the fresh-water zone. This mixing zone was observed in the field measurement, and the observed salinities were agreed with simulated results including sea level change. The simulated residence time including sea level change is one-tenth of steady state. The reason is that the saline water was washed out during regression and modern sea-water was infiltrated during transgression. As mentioned before, considering sea level change are important to reproduce salinity and helium age at coastal area. (author)

Prediction of preterm birth in multiple pregnancies: development of a multivariable model including cervical length measurement at 16 to 21 weeks' gestation.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Mheen, Lidewij; Schuit, Ewoud; Lim, Arianne C; Porath, Martina M; Papatsonis, Dimitri; Erwich, Jan J; van Eyck, Jim; van Oirschot, Charlotte M; Hummel, Piet; Duvekot, Johannes J; Hasaart, Tom H M; Groenwold, Rolf H H; Moons, Karl G M; de Groot, Christianne J M; Bruinse, Hein W; van Pampus, Maria G; Mol, Ben W J

2014-04-01

To develop a multivariable prognostic model for the risk of preterm delivery in women with multiple pregnancy that includes cervical length measurement at 16 to 21 weeks' gestation and other variables. We used data from a previous randomized trial. We assessed the association between maternal and pregnancy characteristics including cervical length measurement at 16 to 21 weeks' gestation and time to delivery using multivariable Cox regression modelling. Performance of the final model was assessed for the outcomes of preterm and very preterm delivery using calibration and discrimination measures. We studied 507 women, of whom 270 (53%) delivered models for preterm and very preterm delivery had a c-index of 0.68 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.72) and 0.68 (95% CI 0.62 to 0.75), respectively, and showed good calibration. In women with a multiple pregnancy, the risk of preterm delivery can be assessed with a multivariable model incorporating cervical length and other predictors.

Understanding the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Staff Workshop Handout

Science.gov (United States)

Early Childhood Today, 2005

2005-01-01

In his "Theory of Multiple Intelligences," Dr. Howard Gardner expands the concept of intelligence to include such areas as music, spatial relations, and interpersonal knowledge in addition to the traditional view of two intelligences--mathematical and linguistic. Using biological as well as cultural research, Gardner formulated a list of seven…

Nematocarcinus Milne Edwards, 1881 (Crustacea, Decapoda) from Southwestern Atlantic, including the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge area.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, Irene A; Burukovsky, Rudolf N

2014-11-26

The deep sea shrimp genus Nematocarcinus Milne Edwards, 1881 includes 47 species, ten of them have been recorded from the Atlantic Ocean. Herein, material sampled during three scientific projects (REVIZEE Central Fishery project; Campos Basin Deep Sea Environmental Project; Evaluation of Environmental Heterogeneity in the Campos Basin) made in the Southwestern Atlantic, off Brazil, is examined. In addition, material sampled from the South Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR-ECO Project) was also examined. Four species are recorded for the first time to the southwestern Atlantic Ocean including Mid Atlantic Ridge area: Nematocarcinus faxoni Burukovsky, 2001; N. gracilipes Filhol, 1884; N. rotundus Crosnier & Forest, 1973 and N. tenuipes Spence-Bate, 1888.

More Than Just Accuracy: A Novel Method to Incorporate Multiple Test Attributes in Evaluating Diagnostic Tests Including Point of Care Tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Matthew; Weigl, Bernhard; Fitzpatrick, Annette; Ide, Nicole

2016-01-01

Current frameworks for evaluating diagnostic tests are constrained by a focus on diagnostic accuracy, and assume that all aspects of the testing process and test attributes are discrete and equally important. Determining the balance between the benefits and harms associated with new or existing tests has been overlooked. Yet, this is critically important information for stakeholders involved in developing, testing, and implementing tests. This is particularly important for point of care tests (POCTs) where tradeoffs exist between numerous aspects of the testing process and test attributes. We developed a new model that multiple stakeholders (e.g., clinicians, patients, researchers, test developers, industry, regulators, and health care funders) can use to visualize the multiple attributes of tests, the interactions that occur between these attributes, and their impacts on health outcomes. We use multiple examples to illustrate interactions between test attributes (test availability, test experience, and test results) and outcomes, including several POCTs. The model could be used to prioritize research and development efforts, and inform regulatory submissions for new diagnostics. It could potentially provide a way to incorporate the relative weights that various subgroups or clinical settings might place on different test attributes. Our model provides a novel way that multiple stakeholders can use to visualize test attributes, their interactions, and impacts on individual and population outcomes. We anticipate that this will facilitate more informed decision making around diagnostic tests.

AUTOMATIC CALCULATION OF OIL SLICK AREA FROM MULTIPLE SAR ACQUISITIONS FOR DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Osmanoğlu

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 and became the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. Oil leaked continuously between April 20th and July 15th of 2010, releasing about 780, 000m3 of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill caused extensive economical and ecological damage to the areas it reached, affecting the marine and wildlife habitats along with fishing and tourism industries. For oil spill mitigation efforts, it is important to determine the areal extent, and most recent position of the contaminated area. Satellitebased oil pollution monitoring systems are being used for monitoring and in hazard response efforts. Due to their high accuracy, frequent acquisitions, large area coverage and day-and-night operation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR satellites are a major contributer of monitoring marine environments for oil spill detection. We developed a new algorithm for determining the extent of the oil spill from multiple SAR images, that are acquired with short temporal intervals using different sensors. Combining the multi-polarization data from Radarsat-2 (C-band, Envisat ASAR (C-band and Alos-PALSAR (L-band sensors, we calculate the extent of the oil spill with higher accuracy than what is possible from only one image. Short temporal interval between acquisitions (hours to days allow us to eliminate artifacts and increase accuracy. Our algorithm works automatically without any human intervention to deliver products in a timely manner in time critical operations. Acquisitions using different SAR sensors are radiometrically calibrated and processed individually to obtain oil spill area extent. Furthermore the algorithm provides probability maps of the areas that are classified as oil slick. This probability information is then combined with other acquisitions to estimate the combined probability map for the spill.

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.

Effects of marine protected areas on overfished fishing stocks with multiple stable states.

Science.gov (United States)

Takashina, Nao; Mougi, Akihiko

2014-01-21

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have attracted much attention as a tool for sustainable fisheries management, restoring depleted fisheries stocks and maintaining ecosystems. However, even with total exclusion of fishing effort, depleted stocks sometimes show little or no recovery over a long time period. Here, using a mathematical model, we show that multiple stable states may hold the key to understanding the tendency for fisheries stocks to recover because of MPAs. We find that MPAs can have either a positive effect or almost no effect on the recovery of depleted fishing stocks, depending on the fish migration patterns and the fishing policies. MPAs also reinforce ecological resilience, particularly for migratory species. In contrast to previous reports, our results show that MPAs have small or sometimes negative effects on the recovery of sedentary species. Unsuitable MPA planning might result in low effectiveness or even deterioration of the existing condition. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generalized internal multiple imaging

KAUST Repository

Zuberi, Mohammad Akbar Hosain

2014-12-04

Various examples are provided for generalized internal multiple imaging (GIMI). In one example, among others, a method includes generating a higher order internal multiple image using a background Green\\'s function and rendering the higher order internal multiple image for presentation. In another example, a system includes a computing device and a generalized internal multiple imaging (GIMI) application executable in the computing device. The GIMI application includes logic that generates a higher order internal multiple image using a background Green\\'s function and logic that renders the higher order internal multiple image for display on a display device. In another example, a non-transitory computer readable medium has a program executable by processing circuitry that generates a higher order internal multiple image using a background Green\\'s function and renders the higher order internal multiple image for display on a display device.

Generalized internal multiple imaging

KAUST Repository

Zuberi, Mohammad Akbar Hosain; Alkhalifah, Tariq

2014-01-01

Various examples are provided for generalized internal multiple imaging (GIMI). In one example, among others, a method includes generating a higher order internal multiple image using a background Green's function and rendering the higher order internal multiple image for presentation. In another example, a system includes a computing device and a generalized internal multiple imaging (GIMI) application executable in the computing device. The GIMI application includes logic that generates a higher order internal multiple image using a background Green's function and logic that renders the higher order internal multiple image for display on a display device. In another example, a non-transitory computer readable medium has a program executable by processing circuitry that generates a higher order internal multiple image using a background Green's function and renders the higher order internal multiple image for display on a display device.

Valuing Multiple Benefits, and the Public Perception of SUDS Ponds

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Joy Jarvie

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Understanding how the public perceive and value ponds is fundamental to appreciate the synergy between Sustainable urban Drainage (SUDS ponds and the multiple benefits they provide. This paper investigates this, through the application of a structured postal and online survey, for a case study area of Edinburgh, in the UK. It compares man-made ponds (including SUDS, and ponds with natural origins. The results from Whole Life Cost show that the benefits (based on Contingent Valuation exceed the CAPEX and OPEX costs for three of five artificial ponds studied. Benefits from natural (reference ponds exceed the replacement costs for a pond with the same surface area/catchment. This paper highlights the importance of monetising the multiple benefits from ponds.

Axonal loss in the multiple sclerosis spinal cord revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrova, Natalia; Carassiti, Daniele; Altmann, Daniel R; Baker, David; Schmierer, Klaus

2018-05-01

Preventing chronic disease deterioration is an unmet need in people with multiple sclerosis, where axonal loss is considered a key substrate of disability. Clinically, chronic multiple sclerosis often presents as progressive myelopathy. Spinal cord cross-sectional area (CSA) assessed using MRI predicts increasing disability and has, by inference, been proposed as an indirect index of axonal degeneration. However, the association between CSA and axonal loss, and their correlation with demyelination, have never been systematically investigated using human post mortem tissue. We extensively sampled spinal cords of seven women and six men with multiple sclerosis (mean disease duration= 29 years) and five healthy controls to quantify axonal density and its association with demyelination and CSA. 396 tissue blocks were embedded in paraffin and immuno-stained for myelin basic protein and phosphorylated neurofilaments. Measurements included total CSA, areas of (i) lateral cortico-spinal tracts, (ii) gray matter, (iii) white matter, (iv) demyelination, and the number of axons within the lateral cortico-spinal tracts. Linear mixed models were used to analyze relationships. In multiple sclerosis CSA reduction at cervical, thoracic and lumbar levels ranged between 19 and 24% with white (19-24%) and gray (17-21%) matter atrophy contributing equally across levels. Axonal density in multiple sclerosis was lower by 57-62% across all levels and affected all fibers regardless of diameter. Demyelination affected 24-48% of the gray matter, most extensively at the thoracic level, and 11-13% of the white matter, with no significant differences across levels. Disease duration was associated with reduced axonal density, however not with any area index. Significant association was detected between focal demyelination and decreased axonal density. In conclusion, over nearly 30 years multiple sclerosis reduces axonal density by 60% throughout the spinal cord. Spinal cord cross sectional area

Water quality studied in areas of unconventional oil and gas development, including areas where hydraulic fracturing techniques are used, in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Susong, David D.; Gallegos, Tanya J.; Oelsner, Gretchen P.

2012-01-01

Domestic oil and gas production and clean water are critical for economic growth, public health, and national security of the United States. As domestic oil and gas production increases in new areas and old fields are enhanced, there is increasing public concern about the effects of energy production on surface-water and groundwater quality. To a great extent, this concern arises from the improved hydraulic fracturing techniques being used today, including horizontal drilling, for producing unconventional oil and gas in low-permeability formations.

Multiple mononeuropathy

Science.gov (United States)

... with multiple mononeuropathy are prone to new nerve injuries at pressure points such as the knees and elbows. They should avoid putting pressure on these areas, for example, by not leaning on the elbows, crossing the knees, ...

Fuzzy-like multiple objective multistage decision making

CERN Document Server

Xu, Jiuping

2014-01-01

Decision has inspired reflection of many thinkers since the ancient times. With the rapid development of science and society, appropriate dynamic decision making has been playing an increasingly important role in many areas of human activity including engineering, management, economy and others. In most real-world problems, decision makers usually have to make decisions sequentially at different points in time and space, at different levels for a component or a system, while facing multiple and conflicting objectives and a hybrid uncertain environment where fuzziness and randomness co-exist in a decision making process. This leads to the development of fuzzy-like multiple objective multistage decision making. This book provides a thorough understanding of the concepts of dynamic optimization from a modern perspective and presents the state-of-the-art methodology for modeling, analyzing and solving the most typical multiple objective multistage decision making practical application problems under fuzzy-like un...

Broca's area network in language function.Broca's area network in language function: A pooling-data connectivity study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byron eBernal

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective. Modern neuroimaging developments have demonstrated that cognitive functions correlate with brain networks rather than specific areas. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the connectivity of Broca's area based on language tasks. Methods. A connectivity modeling study was performed by pooling data of Broca's activation in language tasks. Fifty-seven papers that included 883 subjects in 84 experiments were analyzed. Analysis of Likelihood Estimates of pooled data was utilized to generate the map; thresholds at p < 0.01 were corrected for multiple comparisons and false discovery rate. Resulting images were co-registered into MNI standard space. Results. A network consisting of 16 clusters of activation was obtained. Main clusters were located in the frontal operculum, left posterior temporal region, supplementary motor area, and the parietal lobe. Less common clusters were seen in the sub-cortical structures including the left thalamus, left putamen, secondary visual areas and the right cerebellum. Conclusions. BA44-related networks involved in language processing were demonstrated utilizing a pooling-data connectivity study. Significance, interpretation and limitations of the results are discussed.

Advances in ranking and selection, multiple comparisons, and reliability methodology and applications

CERN Document Server

Balakrishnan, N; Nagaraja, HN

2007-01-01

S. Panchapakesan has made significant contributions to ranking and selection and has published in many other areas of statistics, including order statistics, reliability theory, stochastic inequalities, and inference. Written in his honor, the twenty invited articles in this volume reflect recent advances in these areas and form a tribute to Panchapakesan's influence and impact on these areas. Thematically organized, the chapters cover a broad range of topics from: Inference; Ranking and Selection; Multiple Comparisons and Tests; Agreement Assessment; Reliability; and Biostatistics. Featuring

Comparison and clinical utility evaluation of four multiple allergen simultaneous tests including two newly introduced fully automated analyzers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Hoon Rim

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: We compared the diagnostic performances of two newly introduced fully automated multiple allergen simultaneous tests (MAST analyzers with two conventional MAST assays. Methods: The serum samples from a total of 53 and 104 patients were tested for food panels and inhalant panels, respectively, in four analyzers including AdvanSure AlloScreen (LG Life Science, Korea, AdvanSure Allostation Smart II (LG Life Science, PROTIA Allergy-Q (ProteomeTech, Korea, and RIDA Allergy Screen (R-Biopharm, Germany. We compared not only the total agreement percentages but also positive propensities among four analyzers. Results: Evaluation of AdvanSure Allostation Smart II as upgraded version of AdvanSure AlloScreen revealed good concordance with total agreement percentages of 93.0% and 92.2% in food and inhalant panel, respectively. Comparisons of AdvanSure Allostation Smart II or PROTIA Allergy-Q with RIDA Allergy Screen also showed good concordance performance with positive propensities of two new analyzers for common allergens (Dermatophagoides farina and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. The changes of cut-off level resulted in various total agreement percentage fluctuations among allergens by different analyzers, although current cut-off level of class 2 appeared to be generally suitable. Conclusions: AdvanSure Allostation Smart II and PROTIA Allergy-Q presented favorable agreement performances with RIDA Allergy Screen, although positive propensities were noticed in common allergens. Keywords: Multiple allergen simultaneous test, Automated analyzer

A composite state method for ensemble data assimilation with multiple limited-area models

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Matthew Kretschmer

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Limited-area models (LAMs allow high-resolution forecasts to be made for geographic regions of interest when resources are limited. Typically, boundary conditions for these models are provided through one-way boundary coupling from a coarser resolution global model. Here, data assimilation is considered in a situation in which a global model supplies boundary conditions to multiple LAMs. The data assimilation method presented combines information from all of the models to construct a single ‘composite state’, on which data assimilation is subsequently performed. The analysis composite state is then used to form the initial conditions of the global model and all of the LAMs for the next forecast cycle. The method is tested by using numerical experiments with simple, chaotic models. The results of the experiments show that there is a clear forecast benefit to allowing LAM states to influence one another during the analysis. In addition, adding LAM information at analysis time has a strong positive impact on global model forecast performance, even at points not covered by the LAMs.

Multiple Intelligences: Current Trends in Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Harman, Marsha J.; Kordinak, S. Thomas; Bruce, A. Jerry

2009-01-01

With his theory of multiple intelligences, Howard Gardner challenged the presumption that intelligence is a single innate entity. He maintained that multiple intelligences exist and are related to specific brain areas and symbol systems. Each of the intelligences has its merits and limits, but by using a multiple intelligences approach, more…

Multiple Landslide-Hazard Scenarios Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California

Science.gov (United States)

Pike, Richard J.; Graymer, Russell W.

2008-01-01

With the exception of Los Angeles, perhaps no urban area in the United States is more at risk from landsliding, triggered by either precipitation or earthquake, than the San Francisco Bay region of northern California. By January each year, seasonal winter storms usually bring moisture levels of San Francisco Bay region hillsides to the point of saturation, after which additional heavy rainfall may induce landslides of various types and levels of severity. In addition, movement at any time along one of several active faults in the area may generate an earthquake large enough to trigger landslides. The danger to life and property rises each year as local populations continue to expand and more hillsides are graded for development of residential housing and its supporting infrastructure. The chapters in the text consist of: *Introduction by Russell W. Graymer *Chapter 1 Rainfall Thresholds for Landslide Activity, San Francisco Bay Region, Northern California by Raymond C. Wilson *Chapter 2 Susceptibility to Deep-Seated Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Richard J. Pike and Steven Sobieszczyk *Chapter 3 Susceptibility to Shallow Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Kevin M. Schmidt and Steven Sobieszczyk *Chapter 4 Landslide Hazard Modeled for the Cities of Oakland, Piedmont, and Berkeley, Northern California, from a M=7.1 Scenario Earthquake on the Hayward Fault Zone by Scott B. Miles and David K. Keefer *Chapter 5 Synthesis of Landslide-Hazard Scenarios Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Richard J. Pike The plates consist of: *Plate 1 Susceptibility to Deep-Seated Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Richard J. Pike, Russell W. Graymer, Sebastian Roberts, Naomi B. Kalman, and Steven Sobieszczyk *Plate 2 Susceptibility to Shallow Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Kevin M. Schmidt and Steven

Water value and demand for multiple uses in the rural areas of South Africa: The case of Ga-Sekororo

OpenAIRE

Kanyoka, P.

2008-01-01

The provision of free basic water for domestic uses and a more equal distribution of water for productive uses are seen as important instruments to redress inequities from the past and eradicate poverty in South Africa (SA). Although the government committed itself to providing free basic water for all, this result is still far to be reached, particularly in rural areas. Financing of multiple use water services was identified as an important ingredient to insure improved access to water for r...

Multiple myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, Jeong Ick; Ha, Choon Ho; Choi, Karp Shik

1994-01-01

Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell tumor that is thought to originate proliferation of a single clone of abnormal plasma cell resulting production of a whole monoclonal paraprotein. The authors experienced a case of multiple myeloma with severe mandibular osteolytic lesions in 46-year-old female. As a result of careful analysis of clinical, radiological, histopathological features, and laboratory findings, we diagnosed it as multiple myeloma, and the following results were obtained. 1. Main clinical symptoms were intermittent dull pain on the mandibular body area, abnormal sensation of lip and pain due to the fracture on the right clavicle. 2. Laboratory findings revealed M-spike, reversed serum albumin-globulin ratio, markedly elevated ESR and hypercalcemia. 3. Radiographically, multiple osteolytic punched-out radiolucencies were evident on the skull, zygoma, jaw bones, ribs, clavicle and upper extremities. Enlarged liver and increased uptakes on the lesional sites in RN scan were also observed. 4. Histopathologically, markedly hypercellular marrow with sheets of plasmoblasts and megakaryocytes were also observed.

Mercury bioaccumulation assessment for the St. Louis River Area of Concern (poster)

Science.gov (United States)

Elevated mercury concentrations have been documented in fish and invertebrates within the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC). Mercury bioavailability is affected by multiple factors, including mercury sources, sediment and water geochemistry, food web structure, individual fis...

Technology of surface wastewater purification, including high-rise construction areas

Science.gov (United States)

Tsyba, Anna; Skolubovich, Yury

2018-03-01

Despite on the improvements in the quality of high-rise construction areas and industrial wastewater treatment, the pollution of water bodies continues to increase. This is due to the organized and unorganized surface untreated sewage entry into the reservoirs. The qualitative analysis of some cities' surface sewage composition is carried out in the work. Based on the published literature review, the characteristic contamination present in surface wastewater was identified. The paper proposes a new technology for the treatment of surface sewage and presents the results of preliminary studies.

Multiple constant multiplication optimizations for field programmable gate arrays

CERN Document Server

Kumm, Martin

2016-01-01

This work covers field programmable gate array (FPGA)-specific optimizations of circuits computing the multiplication of a variable by several constants, commonly denoted as multiple constant multiplication (MCM). These optimizations focus on low resource usage but high performance. They comprise the use of fast carry-chains in adder-based constant multiplications including ternary (3-input) adders as well as the integration of look-up table-based constant multipliers and embedded multipliers to get the optimal mapping to modern FPGAs. The proposed methods can be used for the efficient implementation of digital filters, discrete transforms and many other circuits in the domain of digital signal processing, communication and image processing. Contents Heuristic and ILP-Based Optimal Solutions for the Pipelined Multiple Constant Multiplication Problem Methods to Integrate Embedded Multipliers, LUT-Based Constant Multipliers and Ternary (3-Input) Adders An Optimized Multiple Constant Multiplication Architecture ...

Agricultural in protect areas: agronomic aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuele Tarantino

Full Text Available Among the various aims of the protect lands, as expressed by the art. 1 of the L. 394/91, there is “the promotion of educational, formative, experimental and interdisciplinary activities, as well as recreational activities”. Considering the multiplicity of the protect areas functions as well as the interests and the problems involved in their management, the most suitable research in this field is that according to a “systemic” approach. It concerns the study of the most high hierarchical levels: agricultural, farming and agro-territorial levels. The researches regard not only the environmental sustainability of crops production, including the control of the erosion risks and the management of the pasturing areas, but also other aspects that result less conventional than the classical questions of the Agronomy. They include the land planning, the productions of local and typical markets, the production dependent on the organic farming on the environmental preservation, the management of areas which result of particular interest for wild fauna, the renaturalization of degraded areas, the eco-sustainable management of water resources, the multifunctional agriculture, the landscape improvement and the biodiversity enhancement.

Efficient Time-Domain Ray-Tracing Technique for the Analysis of Ultra-Wideband Indoor Environments including Lossy Materials and Multiple Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Saez de Adana

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an efficient application of the Time-Domain Uniform Theory of Diffraction (TD-UTD for the analysis of Ultra-Wideband (UWB mobile communications for indoor environments. The classical TD-UTD formulation is modified to include the contribution of lossy materials and multiple-ray interactions with the environment. The electromagnetic analysis is combined with a ray-tracing acceleration technique to treat realistic and complex environments. The validity of this method is tested with measurements performed inside the Polytechnic building of the University of Alcala and shows good performance of the model for the analysis of UWB propagation.

Multiple ECG Fiducial Points-Based Random Binary Sequence Generation for Securing Wireless Body Area Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Guanglou; Fang, Gengfa; Shankaran, Rajan; Orgun, Mehmet A; Zhou, Jie; Qiao, Li; Saleem, Kashif

2017-05-01

Generating random binary sequences (BSes) is a fundamental requirement in cryptography. A BS is a sequence of N bits, and each bit has a value of 0 or 1. For securing sensors within wireless body area networks (WBANs), electrocardiogram (ECG)-based BS generation methods have been widely investigated in which interpulse intervals (IPIs) from each heartbeat cycle are processed to produce BSes. Using these IPI-based methods to generate a 128-bit BS in real time normally takes around half a minute. In order to improve the time efficiency of such methods, this paper presents an ECG multiple fiducial-points based binary sequence generation (MFBSG) algorithm. The technique of discrete wavelet transforms is employed to detect arrival time of these fiducial points, such as P, Q, R, S, and T peaks. Time intervals between them, including RR, RQ, RS, RP, and RT intervals, are then calculated based on this arrival time, and are used as ECG features to generate random BSes with low latency. According to our analysis on real ECG data, these ECG feature values exhibit the property of randomness and, thus, can be utilized to generate random BSes. Compared with the schemes that solely rely on IPIs to generate BSes, this MFBSG algorithm uses five feature values from one heart beat cycle, and can be up to five times faster than the solely IPI-based methods. So, it achieves a design goal of low latency. According to our analysis, the complexity of the algorithm is comparable to that of fast Fourier transforms. These randomly generated ECG BSes can be used as security keys for encryption or authentication in a WBAN system.

The rank-heat plot is a novel way to present the results from a network meta-analysis including multiple outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Veroniki, Areti Angeliki; Straus, Sharon E; Fyraridis, Alexandros; Tricco, Andrea C

2016-08-01

To present a novel and simple graphical approach to improve the presentation of the treatment ranking in a network meta-analysis (NMA) including multiple outcomes. NMA simultaneously compares many relevant interventions for a clinical condition from a network of trials, and allows ranking of the effectiveness and/or safety of each intervention. There are numerous ways to present the NMA results, which can challenge their interpretation by research users. The rank-heat plot is a novel graph that can be used to quickly recognize which interventions are most likely the best or worst interventions with respect to their effectiveness and/or safety for a single or multiple outcome(s) and may increase interpretability. Using empirical NMAs, we show that the need for a concise and informative presentation of results is imperative, particularly as the number of competing treatments and outcomes in an NMA increases. The rank-heat plot is an efficient way to present the results of ranking statistics, particularly when a large amount of data is available, and it is targeted to users from various backgrounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A nonlinear model for fluid flow in a multiple-zone composite reservoir including the quadratic gradient term

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiao-Lu; Fan, Xiang-Yu; Nie, Ren-Shi; Huang, Quan-Hua; He, Yong-Ming

2013-01-01

Based on material balance and Darcy's law, the governing equation with the quadratic pressure gradient term was deduced. Then the nonlinear model for fluid flow in a multiple-zone composite reservoir including the quadratic gradient term was established and solved using a Laplace transform. A series of standard log–log type curves of 1-zone (homogeneous), 2-zone and 3-zone reservoirs were plotted and nonlinear flow characteristics were analysed. The type curves governed by the coefficient of the quadratic gradient term (β) gradually deviate from those of a linear model with time elapsing. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were implemented to compare the solutions of the linear and nonlinear models. The results showed that differences of pressure transients between the linear and nonlinear models increase with elapsed time and β. At the end, a successful application of the theoretical model data against the field data shows that the nonlinear model will be a good tool to evaluate formation parameters more accurately. (paper)

Modelling the long-term consequences of a hypothetical dispersal of radioactivity in an urban area including remediation alternatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thiessen, K.M.; Andersson, Kasper Grann; Batandjieva, B.

2009-01-01

The Urban Remediation Working Group of the International Atomic Energy Agency's EMRAS (Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety) program was organized to address issues of remediation assessment modelling for urban areas contaminated with dispersed radionuclides. The present paper describes...... the second of two modelling exercises. This exercise was based on a hypothetical dispersal of radioactivity in an urban area from a radiological dispersal device, with reference surface contamination at selected sites used as the primary input information. Modelling endpoints for the exercise included...... radionuclide concentrations and external dose rates at specified locations, contributions to the dose rates from individual surfaces, and annual and cumulative external doses to specified reference individuals. Model predictions were performed for a "no action" situation (with no remedial measures...

Small-area distribution of multiple sclerosis incidence in western France: in search of environmental triggers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammas, Karima; Yaouanq, Jacqueline; Lannes, Morgane; Edan, Gilles; Viel, Jean-François

2017-09-21

Despite intensive research over several decades, the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains poorly understood, although environmental factors are supposedly implicated. Our goal was to identify spatial clusters of MS incident cases at the small-area level to provide clues to local environmental risk factors that might cause or trigger the disease. A population-based and multi-stage study was performed in the French Brittany region to accurately ascertain the clinical onset of disease during the 2000-2004 period. The municipality of residence at the time of clinical onset was geocoded. To test for the presence of MS incidence clusters and to identify their approximate locations, we used a spatial scan statistic. We adjusted for socioeconomic deprivation, known to be strongly associated with increased MS incident rates, and scanned simultaneously for areas with either high or low rates. Sensitivity analyses (focusing on relapsing-remitting forms and/or places of residence available within the year following clinical onset) were performed. A total of 848 incident cases of MS were registered in Brittany, corresponding to a crude annual incidence rate of 5.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. The spatial scan statistic did not find a significant cluster of MS incidence in either the primary analysis (p value ≥ 0.56) or in the sensitivity analyses (p value ≥ 0.16). The findings of this study indicate that MS incidence is not markedly affected across space, suggesting that in the years preceding the first clinical expression of the disease, no environmental trigger is operative at the small-area population level in the French Brittany region.

Multitemporal burnt area mapping using Landsat 8: merging multiple burnt area indices to highlight burnt areas

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Vhengani, L

2015-07-01

Full Text Available gases. These, makes the study of wildfires important. The study of fires is in three phases. Firstly it is forecasting, which uses Fire Danger Index (FDI), secondly it is the mapping of active fires and thirdly, the mapping of burnt areas to access...

High levels of antibodies to multiple domains and strains of VAR2CSA correlate with the absence of placental malaria in Cameroonian women living in an area of high Plasmodium falciparum transmission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tutterrow, Yeung L; Avril, Marion; Singh, Kavita

2012-01-01

erythrocytes and mediates binding to chondroitin sulfate A, initiating inflammation and disrupting homeostasis at the maternal-fetal interface. Although antibodies can prevent sequestration, it is unclear whether parasite clearance is due to antibodies to a single Duffy binding-like (DBL) domain...... or to an extensive repertoire of antibodies to multiple DBL domains and allelic variants. Accordingly, plasma samples collected longitudinally from pregnant women were screened for naturally acquired antibodies against an extensive panel of VAR2CSA proteins, including 2 to 3 allelic variants for each of 5 different...... DBL domains. Analyses were performed on plasma samples collected from 3 to 9 months of pregnancy from women living in areas in Cameroon with high and low malaria transmission. The results demonstrate that high antibody levels to multiple VAR2CSA domains, rather than a single domain, were associated...

300 Area waste acid treatment system closure plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LUKE, S.N.

1999-01-01

The Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application is considered to be a single application organized into a General Information Portion (document number DOERL-91-28) and a Unit-Specific Portion. The scope of the Unit-Specific Portion includes closure plan documentation submitted for individual, treatment, storage, and/or disposal units undergoing closure, such as the 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System. Documentation contained in the General Information Portion is broader in nature and could be used by multiple treatment, storage, and/or disposal units (e.g., the glossary provided in the General Information Portion). Whenever appropriate, 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System documentation makes cross-reference to the General Information Portion, rather than duplicating text. This 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System Closure Plan (Revision 2) includes a Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application, Part A, Form 3. Information provided in this closure plan is current as of April 1999

300 Area waste acid treatment system closure plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LUKE, S.N.

1999-05-17

The Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application is considered to be a single application organized into a General Information Portion (document number DOERL-91-28) and a Unit-Specific Portion. The scope of the Unit-Specific Portion includes closure plan documentation submitted for individual, treatment, storage, and/or disposal units undergoing closure, such as the 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System. Documentation contained in the General Information Portion is broader in nature and could be used by multiple treatment, storage, and/or disposal units (e.g., the glossary provided in the General Information Portion). Whenever appropriate, 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System documentation makes cross-reference to the General Information Portion, rather than duplicating text. This 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System Closure Plan (Revision 2) includes a Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application, Part A, Form 3. Information provided in this closure plan is current as of April 1999.

Cortical thickness, surface area and volume measures in Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Worker

Full Text Available Parkinson's disease (PD, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP are neurodegenerative diseases that can be difficult to distinguish clinically. The objective of the current study was to use surface-based analysis techniques to assess cortical thickness, surface area and grey matter volume to identify unique morphological patterns of cortical atrophy in PD, MSA and PSP and to relate these patterns of change to disease duration and clinical features.High resolution 3D T1-weighted MRI volumes were acquired from 14 PD patients, 18 MSA, 14 PSP and 19 healthy control participants. Cortical thickness, surface area and volume analyses were carried out using the automated surface-based analysis package FreeSurfer (version 5.1.0. Measures of disease severity and duration were assessed for correlation with cortical morphometric changes in each clinical group.Results show that in PSP, widespread cortical thinning and volume loss occurs within the frontal lobe, particularly the superior frontal gyrus. In addition, PSP patients also displayed increased surface area in the pericalcarine. In comparison, PD and MSA did not display significant changes in cortical morphology.These results demonstrate that patients with clinically established PSP exhibit distinct patterns of cortical atrophy, particularly affecting the frontal lobe. These results could be used in the future to develop a useful clinical application of MRI to distinguish PSP patients from PD and MSA patients.

Content Area Vocabulary Videos in Multiple Contexts: A Pedagogical Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, C. Lorraine; Kapavik, Robin Robinson

2015-01-01

The authors challenged pre-service teachers to digitally define a social studies or mathematical vocabulary term in multiple contexts using a digital video camera. The researchers sought to answer the following questions: 1. How will creating a video for instruction affect pre-service teachers' attitudes about teaching with technology, if at all?…

A systematic review of the incidence and prevalence of comorbidity in multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marrie, Ruth Ann; Cohen, Jeffrey; Stuve, Olaf

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Comorbidity is an area of increasing interest in multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to estimate the incidence and prevalence of comorbidity in people with MS and assess the quality of included studies. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE...

Reliability analysis of the auxiliary feedwater system of Angra-1 including common cause failures using the multiple greek letter model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapa, Celso Marcelo Franklin.

1996-05-01

The use of redundancy to increase the reliability of industrial systems make them subject to the occurrence of common cause events. The industrial experience and the results of safety analysis studies have indicated that common cause failures are the main contributors to the unreliability of plants that have redundant systems, specially in nuclear power plants. In this Thesis procedures are developed in order to include the impact of common cause failures in the calculation of the top event occurrence probability of the Auxiliary Feedwater System in a typical two-loop Nuclear Power Plant (PWR). For this purpose the Multiple Greek Letter Model is used. (author). 14 refs., 10 figs., 11 tabs

Estimation of sub-pixel water area on Tibet plateau using multiple endmembers spectral mixture spectral analysis from MODIS data

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Qian; Shi, Jiancheng; Xu, Yuanliu

2011-12-01

Water is the basic needs for human society, and the determining factor of stability of ecosystem as well. There are lots of lakes on Tibet Plateau, which will lead to flood and mudslide when the water expands sharply. At present, water area is extracted from TM or SPOT data for their high spatial resolution; however, their temporal resolution is insufficient. MODIS data have high temporal resolution and broad coverage. So it is valuable resource for detecting the change of water area. Because of its low spatial resolution, mixed-pixels are common. In this paper, four spectral libraries are built using MOD09A1 product, based on that, water body is extracted in sub-pixels utilizing Multiple Endmembers Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) using MODIS daily reflectance data MOD09GA. The unmixed result is comparing with contemporaneous TM data and it is proved that this method has high accuracy.

Familial multiple lipomatosis: a case report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veger, H. T. C.; Ravensbergen, N. J. C.; Ottenhof, A.; da Costa, S. A.

2010-01-01

Lipoma is the most common type of soft tissue tumour. Multiple lipomas localised in different areas of the body are rare and can occur in specific hereditary syndromes. Familial multiple lipomatosis is a rare benign hereditary syndrome with a proposed autosomal-dominant inheritance. We present the

Quantifying and Reducing Uncertainty in Correlated Multi-Area Short-Term Load Forecasting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Yannan; Hou, Zhangshuan; Meng, Da; Samaan, Nader A.; Makarov, Yuri V.; Huang, Zhenyu

2016-07-17

In this study, we represent and reduce the uncertainties in short-term electric load forecasting by integrating time series analysis tools including ARIMA modeling, sequential Gaussian simulation, and principal component analysis. The approaches are mainly focusing on maintaining the inter-dependency between multiple geographically related areas. These approaches are applied onto cross-correlated load time series as well as their forecast errors. Multiple short-term prediction realizations are then generated from the reduced uncertainty ranges, which are useful for power system risk analyses.

Identification of suitable areas for the occurrence of Rift Valley fever outbreaks in Spain using a multiple criteria decision framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Fernando; Martínez-López, Beatriz; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel

2013-07-26

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that may produce a considerable impact on the economy in affected countries. In the last decades, the geographic distribution of RVF virus has increased including most of the countries in Africa, Arabia Saudi and Yemen. This situation has raised the concerns regarding its potential introduction in the European Union (EU) countries where the high number of susceptible species and competent vectors may contribute to the spread of the disease and challenge its rapid control. Thus, the identification of the areas and time periods with highest suitability for RVF outbreak occurrence would be useful for improving the early detection and rapid response of the disease into free countries. The objective of this study was to identify suitable areas for the occurrence of RVF outbreaks in Spain using a multiple criteria decision making model based on weighted linear combination of factors in geographical information systems (GIS). To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first comprehensive GIS-based framework that provides risk maps for RVF suitability in an EU country. Spanish zones with the highest suitability for RVF were concentrated in the regions of Extremadura, south-western Castile and Leon, eastern Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country, northern-central and southern region of Andalusia and in the Balearic Islands. October and May were the most suitable months for RVF outbreak occurrence. Methods and results presented here may be useful to target risk-based surveillance strategies and to more cost-effectively control potential RVFV incursions into Spain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiple-photon disambiguation on stripline-anode Micro-Channel Plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jocher, Glenn R., E-mail: glenn.jocher@ultralytics.com [Ultralytics LLC, Arlington, VA 22203 (United States); Wetstein, Matthew J., E-mail: mwetstein@uchicago.edu [Iowa State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 12 Physics Hall, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Adams, Bernhard, E-mail: badams@incomusa.com [Incom, Inc., 294 Southbridge Road, Charlton, MA 01507 (United States); Nishimura, Kurtis, E-mail: kurtis.nishimura@ultralytics.com [Ultralytics LLC, Arlington, VA 22203 (United States); Usman, Shawn M., E-mail: shawn.usman@nga.mil [Research Directorate, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, 7500 GEOINT Dr., Springfield, VA 22150 (United States); Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 (United States)

2016-06-21

Large-Area Picosecond Photo-Detectors (LAPPDs) show great potential for expanding the performance envelope of Micro-Channel Plates (MCPs) to areas of up to 20×20 cm and larger. Such scaling introduces new challenges, including how to meet the electronics readout burden of ever larger area MCPs. One solution is to replace the traditional grid anode used for readout with a microwave stripline anode, thus allowing the channel count to scale with MCP width rather than area. However, stripline anodes introduce new issues not commonly dealt with in grid-anodes, especially as their length increases. One of these issues is the near simultaneous arrival of multiple photons on the detector, creating possible confusion about how to reconstruct their arrival times and positions. We propose a maximum a posteriori solution to the problem and verify its performance in simulated scintillator and water-Cherenkov detectors.

Downscaling remotely sensed imagery using area-to-point cokriging and multiple-point geostatistical simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yunwei; Atkinson, Peter M.; Zhang, Jingxiong

2015-03-01

A cross-scale data integration method was developed and tested based on the theory of geostatistics and multiple-point geostatistics (MPG). The goal was to downscale remotely sensed images while retaining spatial structure by integrating images at different spatial resolutions. During the process of downscaling, a rich spatial correlation model in the form of a training image was incorporated to facilitate reproduction of similar local patterns in the simulated images. Area-to-point cokriging (ATPCK) was used as locally varying mean (LVM) (i.e., soft data) to deal with the change of support problem (COSP) for cross-scale integration, which MPG cannot achieve alone. Several pairs of spectral bands of remotely sensed images were tested for integration within different cross-scale case studies. The experiment shows that MPG can restore the spatial structure of the image at a fine spatial resolution given the training image and conditioning data. The super-resolution image can be predicted using the proposed method, which cannot be realised using most data integration methods. The results show that ATPCK-MPG approach can achieve greater accuracy than methods which do not account for the change of support issue.

[Cortical Areas for Controlling Voluntary Movements].

Science.gov (United States)

Nakayama, Yoshihisa; Hoshi, Eiji

2017-04-01

The primary motor cortex is located in Brodmann area 4 at the most posterior part of the frontal lobe. The primary motor cortex corresponds to an output stage of motor signals, sending motor commands to the brain stem and spinal cord. Brodmann area 6 is rostral to Brodmann area 4, where multiple higher-order motor areas are located. The premotor area, which is located in the lateral part, is involved in planning and executing action based on sensory signals. The premotor area contributes to the reaching for and grasping of an object to achieve a behavioral goal. The supplementary motor area, which occupies the mesial aspect, is involved in planning and executing actions based on internalized or memorized signals. The supplementary motor area plays a central role in bimanual movements, organizing multiple movements, and switching from a routine to a controlled behavior. Thus, Brodmann areas 4 and 6 are considered as central motor areas in the cerebral cortex, in which the idea of an action is transformed to an actual movement in a variety of contexts.

Wide-area-distributed storage system for a multimedia database

Science.gov (United States)

Ueno, Masahiro; Kinoshita, Shigechika; Kuriki, Makato; Murata, Setsuko; Iwatsu, Shigetaro

1998-12-01

We have developed a wide-area-distribution storage system for multimedia databases, which minimizes the possibility of simultaneous failure of multiple disks in the event of a major disaster. It features a RAID system, whose member disks are spatially distributed over a wide area. Each node has a device, which includes the controller of the RAID and the controller of the member disks controlled by other nodes. The devices in the node are connected to a computer, using fiber optic cables and communicate using fiber-channel technology. Any computer at a node can utilize multiple devices connected by optical fibers as a single 'virtual disk.' The advantage of this system structure is that devices and fiber optic cables are shared by the computers. In this report, we first described our proposed system, and a prototype was used for testing. We then discussed its performance; i.e., how to read and write throughputs are affected by data-access delay, the RAID level, and queuing.

Modelling the long-term consequences of a hypothetical dispersal of radioactivity in an urban area including remediation alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thiessen, K.M.; Andersson, K.G.; Batandjieva, B.; Cheng, J.-J.; Hwang, W.T.; Kaiser, J.C.; Kamboj, S.; Steiner, M.; Tomas, J.; Trifunovic, D.; Yu, C.

2009-01-01

The Urban Remediation Working Group of the International Atomic Energy Agency's EMRAS (Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety) program was organized to address issues of remediation assessment modelling for urban areas contaminated with dispersed radionuclides. The present paper describes the second of two modelling exercises. This exercise was based on a hypothetical dispersal of radioactivity in an urban area from a radiological dispersal device, with reference surface contamination at selected sites used as the primary input information. Modelling endpoints for the exercise included radionuclide concentrations and external dose rates at specified locations, contributions to the dose rates from individual surfaces, and annual and cumulative external doses to specified reference individuals. Model predictions were performed for a 'no action' situation (with no remedial measures) and for selected countermeasures. The exercise provided an opportunity for comparison of three modelling approaches, as well as a comparison of the predicted effectiveness of various countermeasures in terms of their short-term and long-term effects on predicted doses to humans.

Multiplicity of Plasmodium falciparum infection predicts antimalarial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: In areas with intense malaria transmission, individuals are often simultaneously infected with multiple parasite strains. This study assessed the effect of multiple infections on treatment response in Ugandan children with uncomplicated malaria. Methods: Four hundred and seventy six blood specimens were ...

Attenuation of multiples in image space

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Gabriel F.

In complex subsurface areas, attenuation of 3D specular and diffracted multiples in data space is difficult and inaccurate. In those areas, image space is an attractive alternative. There are several reasons: (1) migration increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the data; (2) primaries are mapped to coherent events in Subsurface Offset Domain Common Image Gathers (SODCIGs) or Angle Domain Common Image Gathers (ADCIGs); (3) image space is regular and smaller; (4) attenuating the multiples in data space leaves holes in the frequency-Wavenumber space that generate artifacts after migration. I develop a new equation for the residual moveout of specular multiples in ADCIGs and use it for the kernel of an apex-shifted Radon transform to focus and separate the primaries from specular and diffracted multiples. Because of small amplitude, phase and kinematic errors in the multiple estimate, we need adaptive matching and subtraction to estimate the primaries. I pose this problem as an iterative least-squares inversion that simultaneously matches the estimates of primaries and multiples to the data. Standard methods match only the estimate of the multiples. I demonstrate with real and synthetic data that the method produces primaries and multiples with little cross-talk. In 3D, the multiples exhibit residual moveout in SODCIGs in in-line and cross-line offsets. They map away from zero subsurface offsets when migrated with the faster velocity of the primaries. In ADCIGs the residual moveout of the primaries as a function of the aperture angle, for a given azimuth, is flat for those angles that illuminate the reflector. The multiples have residual moveout towards increasing depth for increasing aperture angles at all azimuths. As a function of azimuth, the primaries have better azimuth resolution than the multiples at larger aperture angles. I show, with a real 3D dataset, that even below salt, where illumination is poor, the multiples are well attenuated in ADCIGs with the new

Multiple Sclerosis Relapses: Epidemiology, Outcomes and Management. A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalincik, Tomas

2015-01-01

Relapses (episodic exacerbations of neurological signs or symptoms) are a defining feature of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), the most prevalent MS phenotype. While their diagnostic value relates predominantly to the definition of clinically definite MS, their prognostic value is determined by their relatively high associated risk of incomplete remission resulting in residual disability. The mechanisms governing a relapse incidence are unknown, but numerous modifiers of relapse risk have been described, including demographic and clinical characteristics, many of which represent opportunities for improved disease management. Also relapse phenotypes have been associated with patient and disease characteristics and an individual predisposition to certain phenotypic presentations may imply individual neuroanatomical disease patterns. While immunomodulatory therapies and corticosteroids represent the mainstay of relapse prevention and acute management, respectively, their effect has only been partial and further search for more efficient relapse therapies is warranted. Other areas of research include pathophysiology and determinants of relapse incidence, recurrence and phenotypes, including the characteristics of the relapsing and non-relapsing multiple sclerosis variants and their responsiveness to therapies. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Statistical experiments using the multiple regression research for prediction of proper hardness in areas of phosphorus cast-iron brake shoes manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, I.; Cioată, V. G.; Ratiu, S. A.; Rackov, M.; Penčić, M.

2018-01-01

Multivariate research is important in areas of cast-iron brake shoes manufacturing, because many variables interact with each other simultaneously. This article focuses on expressing the multiple linear regression model related to the hardness assurance by the chemical composition of the phosphorous cast irons destined to the brake shoes, having in view that the regression coefficients will illustrate the unrelated contributions of each independent variable towards predicting the dependent variable. In order to settle the multiple correlations between the hardness of the cast-iron brake shoes, and their chemical compositions several regression equations has been proposed. Is searched a mathematical solution which can determine the optimum chemical composition for the hardness desirable values. Starting from the above-mentioned affirmations two new statistical experiments are effectuated related to the values of Phosphorus [P], Manganese [Mn] and Silicon [Si]. Therefore, the regression equations, which describe the mathematical dependency between the above-mentioned elements and the hardness, are determined. As result, several correlation charts will be revealed.

MULTIPLE BIOMARKER RESPONSE IN THE MUSSEL, PERNA PERNA TO ASSESS THE MARINE QUALITY IN THE BIG CASABLANCA AREA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LAILA EL JOURMI

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to assess the marine environment quality in the Big Casablanca area. A number of biochemical markers were measured in the brown mussel, Perna perna, sampled from four sampling sites characterized by a different degree of contamination and human impacts. As biochemical indices; Catalase (CAT, Glutathione S-transferase (GST, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, as well as Malondialdehyde (MDA and Metallothioneine (MT were evaluated in whole soft tissues of mussels collected from the selected sites. The biomarkers showed statistically significant differences at the polluted sites when compared to the control ones. Our data indicated that CAT and GST activity, MDA and MT concentration in whole mussel bodies, are a higher and significant (p < 0.05 in mussels collected at polluted sites when compared to specimen sampled from control ones. In contrary the response of AChE activity was significantly (p<0.05 inhibited in mussels from polluted sites when compared to control values. The multiple biomarker responses obtained for October 2010 and 2011, clearly demonstrate the potential presence of different contaminants in Site1 and Site2 reflecting the intensity of pollution in these areas.

Multiple homicides.

Science.gov (United States)

Copeland, A R

1989-09-01

A study of multiple homicides or multiple deaths involving a solitary incident of violence by another individual was performed on the case files of the Office of the Medical Examiner of Metropolitan Dade County in Miami, Florida, during 1983-1987. A total of 107 multiple homicides were studied: 88 double, 17 triple, one quadruple, and one quintuple. The 236 victims were analyzed regarding age, race, sex, cause of death, toxicologic data, perpetrator, locale of the incident, and reason for the incident. This article compares this type of slaying with other types of homicide including those perpetrated by serial killers. Suggestions for future research in this field are offered.

Radiotherapy in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosch, A; Frias, Z

1988-12-01

Fifty-nine patients with multiple myeloma referred for treatment of painful bony lesions received irradiation to 95 local areas, and 16 of the 59 were irradiated using hemibody techniques. Pain relief was obtained in practically all of the irradiated regions. Most local areas were treated to doses of 3000 cGy in 10 to 15 fractions. Patients with generalized pain due to multiple site involvement were treated with single dose hemibody irradiation, to doses of 600 cGy to the upper hemibody, and of 800 cGy to the lower hemibody. This treatment was well tolerated and side effects minimal. Median survival from diagnosis was 30 months and the survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 80%, 42%, and 12% respectively. Key articles on radiation therapy of multiple myeloma are reviewed and discussed. Since all patients eventually relapse after chemotherapy, the role of radiotherapy using present techniques should be fully evaluated and considered as an alternative in the primary treatment of multiple myeloma.

Cleanup procedures at the Nevada Test Site and at other radioactively contaminated sites including representative costs of cleanup and treatment of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talmage, S.S.; Chilton, B.D.

1987-09-01

This review summarizes available information on cleanup procedures at the Nevada Test Site and at other radioactively contaminated sites. Radionuclide distribution and inventory, size of the contaminated areas, equipment, and cleanup procedures and results are included. Information about the cost of cleanup and treatment for contaminated land is presented. Selected measures that could be useful in estimating the costs of cleaning up radioactively contaminated areas are described. 76 refs., 16 tabs

Generating Vegetation Leaf Area Index Earth System Data Record from Multiple Sensors. Part 1; Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Ganguly, Sangram; Schull, Mitchell A.; Samanta, Arindam; Shabanov, Nikolay V.; Milesi, Cristina; Nemani, Ramakrishna R.; Knyazikhin, Yuri; Myneni, Ranga B.

2008-01-01

The generation of multi-decade long Earth System Data Records (ESDRs) of Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation absorbed by vegetation (FPAR) from remote sensing measurements of multiple sensors is key to monitoring long-term changes in vegetation due to natural and anthropogenic influences. Challenges in developing such ESDRs include problems in remote sensing science (modeling of variability in global vegetation, scaling, atmospheric correction) and sensor hardware (differences in spatial resolution, spectral bands, calibration, and information content). In this paper, we develop a physically based approach for deriving LAI and FPAR products from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data that are of comparable quality to the Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LAI and FPAR products, thus realizing the objective of producing a long (multi-decadal) time series of these products. The approach is based on the radiative transfer theory of canopy spectral invariants which facilitates parameterization of the canopy spectral bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF). The methodology permits decoupling of the structural and radiometric components and obeys the energy conservation law. The approach is applicable to any optical sensor, however, it requires selection of sensor-specific values of configurable parameters, namely, the single scattering albedo and data uncertainty. According to the theory of spectral invariants, the single scattering albedo is a function of the spatial scale, and thus, accounts for the variation in BRF with sensor spatial resolution. Likewise, the single scattering albedo accounts for the variation in spectral BRF with sensor bandwidths. The second adjustable parameter is data uncertainty, which accounts for varying information content of the remote sensing measurements, i.e., Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, low information content), vs. spectral BRF (higher

The Influence of Multiple Specializations on Economic Performance in U.S. Metropolitan Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saheum Hong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Scholars have recently been debating how economic structure affects regional economic performance. Regional economic structure typically indicates how the industries in regions are organized. The attribute of industrial organization in regions is typically measured by how the employment in a region is distributed among various sectors. If the employment in a region is highly concentrated on a limited number of sectors, that region is industrially specialized. On the contrary, when the employment is more evenly distributed among various industries, that region is highly diversified in its industrial organization. In this context, some researchers recognized that diversity and specialization are not opposite concepts. Instead, they can coexist, for example in the form of diversified specializations. In this study, this body of literature was extended by formulating an indicator to measure the extent of multiple specializations in regional economies and by examining the effect of multiple specializations on regional economic performance. Empirical analysis showed that specializing in multiple industrial pursuits helped regions to achieve both faster and more stable economic growth.

Coefficient of variation for use in crop area classification across multiple climates

Science.gov (United States)

Whelen, Tracy; Siqueira, Paul

2018-05-01

In this study, the coefficient of variation (CV) is introduced as a unitless statistical measurement for the classification of croplands using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. As a measurement of change, the CV is able to capture changing backscatter responses caused by cycles of planting, growing, and harvesting, and thus is able to differentiate these areas from a more static forest or urban area. Pixels with CV values above a given threshold are classified as crops, and below the threshold are non-crops. This paper uses cross-polarized L-band SAR data from the ALOS PALSAR satellite to classify eleven regions across the United States, covering a wide range of major crops and climates. Two separate sets of classification were done, with the first targeting the optimum classification thresholds for each dataset, and the second using a generalized threshold for all datasets to simulate a large-scale operationalized situation. Overall accuracies for the first phase of classification ranged from 66%-81%, and 62%-84% for the second phase. Visual inspection of the results shows numerous possibilities for improving the classifications while still using the same classification method, including increasing the number and temporal frequency of input images in order to better capture phenological events and mitigate the effects of major precipitation events, as well as more accurate ground truth data. These improvements would make the CV method a viable tool for monitoring agriculture throughout the year on a global scale.

Automatic treatment of multiple wound coils in 3D finite element problems including multiply connected regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leonard, P.J.; Lai, H.C.; Eastham, J.F.; Al-Akayshee, Q.H. [Univ. of Bath (United Kingdom)

1996-05-01

This paper describes an efficient scheme for incorporating multiple wire wound coils into 3D finite element models. The scheme is based on the magnetic scalar representation with an additional basis for each coil. There are no restrictions on the topology of coils with respect to ferromagnetic and conductor regions. Reduced scalar regions and cuts are automatically generated.

Solution of neutron slowing down equation including multiple inelastic scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Wakil, S.A.; Saad, A.E.

1977-01-01

The present work is devoted the presentation of an analytical method for the calculation of elastically and inelastically slowed down neutrons in an infinite non absorbing homogeneous medium. On the basis of the Central limit theory (CLT) and the integral transform technique the slowing down equation including inelastic scattering in terms of the Green function of elastic scattering is solved. The Green function is decomposed according to the number of collisions. A formula for the flux at any lethargy O (u) after any number of collisions is derived. An equation for the asymptotic flux is also obtained

Individual Income, Area Deprivation, and Health: Do Income-Related Health Inequalities Vary by Small Area Deprivation?

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, Martin; Mielck, Andreas; Maier, Werner

2015-11-01

This paper aims to explore potential associations between health inequalities related to socioeconomic deprivation at the individual and the small area level. We use German cross-sectional survey data for the years 2002 and 2006, and measure small area deprivation via the German Index of Multiple Deprivation. We test the differences between concentration indices of income-related and small area deprivation related inequalities in obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Our results suggest that small area deprivation and individual income both yield inequalities in health favoring the better-off, where individual income-related inequalities are significantly more pronounced than those related to small area deprivation. We then apply a semiparametric extension of Wagstaff's corrected concentration index to explore how individual-level health inequalities vary with the degree of regional deprivation. We find that the concentration of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes among lower income groups also exists at the small area level. The degree of deprivation-specific income-related inequalities in the three health outcomes exhibits only little variations across different levels of multiple deprivation for both sexes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Detecting inter-aquifer leakage in areas with limited data using hydraulics and multiple environmental tracers, including 4He, 36Cl/Cl, 14C and 87Sr/86Sr

Science.gov (United States)

Priestley, Stacey C.; Wohling, Daniel L.; Keppel, Mark N.; Post, Vincent E. A.; Love, Andrew J.; Shand, Paul; Tyroller, Lina; Kipfer, Rolf

2017-11-01

The investigation of regionally extensive groundwater systems in remote areas is hindered by a shortage of data due to a sparse observation network, which limits our understanding of the hydrogeological processes in arid regions. The study used a multidisciplinary approach to determine hydraulic connectivity between the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) and the underlying Arckaringa Basin in the desert region of Central Australia. In order to manage the impacts of groundwater abstraction from the Arckaringa Basin, it is vital to understand its connectivity with the GAB (upper aquifer), as the latter supports local pastoral stations and groundwater-dependent springs with unique endemic flora and fauna. The study is based on the collation of available geological information, a detailed analysis of hydraulic data, and data on environmental tracers. Enhanced inter-aquifer leakage in the centre of the study area was identified, as well as recharge to the GAB from ephemeral rivers and waterholes. Throughout the rest of the study area, inter-aquifer leakage is likely controlled by diffuse inter-aquifer leakage, but the coarse spatial resolution means that the presence of additional enhanced inter-aquifer leakage sites cannot be excluded. This study makes the case that a multi-tracer approach along with groundwater hydraulics and geology provides a tool-set to investigate enhanced inter-aquifer leakage even in a groundwater basin with a paucity of data. A particular problem encountered in this study was the ambiguous interpretation of different age tracers, which is attributed to diffusive transport across flow paths caused by low recharge rates.

Multiple Spatial Coherence Resonances and Spatial Patterns in a Noise-Driven Heterogeneous Neuronal Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yu-Ye; Ding Xue-Li

2014-01-01

Heterogeneity of the neurons and noise are inevitable in the real neuronal network. In this paper, Gaussian white noise induced spatial patterns including spiral waves and multiple spatial coherence resonances are studied in a network composed of Morris—Lecar neurons with heterogeneity characterized by parameter diversity. The relationship between the resonances and the transitions between ordered spiral waves and disordered spatial patterns are achieved. When parameter diversity is introduced, the maxima of multiple resonances increases first, and then decreases as diversity strength increases, which implies that the coherence degrees induced by noise are enhanced at an intermediate diversity strength. The synchronization degree of spatial patterns including ordered spiral waves and disordered patterns is identified to be a very low level. The results suggest that the nervous system can profit from both heterogeneity and noise, and the multiple spatial coherence resonances are achieved via the emergency of spiral waves instead of synchronization patterns. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Whole body MR in patients with multiple myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piekarek, A.; Sosnowski, P.; Nowicki, A.; Komarnicki, M.

2009-01-01

Background: Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells which leads to bone marrow infiltration. Aim: Whole-body MR is the most sensitive imaging method available to detect multiple myeloma lesions. Ma terial and methods: MR scans were performed in 100 patients with multiple myeloma who were receiving treatment in the Haematology Clinic in Poznan in the years 2005 - 2006. Whole-body MR scans were performed with general coil 1.0 T in STIR sequences and T1 sequences, in coronal and sagittal planes with scanning area covering the head, neck, trunk and the limbs (FOV for specific regions was 36 -48 cm). The bone lesions were classified as focal (monofocal/multifocal lesions), infiltrative, mixed and 'salt and pepper' type. Depending on the size of the lesions the patients were included in one of three groups according to Salmon-Durie Plus classification. Results: Four main types of multiple myeloma were distinguished based on MR scans: focal (48 patients; monofocal in 10 patients), infiltrative (17 patients), mixed type (19 patients) and 'salt and pepper' type (4 patients). The remaining 12 patients had no multiple myeloma lesions in the bone marrow. Additionally, in 18% of patients a soft tissue mass could be observed. According to Salmon-Durie Plus categorisation 27 subjects were classified as having stage I, 16 patients stage and 57 patients stage III disease. In 12% of patients MR data changed the disease staging. Conclusions: WB MR is a sensitive and effective diagnostic method with an important impact on staging and further treatment of multiple myeloma. (authors)

Soil organic carbon distribution in Mediterranean areas under a climate change scenario via multiple linear regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Olaya-Abril, Alfonso; Parras-Alcántara, Luis; Lozano-García, Beatriz; Obregón-Romero, Rafael

2017-08-15

Over time, the interest on soil studies has increased due to its role in carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems, which could contribute to decreasing atmospheric CO 2 rates. In many studies, independent variables were related to soil organic carbon (SOC) alone, however, the contribution degree of each variable with the experimentally determined SOC content were not considered. In this study, samples from 612 soil profiles were obtained in a natural protected (Red Natura 2000) of Sierra Morena (Mediterranean area, South Spain), considering only the topsoil 0-25cm, for better comparison between results. 24 independent variables were used to define it relationship with SOC content. Subsequently, using a multiple linear regression analysis, the effects of these variables on the SOC correlation was considered. Finally, the best parameters determined with the regression analysis were used in a climatic change scenario. The model indicated that SOC in a future scenario of climate change depends on average temperature of coldest quarter (41.9%), average temperature of warmest quarter (34.5%), annual precipitation (22.2%) and annual average temperature (1.3%). When the current and future situations were compared, the SOC content in the study area was reduced a 35.4%, and a trend towards migration to higher latitude and altitude was observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Numerical Treatment of Two-phase Flow in Porous Media Including Specific Interfacial Area

KAUST Repository

El-Amin, Mohamed; Meftah, R.; Salama, Amgad; Sun, Shuyu

2015-01-01

-matrices method which can reduce the time-consuming operations. A new iterative implicit algorithm has been developed to solve the problem under consideration. All advection and advection-like terms that appear in saturation equation and interfacial area equation

A Holistic Approach Including Biological and Geological Criteria for Integrative Management in Protected Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Peña, Lorena; Monge-Ganuzas, Manu; Onaindia, Miren; De Manuel, Beatriz Fernández; Mendia, Miren

2017-02-01

Biodiversity hotspots and geosites are indivisible parts of natural heritage. Therefore, an adequate spatial delimitation and understanding of both and their linkages are necessary in order to be able to establish conservation policies. Normally, biodiversity hotspots are a typical target for those policies but, generally, geosites are not taken into account. Thus, this paper aims to fill this gap by providing an easily replicable method for the identification and integration of the geosites and the biodiversity hotspots in a Network for Integrative Nature Conservation that highlights their linkages. The method here presented has been applied to Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve situated in southeastern of the Bay of Biscay. The obtained results indicate that some geosites that are not directly related with biodiversity hotspots remain unprotected. Thus, from the study carried out, it can be stated that we conserving just the biodiversity hotspots is not enough to conserve the whole natural heritage of a protected area, as some plots interesting due to their relevant geoheritage remain unprotected. Therefore, it is necessary to fully integrate geosites into the planning documents of protected areas as a part of an ecosystem approach. The ecosystem approach recognizes the integrity of abiotic and biotic elements in nature conservation policies. Moreover, the proposed framework and the innovative methodology can be used as an easy input to identify priority areas for conservation, to improve the protected areas conservation planning, and to demonstrate the linkages between biodiversity hotspots and geosites.

A Holistic Approach Including Biological and Geological Criteria for Integrative Management in Protected Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Peña, Lorena; Monge-Ganuzas, Manu; Onaindia, Miren; De Manuel, Beatriz Fernández; Mendia, Miren

2017-02-01

Biodiversity hotspots and geosites are indivisible parts of natural heritage. Therefore, an adequate spatial delimitation and understanding of both and their linkages are necessary in order to be able to establish conservation policies. Normally, biodiversity hotspots are a typical target for those policies but, generally, geosites are not taken into account. Thus, this paper aims to fill this gap by providing an easily replicable method for the identification and integration of the geosites and the biodiversity hotspots in a Network for Integrative Nature Conservation that highlights their linkages. The method here presented has been applied to Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve situated in southeastern of the Bay of Biscay. The obtained results indicate that some geosites that are not directly related with biodiversity hotspots remain unprotected. Thus, from the study carried out, it can be stated that we conserving just the biodiversity hotspots is not enough to conserve the whole natural heritage of a protected area, as some plots interesting due to their relevant geoheritage remain unprotected. Therefore, it is necessary to fully integrate geosites into the planning documents of protected areas as a part of an ecosystem approach. The ecosystem approach recognizes the integrity of abiotic and biotic elements in nature conservation policies. Moreover, the proposed framework and the innovative methodology can be used as an easy input to identify priority areas for conservation, to improve the protected areas conservation planning, and to demonstrate the linkages between biodiversity hotspots and geosites.

Free-space optical code-division multiple-access system design

Science.gov (United States)

Jeromin, Lori L.; Kaufmann, John E.; Bucher, Edward A.

1993-08-01

This paper describes an optical direct-detection multiple access communications system for free-space satellite networks utilizing code-division multiple-access (CDMA) and forward error correction (FEC) coding. System performance is characterized by how many simultaneous users operating at data rate R can be accommodated in a signaling bandwidth W. The performance of two CDMA schemes, optical orthogonal codes (OOC) with FEC and orthogonal convolutional codes (OCC), is calculated and compared to information-theoretic capacity bounds. The calculations include the effects of background and detector noise as well as nonzero transmitter extinction ratio and power imbalance among users. A system design for 10 kbps multiple-access communications between low-earth orbit satellites is given. With near- term receiver technology and representative system losses, a 15 W peak-power transmitter provides 10-6 BER performance with seven interfering users and full moon background in the receiver FOV. The receiver employs an array of discrete wide-area avalanche photodiodes (APD) for wide field of view coverage. Issues of user acquisition and synchronization, implementation technology, and system scalability are also discussed.

Monolithic mode locked DBR laser with multiple-bandgap MQW structure realized by selective area growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schilling, M.; Bouayad-Amine, J.; Feeser, T.; Haisch, H.; Kuehn, E.; Lach, E.; Satzke, K.; Weber, J.; Zielinski, E. [Alcatel Telecom, Stuttgart (Germany). Research Div.

1996-12-31

The realization of novel monolithically integrated multiple-segment pulse laser sources in InGaAsP MQW technology is reported. The MQW layers for all functional sections of these devices, the modulator, the active (gain) and the passive waveguide, as well as the Bragg section were grown in a single selective area growth (SAG) step by LP-MOVPE on SiO{sub 2} patterned 2 inch InP substrates. Due to a properly selected pattern geometry 3 different bandgap regions with smooth interfaces are thereby formed along the laser cavity. The more than 4 mm long DBR lasers which exhibit a threshold current as low as 30 mA were mode locked by an intra-cavity electroabsorption modulator applying a sinusoidal voltage at around 10 GHz. In this way an optical pulse train with pulse widths < 13 ps (measured with a streak camera) and high extinction ratio was generated. A time-bandwidth product of 0.5 close to the Fourier limit is obtained. This device is very attractive for signal generation in 40 Gb/s OTDM transmission systems at 1.55 {micro}m wavelength.

Fingolimod hydrochloride for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Katja; Proschmann, Undine; Ziemssen, Tjalf

2017-10-01

Fingolimod was the first oral and the first in class disease modifying treatment in multiple sclerosis that acts as sphingosine-1-phospathe receptor agonist. Since approval in 2010 there is a growing experience with fingolimod use in clinical practice, but also next-generation sphingosin-1-receptor agonists in ongoing clinical trials. Growing evidence demonstrates additional effects beyond impact on lymphocyte circulation, highlighting further promising targets in multiple sclerosis therapy. Areas covered: Here we present a systematic review using PubMed database searching and expert opinion on fingolimod use in clinical practice. Long-term data of initial clinical trials and post-marketing evaluations including long-term efficacy, safety, tolerability and management especially within growing disease modifying treatment options and pre-treatment constellation in multiple sclerosis patients are critically discussed. Furthermore novel findings in mechanism of actions and prospective on additional use in progressive forms in multiple sclerosis are presented. Expert opinion: There is an extensive long-term experience on fingolimod use in clinical practice demonstrating the favorable benefit-risk of this drug. Using a defined risk management approach experienced MS clinicians should apply fingolimod after critical choice of patients and review of clinical aspects. Further studies are essential to discuss additional benefit in progressive forms in multiple sclerosis.

WCDMA Uplink Interference Assessment from Multiple High Altitude Platform Configurations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace D

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We investigate the possibility of multiple high altitude platform (HAP coverage of a common cell area using a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA system. In particular, we study the uplink system performance of the system. The results show that depending on the traffic demand and the type of service used, there is a possibility of deploying 3–6 HAPs covering the same cell area. The results also show the effect of cell radius on performance and the position of the multiple HAP base stations which give the worst performance.

The application of remote sensing technique to metallogenetic prognosis in the covered area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Xianfang; Tian Hua; Luo Fusheng; Feng Jie; Huang Shutao; Guo Hongyan; Zhang Shuiming

1994-08-01

The idea, method and procedure of remote sensing research in the covered area are discussed. Using satellite image processing method (including faint information processing) in combination with multiple information comprehensive interpretation to decipher information of geological bodies covered with unconsolidated overburden and to predict favourable districts is also introduced. Taking the Yili basin for example, how to interpret ore-controlling factors is described. The concealed productive uranium formations which dominate uranium distribution have been delineated. The uplift and subsidence which are related to sedimentary environment and mineralization concentration have been discriminated. The faults (including the buried faults) which control the formation and development of the basin have been discerned. The stable and active areas, which are connected with uranium concentration, and preservation, and regional discharge zone have been interpreted. The result shows the feasibility of using remote sensing technique to predict the mineralization in the covered area, and six target areas have been optimized for further uranium reconnaissance and exploration in the study area

Multiple shooting applied to robust reservoir control optimization including output constraints on coherent risk measures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Codas, Andrés; Hanssen, Kristian G.; Foss, Bjarne

2017-01-01

The production life of oil reservoirs starts under significant uncertainty regarding the actual economical return of the recovery process due to the lack of oil field data. Consequently, investors and operators make management decisions based on a limited and uncertain description of the reservoir....... In this work, we propose a new formulation for robust optimization of reservoir well controls. It is inspired by the multiple shooting (MS) method which permits a broad range of parallelization opportunities and output constraint handling. This formulation exploits coherent risk measures, a concept...

Auxiliary variables in multiple imputation in regression with missing X: a warning against including too many in small sample research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hardt Jochen

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple imputation is becoming increasingly popular. Theoretical considerations as well as simulation studies have shown that the inclusion of auxiliary variables is generally of benefit. Methods A simulation study of a linear regression with a response Y and two predictors X1 and X2 was performed on data with n = 50, 100 and 200 using complete cases or multiple imputation with 0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 auxiliary variables. Mechanisms of missingness were either 100% MCAR or 50% MAR + 50% MCAR. Auxiliary variables had low (r=.10 vs. moderate correlations (r=.50 with X’s and Y. Results The inclusion of auxiliary variables can improve a multiple imputation model. However, inclusion of too many variables leads to downward bias of regression coefficients and decreases precision. When the correlations are low, inclusion of auxiliary variables is not useful. Conclusion More research on auxiliary variables in multiple imputation should be performed. A preliminary rule of thumb could be that the ratio of variables to cases with complete data should not go below 1 : 3.

Simultaneous reconstruction of multiple depth images without off-focus points in integral imaging using a graphics processing unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Faliu; Lee, Jieun; Moon, Inkyu

2014-05-01

The reconstruction of multiple depth images with a ray back-propagation algorithm in three-dimensional (3D) computational integral imaging is computationally burdensome. Further, a reconstructed depth image consists of a focus and an off-focus area. Focus areas are 3D points on the surface of an object that are located at the reconstructed depth, while off-focus areas include 3D points in free-space that do not belong to any object surface in 3D space. Generally, without being removed, the presence of an off-focus area would adversely affect the high-level analysis of a 3D object, including its classification, recognition, and tracking. Here, we use a graphics processing unit (GPU) that supports parallel processing with multiple processors to simultaneously reconstruct multiple depth images using a lookup table containing the shifted values along the x and y directions for each elemental image in a given depth range. Moreover, each 3D point on a depth image can be measured by analyzing its statistical variance with its corresponding samples, which are captured by the two-dimensional (2D) elemental images. These statistical variances can be used to classify depth image pixels as either focus or off-focus points. At this stage, the measurement of focus and off-focus points in multiple depth images is also implemented in parallel on a GPU. Our proposed method is conducted based on the assumption that there is no occlusion of the 3D object during the capture stage of the integral imaging process. Experimental results have demonstrated that this method is capable of removing off-focus points in the reconstructed depth image. The results also showed that using a GPU to remove the off-focus points could greatly improve the overall computational speed compared with using a CPU.

V-shaped resonators for addition of broad-area laser diode arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bo; Liu, Yun; Braiman, Yehuda Y.

2012-12-25

A system and method for addition of broad-area semiconductor laser diode arrays are described. The system can include an array of laser diodes, a V-shaped external cavity, and grating systems to provide feedback for phase-locking of the laser diode array. A V-shaped mirror used to couple the laser diode emissions along two optical paths can be a V-shaped prism mirror, a V-shaped stepped mirror or include multiple V-shaped micro-mirrors. The V-shaped external cavity can be a ring cavity. The system can include an external injection laser to further improve coherence and phase-locking.

Sudden multiple fractures in a patient with sarcoidosis in multiple organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sada, Mitsuru; Saraya, Takeshi; Ishii, Haruyuki; Goto, Hajime

2014-04-07

A 30-year-old man who incidentally fractured his right olecranon and other multiple phalanges was admitted to our hospital. He had a 2-year history of uveitis and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL), and pulmonary sarcoidosis was diagnosed from transbronchial lung biopsy. Right elbow arthrodesis was performed, and biopsied specimens showed non-caseating epithelioid cell granuloma, suggesting osseous sarcoidosis. He was discharged uneventfully without further treatment, but BHL had progressed with the appearance of lung parenchymal lesions 3 months later. At that time, involvement of other organs was also noted on Gallium-67 scintigraphy, showing accumulations in BHL, axillary and inguinal lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen and subcutaneous areas. After initiation of steroid therapy, multiple organ involvement improved, and no further bone involvement has been recognised to date. Osseous sarcoidosis complicated by bone fracture is an extremely rare presentation, but should be considered in patients with sarcoidosis, especially when multiple organs are involved.

Use of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to describe patient-reported disability in multiple sclerosis and identification of relevant environmental factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Fary; Pallant, Julie F

2007-01-01

To use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to describe patient-reported disability in multiple sclerosis and identify relevant environmental factors. Cross-sectional survey of 101 participants in the community. Their multiple sclerosis-related problems were linked with ICF categories (second level) using a checklist, consensus between health professionals and the "linking rules". The impact of multiple sclerosis on health areas corresponding to 48 ICF categories was also assessed. A total of 170 ICF categories were identified (mean age 49 years, 72 were female). Average number of problems reported was 18. The categories include 48 (42%) for body function, 16 (34%) body structure, 68 (58%) activities and participation and 38 (51%) for environmental factors. Extreme impact in health areas corresponding to ICF categories for activities and participation were reported for mobility, work, everyday home activities, community and social activities. While those for the environmental factors (barriers) included products for mobility, attitudes of extended family, restriction accessing social security and health resources. This study is a first step in the use of the ICF in persons with multiple sclerosis and towards development of the ICF Core set for multiple sclerosis from a broader international perspective.

[Overload in the informal caregivers of patients with multiple comorbidities in an urban area].

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-Tello, Margarita; Casado-Mejía, Rosa; Ortega-Calvo, Manuel; Ruiz-Arias, Esperanza

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was, to determine the profile of the family caregiver of patients with multiple pathologies, identify factors associated with overload, and construct predictive models using items from the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI). A cross-sectional study of caregivers of patients with multiple comorbidities who attended an urban health centre. Data were collected from health records and questionnaires (Barthel index, Pfeiffer index, and CSI). Statistical analysis was performed using measures of central tendency and dispersion, and by building multivariate models with binary logistic regression with the CSI items as predictors (program R version 2.14.0). The sample included 67 caregivers, with a mean age of 64.69 years (standard deviation=12.71, median 62 years), of whom 74.6% were women, 35.8% were wives, and 32.8% were daughters. The level of dependence of the patients cared for was total/severe in 77.6%, and moderate in 12% (Barthel), and 47.8% had some level of cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer). A CSI equal or greater than 7 was seen in 47.8% of caregivers, identifying life problems in more than 40% of them such as, restriction of social life, physical exertion, discomfort with change, bad behaviour, personal and family emotional changes, and sleep disturbances. Item 4 of the CSI, analysing the social restriction, was the one that showed a greater significance in the predictive multivariate model. Item 12 (economic burden) was the most significant with age in patients with cognitive impairment. Women tend to take the role of caregiver at an earlier age than men in the urban environment studied, and items from CSI showed that items 4 (social restrictions) and 12 (economic burden) have more significance in the predictive models constructed with Binary Logistic Regression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Coupled orbit-attitude motion of high area-to-mass ratio (HAMR) objects including efficient self-shadowing

Science.gov (United States)

Früh, Carolin; Jah, Moriba K.

2014-02-01

This paper shows the effect of self-shadowing on the coupled attitude-orbit dynamics of objects with high area-to-mass ratios (HAMR) in simulating standard multi layer insulation materials (MLI) as tilted single rigid sheets. Efficient and computationally fast self-shadowing methods have been developed. This includes an approximate self-shadowing method and a rapid exact self-shadowing method. Accuracy considerations are made and the effect of a chosen tessellation is shown. The coupled orbit-attitude perturbations of solar radiation pressure and Earth gravity field are taken into account. The results are compared to the attitude-orbit dynamics, when neglecting self-shadowing effects. An averaged physical shadow-map model is developed and compared to the full self-shadowing simulation. The combined effect of solar radiation pressure and self-shadowing leads to a rapid spin-up of the objects, even though they have uniform reflection properties. As a result, the observed brightness of these objects is subject to rapid changes.

Study of the wide area of a lake with remote sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaridou, Maria A.; Karagianni, Aikaterini C.

2016-08-01

Water bodies are particularly important for environment and development issues. Their study requires multiple information. Remote sensing has been proven useful in the above study. This paper concerns the wide area of Lake Orestiada in the region of Western Macedonia in Greece. The area is of particular interest because Lake Orestiada is included in the Natura 2000 network and is surrounded by diverse landcovers as built up areas and agricultural land. Multispectral and thermal Landsat 5 satellite images of two time periods are being used. Their processing is being done by Erdas Imagine software. The general physiognomy of the area and the lake shore are examined after image enhancement techniques and image interpretation. Directions of the study concern geomorphological aspects, land covers, estimation of surface temperature as well as changes through time.

[Multiple sclerosis, loss of functionality and gender].

Science.gov (United States)

Bravo-González, Félix; Álvarez-Roldán, Arturo

2017-12-01

To identify the type of support and assistance that patients with multiple sclerosis need in order to cope with the loss of functionality, and to show how gender affects the perception of these needs. Interpretative-phenomenological qualitative study. Granada (Spain). Year: 2014. Intentional sample: 30 patients and 20 family caregivers. Data were gathered from 26 interviews and 4 focus groups. The data were coded and analysed with the NVivo programme. The multiple sclerosis patients and family caregivers had different perceptions of the loss of capacity to undertake activities of daily living. Being able to self care was considered the last vestige of autonomy. The women with multiple sclerosis tried to take on the responsibility of housework, but the male caregivers became gradually involved in these tasks. Gender roles were redefined with respect to housekeeping. The multiple sclerosis patients showed a need for emotional support. Some of the men had abandoned the stereotype of the strong male as a result of the decline in their health. Adaptations in the home took place without planning them in advance. The use of mobility devices started on an occasional basis. A fear of stigma was an obstacle for regular use of assistive technology. Health care for people with multiple sclerosis should include family caregivers. Gender influences the perception that caregivers and patients have of the assistance they require to maximise their quality of life. This flags up several intervention areas for the follow-up and long-term care of these patients by the healthcare system. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

WCDMA Uplink Interference Assessment from Multiple High Altitude Platform Configurations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Mohammed

2008-06-01

Full Text Available We investigate the possibility of multiple high altitude platform (HAP coverage of a common cell area using a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA system. In particular, we study the uplink system performance of the system. The results show that depending on the traffic demand and the type of service used, there is a possibility of deploying 3–6 HAPs covering the same cell area. The results also show the effect of cell radius on performance and the position of the multiple HAP base stations which give the worst performance.

Areas of Hospitality Management and Stakeholders in Recruitment and Selection Multiple Case Study: Estanplaza, Travel in and Transamérica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago Sbarai Santos Alves

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This research aims to analyze the relationships between recruitment and selection and its stakeholders, considering the areas of hospitality and its characteristics as influential factors to recruit and select new employees. The research approach was qualitative methodologies for the study of multiple cases, which contributed to the form of empirical research. For this investigation were selected by three chains together features that enabled a comparative analysis of the study, which were used for data collection, three sources of evidence: interviews, direct observations and documentation. The selected networks, Estanplaza Hotels, Hotels Transamerica and Travel Inn Hotels The overall goal was to understand the processes used in recruitment and selection set features the fields of hospitality. From this issue were established specific objectives: to observe the dynamics of recruitment and selection of chains; analyze the content related to the fields of hospitality in the tools used in the process of recruitment and selection, and meet stakeholders in this area. The research was conducted through interviews with managers of lodging facilities and with stakeholders in the area of recruitment and selection, based on a semistructured interview guide. Through this research, we found that some features of the fields of hospitality are considered in the process of recruitment and selection. Chains surveyed, however, point out that it is necessary to use tools and processes that enable this type of analysis.

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D

Science.gov (United States)

... Editors David C. Spencer, MD Steven Karceski, MD Multiple sclerosis and vitamin D Andrew J. Solomon, MD WHAT ... caused by improper immune responses (autoimmune diseases), including multiple sclerosis (MS). A recent Patient Page in Neurology provided ...

A Simple Proof of Cauchy's Surface Area Formula

OpenAIRE

Tsukerman, Emmanuel; Veomett, Ellen

2016-01-01

We give a short and simple proof of Cauchy's surface area formula, which states that the average area of a projection of a convex body is equal to its surface area up to a multiplicative constant in the dimension.

Multiple sectioning and perforation techniques for TEM sub-surface studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, E.H.; Rowcliffe, A.F.

1978-01-01

Techniques for preparing multiple electron transparent regions at several depth levels below the surface of a metal disk specimen are described. These techniques are relatively rapid and find application in many areas involving surface studies. Examples are shown of multiple thin areas produced at intervals of approximately 200 nm below the original surface of a stainless steel bombarded with 4 MeV Ni +2 ions for void swelling studies

spatially identifying vulnerable areas

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The model structure is aimed at understanding the critical vulnerable factors that ... This paper incorporates multiple criteria and rank risk factors. ..... In terms of quantifying vulnerable areas within the country, the analysis is done based on 9 ...

A discriminator with a current-sum multiplicity output for the PHENIX multiplicity vertex detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.S.; Kennedy, E.J.; Jackson, R.G.

1996-01-01

A current output multiplicity discriminator for use in the front-end electronics (FEE) of the Multiplicity Vertex Detector (MVD) for the PHENIX detector at RHIC has been fabricated in the a 1.2-micro CMOS, n-well process. The discriminator is capable of triggering on input signals ranging from 0.25 MIP to 5 MIP. Frequency response of the discriminator is such that the circuit is capable of generating an output for every bunch crossing (105 ns) of the RHIC collider. Channel-to-channel threshold matching was adjustable to ± 4 mV. One channel of multiplicity discriminator occupied an area of 85 micro x 630 micro and consumed 515 microW from a single 5-V supply. Details of the design and results from prototype device testing are presented

The dyad palindromic glutathione transferase P enhancer binds multiple factors including AP1.

Science.gov (United States)

Diccianni, M B; Imagawa, M; Muramatsu, M

1992-10-11

Glutathione Transferase P (GST-P) gene expression is dominantly regulated by an upstream enhancer (GPEI) consisting of a dyad of palindromically oriented imperfect TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate)-responsive elements (TRE). GPEI is active in AP1-lacking F9 cells as well in AP1-containing HeLa cells. Despite GPEI's similarity to a TRE, c-jun co-transfection has only a minimal effect on transactivation. Antisense c-jun and c-fos co-transfection experiments further demonstrate the lack of a role for AP1 in GPEI mediated trans-activation in F9 cells, although endogenously present AP1 can influence GPEI in HeLa cells. Co-transfection of delta fosB with c-jun, which forms an inactive c-Jun/delta FosB heterodimer that binds TRE sequences, inhibits GPEI-mediated transcription in AP1-lacking F9 cells as well as AP1-containing HeLa cells. These data suggest novel factor(s) other than AP1 are influencing GPEI. Binding studies reveal multiple nucleoproteins bind to GPEI. These factors are likely responsible for the high level of GPEI-mediated transcription observed in the absence of AP1 and during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Multiscale Framework for Assessing Critical Loads of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition for Aquatic Ecosystems in Wilderness Areas of the Western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Nanus, Leora; Clow, David; Saros, Jasmine; McMurray, Jill; Blett, Tamara; Sickman, James

2017-04-01

High-elevation aquatic ecosystems in Wilderness areas of the western United States are impacted by current and historic atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition associated with local and regional air pollution. Documented effects include elevated surface water nitrate concentrations, increased algal productivity, and changes in diatom species assemblages. A predictive framework was developed for sensitive high-elevation basins across the western United States at multiple spatial scales including the Rocky Mountain Region (Rockies), the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA), and Yosemite (YOSE) and Sequoia & Kings Canyon (SEKI) National Parks. Spatial trends in critical loads of N deposition for nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems were quantified and mapped using a geostatistical approach, with modeled N deposition, topography, vegetation, geology, and climate as potential explanatory variables. Multiple predictive models were created using various combinations of explanatory variables; this approach allowed for better quantification of uncertainty and identification of areas most sensitive to high atmospheric N deposition (> 3 kg N ha-1 yr-1). For multiple spatial scales, the lowest critical loads estimates (1.5 + 1 kg N ha-1 yr-1) correspond with areas of high N deposition and vary spatially ranging from less than 20% to over 40% of the study area for the Rockies, GYA, YOSE, and SEKI. These predictive models and maps identify sensitive aquatic ecosystems that may be impacted by excess atmospheric N deposition and can be used to help protect against future anthropogenic disturbance. The approach presented here may be transferable to other remote and protected high-elevation ecosystems at multiple spatial scales that are sensitive to adverse effects of pollutant loading in the US and around the world.

Functional Multiple-Set Canonical Correlation Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Heungsun; Jung, Kwanghee; Takane, Yoshio; Woodward, Todd S.

2012-01-01

We propose functional multiple-set canonical correlation analysis for exploring associations among multiple sets of functions. The proposed method includes functional canonical correlation analysis as a special case when only two sets of functions are considered. As in classical multiple-set canonical correlation analysis, computationally, the…

Efficacy in Teaching through "Multiple Intelligence" Instructional Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Tamilselvi, B.; Geetha, D.

2015-01-01

Multiple intelligence is the theory that "people are smart in more ways than one has immense implication for educators". Howard Gardner proposed a new view of intelligence that is rapidly being incorporated in school curricula. In his theory of Multiple Intelligences, Gardner expanded the concept of intelligence with such areas as music,…

Cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

S Srinivasulu Raju; M Umapathy; G Uma

2015-01-01

Energy harvesting employing piezoelectric materials in mechanical structures such as cantilever beams, plates, diaphragms, etc, has been an emerging area of research in recent years. The research in this area is also focused on structural tailoring to improve the harvested power from the energy harvesters. Towards this aim, this paper presents a method for improving the harvested power from a cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester by introducing multiple rectangular cavities. A generalized model for a piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple rectangular cavities at a single section and two sections is developed. A method is suggested to optimize the thickness of the cavities and the number of cavities required to generate a higher output voltage for a given cantilever beam structure. The performance of the optimized energy harvesters is evaluated analytically and through experimentation. The simulation and experimental results show that the performance of the energy harvester can be increased with multiple cavities compared to the harvester with a single cavity. (paper)

iStimulation: Apple iPad Use with Children Who Are Visually Impaired, Including Those with Multiple Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Campaña, Laura V.; Ouimet, Donald A.

2015-01-01

Since its creation in the early 1980s, Light Box, a product developed by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) that is designed for working on functional vision tasks with children who have visual impairments or multiple disabilities, has been an effective tool to help teach children with visual impairments to locate and track items…

Enhanced peripheral visual processing in congenitally deaf humans is supported by multiple brain regions, including primary auditory cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory D. Scott

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Brain reorganization associated with altered sensory experience clarifies the critical role of neuroplasticity in development. An example is enhanced peripheral visual processing associated with congenital deafness, but the neural systems supporting this have not been fully characterized. A gap in our understanding of deafness-enhanced peripheral vision is the contribution of primary auditory cortex. Previous studies of auditory cortex that use anatomical normalization across participants were limited by inter-subject variability of Heschl’s gyrus. In addition to reorganized auditory cortex (cross-modal plasticity, a second gap in our understanding is the contribution of altered modality-specific cortices (visual intramodal plasticity in this case, as well as supramodal and multisensory cortices, especially when target detection is required across contrasts. Here we address these gaps by comparing fMRI signal change for peripheral versus perifoveal visual stimulation (11-15° vs. 2°-7° in congenitally deaf and hearing participants in a blocked experimental design with two analytical approaches: a Heschl’s gyrus region of interest analysis and a whole brain analysis. Our results using individually-defined primary auditory cortex (Heschl’s gyrus indicate that fMRI signal change for more peripheral stimuli was greater than perifoveal in deaf but not in hearing participants. Whole-brain analyses revealed differences between deaf and hearing participants for peripheral versus perifoveal visual processing in extrastriate visual cortex including primary auditory cortex, MT+/V5, superior-temporal auditory and multisensory and/or supramodal regions, such as posterior parietal cortex, frontal eye fields, anterior cingulate, and supplementary eye fields. Overall, these data demonstrate the contribution of neuroplasticity in multiple systems including primary auditory cortex, supramodal and multisensory regions, to altered visual processing in

Stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trials: a generic framework including parallel and multiple-level designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemming, Karla; Lilford, Richard; Girling, Alan J

2015-01-30

Stepped-wedge cluster randomised trials (SW-CRTs) are being used with increasing frequency in health service evaluation. Conventionally, these studies are cross-sectional in design with equally spaced steps, with an equal number of clusters randomised at each step and data collected at each and every step. Here we introduce several variations on this design and consider implications for power. One modification we consider is the incomplete cross-sectional SW-CRT, where the number of clusters varies at each step or where at some steps, for example, implementation or transition periods, data are not collected. We show that the parallel CRT with staggered but balanced randomisation can be considered a special case of the incomplete SW-CRT. As too can the parallel CRT with baseline measures. And we extend these designs to allow for multiple layers of clustering, for example, wards within a hospital. Building on results for complete designs, power and detectable difference are derived using a Wald test and obtaining the variance-covariance matrix of the treatment effect assuming a generalised linear mixed model. These variations are illustrated by several real examples. We recommend that whilst the impact of transition periods on power is likely to be small, where they are a feature of the design they should be incorporated. We also show examples in which the power of a SW-CRT increases as the intra-cluster correlation (ICC) increases and demonstrate that the impact of the ICC is likely to be smaller in a SW-CRT compared with a parallel CRT, especially where there are multiple levels of clustering. Finally, through this unified framework, the efficiency of the SW-CRT and the parallel CRT can be compared. © 2014 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interger multiplication with overflow detection or saturation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulte, M.J.; Balzola, P.I.; Akkas, A.; Brocato, R.W.

2000-01-11

High-speed multiplication is frequently used in general-purpose and application-specific computer systems. These systems often support integer multiplication, where two n-bit integers are multiplied to produce a 2n-bit product. To prevent growth in word length, processors typically return the n least significant bits of the product and a flag that indicates whether or not overflow has occurred. Alternatively, some processors saturate results that overflow to the most positive or most negative representable number. This paper presents efficient methods for performing unsigned or two's complement integer multiplication with overflow detection or saturation. These methods have significantly less area and delay than conventional methods for integer multiplication with overflow detection and saturation.

Klotho: a humeral mediator in CSF and plasma that influences longevity and susceptibility to multiple complex disorders, including depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlatou, M G; Remaley, A T; Gold, P W

2016-08-30

Klotho is a hormone secreted into human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma and urine that promotes longevity and influences the onset of several premature senescent phenotypes in mice and humans, including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, stroke and osteoporosis. Preliminary studies also suggest that Klotho possesses tumor suppressor properties. Klotho's roles in these phenomena were first suggested by studies demonstrating that a defect in the Klotho gene in mice results in a significant decrease in lifespan. The Klotho-deficient mouse dies prematurely at 8-9 weeks of age. At 4-5 weeks of age, a syndrome resembling human ageing emerges consisting of atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, cognitive disturbances and alterations of hippocampal architecture. Several deficits in Klotho-deficient mice are likely to contribute to these phenomena. These include an inability to defend against oxidative stress in the central nervous system and periphery, decreased capacity to generate nitric oxide to sustain normal endothelial reactivity, defective Klotho-related mediation of glycosylation and ion channel regulation, increased insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling and a disturbed calcium and phosphate homeostasis accompanied by altered vitamin D levels and ectopic calcification. Identifying the mechanisms by which Klotho influences multiple important pathways is an emerging field in human biology that will contribute significantly to understanding basic physiologic processes and targets for the treatment of complex diseases. Because many of the phenomena seen in Klotho-deficient mice occur in depressive illness, major depression and bipolar disorder represent illnesses potentially associated with Klotho dysregulation. Klotho's presence in CSF, blood and urine should facilitate its study in clinical populations.

MICROBIAL LOAD AND MULTIPLE DRUG RESISTANCE OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM FEACES AND BODY SURFACES OF COCKROACHES IN AN URBAN AREA OF SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monsuru Adebayo Adeleke

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the microbial load and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of pathogenic bacteria isolated from the faeces and body surfaces of cockroaches in Osogbo, Southwestern Nigeria. The cockroaches collected from residential areas and hospital vicinities were screened for microbial load and antibiotic susceptibility pattern using standard protocols. A total of twenty- three microorganisms namely Klebsiella aerogenes, Bacillius cereus, Proteus spp, Staphyloccocus aureus, S. saprophyticus, Enteroccocus faecalis, Staphylococus epididermis, E. coli, Listeria monoctogene, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Psuedomonas species, Seretia mensence, Candida albicans, Candida spp., Aspergilius spp., A. flavus, A. fumigates, Mucor species and Penicilium species were isolated. The microbial load of the microorganisms was significantly higher in the isolates from hospital as compared with the residential area (p<0.05 with the exception of Canidida species, Mucor and Penicillium which had higher or equal microbial load at the residential areas. All the pathogenic bacteria isolated had multiple resistance to antibiotics most importantly, Ampicillin, Augumentin, Amoxicillin and Septrin (30μg. Efforts geared towards controlling the insects will be indispensable in curbing the wide spread of multi-drug resistant pathogens in the study area.

Fission neutron multiplicity calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maerten, H.; Ruben, A.; Seeliger, D.

1991-01-01

A model for calculating neutron multiplicities in nuclear fission is presented. It is based on the solution of the energy partition problem as function of mass asymmetry within a phenomenological approach including temperature-dependent microscopic energies. Nuclear structure effects on fragment de-excitation, which influence neutron multiplicities, are discussed. Temperature effects on microscopic energy play an important role in induced fission reactions. Calculated results are presented for various fission reactions induced by neutrons. Data cover the incident energy range 0-20 MeV, i.e. multiple chance fission is considered. (author). 28 refs, 13 figs

Identifying spatially integrated floodplains/riparian areas and wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

Floodplain delineation may play an important role in managing wetlands and riparian areas at multiple scales - local, state, and federal. This poster demonstrates multiple GIS-based approaches to delimiting floodplains and contrasts these with observed flooding events from a majo...

Per-Sample Multiple Kernel Approach for Visual Concept Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling-Yu Duan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Learning visual concepts from images is an important yet challenging problem in computer vision and multimedia research areas. Multiple kernel learning (MKL methods have shown great advantages in visual concept learning. As a visual concept often exhibits great appearance variance, a canonical MKL approach may not generate satisfactory results when a uniform kernel combination is applied over the input space. In this paper, we propose a per-sample multiple kernel learning (PS-MKL approach to take into account intraclass diversity for improving discrimination. PS-MKL determines sample-wise kernel weights according to kernel functions and training samples. Kernel weights as well as kernel-based classifiers are jointly learned. For efficient learning, PS-MKL employs a sample selection strategy. Extensive experiments are carried out over three benchmarking datasets of different characteristics including Caltech101, WikipediaMM, and Pascal VOC'07. PS-MKL has achieved encouraging performance, comparable to the state of the art, which has outperformed a canonical MKL.

Per-Sample Multiple Kernel Approach for Visual Concept Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian Yonghong

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Learning visual concepts from images is an important yet challenging problem in computer vision and multimedia research areas. Multiple kernel learning (MKL methods have shown great advantages in visual concept learning. As a visual concept often exhibits great appearance variance, a canonical MKL approach may not generate satisfactory results when a uniform kernel combination is applied over the input space. In this paper, we propose a per-sample multiple kernel learning (PS-MKL approach to take into account intraclass diversity for improving discrimination. PS-MKL determines sample-wise kernel weights according to kernel functions and training samples. Kernel weights as well as kernel-based classifiers are jointly learned. For efficient learning, PS-MKL employs a sample selection strategy. Extensive experiments are carried out over three benchmarking datasets of different characteristics including Caltech101, WikipediaMM, and Pascal VOC'07. PS-MKL has achieved encouraging performance, comparable to the state of the art, which has outperformed a canonical MKL.

Assessment of anthropometric parameters including area of the psoas, area of the back muscle, and psoas-vertebra distance as indices for prediction of vertebral fracture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Tamotsu; Morita, Masahumi; Mabuchi, Kiyoshi

2005-01-01

We assessed some anthropometric parameters as indices for the prediction of vertebral compression fracture. We measured the area of the total cross section, area of the back muscle, area of the psoas, area of subcutaneous fat tissue, ratio of the right and left area of the psoas, psoas-vertebra distance, the mediolateral length of the back muscle, anteroposterior length of the back muscle, the mediolateral length of the psoas, and anteroposterior length of the psoas, on computed tomography images. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to test the correlation between each anthropometric parameter and the incidence of fracture. The odds ratio corresponding to one standard deviation of each parameter was calculated. The ratio of center and anterior vertebral heights and the ratio of center and posterior vertebral heights were measured from the positioning image. The smaller value of these was defined as the vertebral height ratio value. Vertebral height ratio was used as the parameter directly related to vertebral fracture. The subjects for research were 25 women with vertebral compression fracture and 36 women without fracture. Vertebral height ratio had a significant correlation with area of the psoas (correlation coefficient, r=0.609 p<0.001), area of the back muscle (r=0.547 p<0.001), and the psoas-vertebra distance (r=-0.523 p<0.001) in the anthropometric parameters. The odds ratios of the area of the psoas (odds ratio, OR:0.18, 95% confidence interval, CI:0.43 to 0.08), area of the back muscle (OR:0.13, 95% CI:0.37 to 0.05), and the psoas-vertebra distance (OR:3.01, 95% CI:6.22 to 1.46) were high. The odds ratio of the mediolateral length of the psoas (OR:0.34, 95% CI:0.67 to 0.18), and the left-to-right area ratio of the psoas (OR:0.41, 95% CI:0.76 to 0.22) were rather high. However, the vertebral height ratio had no significant correlation with the left-to-right area ratio of the psoas. It was considered that area of the psoas, area of the back

Interesting images: Multiple coronary artery aneurysms.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Jonathon M; Viswanath, Omar; Armas, Alfredo; Santana, Orlando; Rosen, Gerald P

2017-01-01

We present the case of a 65-year-old male who presented with stable angina and dyspnea on exertion. His initial workup yielded a positive treadmill stress test for reversible apical ischemia, and transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated impaired systolic function. Cardiac catheterization was then performed, revealing severe atherosclerotic disease including multiple coronary artery aneurysms. As a result, the patient was advised to and subsequently underwent a coronary artery bypass graft. This case highlights the presence of multiple coronary artery aneurysms and the ability to appreciate these pathologic findings on multiple imaging modalities, including coronary angiogram, transesophageal echocardiography, and direct visualization through the surgical field.

Impact of a pain protocol including hypnosis in major burns.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Mette M; Davadant, Maryse; Marin, Christian; Wasserfallen, Jean-Blaise; Pinget, Christophe; Maravic, Philippe; Koch, Nathalie; Raffoul, Wassim; Chiolero, René L

2010-08-01

Pain is a major issue after burns even when large doses of opioids are prescribed. The study focused on the impact of a pain protocol using hypnosis on pain intensity, anxiety, clinical course, and costs. All patients admitted to the ICU, aged >18 years, with an ICU stay >24h, accepting to try hypnosis, and treated according to standardized pain protocol were included. Pain was scaled on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (mean of daily multiple recordings), and basal and procedural opioid doses were recorded. Clinical outcome and economical data were retrieved from hospital charts and information system, respectively. Treated patients were matched with controls for sex, age, and the burned surface area. Forty patients were admitted from 2006 to 2007: 17 met exclusion criteria, leaving 23 patients, who were matched with 23 historical controls. Altogether patients were 36+/-14 years old and burned 27+/-15%BSA. The first hypnosis session was performed after a median of 9 days. The protocol resulted in the early delivery of higher opioid doses/24h (ppatient. A pain protocol including hypnosis reduced pain intensity, improved opioid efficiency, reduced anxiety, improved wound outcome while reducing costs. The protocol guided use of opioids improved patient care without side effects, while hypnosis had significant psychological benefits.

Large area strain analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy across multiple images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oni, A. A.; Sang, X.; LeBeau, J. M.; Raju, S. V.; Saxena, S.; Dumpala, S.; Broderick, S.; Rajan, K.; Kumar, A.; Sinnott, S.

2015-01-01

Here, we apply revolving scanning transmission electron microscopy to measure lattice strain across a sample using a single reference area. To do so, we remove image distortion introduced by sample drift, which usually restricts strain analysis to a single image. Overcoming this challenge, we show that it is possible to use strain reference areas elsewhere in the sample, thereby enabling reliable strain mapping across large areas. As a prototypical example, we determine the strain present within the microstructure of a Ni-based superalloy directly from atom column positions as well as geometric phase analysis. While maintaining atomic resolution, we quantify strain within nanoscale regions and demonstrate that large, unit-cell level strain fluctuations are present within the intermetallic phase

Nuclear spectroscopy - maximum attainable accuracy in the calculation of peak area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Supian Samat; Evans, C.J.

1989-01-01

The general principles are discussed for the analysis of a peak of arbitrary shape (including the case of multiple peaks) superimposed on a background of arbitrary shape. Application of these principles to the case of a small Gaussian peak on a flat background gives a rule for determining how many channels should be included in the analysis so that accuracy should not be lost, and how many channels in the background should be included in estimating the standard error in the peak area. It is shown that the use of an approximate method of analysis may lead to a significant loss of accuracy, and to a significant over-estimation of the standard error. (author)

Multiple Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Plummer, Nancy; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on multiple sclerosis is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are then…

MiR-7 triggers cell cycle arrest at the G1/S transition by targeting multiple genes including Skp2 and Psme3.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noelia Sanchez

Full Text Available MiR-7 acts as a tumour suppressor in many cancers and abrogates proliferation of CHO cells in culture. In this study we demonstrate that miR-7 targets key regulators of the G1 to S phase transition, including Skp2 and Psme3, to promote increased levels of p27(KIP and temporary growth arrest of CHO cells in the G1 phase. Simultaneously, the down-regulation of DNA repair-specific proteins via miR-7 including Rad54L, and pro-apoptotic regulators such as p53, combined with the up-regulation of anti-apoptotic factors like p-Akt, promoted cell survival while arrested in G1. Thus miR-7 can co-ordinate the levels of multiple genes and proteins to influence G1 to S phase transition and the apoptotic response in order to maintain cellular homeostasis. This work provides further mechanistic insight into the role of miR-7 as a regulator of cell growth in times of cellular stress.

WAMS Based Damping Control of Inter-area Oscillations Employing Energy Storage System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MA, J.

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a systematic design procedure for a wide-area damping controller (WADC employing Energy Storage Systems (ESSs. The WADC is aimed at enhancing the damping of multiple inter-area modes in a large scale power system. Firstly, geometric measures of controllability and obsevability are used to select the control locations for ESSs and most effective stabilizing signals, respectively. Then, the WADC coordinates these signals to achieve multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO controllers with the least Frobenius norm feedback gain matrix. The simulation results of frequency and time domains verify the effectiveness of the wide-area damping controller for various operating conditions. Furthermore, the robustness of the wide-area damping controller is also tested with respect to time delay and uncertainty of models.

In Vitro Fertilization and Multiple Pregnancies

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

the cost of IVF for women with bilaterally blocked Fallopian tubes only, in which case it is funded for 3 cycles, excluding the cost of drugs. The cost of IUI is covered except for preparation of the sperm and drugs used for COS. Diffusion of Technology According to Canadian Assisted Reproductive Technology Registry data, in 2004 there were 25 infertility clinics across Canada offering IVF and 7,619 IVF cycles performed. In Ontario, there are 13 infertility clinics with about 4,300 IVF cycles performed annually. Literature Review Royal Commission Report on Reproductive Technologies The 1993 release of the Royal Commission report on reproductive technologies, Proceed With Care, resulted in the withdrawal of most IVF funding in Ontario, where prior to 1994 IVF was fully funded. Recommendations of the Commission to withdraw IVF funding were largely based on findings of the systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before 1990. The review showed IVF effectiveness only in cases of bilateral tubal obstruction. As for nontubal causes of infertility, there was not enough evidence to establish whether IVF was effective or not. Since the field of reproductive technology is constantly evolving, there have been several changes since the publication of the Royal Commission report. These changes include: increased success rates of IVF; introduction of ICSI in the early 1990’s as a treatment for male factor infertility; and improved embryo implantation rates allowing for the transfer of a single embryo to avoid multiple pregnancies after IVF. Studies After the Royal Commission Report: Review Strategy Three separate literature reviews were conducted in the following areas: clinical effectiveness of IVF, cost-effectiveness of IVF, and outcomes of single embryo transfer (SET) in IVF cycles. Clinical effectiveness of IVF: RCTs or meta-analyses of RCTs that compared live birth rates after IVF versus alternative treatments, where the cause of infertility was

A case of multiple intracranial tuberculomas accompanied by tuberculous meningitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukabori, Takashi; Takamatsu, Hajime; Nakanishi, Yasuhiro

1986-01-01

A 63-year-old man was admitted for headache and progressive drowsiness. In spite of negative results from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) stains and cultures of tuberculosis and other bacteria, CSF findings and tuberculosis-positive sputum culture led to a tentative diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. Symptoms and neurological test results both improved remarkably during antituberculous chemotherapy. Although the brain CT scan taken on admission showed no abnormal findings, one taken two months later revealed multiple high-density areas after enhancement with a contrast medium, suggesting multiple intracranial tuberculomas accompanied by tuberculous meningitis. The size of the multiple high-density areas gradually decreased during antituberculous chemotherapy. The CT scan can clearly locate lesions, detect complications, and evaluate the effects of treatment in patients with intracranial tuberculosis. (author)

Future directions of multiple behavior change research.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Karly; Lippke, Sonia; Nigg, Claudio R

2017-02-01

Non-communicable diseases (i.e., chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and obesity) result in 36 million deaths each year. Individuals' habitual participation in a single health-risk behaviors substantially contribute to morbidity and mortality (e.g., tobacco use, daily fast food intake, etc.); however, more concerning is the impact of typically co-occurring or clustering of multiple health-risk behaviors. This burden can be minimized through successful cessation of health-risk behaviors and adoption of healthy behaviors; namely healthy lifestyle adoption or multiple health behavior change (MHBC). MHBC is a developing field and future research recommendations are provided to advance MHBC research. A valid measure of MHBC (i.e., lifestyle) is warranted to provide the needed basis for MHBC investigations and evaluations. MHBC is thought to occur through shared co-variation of underlying motivating mechanisms, but how these relationships influence behavior remains unclear. A better understanding of the relationship between behaviors and the related motivating mechanisms (and potential cross-relationship of influences) is needed. Future research should also aim to improve lifestyles through understanding how to change multiple health behaviors. Finally, MHBC research should target the development of sustainable interventions which result in lasting effects (e.g., capacity, systems, policy and environmental changes), with dissemination considered during development. Focusing MHBC research in these areas will increase our understanding and maximize the impact on the health of populations.

Applications of Fast Truncated Multiplication in Cryptography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laszlo Hars

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Truncated multiplications compute truncated products, contiguous subsequences of the digits of integer products. For an n-digit multiplication algorithm of time complexity O(nα, with 1<α≤2, there is a truncated multiplication algorithm, which is constant times faster when computing a short enough truncated product. Applying these fast truncated multiplications, several cryptographic long integer arithmetic algorithms are improved, including integer reciprocals, divisions, Barrett and Montgomery multiplications, 2n-digit modular multiplication on hardware for n-digit half products. For example, Montgomery multiplication is performed in 2.6 Karatsuba multiplication time.

Comparison of reconfigurable structures for flexible word-length multiplication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. A. Pfänder

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Binary multiplication continues to be one of the essential arithmetic operations in digital circuits. Even though field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs are becoming more and more powerful these days, the vendors cannot avoid implementing multiplications with high word-lengths using embedded blocks instead of configurable logic. But on the other hand, the circuit's efficiency decreases if the provided word-length of the hard-wired multipliers exceeds the precision requirements of the algorithm mapped into the FPGA. Thus it is beneficial to use multiplier blocks with configurable word-length, optimized for area, speed and power dissipation, e.g. regarding digital signal processing (DSP applications.

In this contribution, we present different approaches and structures for the realization of a multiplication with variable precision and perform an objective comparison. This includes one approach based on a modified Baugh and Wooley algorithm and three structures using Booth's arithmetic operand recoding with different array structures. All modules have the option to compute signed two's complement fix-point numbers either as an individual computing unit or interconnected to a superior array. Therefore, a high throughput at low precision through parallelism, or a high precision through concatenation can be achieved.

Functional and structural balances of homologous sensorimotor regions in multiple sclerosis fatigue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cogliati Dezza, I; Zito, G; Tomasevic, L

2015-01-01

regions-known to be crucial for sensorimotor networks effectiveness-decrease with MS fatigue increase. Functional connectivity measures at rest and during a simple motor task (weak handgrip of either the right or left hand) were derived from primary sensorimotor areas electroencephalographic recordings......Fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a highly disabling symptom. Among the central mechanisms behind it, an involvement of sensorimotor networks is clearly evident from structural and functional studies. We aimed at assessing whether functional/structural balances of homologous sensorimotor...... in 27 mildly disabled MS patients. Structural MRI-derived inter-hemispheric asymmetries included the cortical thickness of Rolandic regions and the volume of thalami. Fatigue symptoms increased together with the functional inter-hemispheric imbalance of sensorimotor homologous areas activities at rest...

Multiple sclerosis and organic solvents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, J T; Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik; Rasmussen, K

1998-01-01

We investigated a possible causal relation between exposure to organic solvents in Danish workers (housepainters, typographers/printers, carpenters/cabinetmakers) and onset of multiple sclerosis. Data on men included in the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Register (3,241 men) were linked with data from......, and butchers. Over a follow-up period of 20 years, we observed no increase in the incidence of multiple sclerosis among men presumed to be exposed to organic solvents. It was not possible to obtain data on potential confounders, and the study design has some potential for selection bias. Nevertheless......, the study does not support existing hypotheses regarding an association between occupational exposure to organic solvents and multiple sclerosis....

Accounting for multiple births in randomised trials: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Yelland, Lisa Nicole; Sullivan, Thomas Richard; Makrides, Maria

2015-03-01

Multiple births are an important subgroup to consider in trials aimed at reducing preterm birth or its consequences. Including multiples results in a unique mixture of independent and clustered data, which has implications for the design, analysis and reporting of the trial. We aimed to determine how multiple births were taken into account in the design and analysis of recent trials involving preterm infants, and whether key information relevant to multiple births was reported. We conducted a systematic review of multicentre randomised trials involving preterm infants published between 2008 and 2013. Information relevant to multiple births was extracted. Of the 56 trials included in the review, 6 (11%) excluded multiples and 24 (43%) failed to indicate whether multiples were included. Among the 26 trials that reported multiples were included, only one (4%) accounted for clustering in the sample size calculations and eight (31%) took the clustering into account in the analysis of the primary outcome. Of the 20 trials that randomised infants, 12 (60%) failed to report how infants from the same birth were randomised. Information on multiple births is often poorly reported in trials involving preterm infants, and clustering due to multiple births is rarely taken into account. Since ignoring clustering could result in inappropriate recommendations for clinical practice, clustering should be taken into account in the design and analysis of future neonatal and perinatal trials including infants from a multiple birth. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Multiple sclerosis in women having children by multiple partners. A population-based study in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Basso, Olga; Campi, Rita; Frydenberg, Morten

2004-01-01

We investigated whether having children with multiple men is a risk factor for being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). We studied a cohort of 151,328 women, of whom 64,704 had different men fathering their children and 86,624 the same partner for all births. Women were included if they had ...

5 CFR 591.216 - How does OPM combine survey data for the DC area and for COLA areas with multiple survey areas?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS ALLOWANCES AND DIFFERENTIALS Cost-of-Living Allowance and Post Differential-Nonforeign Areas Cost-Of-Living Allowances § 591.216 How does OPM...

Sensitive Small Area Photometer

Science.gov (United States)

Levenson, M. D.

1970-01-01

Describes a simple photometer capable of measuring small light intensities over small areas. The inexpensive, easy-to- construct instrument is intended for use in a student laboratory to measure the light intensities in a diffraction experiment from single or multiple slits. Typical experimental results are presented along with the theoretical…

HTLV-I associated myelopathy with multiple spotty areas in cerebral white matter and brain stem by MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hara, Yasuo; Takahashi, Mitsuo; Yoshikawa, Hiroo; Yorifuji, Shirou; Tarui, Seiichiro

1988-01-01

A 48-year-old woman was admitted with complaints of urinary incontinence and gait disturbance, both of which had progressed slowly without any sign of remission. Family history was not contributory. Neurologically, extreme spasticity was recoginized in the lower limbs. Babinski sign was positive bilaterally. Flower-like atypical lymphocytes were seen in blood. Positive anti-HTLV-I antibody was confirmed in serum and spinal fluid by western blot. She was diagnosed as having HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM). CT reveald calcification in bilateral globus pallidus, and MRI revealed multiple spotty areas in cerebral white matter and brain stem, but no spinal cord lesion was detectable. Electrophysiologically, brain stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) suggested the presence of bilateral brain stem lesions. Neither median nor posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials were evoked, a finding suggesting the existence of spinal cord lesion. In this case, the lesion was not confined to spinal cord, it was also observed in brain stem and cerebral white matter. Such distinct lesions in cerebral white matter and brain stem have not been reported in patients with HAM. It is suggested that HTLV-I is probably associated with cerebral white matter and brain stem.

Road Bridges and Culverts, Bridge dataset only includes bridges maintained by Johnson County Public Works in the unincorporated areas, Published in Not Provided, Johnson County Government.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — Road Bridges and Culverts dataset current as of unknown. Bridge dataset only includes bridges maintained by Johnson County Public Works in the unincorporated areas.

Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasizing to the skull base involving multiple cranial nerves.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Soo Ryang; Kanda, Fumio; Kobessho, Hiroshi; Sugimoto, Koji; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Kudo, Masatoshi; Hayashi, Yoshitake

2006-11-07

We describe a rare case of HCV-related recurrent multiple hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasizing to the skull base involving multiple cranial nerves in a 50-year-old woman. The patient presented with symptoms of ptosis, fixation of the right eyeball, and left abducens palsy, indicating disturbances of the right oculomotor and trochlear nerves and bilateral abducens nerves. Brain contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed an ill-defined mass with abnormal enhancement around the sella turcica. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed that the mass involved the clivus, cavernous sinus, and petrous apex. On contrast-enhanced MRI with gadolinium-chelated contrast medium, the mass showed inhomogeneous intermediate enhancement. The diagnosis of metastatic HCC to the skull base was made on the basis of neurological findings and imaging studies including CT and MRI, without histological examinations. Further studies may provide insights into various methods for diagnosing HCC metastasizing to the craniospinal area.

Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasizing to the skull base involving multiple cranial nerves

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Soo Ryang Kim; Fumio Kanda; Hiroshi Kobessho; Koji Sugimoto; Toshiyuki Matsuoka; Masatoshi Kudo; Yoshitake Hayashi

2006-01-01

We describe a rare case of HCV-related recurrent multiple hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasizing to the skull base involving multiple cranial nerves in a 50-yearold woman. The patient presented with symptoms of ptosis, fixation of the right eyeball, and left abducens palsy, indicating disturbances of the right oculomotor and trochlear nerves and bilateral abducens nerves. Brain contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed an ill-defined mass with abnormal enhancement around the sella turcica. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)disclosed that the mass involved the clivus, cavernous sinus, and petrous apex. On contrast-enhanced MRI with gadolinium-chelated contrast medium, the mass showed inhomogeneous intermediate enhancement.The diagnosis of metastatic HCC to the skull base was made on the basis of neurological findings and imaging studies including CT and MRI, without histological examinations. Further studies may provide insights into various methods for diagnosing HCC metastasizing to the craniospinal area.

Multiple Personality Disorder: Concepts and Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsley, Hope L.

1992-01-01

Presents two case examples illustrating nature and etiology of multiple personality disorder in two clients and describing their entry into counseling and progress through treatment. Compares and contrasts cases in areas of diagnosis, symptoms, history, and treatment. Suggests that mental health counselors combine firmness with flexibility in…

Percolation testing at the F- and H-Area Seepage Basins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McHood, M.D.

1993-01-01

The design of the F- and H-Area Seepage Basin contaminated groundwater remediation system requires information from multiple well pump tests (Reference 1). Soil percolation rates are needed in order to support the multiple well pump test planning. The objective of this task was to determine characteristic percolation rates for soils in four select areas where infiltration galleries are proposed. These infiltration galleries will be temporary installations built on the ground surface and used to disposes of water from the multiple well pump tests. A procedure defining the specific work process for collecting percolation rate data is contained in Appendix 3. Results from these percolation tests will be used in the design of infiltration galleries for the disposal of well water extracted during the multiple well pump tests

Amyloid PET in pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Matías-Guiu, Jordi A; Cabrera-Martín, María Nieves; Cortés-Martínez, Ana; Pytel, Vanesa; Moreno-Ramos, Teresa; Oreja-Guevara, Celia; Carreras, José Luis; Matías-Guiu, Jorge

2017-07-01

Pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis is a rare form of demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Positron emission tomography (PET) using amyloid-tracers has also been suggested as a marker of damage in white matter lesions in multiple sclerosis due to the nonspecific uptake of these tracers in white matter. We present the case of a 59 year-old woman with a pathological-confirmed pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis, who was studied with the amyloid tracer 18 F-florbetaben. The patient had developed word-finding difficulties and right hemianopia twelve years ago. In that time, MRI showed a lesion on the left hemisphere with an infiltrating aspect in frontotemporal lobes. Brain biopsy showed demyelinating areas and inflammation. During the following years, two new clinical relapses occurred. 18 F-florbetaben PET showed lower uptake in the white matter lesion visualized in the CT and MRI images. Decreased tracer uptake was also observed in a larger area of the left hemisphere beyond the lesions observed on MRI or CT. White matter lesion volume on FLAIR was 44.2mL, and tracer uptake change between damaged white matter and normal appearing white matter was - 40.5%. Standardized uptake value was inferior in the pseudotumoral lesion than in the other white matter lesions. We report the findings of amyloid PET in a patient with pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis. This case provides further evidence on the role of amyloid PET in the assessment of white matter and demyelinating diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the sagittal sinus cross-sectional area between patients with multiple sclerosis, hydrocephalus, intracranial hypertension and spontaneous intracranial hypotension: a surrogate marker of venous transmural pressure?

Science.gov (United States)

Bateman, Grant A; Lechner-Scott, Jeannette; Copping, Ross; Moeskops, Christopher; Yap, Swee Leong

2017-07-06

There is evidence that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and hydrocephalus share some common pathophysiological mechanisms. Alterations in CSF pressure are known to affect cerebral venous sinus geometry. To further explore these mechanisms, we measured the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) cross-sectional area 3 cm above the torcular using T2 images in 20 MS, 10 spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH), 21 hydrocephalus and 20 idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) patients and compared with 20 matched controls. The SSS area was reduced by 25% in hydrocephalus (p = 0.0008), increased by 22% (p = 0.037) in SIH and unchanged in IIH compared to matched controls. In MS there was a 16% increase in SSS area (p = 0.01).The findings suggest that changes in SSS cross-sectional are common between MS and SIH patients, while in hydrocephalus and IIH these are different.

Multiple Carrying Capacities from a management-oriented perspective to operationalize sustainable tourism in protected areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Salerno, Franco; Viviano, Gaetano; Manfredi, Emanuela C; Caroli, Paolo; Thakuri, Sudeep; Tartari, Gianni

2013-10-15

This article describes how the concept of Tourism Carrying Capacity (TCC) has shifted from a uni-dimensional approach to incorporating environmental, social and political aspects. This shift is demonstrated by a study of a large, internationally popular protected area used by trekkers, the Mt. Everest Region, where qualitative data collected from visitors was combined with environmental modeling using a participatory framework. Tourist satisfaction showed positive margins for further tourist industry expansion, but current environmental conditions limit growth and further development. Space and time dimensions were also considered. We observed that the limits on growth and further development can be manipulated, with a certain degree of flexibility, through investments and regulatory measures. We hypothesized that TCC can play an important role in the management of protected areas only if it is viewed as a systematic, strategic policy tool within a planning process rather than as a unique, intrinsic number that is not modifiable. We conclude that to translate the strategy into action using standard measures, further investigation is needed to balance the various TCC components as a part of a decision-making framework that includes the integration of different cultural approaches and policy needs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wide area stability analysis and control of interconnected power systems with HVDC and FACTS devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yong

2012-11-01

In order to damp low-frequency oscillations and improve the overall stability of large-scale interconnected power systems, this book investigates the wide-area stability analysis and control methods from different perspectives. The flexible and fast control capability of high-voltage (FACTS) is investigated in detail to implement a wide-area measurement based damping control. A sequential and global mixed optimization method is proposed to simultaneously optimize local and wide area damping controllers. A wide-area robust coordination method is presented to coordinate multiple wide-area damping controllers (WADC). A delay-dependent robust design method is also proposed to handle time-varying delays commonly existing in wide-area signal communication. A closed-loop hardware experiment is used to validate the damping performance. The research activities of this book include power system stability analysis and control, wide-area damping control as well as HVDC and FACTS technologies.

[Prediction model of health workforce and beds in county hospitals of Hunan by multiple linear regression].

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, Ru; Liu, Jiawang

2011-12-01

To construct prediction model for health workforce and hospital beds in county hospitals of Hunan by multiple linear regression. We surveyed 16 counties in Hunan with stratified random sampling according to uniform questionnaires,and multiple linear regression analysis with 20 quotas selected by literature view was done. Independent variables in the multiple linear regression model on medical personnels in county hospitals included the counties' urban residents' income, crude death rate, medical beds, business occupancy, professional equipment value, the number of devices valued above 10 000 yuan, fixed assets, long-term debt, medical income, medical expenses, outpatient and emergency visits, hospital visits, actual available bed days, and utilization rate of hospital beds. Independent variables in the multiple linear regression model on county hospital beds included the the population of aged 65 and above in the counties, disposable income of urban residents, medical personnel of medical institutions in county area, business occupancy, the total value of professional equipment, fixed assets, long-term debt, medical income, medical expenses, outpatient and emergency visits, hospital visits, actual available bed days, utilization rate of hospital beds, and length of hospitalization. The prediction model shows good explanatory and fitting, and may be used for short- and mid-term forecasting.

Multiple metachronous cancer of the esophagus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamontov, A.S.; Shlakov, S.L.; Bitotskij, P.G.; Volchenko, N.N.

1996-01-01

Treatment of a patient with the most characteristics combination of primary multiple metachronous cancer of esophagus involving the esophagus tumor localization on the one hand and tumors in the head and neck organs, on the other hand is described. Remote radiation therapy has been applied in the area of the primary tumor ( 60 Co radiation - carrying needles) and interstitial cavitary therapy as been undertaken. According to the authors data in 1988-1995 in Moscow oncological institute named after Gertsen multiple metachronous cancer cases, esophagus being one of localizations were revealed in 7% of all the patients with esophagus cancer diagnosis [ru

Treatment of multiple scalp cylindroma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radmilo Rončević

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Cylindroma is a rare, benign adnexal tumor of the skin. The most frequent tumor location is the head, especially the scalp, and neck area. This type of tumor can occur as solitary or multiple tumors. Tumor diagnosis is relatively easy and is based on clinical findings and biopsy. The therapy of choice is surgical excision with parts or entire scalp excision depending on whether it is solitary or multiple tumor. We presented a 65-year-old male patient with multiple scalp tumors of 0.5–6 cm in diameter. An entire scalp excision was performed and the postoperative wounds (i.e., the periosteum of the skull and the fascia galea were covered with free skin graft of partial thickness. In order to prevent profuse bleeding, we placed a tourniquet around his head and performed bilateral temporary ligature of temporal artery prior to surgery. During the nine-year follow-up, there were no new tumors or tumor recurrence reported.

Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Pierson, Susan H.; Griffith, Nathan

2006-01-01

Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis is an increasingly recognized entity. This article reviews the cognitive impairment of multiple sclerosis, its prevalence, its relationship to different types of multiple sclerosis, and its contribution to long-term functional prognosis. The discussion also focuses on the key elements of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis which distinguish it from other forms of cognitive impairment. Therapeutic interventions potentially effective for the cognitive impairment of multiple sclerosis are reviewed including the effects of disease modifying therapies and the use of physical and cognitive interventions. PMID:16720960

Effects of Temporal and Interspecific Variation of Specific Leaf Area on Leaf Area Index Estimation of Temperate Broadleaved Forests in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boram Kwon

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of interspecific and temporal variation of specific leaf area (SLA, cm2·g−1 on leaf area index (LAI estimation for three deciduous broadleaved forests (Gwangneung (GN, Taehwa (TH, and Gariwang (GRW in Korea with varying ages and composition of tree species. In fall of 2014, fallen leaves were periodically collected using litter traps and classified by species. LAI was estimated by obtaining SLAs using four calculation methods (A: including both interspecific and temporal variation in SLA; B: species specific mean SLA; C: period-specific mean SLA; and D: overall mean, then multiplying the SLAs by the amount of leaves. SLA varied across different species in all plots, and SLAs of upper canopy species were less than those of lower canopy species. The LAIs calculated using method A, the reference method, were GN 6.09, TH 5.42, and GRW 4.33. LAIs calculated using method B showed a difference of up to 3% from the LAI of method A, but LAIs calculated using methods C and D were overestimated. Therefore, species specific SLA must be considered for precise LAI estimation for broadleaved forests that include multiple species.

LAS SECUENCIAS DIDÁCTICAS UN ÁREA DE ENCUENTRO ENTRE LAS INTELIGENCIAS MÚLTIPLES Y LAS COMPETENCIAS (THE TEACHING SEQUENCE LIKE AS MEETING AREA BETWEEN MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AND COMPETENCIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

García Retana, José Ángel

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Resumen En un mundo tan complejo como el actual, el modelo educativo debe enfrentar el reto de educar, respetando la individualidad, sin que esto signifique sacrificar la colectividad, ni viceversa; con la finalidad de potenciar la capacidad de aprender a pensar por parte del educando, de manera que éste pueda responder a las demandas de su entorno. Para lograr esto, se requiere construir un área de encuentro entre distintas teorías y enfoques, que incluya a las inteligencias múltiples, el socio-constructivismo y el enfoque por competencias, a través de situaciones didácticas que partan de la realidad. En el presente ensayo se presentan dos ejemplos posibles dentro de esta área de encuentro.Abstract: In a world as complex as the current, the educational model must face the challenge of educating, respecting individuality, without this means sacrificing the community, or vice versa, with the aim of enhancing the ability to learn to think by the student, so that it can respond to the demands of their environment. To achieve this requires building a meeting area with different theories and approaches, including the multiple intelligences, competences, the social constructivist, through didactic situations that depart from reality. In this essay are two possible examples in this area to meet.

Using automatic item generation to create multiple-choice test items.

Science.gov (United States)

Gierl, Mark J; Lai, Hollis; Turner, Simon R

2012-08-01

Many tests of medical knowledge, from the undergraduate level to the level of certification and licensure, contain multiple-choice items. Although these are efficient in measuring examinees' knowledge and skills across diverse content areas, multiple-choice items are time-consuming and expensive to create. Changes in student assessment brought about by new forms of computer-based testing have created the demand for large numbers of multiple-choice items. Our current approaches to item development cannot meet this demand. We present a methodology for developing multiple-choice items based on automatic item generation (AIG) concepts and procedures. We describe a three-stage approach to AIG and we illustrate this approach by generating multiple-choice items for a medical licensure test in the content area of surgery. To generate multiple-choice items, our method requires a three-stage process. Firstly, a cognitive model is created by content specialists. Secondly, item models are developed using the content from the cognitive model. Thirdly, items are generated from the item models using computer software. Using this methodology, we generated 1248 multiple-choice items from one item model. Automatic item generation is a process that involves using models to generate items using computer technology. With our method, content specialists identify and structure the content for the test items, and computer technology systematically combines the content to generate new test items. By combining these outcomes, items can be generated automatically. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

Distributed MPC for Efficient Coordination of Storage and Renewable Energy Sources Across Control Areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, Kyri; Guo, Junyao; Hug, Gabriela; Li, Xin

2016-03-01

In electric power systems, multiple entities are responsible for ensuring an economic and reliable way of delivering power from producers to consumers. With the increase of variable renewable generation it is becoming increasingly important to take advantage of the individual entities' (and their areas') capabilities for balancing variability. Hence, in this paper, we employ and extend the approximate Newton directions method to optimally coordinate control areas leveraging storage available in one area to balance variable resources in another area with only minimal information exchange among the areas. The problem to be decomposed is a model predictive control problem including generation constraints, energy storage constraints, and AC power flow constraints. Singularity issues encountered when formulating the respective Newton-Raphson steps due to intertemporal constraints are addressed and extensions to the original decomposition method are proposed to improve the convergence rate and required communication of the method.

Hunting down the chimera of multiple disciplinarity in conservation science.

Science.gov (United States)

Pooley, Simon P; Mendelsohn, J Andrew; Milner-Gulland, E J

2014-02-01

The consensus is that both ecological and social factors are essential dimensions of conservation research and practice. However, much of the literature on multiple disciplinary collaboration focuses on the difficulties of undertaking it. This review of the challenges of conducting multiple disciplinary collaboration offers a framework for thinking about the diversity and complexity of this endeavor. We focused on conceptual challenges, of which 5 main categories emerged: methodological challenges, value judgments, theories of knowledge, disciplinary prejudices, and interdisciplinary communication. The major problems identified in these areas have proved remarkably persistent in the literature surveyed (c.1960-2012). Reasons for these failures to learn from past experience include the pressure to produce positive outcomes and gloss over disagreements, the ephemeral nature of many such projects and resulting lack of institutional memory, and the apparent complexity and incoherence of the endeavor. We suggest that multiple disciplinary collaboration requires conceptual integration among carefully selected multiple disciplinary team members united in investigating a shared problem or question. We outline a 9-point sequence of steps for setting up a successful multiple disciplinary project. This encompasses points on recruitment, involving stakeholders, developing research questions, negotiating power dynamics and hidden values and conceptual differences, explaining and choosing appropriate methods, developing a shared language, facilitating on-going communications, and discussing data integration and project outcomes. Although numerous solutions to the challenges of multiple disciplinary research have been proposed, lessons learned are often lost when projects end or experienced individuals move on. We urge multiple disciplinary teams to capture the challenges recognized, and solutions proposed, by their researchers while projects are in process. A database of well

Spring-loaded syringe for multiple rapid injections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C R Srinivas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mesotherapy refers to multiple injections of small quantity of the drug over a large area. The mesoguns available are expensive and the motor-driven models tends to waste the expensive material to be injected since the plunger stops after injecting without recoil. We searched for a less expensive device which would inject like the mesogun and still not waste the solution. On searching the web, we identified a spring-loaded syringe. We describe the assembly and use of this inexpensive syringe for delivering multiple injections with minimal wastage.

Spring-loaded Syringe for Multiple Rapid Injections

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivas, CR; Somani, Anirudh; Shashidharan Nair, CK; Mylswamy, Thirumurthy

2017-01-01

Mesotherapy refers to multiple injections of small quantity of the drug over a large area. The mesoguns available are expensive and the motor-driven models tends to waste the expensive material to be injected since the plunger stops after injecting without recoil. We searched for a less expensive device which would inject like the mesogun and still not waste the solution. On searching the web, we identified a spring-loaded syringe. We describe the assembly and use of this inexpensive syringe for delivering multiple injections with minimal wastage. PMID:28529423

Multiple photon resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, C.J.; Feldman, B.J.

1979-02-01

A detailed theoretical analysis is presented of the interaction of intense near-resonant monochromatic radiation with an N-level anharmonic oscillator. In particular, the phenomenon of multiple photon resonance, the process by which an N-level system resonantly absorbs two or more photons simultaneously, is investigated. Starting from the Schroedinger equation, diagrammatic techniques are developed that allow the resonant process to be analyzed quantitatively, in analogy with well-known two-level coherent phenomena. In addition, multiple photon Stark shifts of the resonances, shifts absent in two-level theory, are obtained from the diagrams. Insights into the nature of multiple photon resonances are gained by comparing the quantum mechanical system with classical coupled pendulums whose equations of motion possess identical eigenvalues and eigenvectors. In certain limiting cases, including that of the resonantly excited N-level harmonic oscillator and that of the equally spaced N-level system with equal matrix elements, analytic results are derived. The influence of population relaxation and phase-disrupting collisions on the multiple photon process are also analyzed, the latter by extension of the diagrammatic technique to the density matrix equations of motion. 11 figures

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding from Gastric Amyloidosis in a Patient with Smoldering Multiple Myeloma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihajlo Gjeorgjievski

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Amyloidosis is a common complication of patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM, and multiple myeloma (MM. This proteinaceous material can be deposited intercellularly in any organ system, including the gastrointestinal (GI tract. In the GI tract, amyloidosis affects the duodenum most commonly, followed by the stomach and colorectum. Gastric amyloidosis causes symptoms of nausea, vomiting, early satiety, abdominal pain, and GI bleeding. A case of upper GI bleeding from gastric amyloidosis is presented in a patient with SMM. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD revealed a gastric mass. Endoscopic biopsies revealed amyloid deposition in the lamina propria, consistent with gastric amyloidosis. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry performed on peptides extracted from Congo red-positive microdissected areas of paraffin-embedded stomach specimens revealed a peptide profile consistent with AL- (lambda- type amyloidosis. Based on this and multiple other case reports, we recommend that patients with GI bleeding and MGUS, SMM, or MM undergo EGD and pathologic examination of endoscopic biopsies of identified lesions using Congo red stains for amyloidosis for early diagnosis and treatment.

Smoke production from multiple nuclear explosions in nonurban areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Small, R.D.; Bush, B.W.

1985-01-01

The amount of smoke that may be produced by wildland or rural fires as a consequence of a large-scale nuclear exchange is estimated. The calculation is based on a compilation of rural military facilities, identified from a wide variety of unclassified sources, together with data on their geographic positions, surrounding vegetation (fuel), and weather conditions. The ignition area (corrected for fuel moisture) and the amount of fire spread are used to calculate the smoke production. The results show a substantially lower estimated smoke production (from wildland fires) than in earlier nuclear winter studies. The amount varies seasonally and at its peak is less by an order of magnitude than the estimated threshold level necessary for a major attenuation of solar radiation. 32 references, 6 figures, 2 tables

High Levels of Antibodies to Multiple Domains and Strains of VAR2CSA Correlate with the Absence of Placental Malaria in Cameroonian Women Living in an Area of High Plasmodium falciparum Transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Tutterrow, Yeung L.; Avril, Marion; Singh, Kavita; Long, Carole A.; Leke, Robert J.; Sama, Grace; Salanti, Ali; Smith, Joseph D.; Leke, Rose G. F.

2012-01-01

Placental malaria, caused by sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in the placenta, is associated with increased risk of maternal morbidity and poor birth outcomes. The parasite antigen VAR2CSA (variant surface antigen 2-chondroitin sulfate A) is expressed on infected erythrocytes and mediates binding to chondroitin sulfate A, initiating inflammation and disrupting homeostasis at the maternal-fetal interface. Although antibodies can prevent sequestration, it is unclear whether parasite clearance is due to antibodies to a single Duffy binding-like (DBL) domain or to an extensive repertoire of antibodies to multiple DBL domains and allelic variants. Accordingly, plasma samples collected longitudinally from pregnant women were screened for naturally acquired antibodies against an extensive panel of VAR2CSA proteins, including 2 to 3 allelic variants for each of 5 different DBL domains. Analyses were performed on plasma samples collected from 3 to 9 months of pregnancy from women living in areas in Cameroon with high and low malaria transmission. The results demonstrate that high antibody levels to multiple VAR2CSA domains, rather than a single domain, were associated with the absence of placental malaria when antibodies were present from early in the second trimester until term. Absence of placental malaria was associated with increasing antibody breadth to different DBL domains and allelic variants in multigravid women. Furthermore, the antibody responses of women in the lower-transmission site had both lower magnitude and lesser breadth than those in the high-transmission site. These data suggest that immunity to placental malaria results from high antibody levels to multiple VAR2CSA domains and allelic variants and that antibody breadth is influenced by malaria transmission intensity. PMID:22331427

Multiple Crack Growth Prediction in AA2024-T3 Friction Stir Welded Joints, Including Manufacturing Effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlone, Pierpaolo; Citarella, Roberto; Sonne, Mads Rostgaard

2016-01-01

A great deal of attention is currently paid by several industries toward the friction stir welding process to realize lightweight structures. Within this aim, the realistic prediction of fatigue behavior of welded assemblies is a key factor. In this work an integrated finite element method - dual...... boundary element method (FEM-DBEM) procedure, coupling the welding process simulation to the subsequent crack growth assessment, is proposed and applied to simulate multiple crack propagation, with allowance for manufacturing effects. The friction stir butt welding process of the precipitation hardened AA...... on a notched specimen. The whole procedure was finally tested comparing simulation outcomes with experimental data. The good agreement obtained highlights the predictive capability of the method. The influence of the residual stress distribution on crack growth and the mutual interaction between propagating...

Using Indicators of Multiple Deprivation to Demonstrate the Spatial Legacy of Apartheid in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Michael; Wright, Gemma

2013-01-01

This paper presents a spatial analysis of multiple deprivation in South Africa and demonstrates that the most deprived areas in the country are located in the rural former homeland areas. The analysis is undertaken using the datazone level South African Index of Multiple Deprivation which was constructed from the 2001 Census. Datazones are a new…

Generalized internal multiple imaging

KAUST Repository

Zuberi, M. A. H.

2014-08-05

Internal multiples deteriorate the image when the imaging procedure assumes only single scattering, especially if the velocity model does not have sharp contrasts to reproduce such scattering in the Green’s function through forward modeling. If properly imaged, internal multiples (internally scattered energy) can enhance the seismic image. Conventionally, to image internal multiples, accurate, sharp contrasts in the velocity model are required to construct a Green’s function with all the scattered energy. As an alternative, we have developed a generalized internal multiple imaging procedure that images any order internal scattering using the background Green’s function (from the surface to each image point), constructed from a smooth velocity model, usually used for conventional imaging. For the first-order internal multiples, the approach consisted of three steps, in which we first back propagated the recorded surface seismic data using the background Green’s function, then crosscorrelated the back-propagated data with the recorded data, and finally crosscorrelated the result with the original background Green’s function. This procedure images the contribution of the recorded first-order internal multiples, and it is almost free of the single-scattering recorded energy. The cost includes one additional crosscorrelation over the conventional single-scattering imaging application. We generalized this method to image internal multiples of any order separately. The resulting images can be added to the conventional single-scattering image, obtained, e.g., from Kirchhoff or reverse-time migration, to enhance the image. Application to synthetic data with reflectors illuminated by multiple scattering (double scattering) demonstrated the effectiveness of the approach.

An aerial radiological survey of the Tonopah Test Range including Clean Slate 1,2,3, Roller Coaster, decontamination area, Cactus Springs Ranch target areas. Central Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proctor, A.E.; Hendricks, T.J.

1995-08-01

An aerial radiological survey was conducted of major sections of the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) in central Nevada from August through October 1993. The survey consisted of aerial measurements of both natural and man-made gamma radiation emanating from the terrestrial surface. The initial purpose of the survey was to locate depleted uranium (detecting 238 U) from projectiles which had impacted on the TTR. The examination of areas near Cactus Springs Ranch (located near the western boundary of the TTR) and an animal burial area near the Double Track site were secondary objectives. When more widespread than expected 241 Am contamination was found around the Clean Slates sites, the survey was expanded to cover the area surrounding the Clean Slates and also the Double Track site. Results are reported as radiation isopleths superimposed on aerial photographs of the area

Spearfishing regulation benefits artisanal fisheries: the ReGS indicator and its application to a multiple-use Mediterranean marine protected area.

Science.gov (United States)

Rocklin, Delphine; Tomasini, Jean-Antoine; Culioli, Jean-Michel; Pelletier, Dominique; Mouillot, David

2011-01-01

The development of fishing efficiency coupled with an increase of fishing effort led to the overexploitation of numerous natural marine resources. In addition to this commercial pressure, the impact of recreational activities on fish assemblages remains barely known. Here we examined the impact of spearfishing limitation on resources in a marine protected area (MPA) and the benefit it provides for the local artisanal fishery through the use of a novel indicator. We analysed trends in the fish assemblage composition using artisanal fisheries data collected in the Bonifacio Strait Natural Reserve (BSNR), a Mediterranean MPA where the spearfishing activity has been forbidden over 15% of its area. Fish species were pooled into three response groups according to their target level by spearfishing. We developed the new flexible ReGS indicator reflecting shifts in species assemblages according to the relative abundance of each response group facing external pressure. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) increased by ca. 60% in the BSNR between 2000 and 2007, while the MPA was established in 1999. The gain of CPUE strongly depended on the considered response group: for the highly targeted group, the CPUE doubled while the CPUE of the untargeted group increased by only 15.5%. The ReGS value significantly increased from 0.31 to 0.45 (on a scale between 0 and 1) in the general perimeter of this MPA while it has reached a threshold of 0.43, considered as a reference point, in the area protected from spearfishing since 1982. Our results demonstrated that limiting recreational fishing by appropriate zoning in multiple-use MPAs represents a real benefit for artisanal fisheries. More generally we showed how our new indicator may reveal a wide range of impacts on coastal ecosystems such as global change or habitat degradation.

Spearfishing regulation benefits artisanal fisheries: the ReGS indicator and its application to a multiple-use Mediterranean marine protected area.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delphine Rocklin

Full Text Available The development of fishing efficiency coupled with an increase of fishing effort led to the overexploitation of numerous natural marine resources. In addition to this commercial pressure, the impact of recreational activities on fish assemblages remains barely known. Here we examined the impact of spearfishing limitation on resources in a marine protected area (MPA and the benefit it provides for the local artisanal fishery through the use of a novel indicator. We analysed trends in the fish assemblage composition using artisanal fisheries data collected in the Bonifacio Strait Natural Reserve (BSNR, a Mediterranean MPA where the spearfishing activity has been forbidden over 15% of its area. Fish species were pooled into three response groups according to their target level by spearfishing. We developed the new flexible ReGS indicator reflecting shifts in species assemblages according to the relative abundance of each response group facing external pressure. The catch per unit effort (CPUE increased by ca. 60% in the BSNR between 2000 and 2007, while the MPA was established in 1999. The gain of CPUE strongly depended on the considered response group: for the highly targeted group, the CPUE doubled while the CPUE of the untargeted group increased by only 15.5%. The ReGS value significantly increased from 0.31 to 0.45 (on a scale between 0 and 1 in the general perimeter of this MPA while it has reached a threshold of 0.43, considered as a reference point, in the area protected from spearfishing since 1982. Our results demonstrated that limiting recreational fishing by appropriate zoning in multiple-use MPAs represents a real benefit for artisanal fisheries. More generally we showed how our new indicator may reveal a wide range of impacts on coastal ecosystems such as global change or habitat degradation.

Treatment of multiple sclerosis with chinese scalp acupuncture.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Jason Jishun; Cheng, Wei; Liu, Ming; Li, He; Lü, Xiaolin; Sun, Zhongren

2013-01-01

Chinese scalp acupuncture is a contemporary acupuncture technique with just 40 years of history. It integrates traditional Chinese needling methods with Western medical knowledge of the cerebral cortex and has been proven to be a very effective technique for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and other central nervous system disorders. A 65-year-old male patient who had had MS for 20 years was treated with Chinese scalp acupuncture. The motor area, sensory area, foot motor and sensory area, balance area, hearing and dizziness area, and tremor area were stimulated once a week for 10 weeks, then once a month for six sessions. After the 16 treatments, the patient showed remarkable improvements. He was able to stand and walk without any problems. The numbness and tingling in his limbs did not bother him anymore. He had more energy and had not experienced incontinence of urine or dizziness after the first treatment. He was able to return to work full time. At this writing, the patient has been in remission for 26 months. This case demonstrates that Chinese scalp acupuncture can be a very effective treatment for patients with MS. Chinese scalp acupuncture holds the potential to expand treatment options for MS in both conventional and complementary or integrative therapies. It can not only relieve symptoms, increase the patient's quality of life, and slow and reverse the progression of physical disability but also reduce the number of relapses and help patients with multiple sclerosis to remain in remission.

New management algorithms in multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorensen, Per Soelberg

2014-01-01

complex. The purpose of the review has been to work out new management algorithms for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis including new oral therapies and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent large placebo-controlled trials in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis......PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our current treatment algorithms include only IFN-β and glatiramer as available first-line disease-modifying drugs and natalizumab and fingolimod as second-line therapies. Today, 10 drugs have been approved in Europe and nine in the United States making the choice of therapy more...

Healthcare provider perceptions of the role of interprofessional care in access to and outcomes of primary care in an underserved area.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Shaowei; Teichman, Peter G; Latif, David; Boyd, Jennifer; Gupta, Rahul

2018-03-01

To meet the needs of an aging population who often have multiple chronic conditions, interprofessional care is increasingly adopted by patient-centred medical homes and Accountable Care Organisations to improve patient care coordination and decrease costs in the United States, especially in underserved areas with primary care workforce shortages. In this cross-sectional survey across multiple clinical settings in an underserved area, healthcare providers perceived overall outcomes associated with interprofessional care teams as positive. This included healthcare providers' beliefs that interprofessional care teams improved patient outcomes, increased clinic efficiency, and enhanced care coordination and patient follow-up. Teams with primary care physician available each day were perceived as better able to coordinate care and follow up with patients (p = .031), while teams that included clinical pharmacists were perceived as preventing medication-associated problems (p care model as a useful strategy to improve various outcomes across different clinical settings in the context of a shortage of primary care physicians.

Predicting the cumulative effect of multiple disturbances on seagrass connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Grech, Alana; Hanert, Emmanuel; McKenzie, Len; Rasheed, Michael; Thomas, Christopher; Tol, Samantha; Wang, Mingzhu; Waycott, Michelle; Wolter, Jolan; Coles, Rob

2018-03-15

The rate of exchange, or connectivity, among populations effects their ability to recover after disturbance events. However, there is limited information on the extent to which populations are connected or how multiple disturbances affect connectivity, especially in coastal and marine ecosystems. We used network analysis and the outputs of a biophysical model to measure potential functional connectivity and predict the impact of multiple disturbances on seagrasses in the central Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA), Australia. The seagrass networks were densely connected, indicating that seagrasses are resilient to the random loss of meadows. Our analysis identified discrete meadows that are important sources of seagrass propagules and that serve as stepping stones connecting various different parts of the network. Several of these meadows were close to urban areas or ports and likely to be at risk from coastal development. Deep water meadows were highly connected to coastal meadows and may function as a refuge, but only for non-foundation species. We evaluated changes to the structure and functioning of the seagrass networks when one or more discrete meadows were removed due to multiple disturbance events. The scale of disturbance required to disconnect the seagrass networks into two or more components was on average >245 km, about half the length of the metapopulation. The densely connected seagrass meadows of the central GBRWHA are not limited by the supply of propagules; therefore, management should focus on improving environmental conditions that support natural seagrass recruitment and recovery processes. Our study provides a new framework for assessing the impact of global change on the connectivity and persistence of coastal and marine ecosystems. Without this knowledge, management actions, including coastal restoration, may prove unnecessary and be unsuccessful. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Selective interferometric imaging of internal multiples

KAUST Repository

Zuberi, M. A H

2013-01-01

Internal multiples deteriorate the image when the imaging procedure assumes only single scattering, especially if the velocity model does not reproduce such scattering in the Green’s function. If properly imaged, internal multiples (and internally-scattered energy) can enhance the seismic image and illuminate areas otherwise neglected or poorly imaged by conventional single-scattering approaches. Conventionally, in order to image internal multiples, accurate, sharp contrasts in the velocity model are required to construct a Green’s function with all the scattered energy. As an alternative, we develop a three-step procedure, which images the first-order internal scattering using the background Green’s function (from the surface to each image point), constructed from a smooth velocity model: We first back-propagate the recorded surface data using the background Green’s function, then cross-correlate the back-propagated data with the recorded data and finally cross-correlate the result with the original background Green’s function. This procedure images the contribution of the recorded first-order internal multiples and is almost free of the single-scattering recorded energy. This image can be added to the conventional single-scattering image, obtained e.g. from Kirchhoff migration, to enhance the image. Application to synthetic data with reflectors illuminated by multiple scattering only demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach.

Ecosystem services-based SWOT analysis of protected areas for conservation strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Scolozzi, Rocco; Schirpke, Uta; Morri, Elisa; D'Amato, Dalia; Santolini, Riccardo

2014-12-15

An ecosystem services-based SWOT analysis is proposed in order to identify and quantify internal and external factors supporting or threatening the conservation effectiveness of protected areas. The proposed approach concerns both the ecological and the social perspective. Strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats were evaluated based on 12 selected environmental and socio-economic indicators for all terrestrial Italian protected areas, belonging to the Natura 2000 network, and for their 5-km buffer area. The indicators, used as criteria within a multi-criteria assessment, include: core area, cost-distance between protected areas, changes in ecosystem services values, intensification of land use, and urbanization. The results were aggregated for three biogeographical regions, Alpine, Continental, and Mediterranean, indicating that Alpine sites have more opportunities and strengths than Continental and Mediterranean sites. The results call attention to where connectivity and land-use changes may have stronger influence on protected areas, in particular, whereas urbanization or intensification of agriculture may hamper conservation goals of protected areas. The proposed SWOT analysis provides helpful information for a multiple scale perspective and for identifying conservation priorities and for defining management strategies to assure biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provision. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mortality from Musculoskeletal Disorders Including Rheumatoid Arthritis in Southern Sweden: A Multiple-cause-of-death Analysis, 1998-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiadaliri, Aliasghar A; Turkiewicz, Aleksandra; Englund, Martin

2017-05-01

To assess mortality related to musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), specifically, among adults (aged ≥ 20 yrs) in southern Sweden using the multiple-cause-of-death approach. All death certificates (DC; n = 201,488) from 1998 to 2014 for adults in the region of Skåne were analyzed when mortality from MSK disorders and RA was listed as the underlying and nonunderlying cause of death (UCD/NUCD). Trends in age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) were evaluated using joinpoint regression, and associated causes were identified by age- and sex-adjusted observed/expected ratios. MSK (RA) was mentioned on 2.8% (0.8%) of all DC and selected as UCD in 0.6% (0.2%), with higher values among women. Proportion of MSK disorder deaths from all deaths increased from 2.7% in 1998 to 3.1% in 2014, and declined from 0.9% to 0.5% for RA. The mean age at death was higher in DC with mention of MSK/RA than in DC without. The mean ASMR for MSK (RA) was 15.5 (4.3) per 100,000 person-years and declined by 1.1% (3.8%) per year during 1998-2014. When MSK/RA were UCD, pneumonia and heart failure were the main NUCD. When MSK/RA were NUCD, the leading UCD were ischemic heart disease and neoplasms. The greatest observed/expected ratios were seen for infectious diseases (including sepsis) and blood diseases. We observed significant reduction in MSK and RA mortality rates and increase in the mean age at death. Further analyses are required to investigate determinants of these improvements in MSK/RA survival and their potential effect on the Swedish healthcare systems.

FB-line neutron multiplicity counter operation manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langner, D.G.; Sweet, M.R.; Salazar, S.D.; Kroncke, K.E.

1998-01-01

This manual describes the design features, performance, and operating characteristics for the FB-Line Neutron Multiplicity Counter (FBLNMC). The FBLNMC counts neutron multiplicities to quantitatively assay plutonium in many forms, including impure scrap and waste. Monte Carlo neutronic calculations were used to design the high-efficiency (57%) detector that has 113 3 H tubes in a high-density polyethylene body. The new derandomizer circuit is included in the design to reduce deadtime. The FBLNMC can be applied to plutonium masses in the range from a few tens of grams to 5 kg; both conventional coincidence counting and multiplicity counting can be used as appropriate. This manual gives the performance data and preliminary calibration parameters for the FBLNMC

Myeloproliferative neoplasms in five multiple sclerosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsteinsdottir, Sigrun; Bjerrum, Ole Weis

2013-01-01

The concurrence of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is unusual. We report five patients from a localized geographic area in Denmark with both MS and MPN; all the patients were diagnosed with MPNs in the years 2007-2012. We describe the patients' history and treatment...

Multiplicity: discussion points from the Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry multiplicity expert group.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Alan; Fletcher, Chrissie; Atkinson, Gary; Channon, Eddie; Douiri, Abdel; Jaki, Thomas; Maca, Jeff; Morgan, David; Roger, James Henry; Terrill, Paul

2013-01-01

In May 2012, the Committee of Health and Medicinal Products issued a concept paper on the need to review the points to consider document on multiplicity issues in clinical trials. In preparation for the release of the updated guidance document, Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry held a one-day expert group meeting in January 2013. Topics debated included multiplicity and the drug development process, the usefulness and limitations of newly developed strategies to deal with multiplicity, multiplicity issues arising from interim decisions and multiregional development, and the need for simultaneous confidence intervals (CIs) corresponding to multiple test procedures. A clear message from the meeting was that multiplicity adjustments need to be considered when the intention is to make a formal statement about efficacy or safety based on hypothesis tests. Statisticians have a key role when designing studies to assess what adjustment really means in the context of the research being conducted. More thought during the planning phase needs to be given to multiplicity adjustments for secondary endpoints given these are increasing in importance in differentiating products in the market place. No consensus was reached on the role of simultaneous CIs in the context of superiority trials. It was argued that unadjusted intervals should be employed as the primary purpose of the intervals is estimation, while the purpose of hypothesis testing is to formally establish an effect. The opposing view was that CIs should correspond to the test decision whenever possible. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Physical therapy intervention for an adolescent with a knee flexion contracture and diagnosis of multiple pterygium syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellamy, Sandra Gail; Gibbs, Karen; Lazaro, Rolando

2007-01-01

The purpose of this case report is to describe a course of physical therapy for a client with a rare genetic condition, multiple pterygium syndrome (MPS). MPS is a rare genetic disorder characterized by connective tissue webbing across multiple joints, dysmorphic facies, and various visceral and skeletal deformities. Before the patient commenced physical therapy, surgical amputation was recommended for the client's knee flexion contracture. The client's treatment plan included stretching, manual therapy, and resisted exercise. Long-term outcomes were decreased back and knee pain and improved range of motion, strength, and ambulation. Therapists using techniques to improve joint range of motion in clients with MPS should be aware that pterygia may include contractile tissue, nerves, and blood vessels and there may be underlying skeletal deformity or weakness in these areas. Children with MPS are at high risk of developing scoliosis and should be appropriately assessed in early childhood.

Rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubsik-Gidlewska, Anna M; Klimkiewicz, Paulina; Klimkiewicz, Robert; Janczewska, Katarzyna; Woldańska-Okońska, Marta

2017-07-01

The aim of the study is to present a strategy of rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis on the basis of the latest developments in the field of physiotherapy. The publications on the problem discuss a wide range of methods of physiotherapy that can be used in order to reduce the degree of disability and alleviate the symptoms associated with the disease. The complexity of the disease, the difficulty in determining the appropriate treatment and a wide range of symptoms require a comprehensive approach to the patient, which would include both pharmacology and neurorehabilitation. Rehabilitation, which includes psychotherapy and symptomatic therapy, is regarded nowadays as the best form of treatment for multiple sclerosis. An indepth diagnostic assessment of functional status and prognosis should be carried out before the start of the rehabilitation process. The prognosis should take into account the mental state, the neurological status and the awareness of the patient. The kinesiotherapy program in multiple sclerosis is based on a gradation of physiotherapy which assumes a gradual transition from basic movements to more complex ones till global functions are obtained. The most appropriate form of treatment is functional rehabilitation combined with physical procedures. Recent reports indicate the need for aerobic training to be included in the rehabilitation program. The introduction of physical activities, regardless of the severity of the disease, will reduce the negative effects of akinesia, and thus increase the functional capabilities of all body systems.

High-Speed Optical Wide-Area Data-Communication Network

Science.gov (United States)

Monacos, Steve P.

1994-01-01

Proposed fiber-optic wide-area network (WAN) for digital communication balances input and output flows of data with its internal capacity by routing traffic via dynamically interconnected routing planes. Data transmitted optically through network by wavelength-division multiplexing in synchronous or asynchronous packets. WAN implemented with currently available technology. Network is multiple-ring cyclic shuffle exchange network ensuring traffic reaches its destination with minimum number of hops.

Survival and multiplication of Legionella pneumophila in municipal drinking water systems.

Science.gov (United States)

States, S J; Conley, L F; Kuchta, J M; Oleck, B M; Lipovich, M J; Wolford, R S; Wadowsky, R M; McNamara, A M; Sykora, J L; Keleti, G

1987-05-01

Studies were conducted to investigate the survival and multiplication of Legionella spp. in public drinking water supplies. An attempt was made, over a period of several years, to isolate legionellae from a municipal system. Sampling sites included the river water supply, treatment plant, finished water reservoir system, mains, and distribution taps. Despite the use of several isolation techniques, Legionella spp. could not be detected in any of the samples other than those collected from the river. It was hypothesized that this was due to the maintenance of a chlorine residual throughout the system. To investigate the potential for Legionella growth, additional water samples, collected from throughout the system, were dechlorinated, pasteurized, and inoculated with Legionella pneumophila. Subsequent growth indicated that many of these samples, especially those collected from areas affected by an accumulation of algal materials, exhibited a much greater ability to support Legionella multiplication than did river water prior to treatment. Chemical analyses were also performed on these samples. Correlation of chemical data and experimental growth results indicated that the chemical environment significantly affects the ability of the water to support multiplication, with turbidity, organic carbon, and certain metals being of particular importance. These studies indicate that the potential exists for Legionella growth within municipal systems and support the hypothesis that public water supplies may contaminate the plumbing systems of hospitals and other large buildings. The results also suggest that useful methods to control this contamination include adequate treatment plant filtration, maintenance of a chlorine residual throughout the treatment and distribution network, and effective covering of open reservoirs.

Quantification of elemental area densities in multiple metal layers (Au/Ni/Cu) on a Cr-coated quartz glass substrate for certification of NMIJ CRM 5208-a.

Science.gov (United States)

Ariga, Tomoko; Zhu, Yanbei; Ito, Mika; Takatsuka, Toshiko; Terauchi, Shinya; Kurokawa, Akira; Inagaki, Kazumi

2018-04-01

Area densities of Au/Ni/Cu layers on a Cr-coated quartz substrate were characterized to certify a multiple-metal-layer certified reference material (NMIJ CRM5208-a) that is intended for use in the analysis of the layer area density and the thickness by an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The area densities of Au/Ni/Cu layers were calculated from layer mass amounts and area. The layer mass amounts were determined by using wet chemical analyses, namely inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), isotope-dilution (ID-) ICP-MS, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after dissolving the layers with diluted mixture of HCl and HNO 3 (1:1, v/v). Analytical results of the layer mass amounts obtained by the methods agreed well with each another within their uncertainty ranges. The area of the layer was determined by using a high-resolution optical scanner calibrated by Japan Calibration Service System (JCSS) standard scales. The property values of area density were 1.84 ± 0.05 μg/mm 2 for Au, 8.69 ± 0.17 μg/mm 2 for Ni, and 8.80 ± 0.14 μg/mm 2 for Cu (mean ± expanded uncertainty, coverage factor k = 2). In order to assess the reliability of these values, the density of each metal layer calculated from the property values of the area density and layer thickness measured by using a scanning electron microscope were compared with available literature values and good agreement between the observed values and values obtained in previous studies.

Computerized tomography in multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delouvrier, J.J.; Tritschler, J.L.; Desbleds, M.T.; Cambier, J.; Nahum, H.

1980-01-01

The double scan CT method was applied to a homogeneous population of 50 multiple sclerosis patients and the following features were studied: well defined low-density areas, localized contrast enhancements, cerebral atrophy and white matter homogeneity. The analyses of the variance of the white matter (centrum ovale) can disclose those lesions which individually do not surpass the visibility threshold. The lesions that are localized in the white matter are mainly periventricular, most often multiple, and they do not displace the neighbouring structures. By revealing a large number of clinically silent cerebral lesions, the cerebral CT becomes a highly important diagnostic tool. The value of the CT examinations seems to be of major importance each time that the clinical diagnosis is hesitant, particularly when faced with medullary signs or an initial neurological episode. (C.F.)

STAR-TYPE LOCAL AREA NETWORK ACCESS CONTROL

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

逯昭义; 齐藤忠夫

1990-01-01

The multiple access fashion is a new resolution for the star-type local area network (LAN) access control and star-type optical fibre LAN. Arguments about this network are discussed, and the results are introduced.

Child outcomes of home-visiting for families with complex and multiple problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Assen, Arend; Dickscheit, Jana; Post, Wendy; Grietens, Hans

2016-01-01

Introduction Families with complex and multiple problems are faced with an accumulation of problems across multiple areas of life. Furthermore, these families are often considered to be ‘difficult to treat’. Children and teenagers growing up in these families are exposed to an accumulation of risks

Mechanisms of multiple production processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dremin, I.M.

1977-01-01

Theoretical approaches to multiple production processes are discussed. A large number of models proceeds from the notion about common excited system produced by colliding hadrons. This class of models includes the hydrodynamical, statistical, thermodynamical and statistical bootstrap models. Sometimes the production process is due to excitation and decay of two colliding particles. The fragmentation bremsstrahlung and inelastic diffraction models belong to this group. The largest group of models describes the multiple production process as a result of formation of many excited centers. The typical example is the multiperipheral model. An interesting direction is given by the attempts to interrelate the mechanism of multiple production with internal structure of particles that is with their constituents (C-group)'-quarks, gluons, etc. Besides the models there are phenomenological (p group) attempts to connect different features of multiple production. Experimental data indicate the existence of leading and pionization particles thus giving an evidence for applications of different models. The data about increase of total and inclusive cross sections, the behaviour of the mean multiplicity and correlations at high energies provide a clue for further development of multiple production theory

Related B cell clones populate the meninges and parenchyma of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovato, Laura; Willis, Simon N; Rodig, Scott J; Caron, Tyler; Almendinger, Stefany E; Howell, Owain W; Reynolds, Richard; O'Connor, Kevin C; Hafler, David A

2011-02-01

In the central nervous system of patients with multiple sclerosis, B cell aggregates populate the meninges, raising the central question as to whether these structures relate to the B cell infiltrates found in parenchymal lesions or instead, represent a separate central nervous system immune compartment. We characterized the repertoires derived from meningeal B cell aggregates and the corresponding parenchymal infiltrates from brain tissue derived primarily from patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. The majority of expanded antigen-experienced B cell clones derived from meningeal aggregates were also present in the parenchyma. We extended this investigation to include 20 grey matter specimens containing meninges, 26 inflammatory plaques, 19 areas of normal appearing white matter and cerebral spinal fluid. Analysis of 1833 B cell receptor heavy chain variable region sequences demonstrated that antigen-experienced clones were consistently shared among these distinct compartments. This study establishes a relationship between extraparenchymal lymphoid tissue and parenchymal infiltrates and defines the arrangement of B cell clones that populate the central nervous system of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to describe patient-reported disability: a comparison of Guillain Barré syndrome with multiple sclerosis in a community cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Fary; Amatya, Bhasker; Ng, Louisa

2010-09-01

To use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to describe and compare patient-reported disability in Guillain-Barré syndrome survivors and persons with multiple sclerosis, and to identify relevant environmental factors. Cross-sectional survey of 77 survivors of Guillain-Barré syndrome in the community. Their Guillain-Barré syndrome-related problems were linked with ICF categories (second level) using an open-ended questionnaire, consensus between health professionals and the "linking rules", and compared with similar data collected previously for 101 persons with multiple sclerosis. Guillain-Barré syndrome survivors were male (59%) and older than persons with multiple sclerosis (mean age 55 vs 49 years). Of 170 ICF categories, 113 were relevant for Guillain-Barré syndrome survivors (mean number 30 vs 18 for persons with multiple sclerosis). The linked categories for Guillain-Barré syndrome included: body function 27 (56%) compared with 48 (42%) for persons with multiple sclerosis; body structure 11 (68%) vs 16 (34%); activities and participation 48 (70%) and 68 (58%); and for environmental factors 27 (71%) compared with 38 (51%) for persons with multiple sclerosis. The main areas linked in the activities and participation domain were mobility, major life areas and interpersonal relationships; and environmental factors included support and relationships, attitudes and products and technology. This is the first study to use ICF in Guillain-Barré syndrome survivors and towards development of the ICF Core Set for Guillain-Barré syndrome from a broader international perspective.

Mathematical Modeling of Loop Heat Pipes with Multiple Capillary Pumps and Multiple Condensers. Part 1; Stead State Stimulations

Science.gov (United States)

Hoang, Triem T.; OConnell, Tamara; Ku, Jentung

2004-01-01

Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) have proven themselves as reliable and robust heat transport devices for spacecraft thermal control systems. So far, the LHPs in earth-orbit satellites perform very well as expected. Conventional LHPs usually consist of a single capillary pump for heat acquisition and a single condenser for heat rejection. Multiple pump/multiple condenser LHPs have shown to function very well in ground testing. Nevertheless, the test results of a dual pump/condenser LHP also revealed that the dual LHP behaved in a complicated manner due to the interaction between the pumps and condensers. Thus it is redundant to say that more research is needed before they are ready for 0-g deployment. One research area that perhaps compels immediate attention is the analytical modeling of LHPs, particularly the transient phenomena. Modeling a single pump/single condenser LHP is difficult enough. Only a handful of computer codes are available for both steady state and transient simulations of conventional LHPs. No previous effort was made to develop an analytical model (or even a complete theory) to predict the operational behavior of the multiple pump/multiple condenser LHP systems. The current research project offered a basic theory of the multiple pump/multiple condenser LHP operation. From it, a computer code was developed to predict the LHP saturation temperature in accordance with the system operating and environmental conditions.

Airborne electromagnetic detection of shallow seafloor topographic features, including resolution of multiple sub-parallel seafloor ridges

Science.gov (United States)

Vrbancich, Julian; Boyd, Graham

2014-05-01

The HoistEM helicopter time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) system was flown over waters in Backstairs Passage, South Australia, in 2003 to test the bathymetric accuracy and hence the ability to resolve seafloor structure in shallow and deeper waters (extending to ~40 m depth) that contain interesting seafloor topography. The topography that forms a rock peak (South Page) in the form of a mini-seamount that barely rises above the water surface was accurately delineated along its ridge from the start of its base (where the seafloor is relatively flat) in ~30 m water depth to its peak at the water surface, after an empirical correction was applied to the data to account for imperfect system calibration, consistent with earlier studies using the same HoistEM system. A much smaller submerged feature (Threshold Bank) of ~9 m peak height located in waters of 35 to 40 m depth was also accurately delineated. These observations when checked against known water depths in these two regions showed that the airborne TEM system, following empirical data correction, was effectively operating correctly. The third and most important component of the survey was flown over the Yatala Shoals region that includes a series of sub-parallel seafloor ridges (resembling large sandwaves rising up to ~20 m from the seafloor) that branch out and gradually decrease in height as the ridges spread out across the seafloor. These sub-parallel ridges provide an interesting topography because the interpreted water depths obtained from 1D inversion of TEM data highlight the limitations of the EM footprint size in resolving both the separation between the ridges (which vary up to ~300 m) and the height of individual ridges (which vary up to ~20 m), and possibly also the limitations of assuming a 1D model in areas where the topography is quasi-2D/3D.

Assessing variability and long-term trends in burned area by merging multiple satellite fire products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Giglio

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Long term, high quality estimates of burned area are needed for improving both prognostic and diagnostic fire emissions models and for assessing feedbacks between fire and the climate system. We developed global, monthly burned area estimates aggregated to 0.5° spatial resolution for the time period July 1996 through mid-2009 using four satellite data sets. From 2001–2009, our primary data source was 500-m burned area maps produced using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS surface reflectance imagery; more than 90% of the global area burned during this time period was mapped in this fashion. During times when the 500-m MODIS data were not available, we used a combination of local regression and regional regression trees developed over periods when burned area and Terra MODIS active fire data were available to indirectly estimate burned area. Cross-calibration with fire observations from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS and the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR allowed the data set to be extended prior to the MODIS era. With our data set we estimated that the global annual area burned for the years 1997–2008 varied between 330 and 431 Mha, with the maximum occurring in 1998. We compared our data set to the recent GFED2, L3JRC, GLOBCARBON, and MODIS MCD45A1 global burned area products and found substantial differences in many regions. Lastly, we assessed the interannual variability and long-term trends in global burned area over the past 13 years. This burned area time series serves as the basis for the third version of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED3 estimates of trace gas and aerosol emissions.

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Verona, Italy: an epidemiological and genetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gajofatto, A; Stefani, A; Turatti, M; Bianchi, M R; Lira, M G; Moretto, G; Salviati, A; Benedetti, M D

2013-04-01

Recent multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence studies classify Italy as a high-risk area without intra-regional latitude effect. To determine MS prevalence in Verona, Italy, and frequency of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) gene G511C polymorphism and HLA-DRB1*15 locus in a sample of cases and healthy controls. The study area population on the prevalence date (31 December 2001) was 253208 (133508 women, 119700 men). Multiple case sources were examined. Patients fulfilling McDonald's criteria (2001) were included. Crude, age- and sex-specific prevalence rates were computed. MOG G511C polymorphism and HLA-DRB1*15 were determined by standard methods. We identified 270 cases of MS yielding a crude prevalence rate of 106.6/100000 (95% CI: 94-120). Prevalence was higher in women (140.8/100000) than in men (68.5/100000). The age-adjusted prevalence rate standardized to the European population was 96.0/100000. MOG G511C polymorphism did not differ between cases and controls. HLA-DRB1*15 frequency was 58/155 (37%) in cases and 24/157 (15%) in controls (P<0.001). There was no HLA-DRB1*15 influence on susceptibility to other autoimmune disorders. The high MS prevalence in Verona confirms Italy as a high-risk area with a homogenous distribution across the country. HLA-DRB1*15 is a relevant MS susceptibility locus in the Italian population, possibly with little influence on the occurrence of concomitant autoimmune disorders. © 2012 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2012 EFNS.

Correlation between white matter damage and gray matter lesions in multiple sclerosis patients

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Xue-mei Han

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We observed the characteristics of white matter fibers and gray matter in multiple sclerosis patients, to identify changes in diffusion tensor imaging fractional anisotropy values following white matter fiber injury. We analyzed the correlation between fractional anisotropy values and changes in whole-brain gray matter volume. The participants included 20 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and 20 healthy volunteers as controls. All subjects underwent head magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Our results revealed that fractional anisotropy values decreased and gray matter volumes were reduced in the genu and splenium of corpus callosum, left anterior thalamic radiation, hippocampus, uncinate fasciculus, right corticospinal tract, bilateral cingulate gyri, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus in multiple sclerosis patients. Gray matter volumes were significantly different between the two groups in the right frontal lobe (superior frontal, middle frontal, precentral, and orbital gyri, right parietal lobe (postcentral and inferior parietal gyri, right temporal lobe (caudate nucleus, right occipital lobe (middle occipital gyrus, right insula, right parahippocampal gyrus, and left cingulate gyrus. The voxel sizes of atrophic gray matter positively correlated with fractional anisotropy values in white matter association fibers in the patient group. These findings suggest that white matter fiber bundles are extensively injured in multiple sclerosis patients. The main areas of gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis are the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, caudate nucleus, parahippocampal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. Gray matter atrophy is strongly associated with white matter injury in multiple sclerosis patients, particularly with injury to association fibers.

Single photon detection with self-quenching multiplication

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Xinyu (Inventor); Cunningham, Thomas J. (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A photoelectronic device and an avalanche self-quenching process for a photoelectronic device are described. The photoelectronic device comprises a nanoscale semiconductor multiplication region and a nanoscale doped semiconductor quenching structure including a depletion region and an undepletion region. The photoelectronic device can act as a single photon detector or a single carrier multiplier. The avalanche self-quenching process allows electrical field reduction in the multiplication region by movement of the multiplication carriers, thus quenching the avalanche.

Maltreatment in multiple-birth children.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Cathleen A; Cox, Matthew J; Flores, Glenn

2013-12-01

The rate of multiple births has increased over the last two decades. In 1982, an increased frequency of injuries among this patient population was noted, but few studies have evaluated the increased incidence of maltreatment in twins. The study aim was to evaluate the features of all multiple-birth children with substantiated physical abuse and/or neglect over a four-year period at a major children's hospital. A Retrospective chart review was conducted of multiple-gestation children in which at least one child in the multiple set experienced child maltreatment from January 2006 to December 2009. Data regarding the child, injuries, family, and perpetrators were abstracted. We evaluated whether family and child characteristics were associated with maltreatment, and whether types of injuries were similar within multiple sets. For comparison, data from the same time period for single-birth maltreated children also were abstracted, including child age, gestational age at birth, and injury type. There were 19 sets of multiple births in which at least one child had abusive injuries and/or neglect. In 10 of 19 sets (53%), all multiples were found to have a form of maltreatment, and all children in these multiple sets shared at least one injury type. Parents lived together in 63% of cases. Fathers and mothers were the alleged perpetrator in 42% of the cases. Multiple-gestation-birth maltreated children were significantly more likely than single-birth maltreated children to have abdominal trauma (13% vs. 1%, respectively; pchildren often, but not always, were abused. In sets with two maltreated children, children usually shared the same modes of maltreatment. Multiples are significantly more likely than singletons to be younger and experience fractures and abdominal trauma. The findings support the current standard practice of evaluating all children in a multiple set when one is found to be abused or neglected. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole brain white matter changes revealed by multiple diffusion metrics in multiple sclerosis: A TBSS study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yaou; Duan, Yunyun; He, Yong; Yu, Chunshui; Wang, Jun; Huang, Jing; Ye, Jing; Parizel, Paul M.; Li, Kuncheng; Shu, Ni

2012-01-01

Objective: To investigate whole brain white matter changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) by multiple diffusion indices, we examined patients with diffusion tensor imaging and utilized tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method to analyze the data. Methods: Forty-one relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients and 41 age- and gender-matched normal controls were included in this study. Diffusion weighted images were acquired by employing a single-shot echo planar imaging sequence on a 1.5 T MR scanner. Voxel-wise analyses of multiple diffusion metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) were performed with TBSS. Results: The MS patients had significantly decreased FA (9.11%), increased MD (8.26%), AD (3.48%) and RD (13.17%) in their white matter skeletons compared with the controls. Through TBSS analyses, we found abnormal diffusion changes in widespread white matter regions in MS patients. Specifically, decreased FA, increased MD and increased RD were involved in whole-brain white matter, while several regions exhibited increased AD. Furthermore, white matter regions with significant correlations between the diffusion metrics and the clinical variables (the EDSS scores, disease durations and white matter lesion loads) in MS patients were identified. Conclusion: Widespread white matter abnormalities were observed in MS patients revealed by multiple diffusion metrics. The diffusion changes and correlations with clinical variables were mainly attributed to increased RD, implying the predominant role of RD in reflecting the subtle pathological changes in MS

Whole brain white matter changes revealed by multiple diffusion metrics in multiple sclerosis: A TBSS study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yaou, E-mail: asiaeurope80@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053 (China); Duan, Yunyun, E-mail: xiaoyun81.love@163.com [Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053 (China); He, Yong, E-mail: yong.h.he@gmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Yu, Chunshui, E-mail: csyuster@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053 (China); Wang, Jun, E-mail: jun_wang@bnu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Huang, Jing, E-mail: sainthj@126.com [Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053 (China); Ye, Jing, E-mail: jingye.2007@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053 (China); Parizel, Paul M., E-mail: paul.parizel@ua.ac.be [Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, 8 Belgium (Belgium); Li, Kuncheng, E-mail: kunchengli55@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053 (China); Shu, Ni, E-mail: nshu55@gmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

2012-10-15

Objective: To investigate whole brain white matter changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) by multiple diffusion indices, we examined patients with diffusion tensor imaging and utilized tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method to analyze the data. Methods: Forty-one relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients and 41 age- and gender-matched normal controls were included in this study. Diffusion weighted images were acquired by employing a single-shot echo planar imaging sequence on a 1.5 T MR scanner. Voxel-wise analyses of multiple diffusion metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) were performed with TBSS. Results: The MS patients had significantly decreased FA (9.11%), increased MD (8.26%), AD (3.48%) and RD (13.17%) in their white matter skeletons compared with the controls. Through TBSS analyses, we found abnormal diffusion changes in widespread white matter regions in MS patients. Specifically, decreased FA, increased MD and increased RD were involved in whole-brain white matter, while several regions exhibited increased AD. Furthermore, white matter regions with significant correlations between the diffusion metrics and the clinical variables (the EDSS scores, disease durations and white matter lesion loads) in MS patients were identified. Conclusion: Widespread white matter abnormalities were observed in MS patients revealed by multiple diffusion metrics. The diffusion changes and correlations with clinical variables were mainly attributed to increased RD, implying the predominant role of RD in reflecting the subtle pathological changes in MS.

Long-lasting novelty-induced neuronal reverberation during slow-wave sleep in multiple forebrain areas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sidarta Ribeiro

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The discovery of experience-dependent brain reactivation during both slow-wave (SW and rapid eye-movement (REM sleep led to the notion that the consolidation of recently acquired memory traces requires neural replay during sleep. To date, however, several observations continue to undermine this hypothesis. To address some of these objections, we investigated the effects of a transient novel experience on the long-term evolution of ongoing neuronal activity in the rat forebrain. We observed that spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal ensemble activity originally produced by the tactile exploration of novel objects recurred for up to 48 h in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, putamen, and thalamus. This novelty-induced recurrence was characterized by low but significant correlations values. Nearly identical results were found for neuronal activity sampled when animals were moving between objects without touching them. In contrast, negligible recurrence was observed for neuronal patterns obtained when animals explored a familiar environment. While the reverberation of past patterns of neuronal activity was strongest during SW sleep, waking was correlated with a decrease of neuronal reverberation. REM sleep showed more variable results across animals. In contrast with data from hippocampal place cells, we found no evidence of time compression or expansion of neuronal reverberation in any of the sampled forebrain areas. Our results indicate that persistent experience-dependent neuronal reverberation is a general property of multiple forebrain structures. It does not consist of an exact replay of previous activity, but instead it defines a mild and consistent bias towards salient neural ensemble firing patterns. These results are compatible with a slow and progressive process of memory consolidation, reflecting novelty-related neuronal ensemble relationships that seem to be context- rather than stimulus-specific. Based on our current and previous results

INDIA: Photon multiplicity detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

25 mm square and are assembled in 26 light-tight box modules. Each fibre matrix of 38 rows and 50 columns is read out using an image intensifier and CCD camera system. At present the PMD uses 26 readout cameras from the old UA2 experiment, including 20 units on loan from CERN. The detector covers an area of 21 square metres in the forward region. Its total weight with the stand and lead converter plates is about 6 tons. A central hole about 1 metre square avoids problems with overlapping showers. The detector took its first data during the lead ion run late last year (December 1994, page 15)

INDIA: Photon multiplicity detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1995-01-15

square and are assembled in 26 light-tight box modules. Each fibre matrix of 38 rows and 50 columns is read out using an image intensifier and CCD camera system. At present the PMD uses 26 readout cameras from the old UA2 experiment, including 20 units on loan from CERN. The detector covers an area of 21 square metres in the forward region. Its total weight with the stand and lead converter plates is about 6 tons. A central hole about 1 metre square avoids problems with overlapping showers. The detector took its first data during the lead ion run late last year (December 1994, page 15)

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SELF-ESTIMATES OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AMONG LEARNERS OF ENGLISH

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Abbas Zare-ee

2015-10-01

Full Text Available According to Howard Gardner, human intellectual ability cannot be measured by a unitary concept of general intelligence, and the performance of cognitive tasks draws on different types of intelligence, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, natural, and existential. Despite the lack of adequate empirical support and recent doubts raised about its validity, this view of multiple intelligences has been extensively employed for the characterization of learners and the development of tasks for language teaching and learning. Whereas gender differences in the learning and use of language have been extensively researched, context-specific information on gender differences in different domains of multiple intelligences has not been seriously examined. The survey reported here is based on the hypothesis that multiple intelligences vary not only at the individual level, but also in the case of gender at a cultural level, and uses Mckenzie's Multiple Intelligences Survey to explore possible gender differences in Gardner’s intelligences. Questionnaire data relating to each of the nine intelligences was elicited from 300 undergraduate volunteers studying English at the University of Kashan in central Iran. The questionnaire included 90 statements and 10 items on each intelligence, and was used to identify the intelligence profile of the participants according to their own self-estimates. The scores for each intelligence type were calculated, analyzed and compared across genders. The results of the study showed that in contrast to the trend observed in previous research, female learners tended to rate themselves higher on most intelligences and their means were significantly higher than those of male learners in the areas of naturalistic and existential intelligences. The findings have both theoretical and practical implications not only for the reconsideration of previous claims

Time-domain multiple-quantum NMR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weitekamp, D.P.

1982-11-01

The development of time-domain multiple-quantum nuclear magnetic resonance is reviewed through mid 1982 and some prospects for future development are indicated. Particular attention is given to the problem of obtaining resolved, interpretable, many-quantum spectra for anisotropic magnetically isolated systems of coupled spins. New results are presented on a number of topics including the optimization of multiple-quantum-line intensities, analysis of noise in two-dimensional spectroscopy, and the use of order-selective excitation for cross polarization between nuclear-spin species

Management Challenges of Launching Multiple Payloads for Multiple Customers

OpenAIRE

Callen, Dave

1999-01-01

Orbital has provided launch services for multiple satellites as a means to provide greater economy for access to space. These include satellites from NASA, 000, commercial companies, universities, and foreign governments. While satellite customers view shared launches as a means to achieve reduced launch costs, this approach adds many complexities that a traditional launch service provider does not have to address for a dedicated launch. This paper will discuss some of the challenges associat...

Multiple stabbing in sex-related homicides.

Science.gov (United States)

Radojević, Nemanja; Radnić, Bojana; Petković, Stojan; Miljen, Maletin; Curović, Ivana; Cukić, Dragana; Soć, Miodrag; Savić, Slobodan

2013-07-01

It is possible that sexually driven homicides are the consequence of sexual deviation, but more often than not the main cause of such homicides stems from a non-paraphilic person's emotional component. It is known that homicides which involve multiple stabbing are very often the result of the assailant's highly expressed affect. This study tries to establish whether such homicides are essentially related to the sexual motives of the murderer. This paper is conducted through a retrospective autopsy study that includes 766 cases of homicides. These were reviewed and analysed according to the motive of the homicide, as well as by method, age, and gender of the victim, and the relationship between the victim and the assailant. The motives of homicides are classified as non-sexual and sexual, including homicides related to rape, jealousy, amorous affairs outside of an established relationship, deviant sexual behaviour of psychiatric patients, paraphilia, and disturbed emotional relationships between the victim and the assailant. Cases include both hetero- and homosexual relationships. Multiple stabbing occurs significantly more frequently in sex-related homicides (≥ 3 stab wounds) than in other homicide types. When the criteria for multiple stabbing are changed (≥ 4, 5, or 25 stab wounds), the percentage of sex-related homicides rises in every group in relation to the increased number of wounds. Sensitivity and specificity are represented by ROC curves for 3, 5 and 7 stab wounds. The correlation coefficients between multiple stabbing and sex-related homicides regarding gender are all near 0.9. For female victims, all homicides committed by 25 and more stab wounds were found to be sex-related. Statistically, jealousy was the most frequent motive for sex-related multiple stabbing homicides. Regardless of age, homicides involving multiple stabbings should be considered sex-related, especially when the victim is female. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of

Enhancing area surrounding breast carcinoma on MR mammography: comparison with pathological examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goethem, M. van; Verslegers, I.; Biltjes, I.; Schepper, A. de; Schelfout, K.; Colpaert, C.; Kersschot, E.; Tjalma, W.A.; Weyler, J.

2004-01-01

The enhancing area surrounding breast carcinoma on MR mammography is correlated with findings from pathological examination. We studied 194 patients with breast cancer who underwent preoperative MR mammography. Of all malignant lesions presenting with an enhancing surrounding area on MR mammography, morphologic features including long spicules, a ductal pattern, diffuse enhancement or nodules were evaluated and compared with histopathological examination. A double breast coil was used; we performed a 3D FLASH sequence with contiguous coronal slices of 2 mm, before and after injection of 0.2 mmol/kg GD-DTPA, and subtraction images were obtained. In total, 297 malignant lesions were detected at MR mammography and 101 of them had one or more types of enhancing surrounding area. In 49 of the 53 cancers with long spicules and in 49 of the 55 cancers with surrounding ductal pattern of enhancement, pathological examination showed in situ and/or invasive carcinoma. Multiple nodules adjacent to the carcinoma were seen in 20 patients and corresponded with six cases of invasive and ten cases of ductal in situ carcinoma. A diffuse enhancing area next to a mass was seen in ten patients and consisted of carcinoma in all cases: seven in situ and three invasive carcinomas. Enhancing areas including long spicules, a ductal pattern, noduli, or diffuse enhancement surrounding a carcinoma corresponded with in situ or invasive extension of the carcinoma in 92.5, 89, 80 and 100% of cases, respectively. (orig.)

Time-division optical interconnects for local-area and micro-area networks

Science.gov (United States)

Krol, Mark F.; Boncek, Raymond K.; Johns, Steven T.; Stacy, John L.

1991-12-01

This report describes the development of an optical Time-Division Multiple-Access (TDMA) interconnect suitable for applications in local-area and micro-area networks. The advantages of using time-division techniques instead of frequency-division, wavelength-division, or code-division techniques in a shared-medium environment are discussed in detail. Furthermore, a detailed description of the TDMA architecture is presented along with various experiments pertaining to the actual components needed to implement the system. Finally, experimental data is presented for an actual optical TDMA test bed. The experimental data demonstrates the feasibility of the architecture, and shows that currently the system has the capability to accommodate up to 50 channels. The bit-error-rate per channel was measured to be less than 10(exp -9) for pseudo-random bit-sequences.

Improving the Reliability of Optimised Link State Routing in a Smart Grid Neighbour Area Network based Wireless Mesh Network Using Multiple Metrics

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Yakubu Tsado

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Reliable communication is the backbone of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI. Within the AMI, the neighbourhood area network (NAN transports a multitude of traffic, each with unique requirements. In order to deliver an acceptable level of reliability and latency, the underlying network, such as the wireless mesh network(WMN, must provide or guarantee the quality-of-service (QoS level required by the respective application traffic. Existing WMN routing protocols, such as optimised link state routing (OLSR, typically utilise a single metric and do not consider the requirements of individual traffic; hence, packets are delivered on a best-effort basis. This paper presents a QoS-aware WMN routing technique that employs multiple metrics in OLSR optimal path selection for AMI applications. The problems arising from this approach are non deterministic polynomial time (NP-complete in nature, which were solved through the combined use of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP algorithm and pruning techniques. For smart meters transmitting Internet Protocol (IP packets of varying sizes at different intervals, the proposed technique considers the constraints of NAN and the applications’ traffic characteristics. The technique was developed by combining multiple OLSR path selection metrics with the AHP algorithminns-2. Compared with the conventional link metric in OLSR, the results show improvements of about 23% and 45% in latency and Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR, respectively, in a 25-node grid NAN.

N-1: Safeguards Science and Technology Group, Tour Areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geist, William H.

2012-01-01

Group N-1 develops and provides training on nondestructive assay (NDA) technologies intended for nuclear material accounting and control to fulfill both international and domestic obligations. The N-1 group is located at Technical Area (TA)-35 in Buildings 2 and 27. Visitors to the area can observe developed and fielded NDA technologies, as well as the latest research efforts to develop the next generation of NDA technologies. Several areas are used for NDA training. The N-1 School House area typically is used for basic training on neutron- and gamma-ray-based NDA techniques. This area contains an assortment of gamma-ray detector systems, including sodium iodide and high-purity germanium and the associated measurement components. Many types of neutron assay systems are located here, including both standard coincidence and multiplicity counters. The N-1 School House area is also used for holdup training; located here are the mock holdup assemblies and associated holdup measurement tools. Other laboratory areas in the N-1 space are used for specialized training, such as waste NDA, calorimetry, and advanced gamma-ray NDA. Also, many research laboratories in the N-1 space are used to develop new NDA technologies. The calorimetry laboratory is used to develop and evaluate new technologies and techniques that measure the heat signature from nuclear material to determine mass. The micro calorimetry laboratory is being used to develop advanced technologies that can measure gamma rays with extremely high resolution. This technique has been proven in the laboratory setting, and the team is now working to cultivate a field-capable system. The N-1 group also develops remote and unattended systems for the tracking and control of nuclear material. A demonstration of this technology is located within one of the laboratory spaces. The source tracker software was developed by N-1 to monitor the locations and quantities of nuclear materials. This software is currently used to track

A crack growth evaluation method for interacting multiple cracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaya, Masayuki

2003-01-01

When stress corrosion cracking or corrosion fatigue occurs, multiple cracks are frequently initiated in the same area. According to section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, multiple cracks are considered as a single combined crack in crack growth analysis, if the specified conditions are satisfied. In crack growth processes, however, no prescription for the interference between multiple cracks is given in this code. The JSME Post-Construction Code, issued in May 2000, prescribes the conditions of crack coalescence in the crack growth process. This study aimed to extend this prescription to more general cases. A simulation model was applied, to simulate the crack growth process, taking into account the interference between two cracks. This model made it possible to analyze multiple crack growth behaviors for many cases (e.g. different relative position and length) that could not be studied by experiment only. Based on these analyses, a new crack growth analysis method was suggested for taking into account the interference between multiple cracks. (author)

Sensory competition in the face processing areas of the human brain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krisztina Nagy

Full Text Available The concurrent presentation of multiple stimuli in the visual field may trigger mutually suppressive interactions throughout the ventral visual stream. While several studies have been performed on sensory competition effects among non-face stimuli relatively little is known about the interactions in the human brain for multiple face stimuli. In the present study we analyzed the neuronal basis of sensory competition in an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI study using multiple face stimuli. We varied the ratio of faces and phase-noise images within a composite display with a constant number of peripheral stimuli, thereby manipulating the competitive interactions between faces. For contralaterally presented stimuli we observed strong competition effects in the fusiform face area (FFA bilaterally and in the right lateral occipital area (LOC, but not in the occipital face area (OFA, suggesting their different roles in sensory competition. When we increased the spatial distance among pairs of faces the magnitude of suppressive interactions was reduced in the FFA. Surprisingly, the magnitude of competition depended on the visual hemifield of the stimuli: ipsilateral stimulation reduced the competition effects somewhat in the right LOC while it increased them in the left LOC. This suggests a left hemifield dominance of sensory competition. Our results support the sensory competition theory in the processing of multiple faces and suggests that sensory competition occurs in several cortical areas in both cerebral hemispheres.

Pareto-depth for multiple-query image retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiao, Ko-Jen; Calder, Jeff; Hero, Alfred O

2015-02-01

Most content-based image retrieval systems consider either one single query, or multiple queries that include the same object or represent the same semantic information. In this paper, we consider the content-based image retrieval problem for multiple query images corresponding to different image semantics. We propose a novel multiple-query information retrieval algorithm that combines the Pareto front method with efficient manifold ranking. We show that our proposed algorithm outperforms state of the art multiple-query retrieval algorithms on real-world image databases. We attribute this performance improvement to concavity properties of the Pareto fronts, and prove a theoretical result that characterizes the asymptotic concavity of the fronts.

Image Based Solution to Occlusion Problem for Multiple Robots Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taj Mohammad Khan

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In machine vision, occlusions problem is always a challenging issue in image based mapping and navigation tasks. This paper presents a multiple view vision based algorithm for the development of occlusion-free map of the indoor environment. The map is assumed to be utilized by the mobile robots within the workspace. It has wide range of applications, including mobile robot path planning and navigation, access control in restricted areas, and surveillance systems. We used wall mounted fixed camera system. After intensity adjustment and background subtraction of the synchronously captured images, the image registration was performed. We applied our algorithm on the registered images to resolve the occlusion problem. This technique works well even in the existence of total occlusion for a longer period.

A comparison of multiple indicator kriging and area-to-point Poisson kriging for mapping patterns of herbivore species abundance in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerry, Ruth; Goovaerts, Pierre; Smit, Izak P J; Ingram, Ben R

Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, provides protected habitats for the unique animals of the African savannah. For the past 40 years, annual aerial surveys of herbivores have been conducted to aid management decisions based on (1) the spatial distribution of species throughout the park and (2) total species populations in a year. The surveys are extremely time consuming and costly. For many years, the whole park was surveyed, but in 1998 a transect survey approach was adopted. This is cheaper and less time consuming but leaves gaps in the data spatially. Also the distance method currently employed by the park only gives estimates of total species populations but not their spatial distribution. We compare the ability of multiple indicator kriging and area-to-point Poisson kriging to accurately map species distribution in the park. A leave-one-out cross-validation approach indicates that multiple indicator kriging makes poor estimates of the number of animals, particularly the few large counts, as the indicator variograms for such high thresholds are pure nugget. Poisson kriging was applied to the prediction of two types of abundance data: spatial density and proportion of a given species. Both Poisson approaches had standardized mean absolute errors (St. MAEs) of animal counts at least an order of magnitude lower than multiple indicator kriging. The spatial density, Poisson approach (1), gave the lowest St. MAEs for the most abundant species and the proportion, Poisson approach (2), did for the least abundant species. Incorporating environmental data into Poisson approach (2) further reduced St. MAEs.

What Factors Encourage Intrafamily Farm Succession in Mountain Areas? Evidence From an Alpine Valley in Italy

OpenAIRE

Cavicchioli, D.; Bertoni, D.; Tesser, F.; Frisio, D.G.

2015-01-01

Family farming plays a vital role in mountain areas. Its survival is related to multiple factors, including intrafamily farm succession. This study examined data on apple-producing family farms in an Italian Alpine valley, trying to identify which factors foster or discourage intrafamily succession and to what extent they do this, both at the farm level and from the potential successor's viewpoint. To do so, various farm, farmer, and individual characteristics were analyzed using probabilisti...

Selecting Tools to Model Integer and Binomial Multiplication

Science.gov (United States)

Pratt, Sarah Smitherman; Eddy, Colleen M.

2017-01-01

Mathematics teachers frequently provide concrete manipulatives to students during instruction; however, the rationale for using certain manipulatives in conjunction with concepts may not be explored. This article focuses on area models that are currently used in classrooms to provide concrete examples of integer and binomial multiplication. The…

[Embryo-fetal diseases in multiple pregnancies].

Science.gov (United States)

Colla, F; Alba, E; Grio, R

2001-04-01

Embryo-fetal diseases are the consequence of prenatal (progenetic and metagenetic or environmental) and intranatal (of a traumatic, infective, toxic nature) pathological factors. In multiple pregnancies this complex etiopathogenesis also includes an altered didymous embriogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the pathologies affecting the fetus in multiple pregnancy, a special biological situation leading to the potential onset of severe fetal and neonatal damage. The authors studied 205 patients with multiple pregnancies, including 199 bigeminal, 5 trigeminal and 1 quadrigeminal, admitted to the Department B of the Obstetrics and Gynecological Clinic of Turin University between 1989-1999. Possible embyro-fetal damage was examined using a chronological criterion: namely following the development of the multiple fetuses from the zygotic to the neonatal phase. Pregnancies were biamniotic bichorionic in 54% of cases, biamniotic monochorionic in 45% and monochorionic monoamniotic in 1%. There were a total of 154 (79.38%) premature births out of 194 and neonatal birth weight was always SGA (small for gestational age). 66.84% of newborns were LBW (<2500 g) and 7.14% were VLBW (<1500 g). Fetal mortality (2.29%) was higher than early neonatal mortality (1.53%). Perinatal mortality (3.82%) was three times higher than in all neonates from the same period (1.03%). The severe embryo-fetal and neonatal damage found in multiple pregnancies is a clinical reality that calls for adequate diagnostic and therapeutic measures, and above all specific medical and social prevention to limit maternal pathogenic risks.

Optimized simultaneous inversion of primary and multiple reflections; Inversion linearisee simultanee des reflexions primaires et des reflexions multiples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pelle, L.

2003-12-01

The removal of multiple reflections remains a real problem in seismic imaging. Many preprocessing methods have been developed to attenuate multiples in seismic data but none of them is satisfactory in 3D. The objective of this thesis is to develop a new method to remove multiples, extensible in 3D. Contrary to the existing methods, our approach is not a preprocessing step: we directly include the multiple removal in the imaging process by means of a simultaneous inversion of primaries and multiples. We then propose to improve the standard linearized inversion so as to make it insensitive to the presence of multiples in the data. We exploit kinematics differences between primaries and multiples. We propose to pick in the data the kinematics of the multiples we want to remove. The wave field is decomposed into primaries and multiples. Primaries are modeled by the Ray+Born operator from perturbations of the logarithm of impedance, given the velocity field. Multiples are modeled by the Transport operator from an initial trace, given the picking. The inverse problem simultaneously fits primaries and multiples to the data. To solve this problem with two unknowns, we take advantage of the isometric nature of the Transport operator, which allows to drastically reduce the CPU time: this simultaneous inversion is this almost as fast as the standard linearized inversion. This gain of time opens the way to different applications to multiple removal and in particular, allows to foresee the straightforward 3D extension. (author)

A review of multiple recycle of plutonium in LWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesketh, K.

1997-01-01

This paper presents a summary of the current status of the nuclear physics of multiple recycle in Light Water Reactors (LWRs). The paper draws attention to the principal nuclear physics issues of relevance and highlights where present knowledge is inadequate. This paper reviews the existing literature critically and provides a clearer picture of the assumptions underlying the past work and will highlight areas where past work has been deficient. From this comes a concise analysis of the technicalities of multiple MOX recycle and the areas of uncertainty which remain. The paper concludes that at present the question remains one for which there is as yet no satisfactory answer, largely because the basic nuclear data and lattice codes essential to define the technical limits are not yet sufficiently developed and validated. 6 refs, 2 figs, 3 tabs

Multiple eschars in scrub typhus: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Koraluru, Munegowda; Nandigam, Manideep; Bairy, Indira; Vidyasagar, Sudha; Varma, Muralidhar

2017-01-01

Eschar in scrub typhus aids in early diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy; however, the eschar positivity rates vary greatly in endemic regions. Multiple eschars in scrub typhus are a rare presentation. Our patient presented with fever and multiple eschars and was empirically started on doxycycline. Nested polymerase chain reaction from all the four eschars and from EDTA blood were positive for 56-kDa type-specific antigen which is specific for Orientia tsutsugamushi The patient recovered completely after 7 days of antibiotic treatment. He was from an area where scrub typhus was not observed previously. An eschar in an acute febrile patient from the "tsutsugamushi triangle" is a valuable sign in scrub typhus diagnosis. A search for multiple eschars in scrub typhus must be made by clinicians. © The Author(s) 2016.

On dealing with multiple correlation peaks in PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Masullo, A.; Theunissen, R.

2018-05-01

A novel algorithm to analyse PIV images in the presence of strong in-plane displacement gradients and reduce sub-grid filtering is proposed in this paper. Interrogation windows subjected to strong in-plane displacement gradients often produce correlation maps presenting multiple peaks. Standard multi-grid procedures discard such ambiguous correlation windows using a signal to noise (SNR) filter. The proposed algorithm improves the standard multi-grid algorithm allowing the detection of splintered peaks in a correlation map through an automatic threshold, producing multiple displacement vectors for each correlation area. Vector locations are chosen by translating images according to the peak displacements and by selecting the areas with the strongest match. The method is assessed on synthetic images of a boundary layer of varying intensity and a sinusoidal displacement field of changing wavelength. An experimental case of a flow exhibiting strong velocity gradients is also provided to show the improvements brought by this technique.

Falls in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Patricia N; Shumway-Cook, Anne; Bamer, Alyssa M; Johnson, Shana L; Amtmann, Dagmar; Kraft, George H

2011-07-01

To examine incidence, associated factors, and health care provider (HCP) response to falls in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Cross-sectional retrospective design. Community setting. Four hundred seventy-four persons with MS. Mailed survey questionnaire examined incidence, risk factors, and HCP response to falls in persons with MS who were dwelling in the community. Univariate and multiple ordinal regression analysis identified variables associated with single and multiple falls. Falls, causes and perceived reasons for falls, and HCP response. A total of 265 participants (58.2%) reported one or more falls in the previous 6 months, and 58.5% of falls were medically injurious. Trips/slips while walking accounted for 48% of falls. Factors associated with falls included use of a cane or walker (odds ratio [OR] 2.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66-4.14), income falls; recommended strategies included safety strategies (53.2%), use of gait assistive devices (42.1%), exercise/balance training (22.2%), and home modifications (16.6%). Factors associated with falls in persons with MS are similar to those in other populations with neurologic diseases. Despite the high incidence of falls, fewer than 50% of people with MS receive information about prevention of falls from an HCP. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated Registration Of Images From Multiple Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Rignot, Eric J. M.; Kwok, Ronald; Curlander, John C.; Pang, Shirley S. N.

1994-01-01

Images of terrain scanned in common by multiple Earth-orbiting remote sensors registered automatically with each other and, where possible, on geographic coordinate grid. Simulated image of terrain viewed by sensor computed from ancillary data, viewing geometry, and mathematical model of physics of imaging. In proposed registration algorithm, simulated and actual sensor images matched by area-correlation technique.

Distributed Autonomous Control of Multiple Spacecraft During Close Proximity Operations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

McCamish, Shawn B

2007-01-01

This research contributes to multiple spacecraft control by developing an autonomous distributed control algorithm for close proximity operations of multiple spacecraft systems, including rendezvous...

Conservative two-step procedure including uterine artery embolization with embosphere and surgical myomectomy for the treatment of multiple fibroids: Preliminary experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malartic, Cécile; Morel, Olivier; Fargeaudou, Yann; Le Dref, Olivier; Fazel, Afchine; Barranger, Emmanuel; Soyer, Philippe

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of combined uterine artery embolization (UAE) using embosphere and surgical myomectomy as an alternative to radical hysterectomy in premenopausal women with multiple fibroids. Materials and methods: Mid-term clinical outcome (mean, 25 months) of 12 premenopausal women (mean age, 38 years) with multiple and large symptomatic fibroids who desired to retain their uterus and who were treated using combined UAE and surgical myomectomy were retrospectively analyzed. In all women, UAE alone was contraindicated because of large (>10 cm) or subserosal or submucosal fibroids and myomectomy alone was contraindicated because of too many (>10) fibroids. Results: UAE and surgical myomectomy were successfully performed in all women. Myomectomy was performed using laparoscopy (n = 6), open laparotomy (n = 3), hysteroscopy (n = 2), or laparoscopy and hysteroscopy (n = 1). Mean serum hemoglobin level drop was 0.97 g/dL and no blood transfusion was needed. No immediate complications were observed and all women reported resumption of normal menses. During a mean follow-up period of 25 months (range, 14–37 months), complete resolution of initial symptoms along with decrease in uterine volume (mean, 48%) was observed in all women. No further hysterectomy was required in any woman. Conclusion: In premenopausal women with multiple fibroids, the two-step procedure is safe and effective alternative to radical hysterectomy, which allows preserving the uterus. Further prospective studies, however, should be done to determine the actual benefit of this combined approach on the incidence of subsequent pregnancies.

The Minister Council decree about conditions for to bring into the Polish customs area, to take away from the Polish customs area, and to transit through this area nuclear materials, radioactive sources and device including such sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, L.

2002-01-01

The decree refers to conditions for to bring into the Polish customs area, to take away from the Polish customs area, and to transit through this area nuclear materials, radioactive sources and devices containing such sources

[Syntactic Processing in Broca's Area: Brodmann Areas 44 and 45].

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Atora; Sakai, Kuniyoshi L

2017-04-01

Brodmann areas 44 and 45 are known as Broca's area; however, their true functional roles are still unknown. Recent developments in neuroimaging techniques revealed the structures and functions of Broca's area in detail. More specifically regarding language functions, sufficient evidence has been accumulated that this region subserves the center of syntactic processing, not necessarily motor functions. Here, we review a role of Broca's area as the grammar center, including other roles in nonlinguistic functions.

Single-instruction multiple-data execution

CERN Document Server

Hughes, Christopher J

2015-01-01

Having hit power limitations to even more aggressive out-of-order execution in processor cores, many architects in the past decade have turned to single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) execution to increase single-threaded performance. SIMD execution, or having a single instruction drive execution of an identical operation on multiple data items, was already well established as a technique to efficiently exploit data parallelism. Furthermore, support for it was already included in many commodity processors. However, in the past decade, SIMD execution has seen a dramatic increase in the set of

Teaching Multiplication of Large Positive Whole Numbers Using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the teaching of multiplication of large positive whole numbers using the grating method and the effect of this method on students' performance in junior secondary schools. The study was conducted in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers state. It was quasi- experimental. Two research ...

Revised stratigraphy of Area 123, Koobi Fora, Kenya, and new age estimates of its fossil mammals, including hominins.

Science.gov (United States)

Gathogo, Patrick N; Brown, Francis H

2006-11-01

Recent geologic study shows that all hominins and nearly all other published mammalian fossils from Paleontological Collection Area 123, Koobi Fora, Kenya, derive from levels between the KBS Tuff (1.87+/-0.02 Ma) and the Lower Ileret Tuff (1.53+/-0.01 Ma). More specifically, the fossils derive from 53 m of section below the Lower Ileret Tuff, an interval in which beds vary markedly laterally, especially those units containing molluscs and algal stromatolites. The upper Burgi Member (approximately 2.00-1.87 Ma) crops out only in the southwestern part of Area 123. Adjacent Area 110 contains larger exposures of the member, and there the KBS Tuff is preserved as an airfall ash in lacustrine deposits and also as a fluvially redeposited ash. We observed no mammalian fossils in situ in this member in Area 123, but surface specimens have been documented in some monographic treatments. Fossil hominins from Area 123 were attributed to strata above the KBS Tuff in the 1970s, but later they were assigned to strata below the KBS Tuff (now called the upper Burgi Member). This study definitively places the Area 123 hominins in the KBS Member. Most of these hominins are between 1.60 and 1.65 myr in age, but the youngest may date to only 1.53 Ma, and the oldest, to 1.75 Ma. All are 0.15-0.30 myr younger than previously estimated. The new age estimates, in conjunction with published taxonomic attributions of fossils, suggest that at least two species of Homo coexisted in the region along with A. boisei until at least 1.65 Ma. Comparison of crania KNM-ER 1813 and KNM-ER 1470, which were believed to be of comparable age, is at the focus of the debate over whether Homo habilis sensu lato is in fact composed of two species: Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis. These two crania are separated in time by approximately 0.25 myr, and therefore, arguments for their conspecificity no longer need to confront the issue of unusually high contemporaneous variation within a single species.

Multiple factor analysis by example using R

CERN Document Server

Pagès, Jérôme

2014-01-01

Multiple factor analysis (MFA) enables users to analyze tables of individuals and variables in which the variables are structured into quantitative, qualitative, or mixed groups. Written by the co-developer of this methodology, Multiple Factor Analysis by Example Using R brings together the theoretical and methodological aspects of MFA. It also includes examples of applications and details of how to implement MFA using an R package (FactoMineR).The first two chapters cover the basic factorial analysis methods of principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). The

Selection of multiple umbrella species for functional and taxonomic diversity to represent urban biodiversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sattler, T; Pezzatti, G B; Nobis, M P; Obrist, M K; Roth, T; Moretti, M

2014-04-01

Surrogates, such as umbrella species, are commonly used to reduce the complexity of quantifying biodiversity for conservation purposes. The presence of umbrella species is often indicative of high taxonomic diversity; however, functional diversity is now recognized as an important metric for biodiversity and thus should be considered when choosing umbrella species. We identified umbrella species associated with high taxonomic and functional biodiversity in urban areas in Switzerland. We analyzed 39,752 individuals of 574 animal species from 96 study plots and 1397 presences of 262 plant species from 58 plots. Thirty-one biodiversity measures of 7 taxonomic groups (plants, spiders, bees, ground beetles, lady bugs, weevils and birds) were included in within- and across-taxa analyses. Sixteen measures were taxonomical (species richness and species diversity), whereas 15 were functional (species traits including mobility, resource use, and reproduction). We used indicator value analysis to identify umbrella species associated with single or multiple biodiversity measures. Many umbrella species were indicators of high biodiversity within their own taxonomic group (from 33.3% in weevils to 93.8% in birds), to a lesser extent they were indicators across taxa. Principal component analysis revealed that umbrella species for multiple measures of biodiversity represented different aspects of biodiversity, especially with respect to measures of taxonomic and functional diversity. Thus, even umbrella species for multiple measures of biodiversity were complementary in the biodiversity aspects they represented. Thus, the choice of umbrella species based solely on taxonomic diversity is questionable and may not represent biodiversity comprehensively. Our results suggest that, depending on conservation priorities, managers should choose multiple and complementary umbrella species to assess the state of biodiversity. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Urban Area Extent Extraction in Spaceborne HR and VHR Data Using Multi-Resolution Features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianni Cristian Iannelli

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Detection of urban area extents by means of remotely sensed data is a difficult task, especially because of the multiple, diverse definitions of what an “urban area” is. The models of urban areas listed in technical literature are based on the combination of spectral information with spatial patterns, possibly at different spatial resolutions. Starting from the same data set, “urban area” extraction may thus lead to multiple outputs. If this is done in a well-structured framework, however, this may be considered as an advantage rather than an issue. This paper proposes a novel framework for urban area extent extraction from multispectral Earth Observation (EO data. The key is to compute and combine spectral and multi-scale spatial features. By selecting the most adequate features, and combining them with proper logical rules, the approach allows matching multiple urban area models. Experimental results for different locations in Brazil and Kenya using High-Resolution (HR data prove the usefulness and flexibility of the framework.

Prospective evaluation of dermatologic surgery complications including patients on multiple antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bordeaux, Jeremy S; Martires, Kathryn J; Goldberg, Dori; Pattee, Sean F; Fu, Pingfu; Maloney, Mary E

2011-09-01

Few prospective studies have evaluated the safety of dermatologic surgery. We sought to determine rates of bleeding, infection, flap and graft necrosis, and dehiscence in outpatient dermatologic surgery, and to examine their relationship to type of repair, anatomic location of repair, antibiotic use, antiplatelet use, or anticoagulant use. Patients presenting to University of Massachusetts Medical School Dermatology Clinic for surgery during a 15-month period were prospectively entered. Medications, procedures, and complications were recorded. Of the 1911 patients, 38% were on one anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication, and 8.0% were on two or more. Risk of hemorrhage was 0.89%. Complex repair (odds ratio [OR] = 5.80), graft repair (OR = 7.58), flap repair (OR = 11.93), and partial repair (OR = 43.13) were more likely to result in bleeding than intermediate repair. Patients on both clopidogrel and warfarin were 40 times more likely to have bleeding complications than all others (P = .03). Risk of infection was 1.3%, but was greater than 3% on the genitalia, scalp, back, and leg. Partial flap necrosis occurred in 1.7% of flaps, and partial graft necrosis occurred in 8.6% of grafts. Partial graft necrosis occurred in 20% of grafts on the scalp and 10% of grafts on the nose. All complications resolved without sequelae. The study was limited to one academic dermatology practice. The rate of complications in dermatologic surgery is low, even when multiple oral anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications are continued, and prophylactic antibiotics are not used. Closure type and use of warfarin or clopidogrel increase bleeding risk. However, these medications should be continued to avoid adverse thrombotic events. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Vaccines and multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, J. L.; Topsøe Mailand, M.

2017-01-01

An association between certain vaccinations and onset or relapse of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been debated. Based on PubMed, we made a thorough literature review and included all relevant studies, 51 on MS and 15 on optic neuritis (ON). Case studies were excluded. With the exception of a live...

Green Urbanism for the Greener Future of Metropolitan Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Zaręba, Anna; Krzemińska, Alicja; Widawski, Krzysztof

2016-10-01

Intensive urbanization is swallowing municipal green areas which causes intensification of erosion, decrease in biodiversity and permanent fragmentation of habitats. In the face of these changes, a risk of irreversible damages to urban ecosystems is growing. That is why planning of solutions within the framework of Green Urbanism in metropolitan areas inhabited by over 55% of the global population is of extraordinary importance. The task of the paper is to present patterns of the Green Urbanism using selected examples of metropolitan areas as case studies. The main goal of the research is to make comparison between GU practices in different countries, in various spatial settings. The principles of triple zero framework: zero fossil-fuel energy use, zero waste, zero emissions (from low-to-no-carbon emissions) introduce not only the contemporary trends in theoretical urban planning but are dictated by practical considerations to create a healthy environment for a healthy society with a minimized environmental footprint. The research results help to identify Green Urbanism techniques used for multiple functions, including ecological, recreational, cultural, aesthetic and other uses and present opportunities for implementation of Green Urbanism solutions in metropolitan areas. To achieve healthier society and environment, highly congested and polluted cities have to be recreated through working with the existing landscape, topography and natural resources particular to the site.

Living in Prone Flooding Area: in Coastal Areas of Semarang

Science.gov (United States)

Tyas, W. P.

2018-02-01

When settlements are not able to provide a comfort area to live in, in this case because of a periodic threat of tidal flood coming to certain settlement areas, it is likely that the people still cannot leave the area. This paper explores the leading factors of the attachment of people to the areas, from economic, physical, social and psychological factors, including a place attachment. Therefore, the approach of the problem solution to tackle the tidal flooding in the areas should be also concern and have considerations relate to the factors.

Relating normalization to neuronal populations across cortical areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruff, Douglas A; Alberts, Joshua J; Cohen, Marlene R

2016-09-01

Normalization, which divisively scales neuronal responses to multiple stimuli, is thought to underlie many sensory, motor, and cognitive processes. In every study where it has been investigated, neurons measured in the same brain area under identical conditions exhibit a range of normalization, ranging from suppression by nonpreferred stimuli (strong normalization) to additive responses to combinations of stimuli (no normalization). Normalization has been hypothesized to arise from interactions between neuronal populations, either in the same or different brain areas, but current models of normalization are not mechanistic and focus on trial-averaged responses. To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying normalization, we examined interactions between neurons that exhibit different degrees of normalization. We recorded from multiple neurons in three cortical areas while rhesus monkeys viewed superimposed drifting gratings. We found that neurons showing strong normalization shared less trial-to-trial variability with other neurons in the same cortical area and more variability with neurons in other cortical areas than did units with weak normalization. Furthermore, the cortical organization of normalization was not random: neurons recorded on nearby electrodes tended to exhibit similar amounts of normalization. Together, our results suggest that normalization reflects a neuron's role in its local network and that modulatory factors like normalization share the topographic organization typical of sensory tuning properties. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Determination of Interfacial Area in Gas-Liquid Two Phase by Light Transmission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghiasi, H.; Safekordi, A. A.; Babazadeh Shareh, F.

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present paper is to develop light beam method to measurement of interfacial area in a rectangular gas-liquid bubble column. Total interfacial area can be determined in bubble column filled by transparent liquid by light transmission method. According to pervious researches, the fraction of parallel light is function of interfacial area and optical path length that these two parameters imply Transmission Number or N T . The drop diameters were measured in the range of 2.2 to 5 mm, and in this range, the specific area is found to depend only upon the light transmission. Three different systems with various liquid phases have been used in this work. It had been proved that light transmission method for dilute suspension or stationary gas phase has a good consequence. In this work, good agreement between actual and calculated interfacial area proves that light transmission method would be able to determine interfacial area in multiple scattering, and it is possible to use earlier mathematic model to measure interfacial area in multiple scattering in gas-liquid bubble columns.

Examining geographic patterns of mortality: the atlas of mortality in small areas in Spain (1987-1995).

Science.gov (United States)

Benach, Joan; Yasui, Yutaka; Borrell, Carme; Rosa, Elisabeth; Pasarín, M Isabel; Benach, Núria; Español, Esther; Martínez, José Miguel; Daponte, Antonio

2003-06-01

Small-area mortality atlases have been demonstrated to be a useful tool for both showing general geographical patterns in mortality data and identifying specific high-risk locations. In Spain no study has so far systematically examined geographic patterns of small-area mortality for the main causes of death. This paper presents the main features, contents and potential uses of the Spanish Atlas of Mortality in small areas (1987-1995). Population data for 2,218 small areas were drawn from the 1991 Census. Aggregated mortality data for 14 specific causes of death for the period 1987-1995 were obtained for each small area. Empirical Bayes-model-based estimates of age-adjusted relative risk were displayed in small-area maps for each cause/gender/age group (0-64 or 65 and over) combination using the same range of values (i.e. septiles) and colour schemes. The 'Spanish Atlas of Mortality' includes multiple choropleth (area-shaded) small-area maps and graphs to answer different questions about the data. The atlas is divided into three main sections. Section 1 includes the methods and comments on the main maps. Section 2 presents a two-page layout for each leading cause of death by gender including 1) a large map with relative risk estimates, 2) a map that indicates high- and low-risk small areas, 3) a graph with median and interquartile range of relative risk estimates for 17 large regions of Spain, and 4) relative-risk maps for two age groups. Section 3 provides specific information on the geographical units of analysis, statistical methods and other supplemental maps. The 'Spanish Atlas of Mortality' is a useful tool for examining geographical patterns of mortality risk and identifying specific high-risk areas. Mortality patterns displayed in the atlas may have important implications for research and social/health policy planning purposes.

Improving weather predictability by including land-surface model parameter uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Orth, Rene; Dutra, Emanuel; Pappenberger, Florian

2016-04-01

The land surface forms an important component of Earth system models and interacts nonlinearly with other parts such as ocean and atmosphere. To capture the complex and heterogenous hydrology of the land surface, land surface models include a large number of parameters impacting the coupling to other components of the Earth system model. Focusing on ECMWF's land-surface model HTESSEL we present in this study a comprehensive parameter sensitivity evaluation using multiple observational datasets in Europe. We select 6 poorly constrained effective parameters (surface runoff effective depth, skin conductivity, minimum stomatal resistance, maximum interception, soil moisture stress function shape, total soil depth) and explore their sensitivity to model outputs such as soil moisture, evapotranspiration and runoff using uncoupled simulations and coupled seasonal forecasts. Additionally we investigate the possibility to construct ensembles from the multiple land surface parameters. In the uncoupled runs we find that minimum stomatal resistance and total soil depth have the most influence on model performance. Forecast skill scores are moreover sensitive to the same parameters as HTESSEL performance in the uncoupled analysis. We demonstrate the robustness of our findings by comparing multiple best performing parameter sets and multiple randomly chosen parameter sets. We find better temperature and precipitation forecast skill with the best-performing parameter perturbations demonstrating representativeness of model performance across uncoupled (and hence less computationally demanding) and coupled settings. Finally, we construct ensemble forecasts from ensemble members derived with different best-performing parameterizations of HTESSEL. This incorporation of parameter uncertainty in the ensemble generation yields an increase in forecast skill, even beyond the skill of the default system. Orth, R., E. Dutra, and F. Pappenberger, 2016: Improving weather predictability by

How common is multiple general practice attendance in Australia?

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Michael; Hall, Jane; van Gool, Kees; Haas, Marion

2018-05-01

Australians can seek general practice care from multiple general practitioners (GPs) in multiple locations. This provides high levels of patient choice but may reduce continuity of care. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of attendance at multiple general practices in Australia, and identify patient characteristics associated with multiple practice attendances. A cross-sectional survey of 2477 Australian adults was conducted online in July 2013. Respondents reported whether they had attended more than one general practice in the past year, and whether they had a usual general practice and GP. Demographic information, health service use and practice characteristics were also obtained from the survey. Over one-quarter of the sample reported attending more than one practice in the previous year. Multiple practice attendance is less common with increasing age, and less likely for survey respondents from regional Australia, compared with respondents from metropolitan areas. Multiple practice attenders are just as likely as single practice attenders to have a usual GP. A significant proportion of general practice care is delivered away from usual practices. This may have implications for health policy, in terms of continuity and quality of primary care.

Evaluating prediction uncertainty of areas contributing recharge to well fields of multiple water suppliers in the Hunt-Annaquatucket-Pettaquamscutt River Basins, Rhode Island

Science.gov (United States)

Friesz, Paul J.

2012-01-01

to valley-fill deposits was 27.3 inches per year (in/yr) and to upland till deposits was 18.7 in/yr. Calibrated values for horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the valley-fill deposits ranged from 20 to 480 feet per day (ft/d) and of the upland till deposits was 16.2 ft/d. Calibrated values of streambed hydraulic conductance ranged from 10,000 to 52,000 feet squared per day. Values of recharge and horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the valley-fill deposits were the most precisely estimated, whereas the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of till deposits was the least precisely estimated. Simulated areas contributing recharge to the well centers on the basis of the calibrated model ranged from 0.19 to 1.12 square miles (mi2) and covered a total area of 2.79 mi2 for average well center withdrawal rates during 2004-08 (235 to 1,858 gallons per minute (gal/min)). Simulated areas contributing recharge for the maximum well center pumping capacities (800 to 8,500 gal/min) ranged from 0.37 to 3.53 mi2 and covered a total area of 7.99 mi2 in the modeled area. Simulated areas contributing recharge extend upgradient of the well centers to upland till and to groundwater divides. Some areas contributing recharge include small, isolated areas remote from the well centers. Relatively short groundwater traveltimes from recharging locations to discharging wells indicated the wells are vulnerable to contamination from land-surface activities: median traveltimes ranged from 2.9 to 5.0 years for the well centers, and 78 to 93 percent of the traveltimes were 10 years or less for the well centers. Land cover in the areas contributing recharge includes a substantial amount of urban land use for the two well centers in the Hunt River Basin, agriculture and sand and gravel mining uses for the well center in the Annaquatucket River Basin, and, for the well center in the Pettaquamscutt River Basin, land use is primarily undeveloped. Model-prediction uncertainty was evaluated using a Monte

Cooperative multi-robot observation of multiple moving targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, L.E.; Emmons, B.A.

1997-01-01

An important issue that arises in the automation of many security, surveillance, and reconnaissance tasks is that of monitoring, or observing, the movements of targets navigating in a bounded area of interest. A key research issue in these problems is that of sensor placement--determining where sensors should be located to maintain the targets in view. In complex applications of this type, the use of multiple sensors dynamically moving over time is required. In this paper, the authors investigate the sue of a cooperative team of autonomous sensor-based robots for multi-robot observation of multiple moving targets. They focus primarily on developing the distributed control strategies that allow the robot team to attempt to maximize the collective tie during which each object is being observed by at least one robot in the area of interest. The initial efforts in this problem address the aspects of distributed control in homogeneous robot teams with equivalent sensing and movement capabilities working in an uncluttered, bounded area. This paper first formalizes the problem, discusses related work, and then shows that this problem is NP-hard. They then present a distributed approximate approach to solving this problem that combines low-level multi-robot control with higher-level control

Part 5: Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve and Area under the Curve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeed Safari

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Multiple diagnostic tools are used by emergency physicians,every day. In addition, new tools are evaluated to obtainmore accurate methods and reduce time or cost of conventionalones. In the previous parts of this educationalseries, we described diagnostic performance characteristicsof diagnostic tests including sensitivity, specificity, positiveand negative predictive values, and likelihood ratios. Thereceiver operating characteristics (ROC curve is a graphicalpresentation of screening characteristics. ROC curve is usedto determine the best cutoff point and compare two or moretests or observers by measuring the area under the curve(AUC. In this part of our educational series, we explain ROCcurve and two methods to determine the best cutoff value.

Collectively loading programs in a multiple program multiple data environment

Science.gov (United States)

Aho, Michael E.; Attinella, John E.; Gooding, Thomas M.; Gooding, Thomas M.; Miller, Samuel J.

2016-11-08

Techniques are disclosed for loading programs efficiently in a parallel computing system. In one embodiment, nodes of the parallel computing system receive a load description file which indicates, for each program of a multiple program multiple data (MPMD) job, nodes which are to load the program. The nodes determine, using collective operations, a total number of programs to load and a number of programs to load in parallel. The nodes further generate a class route for each program to be loaded in parallel, where the class route generated for a particular program includes only those nodes on which the program needs to be loaded. For each class route, a node is selected using a collective operation to be a load leader which accesses a file system to load the program associated with a class route and broadcasts the program via the class route to other nodes which require the program.

Where and how to manage: optimal selection of conservation actions for multiple species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teeffelen, van A.J.A.; Moilanen, A.

2008-01-01

Multiple alternative options are frequently available for the protection, maintenance or restoration of conservation areas. The choice of a particular management action can have large effects on the species occurring in the area, because different actions have different effects on different species.

Nonadiabatic dynamics of electron transfer in solution: Explicit and implicit solvent treatments that include multiple relaxation time scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwerdtfeger, Christine A.; Soudackov, Alexander V.; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon

2014-01-01

The development of efficient theoretical methods for describing electron transfer (ET) reactions in condensed phases is important for a variety of chemical and biological applications. Previously, dynamical dielectric continuum theory was used to derive Langevin equations for a single collective solvent coordinate describing ET in a polar solvent. In this theory, the parameters are directly related to the physical properties of the system and can be determined from experimental data or explicit molecular dynamics simulations. Herein, we combine these Langevin equations with surface hopping nonadiabatic dynamics methods to calculate the rate constants for thermal ET reactions in polar solvents for a wide range of electronic couplings and reaction free energies. Comparison of explicit and implicit solvent calculations illustrates that the mapping from explicit to implicit solvent models is valid even for solvents exhibiting complex relaxation behavior with multiple relaxation time scales and a short-time inertial response. The rate constants calculated for implicit solvent models with a single solvent relaxation time scale corresponding to water, acetonitrile, and methanol agree well with analytical theories in the Golden rule and solvent-controlled regimes, as well as in the intermediate regime. The implicit solvent models with two relaxation time scales are in qualitative agreement with the analytical theories but quantitatively overestimate the rate constants compared to these theories. Analysis of these simulations elucidates the importance of multiple relaxation time scales and the inertial component of the solvent response, as well as potential shortcomings of the analytical theories based on single time scale solvent relaxation models. This implicit solvent approach will enable the simulation of a wide range of ET reactions via the stochastic dynamics of a single collective solvent coordinate with parameters that are relevant to experimentally accessible

Multiple simultaneous fabrication of molecular nanowires using nanoscale electrocrystallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Hiroyuki; Ueda, Rieko; Kubota, Tohru; Mashiko, Shinro

2006-01-01

We carried out a multiple simultaneous fabrication based on the nanoscale electrocrystallization to simultaneously construct molecular nanowires at two or more positions. This substrate-independent nanoscale electrocrystallization process enables nanowires fabrication at specific positions using AC. We also succeeded in multiple fabrications only at each gap between the electrode tips. We found that π-stack was formed along the long axis of the nanowires obtained by analyzing the selected-area electron diffraction. We believe this technique has the potential for expansion to the novel low-cost and energy-saving fabrication of high-performance nanodevices

Automatic plankton image classification combining multiple view features via multiple kernel learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Haiyong; Wang, Ruchen; Yu, Zhibin; Wang, Nan; Gu, Zhaorui; Zheng, Bing

2017-12-28

Plankton, including phytoplankton and zooplankton, are the main source of food for organisms in the ocean and form the base of marine food chain. As the fundamental components of marine ecosystems, plankton is very sensitive to environment changes, and the study of plankton abundance and distribution is crucial, in order to understand environment changes and protect marine ecosystems. This study was carried out to develop an extensive applicable plankton classification system with high accuracy for the increasing number of various imaging devices. Literature shows that most plankton image classification systems were limited to only one specific imaging device and a relatively narrow taxonomic scope. The real practical system for automatic plankton classification is even non-existent and this study is partly to fill this gap. Inspired by the analysis of literature and development of technology, we focused on the requirements of practical application and proposed an automatic system for plankton image classification combining multiple view features via multiple kernel learning (MKL). For one thing, in order to describe the biomorphic characteristics of plankton more completely and comprehensively, we combined general features with robust features, especially by adding features like Inner-Distance Shape Context for morphological representation. For another, we divided all the features into different types from multiple views and feed them to multiple classifiers instead of only one by combining different kernel matrices computed from different types of features optimally via multiple kernel learning. Moreover, we also applied feature selection method to choose the optimal feature subsets from redundant features for satisfying different datasets from different imaging devices. We implemented our proposed classification system on three different datasets across more than 20 categories from phytoplankton to zooplankton. The experimental results validated that our system

Nitrate source identification in groundwater of multiple land-use areas by combining isotopes and multivariate statistical analysis: A case study of Asopos basin (Central Greece)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matiatos, Ioannis

2016-01-01

Nitrate (NO_3) is one of the most common contaminants in aquatic environments and groundwater. Nitrate concentrations and environmental isotope data (δ"1"5N–NO_3 and δ"1"8O–NO_3) from groundwater of Asopos basin, which has different land-use types, i.e., a large number of industries (e.g., textile, metal processing, food, fertilizers, paint), urban and agricultural areas and livestock breeding facilities, were analyzed to identify the nitrate sources of water contamination and N-biogeochemical transformations. A Bayesian isotope mixing model (SIAR) and multivariate statistical analysis of hydrochemical data were used to estimate the proportional contribution of different NO_3 sources and to identify the dominant factors controlling the nitrate content of the groundwater in the region. The comparison of SIAR and Principal Component Analysis showed that wastes originating from urban and industrial zones of the basin are mainly responsible for nitrate contamination of groundwater in these areas. Agricultural fertilizers and manure likely contribute to groundwater contamination away from urban fabric and industrial land-use areas. Soil contribution to nitrate contamination due to organic matter is higher in the south-western part of the area far from the industries and the urban settlements. The present study aims to highlight the use of environmental isotopes combined with multivariate statistical analysis in locating sources of nitrate contamination in groundwater leading to a more effective planning of environmental measures and remediation strategies in river basins and water bodies as defined by the European Water Frame Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC). - Highlights: • More enriched N-isotope values were observed in the industrial/urban areas. • A Bayesian isotope mixing model was applied in a multiple land-use area. • A 3-component model explained the factors controlling nitrate content in groundwater. • Industrial/urban nitrogen source was

Nitrate source identification in groundwater of multiple land-use areas by combining isotopes and multivariate statistical analysis: A case study of Asopos basin (Central Greece)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matiatos, Ioannis, E-mail: i.matiatos@iaea.org

2016-01-15

Nitrate (NO{sub 3}) is one of the most common contaminants in aquatic environments and groundwater. Nitrate concentrations and environmental isotope data (δ{sup 15}N–NO{sub 3} and δ{sup 18}O–NO{sub 3}) from groundwater of Asopos basin, which has different land-use types, i.e., a large number of industries (e.g., textile, metal processing, food, fertilizers, paint), urban and agricultural areas and livestock breeding facilities, were analyzed to identify the nitrate sources of water contamination and N-biogeochemical transformations. A Bayesian isotope mixing model (SIAR) and multivariate statistical analysis of hydrochemical data were used to estimate the proportional contribution of different NO{sub 3} sources and to identify the dominant factors controlling the nitrate content of the groundwater in the region. The comparison of SIAR and Principal Component Analysis showed that wastes originating from urban and industrial zones of the basin are mainly responsible for nitrate contamination of groundwater in these areas. Agricultural fertilizers and manure likely contribute to groundwater contamination away from urban fabric and industrial land-use areas. Soil contribution to nitrate contamination due to organic matter is higher in the south-western part of the area far from the industries and the urban settlements. The present study aims to highlight the use of environmental isotopes combined with multivariate statistical analysis in locating sources of nitrate contamination in groundwater leading to a more effective planning of environmental measures and remediation strategies in river basins and water bodies as defined by the European Water Frame Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC). - Highlights: • More enriched N-isotope values were observed in the industrial/urban areas. • A Bayesian isotope mixing model was applied in a multiple land-use area. • A 3-component model explained the factors controlling nitrate content in groundwater. • Industrial

Using Photovoice to Include People with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities in Inclusive Research

Science.gov (United States)

Cluley, Victoria

2017-01-01

Background: It is now expected that projects addressing the lives of people with learning disabilities include people with learning disabilities in the research process. In the past, such research often excluded people with learning disabilities, favouring the opinions of family members, carers and professionals. The inclusion of the voices of…

Ca analysis: An Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular calcium transients including multiple, simultaneous regression analysis☆

Science.gov (United States)

Greensmith, David J.

2014-01-01

Here I present an Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular Ca transients recorded using fluorescent indicators. The program can perform all the necessary steps which convert recorded raw voltage changes into meaningful physiological information. The program performs two fundamental processes. (1) It can prepare the raw signal by several methods. (2) It can then be used to analyze the prepared data to provide information such as absolute intracellular Ca levels. Also, the rates of change of Ca can be measured using multiple, simultaneous regression analysis. I demonstrate that this program performs equally well as commercially available software, but has numerous advantages, namely creating a simplified, self-contained analysis workflow. PMID:24125908

[Delivery in multiple pregnancies].

Science.gov (United States)

Colla, F; D'Addato, F; Grio, R

2001-04-01

A knowledge of clinical physiognomy in pathologies related to multiple births is indispensable for improving maternal and feto-neonatal prognosis. This study is a contribution to the solution of this problem. A meta-analysis of data for multiple births at Department B of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic at the University of Turi during the decade 1989-1998 was carried out, focusing on the arrangement and presentation of fetuses, the various types of birth, the gestational age at which birth occurred, the weight of neonates, neonatal mortality and maternal morbidity. Out of 11,523 births, there were a total of 194 (1.68%) multiple births, including 190 sets of twins and 4 triplets. 154 (79.38%) premature births were reported; 20 occurred 1500 g). The perinatal mortality rate was 3.82%. Maternal complications mainly occurred during the placental state, in the immediate postpartum and in puerperio. The authors feel that a more careful medical and social assistance, preventive hospitalisation, early recognition of the risk, constant monitoring for the optimal timing of birth, and lastly, qualified medical assistance during labour (expert gynecologist, trained obstetric staff) with other medical personnel (anesthetist, neonatal specialist) represent winning strategies to solve the problems arising during multiple pregnancies.

Leaf area estimation of cassava from linear dimensions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SAMARA ZANETTI

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine predictor models of leaf area of cassava from linear leaf measurements. The experiment was carried out in greenhouse in the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo state, Brazil. The stem cuttings with 5-7 nodes of the cultivar IAC 576-70 were planted in boxes filled with about 320 liters of soil, keeping soil moisture at field capacity, monitored by puncturing tensiometers. At 80 days after planting, 140 leaves were randomly collected from the top, middle third and base of cassava plants. We evaluated the length and width of the central lobe of leaves, number of lobes and leaf area. The measurements of leaf areas were correlated with the length and width of the central lobe and the number of lobes of the leaves, and adjusted to polynomial and multiple regression models. The linear function that used the length of the central lobe LA = -69.91114 + 15.06462L and linear multiple functions LA = -69.9188 + 15.5102L + 0.0197726K - 0.0768998J or LA = -69.9346 + 15.0106L + 0.188931K - 0.0264323H are suitable models to estimate leaf area of cassava cultivar IAC 576-70.

Magnetic resonance in multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scotti, G.; Caputo, D.; Cazzullo, C.L.

1986-01-01

Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed in more than 200 patients with clinical suspicion or knowledge of Multiple Sclerosis. One hundred and forty-seven (60 males and 87 females) had MR evidence of multiple sclerosis lesions. The MR signal of demyelinating plaques characteristically has prolonged T1 and T2 relaxation times and the T2-weighted spin-echo sequences are generally superior to the T1-weighted images because the lesions are better visualized as areas of increased signal intensity. MR is also able to detect plaques in the brainstem, cerebellum and within the cervical spinal cord. MR appears to be an important, non-invasive method for the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and has proven to be diagnostically superior to CT, evoked potentials (EP) and CSF examination. In a selected group of 30 patients, with the whole battery of the relevant MS studies, MR was positive in 100%, CT in 33,3%, EP in 56% and CSF examination in 60%. In patients clinically presenting only with signs of spinal cord involvement or optic neuritis or when the clinical presentation is uncertain MR has proven to be a very useful diagnostic tool for diagnosis of MS by demonstrating unsuspected lesions in the cerebral hemispheres. (orig.)

MULTI-CRITERIA APPROACH FOR DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE IN MALANG RESIDENTIAL AREA INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HAPSARI Ratih Indri

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Environmentally sound approach for sustainable urban drainage could promote infiltration and lower the risk of flooding. This study presents the framework to evaluate the drainage alternatives considering multiple aspects including water quantity, life cycle cost and amenity. This approach is verified through application at a residential area in Malang city Indonesia. Different combinations of drainage components comprising of drainage channels, infiltration wells and biopore absorption holes are assessed regarding runoff reduction, present value of life cycle cost, and willingness to pay for the convenience. The first part describes the effective designs of sustainable drainage components in the houses as well as in the public spaces of the housing. The second part of this study describes the use of analytic hierarchy process for weight assignment of sustainability criteria and multiple benefit calculation. The study recommends infiltration wells and biopore absorption holes together with drainage channels as the best management practice of sustainable drainage system based on its overall sustainability index.

Modelling multiple hospital outcomes: the impact of small area and primary care practice variation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Congdon Peter

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Appropriate management of care – for example, avoiding unnecessary attendances at, or admissions to, hospital emergency units when they could be handled in primary care – is an important part of health strategy. However, some variations in these outcomes could be due to genuine variations in health need. This paper proposes a new method of explaining variations in hospital utilisation across small areas and the general practices (GPs responsible for patient primary care. By controlling for the influence of true need on such variations, one may identify remaining sources of excess emergency attendances and admissions, both at area and practice level, that may be related to the quality, resourcing or organisation of care. The present paper accordingly develops a methodology that recognises the interplay between population mix factors (health need and primary care factors (e.g. referral thresholds, that allows for unobserved influences on hospitalisation usage, and that also reflects interdependence between hospital outcomes. A case study considers relativities in attendance and admission rates at a North London hospital involving 149 small areas and 53 GP practices. Results: A fixed effects model shows variations in attendances and admissions are significantly related (positively to area and practice need, and nursing home patients, and related (negatively to primary care access and distance of patient homes from the hospital. Modelling the impact of known factors alone is not sufficient to produce a satisfactory fit to the observations, and random effects at area and practice level are needed to improve fit and account for overdispersion. Conclusion: The case study finds variation in attendance and admission rates across areas and practices after controlling for need, and remaining differences between practices may be attributable to referral behaviour unrelated to need, or to staffing, resourcing, and access issues. In

Prevalence, demographics and clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Deleu, Dirk; Mir, Danial; Al Tabouki, Ahmed; Mesraoua, Rim; Mesraoua, Boulenouar; Akhtar, Naveed; Al Hail, Hassan; D'souza, Atlantic; Melikyan, Gayane; Imam, Yahia Z B; Osman, Yasir; Elalamy, Osama; Sokrab, Tageldin; Kamran, Sadaat; Ruiz Miyares, Francisco; Ibrahim, Faiza

2013-05-01

No published epidemiologic data on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Qatar exist. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence, demographics and clinical characteristics of MS in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. We analyzed data for Qatari MS patients fulfilling the McDonald diagnostic criteria. A total of 154 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. On 31 April 2010, the crude prevalence of MS in Qatar was 64.57 per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI: 58.31-70.37). The female-to-male ratio was 1.33:1. A positive family history was found in 10.4% of included MS patients. We conclude that Qatar is now a medium-to-high risk area for MS, with some important differences in clinical characteristics as compared to other countries in the region.

Multiple parton interactions in photoproduction at HERA/H1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magro, Lluis Marti

2009-02-15

Photoproduction data of HERA-I are analysed by requiring dijets with transverse momenta of at least 5 GeV. The two jets define in azimuth a towards region (leading jet), an away region (usually the 2nd jet) and transverse regions between them. The charged particle and jet with low transverse momentum multiplicity, so called minijets, are measured in these regions as a function of the variables x{sup obs}{sub {gamma}} and P{sup Jet{sub 1T}} (leading jet). The measurement is compared to predictions including parton showers and matrix elements at leading order in {alpha}{sub s}. Some predictions include contributions from multiple parton interactions and use different parton evolution equations. It was found that existing MC programs do not fully describe the measurements but the description can be improved by including multiple parton interactions. (orig.)

The Multiple In-group Identity Framework

OpenAIRE

Lock, Daniel; Funk, D.C.

2016-01-01

The effects of team identification on sport consumer behaviour are well established. Recent research, however, has moved beyond this perspective to examine how groups within and beyond the team identity influence consumption. Assimilating previous research findings, we advance a Multiple In-group Identity Framework (MIIF), which consists of three levels: (1) superordinate (e.g., team identity), (2) subgroup (e.g., specific stadium area), and (3) relational group (e.g., friends or family). In ...

Finding suspects in multiple cameras for improved railway protection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marck, J.W.; Bouma, H.; Baan, J; Oliveira Filho, J. de; Brink, M. van der

2014-01-01

The capability to find individuals using CCTV cameras is important for surveillance applications at large areas such as railway stations, airports and shopping centers. However, it is laborious to track and trace people over multiple cameras post incident. In this paper, we describe the live

Device including a contact detector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2011-01-01

arms (12) may extend from the supporting body in co-planar relationship with the first surface. The plurality of cantilever arms (12) may extend substantially parallel to each other and each of the plurality of cantilever arms (12) may include an electrical conductive tip for contacting the area......The present invention relates to a probe for determining an electrical property of an area of a surface of a test sample, the probe is intended to be in a specific orientation relative to the test sample. The probe may comprise a supporting body defining a first surface. A plurality of cantilever...... of the test sample by movement of the probe relative to the surface of the test sample into the specific orientation.; The probe may further comprise a contact detector (14) extending from the supporting body arranged so as to contact the surface of the test sample prior to any one of the plurality...

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, E.A.C.M.

1982-01-01

This thesis describes recently developed research methods for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. In Chapter X the use of the CT-scan in the detection of hemispheral or cerebellar lesions is discussed. In chapter XIII the results of the application of all methods to a group of 89 patients with definite, probable or possible multiple sclerosis and to a group of 25 purely optic neuritis patients are presented. With the aid of the CT-scan, hypo- or hyperdense areas in the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres were found in 52% of the 114 patients. Most reports ascribe these lesions to demyelinating cerebral plaques. The CT-scan showed no cerebellar or brainstem lesions. The CT-scan is independent of the duration of, and degree of incapacitation due to, the disease and can be helpful in giving a definite diagnosis in an early stage of the disease. The CT-scan will always play an important role for the differential diagnosis. (Auth.)

[Biological treatment of multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorensen, P.S.; Sellebjerg, F.

2008-01-01

In 1996 interferon (IFN)beta was the first biopharmaceutical product to be approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). In 2006 the more potent monoclonal antibody natalizumab was approved. Presently, a number of monoclonal antibodies are being studied, including ale...

Multiple Input - Multiple Output (MIMO) SAR

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This effort will research and implement advanced Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) techniques which have the potential to improve...

Cognitive-Linguistic Deficit and Speech Intelligibility in Chronic Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Mackenzie, Catherine; Green, Jan

2009-01-01

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a disabling neurological disease with varied symptoms, including dysarthria and cognitive and linguistic impairments. Association between dysarthria and cognitive-linguistic deficit has not been explored in clinical multiple sclerosis studies. Aims: In patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, the…

MULTIPLE OBJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Bosov

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The development of complicated techniques of production and management processes, information systems, computer science, applied objects of systems theory and others requires improvement of mathematical methods, new approaches for researches of application systems. And the variety and diversity of subject systems makes necessary the development of a model that generalizes the classical sets and their development – sets of sets. Multiple objects unlike sets are constructed by multiple structures and represented by the structure and content. The aim of the work is the analysis of multiple structures, generating multiple objects, the further development of operations on these objects in application systems. Methodology. To achieve the objectives of the researches, the structure of multiple objects represents as constructive trio, consisting of media, signatures and axiomatic. Multiple object is determined by the structure and content, as well as represented by hybrid superposition, composed of sets, multi-sets, ordered sets (lists and heterogeneous sets (sequences, corteges. Findings. In this paper we study the properties and characteristics of the components of hybrid multiple objects of complex systems, proposed assessments of their complexity, shown the rules of internal and external operations on objects of implementation. We introduce the relation of arbitrary order over multiple objects, we define the description of functions and display on objects of multiple structures. Originality.In this paper we consider the development of multiple structures, generating multiple objects.Practical value. The transition from the abstract to the subject of multiple structures requires the transformation of the system and multiple objects. Transformation involves three successive stages: specification (binding to the domain, interpretation (multiple sites and particularization (goals. The proposed describe systems approach based on hybrid sets

Measurement and comparison of remotely derived leaf area index predictors

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Ryan Russell

Environmental change occurs in response to both natural and anthropogenic causes. As the world's human population continues to increase, anthropogenic change will also increase. These changes affect the health and vigor of forests throughout the world, including those in north central Florida. Leaf Area Index (LAI), the amount of leaf area per unit ground area, is an important biophysical variable that is directly related to rates of atmospheric gas exchange, biomass partitioning, and productivity. While global and local models that map biophysical parameters are prevalent in the literature, landscape to regional scale models are less common. Therefore, the ability to map and monitor LAI over landscape to regional scale areas is essential for understanding medium scale biophysical properties and how these properties affect biogeochemical cycling, biomass accumulation, and primary productivity. This study develops and verifies several new models to estimate LAI using in situ field measurements throughout north central Florida, Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely sensed imagery, remotely derived vegetation indices, simple and multiple regression, and artificial neural networks (ANNs). This study concludes that while multiple band regression and regression with individual vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, Simple Ratio, and Greenness Vegetation Index) can estimate LAI, the most accurate way to estimate regional scale LAI is to train an ANN using in situ LAI data and remote sensing brightness values measured from six different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The new ANN method of estimating LAI is then applied to two forest ecology studies. The first study analyzes LAI in longleaf pine/turkey oak sandhills as a function of time since last burn. It concludes that in the absence of fire, sandhill LAI increases, and this may be useful for identifying where prescribed burns need to be done. The second study

Using the Direct Sampling Multiple-Point Geostatistical Method for Filling Gaps in Landsat 7 ETM+ SLC-off Imagery

KAUST Repository

Yin, Gaohong

2016-05-01

Since the failure of the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) instrument on Landsat 7, observable gaps occur in the acquired Landsat 7 imagery, impacting the spatial continuity of observed imagery. Due to the highly geometric and radiometric accuracy provided by Landsat 7, a number of approaches have been proposed to fill the gaps. However, all proposed approaches have evident constraints for universal application. The main issues in gap-filling are an inability to describe the continuity features such as meandering streams or roads, or maintaining the shape of small objects when filling gaps in heterogeneous areas. The aim of the study is to validate the feasibility of using the Direct Sampling multiple-point geostatistical method, which has been shown to reconstruct complicated geological structures satisfactorily, to fill Landsat 7 gaps. The Direct Sampling method uses a conditional stochastic resampling of known locations within a target image to fill gaps and can generate multiple reconstructions for one simulation case. The Direct Sampling method was examined across a range of land cover types including deserts, sparse rural areas, dense farmlands, urban areas, braided rivers and coastal areas to demonstrate its capacity to recover gaps accurately for various land cover types. The prediction accuracy of the Direct Sampling method was also compared with other gap-filling approaches, which have been previously demonstrated to offer satisfactory results, under both homogeneous area and heterogeneous area situations. Studies have shown that the Direct Sampling method provides sufficiently accurate prediction results for a variety of land cover types from homogeneous areas to heterogeneous land cover types. Likewise, it exhibits superior performances when used to fill gaps in heterogeneous land cover types without input image or with an input image that is temporally far from the target image in comparison with other gap-filling approaches.

Associate Directorate Environmental Management Infrastructure Plan for Area G and Area L Domes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, Patrice Ann; Baumer, Andrew Ronald

2016-01-01

Technical Area 54, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is situated in the east-central portion of the Laboratory on the Mesita del Buey between Pajarito Canyon to the south and Canada del Buey to the north. TA-54 includes four MDAs designated as G, H, J, and L; a waste characterization, container storage, and transfer facility; active TRU waste and MLLW waste storage and low-level waste (LLW) disposal operations at Area G; active hazardous and mixed low-level (MLLW) waste storage operations at Area L; and administrative and support areas. MDA J has previously under-gone closure. Area G is a waste management and disposal area, used for the disposal and storage of radioactive wastes since 1957. Since August 2015, Area G has been in warm standby and provides minimal operations to support safety, compliance, and nitrate salt remediation. Located within Area G, MDA G covers 63-acres. MDA G contains 334 active and inactive waste management units, which include 36 pits, 294 shafts, and 4 trenches. In 1971, Area G began use for the retrievable storage of TRU waste. There are two pits, four trenches and 60 shafts that contain retrievable TRU waste. Thirty-three of the shafts contain TRU waste that may present unique problems for retrieval. In 1986, segregation of MLLW was initiated at Area G for treatment and temporary storage or for off-site disposal. Area G is the only active LLW disposal facility at the Laboratory. Current operations at Area G include storage and characterization of TRU and mixed TRU waste destined for off-site disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and the storage of MLLW destined for off-site treatment and/or disposal. Several above-ground container storage units (CSUs) are currently used for storage of containerized MLLW and/or mixed TRU wastes. These consist of asphalt pads and associated fabric domes or other structures. As defined by the Consent Order, MDA G contains 229 of the 334 subsurface waste

Associate Directorate Environmental Management Infrastructure Plan for Area G and Area L Domes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevens, Patrice Ann [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Baumer, Andrew Ronald [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-09-26

Technical Area 54, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is situated in the east-central portion of the Laboratory on the Mesita del Buey between Pajarito Canyon to the south and Cañada del Buey to the north. TA-54 includes four MDAs designated as G, H, J, and L; a waste characterization, container storage, and transfer facility; active TRU waste and MLLW waste storage and low-level waste (LLW) disposal operations at Area G; active hazardous and mixed low-level (MLLW) waste storage operations at Area L; and administrative and support areas. MDA J has previously under-gone closure. Area G is a waste management and disposal area, used for the disposal and storage of radioactive wastes since 1957. Since August 2015, Area G has been in warm standby and provides minimal operations to support safety, compliance, and nitrate salt remediation. Located within Area G, MDA G covers 63-acres. MDA G contains 334 active and inactive waste management units, which include 36 pits, 294 shafts, and 4 trenches. In 1971, Area G began use for the retrievable storage of TRU waste. There are two pits, four trenches and 60 shafts that contain retrievable TRU waste. Thirty-three of the shafts contain TRU waste that may present unique problems for retrieval. In 1986, segregation of MLLW was initiated at Area G for treatment and temporary storage or for off-site disposal. Area G is the only active LLW disposal facility at the Laboratory. Current operations at Area G include storage and characterization of TRU and mixed TRU waste destined for off-site disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and the storage of MLLW destined for off-site treatment and/or disposal. Several above-ground container storage units (CSUs) are currently used for storage of containerized MLLW and/or mixed TRU wastes. These consist of asphalt pads and associated fabric domes or other structures. As defined by the Consent Order, MDA G contains 229 of the 334 subsurface waste

Distributed magnetic field positioning system using code division multiple access

Science.gov (United States)

Prigge, Eric A. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An apparatus and methods for a magnetic field positioning system use a fundamentally different, and advantageous, signal structure and multiple access method, known as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). This signal architecture, when combined with processing methods, leads to advantages over the existing technologies, especially when applied to a system with a large number of magnetic field generators (beacons). Beacons at known positions generate coded magnetic fields, and a magnetic sensor measures a sum field and decomposes it into component fields to determine the sensor position and orientation. The apparatus and methods can have a large `building-sized` coverage area. The system allows for numerous beacons to be distributed throughout an area at a number of different locations. A method to estimate position and attitude, with no prior knowledge, uses dipole fields produced by these beacons in different locations.

Landslide Susceptibility Mapping Based on Particle Swarm Optimization of Multiple Kernel Relevance Vector Machines: Case of a Low Hill Area in Sichuan Province, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongliang Lin

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a multiple kernel relevance vector machine (RVM method based on the adaptive cloud particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm to map landslide susceptibility in the low hill area of Sichuan Province, China. In the multi-kernel structure, the kernel selection problem can be solved by adjusting the kernel weight, which determines the single kernel contribution of the final kernel mapping. The weights and parameters of the multi-kernel function were optimized using the PSO algorithm. In addition, the convergence speed of the PSO algorithm was increased using cloud theory. To ensure the stability of the prediction model, the result of a five-fold cross-validation method was used as the fitness of the PSO algorithm. To verify the results, receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC and landslide dot density (LDD were used. The results show that the model that used a heterogeneous kernel (a combination of two different kernel functions had a larger area under the ROC curve (0.7616 and a lower prediction error ratio (0.28% than did the other types of kernel models employed in this study. In addition, both the sum of two high susceptibility zone LDDs (6.71/100 km2 and the sum of two low susceptibility zone LDDs (0.82/100 km2 demonstrated that the landslide susceptibility map based on the heterogeneous kernel model was closest to the historical landslide distribution. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study can provide very useful information for disaster prevention and land-use planning in the study area.

Ca analysis: an Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular calcium transients including multiple, simultaneous regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Greensmith, David J

2014-01-01

Here I present an Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular Ca transients recorded using fluorescent indicators. The program can perform all the necessary steps which convert recorded raw voltage changes into meaningful physiological information. The program performs two fundamental processes. (1) It can prepare the raw signal by several methods. (2) It can then be used to analyze the prepared data to provide information such as absolute intracellular Ca levels. Also, the rates of change of Ca can be measured using multiple, simultaneous regression analysis. I demonstrate that this program performs equally well as commercially available software, but has numerous advantages, namely creating a simplified, self-contained analysis workflow. Copyright © 2013 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Multiple myeloma with significant multifocal osteolysis in a dog without a detectible gammopathy].

Science.gov (United States)

Souchon, F; Koch, A; Sohns, A

2013-01-01

Description of a variant of multiple myeloma in a dog lacking the gammopathy normally associated with this type of neoplasm. A Border Collie mongrel was presented with symptoms of progressive hind-leg weakness, lethargy and tiredness, which had started to appear 6 weeks previously. Radiographic examination showed small osteolytic areas in the spinal column, but also diffuse small areas of increased opacity as well as evidence of decreased bone density in the pelvis and of both femoral necks. Moderate regenerative anaemia, hypogammopathy and hypercalcaemia were diagnosed. Computed tomography scans displayed multifocal osteolysis and bone destruction in the skull, spinal column, scapulae, proximal humeri, pelvis and femoral necks. H&E staining of the biopsies showed bone destruction and monomorphic plasmacyotid cell populations, causing infiltrative bone marrow lesions and osteolysis. In many areas neoplastic plasma cell infiltration of the bone marrow was 70% and in some areas reached 100%. The diagnosis was non-secretory multiple myeloma without apparent secretion of paraproteins into the blood.

Multiple-port valve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doody, T.J.

1978-01-01

A multiple-port valve assembly is designed to direct flow from a primary conduit into any one of a plurality of secondary conduits as well as to direct a reverse flow. The valve includes two mating hemispherical sockets that rotatably receive a spherical valve plug. The valve plug is attached to the primary conduit and includes diverging passageways from that conduit to a plurality of ports. Each of the ports is alignable with one or more of a plurality of secondary conduits fitting into one of the hemispherical sockets. The other hemispherical socket includes a slot for the primary conduit such that the conduit's motion along that slot with rotation of the spherical plug about various axes will position the valve-plug ports in respect to the secondary conduits

CT analysis of 40 patients with chronic type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia from an air-polluted area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katagiri, Shiro; Ohshima, Kazunori; Fukushima, Kazuo; Kawabata, Yoshinori.

1995-01-01

We analyzed CT scans of 40 patients with chronic type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) who had admitted to our hospital in Kawasaki. All patients were diagnosed because of the presence of honeycombing. The characteristic findings were centrilobular emphysema and bulla. In addition to such common features of IIP multiple centrilobular nodular shadows were seen in about 60% of the patients. Considering that all patients had lived for more than 30 years in Kawasaki when air-pollution had been badly high in this area and that the majority of the patients (36 of 50) had been smokers we suspected that multiple nodules on CT might be due to long-term exposure to particular dusts including asbestos and that centrilobular emphysema might be due to smoking. (author)

Gut microbiota in multiple sclerosis: possible influence of immunomodulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantarel, Brandi L; Waubant, Emmanuelle; Chehoud, Christel; Kuczynski, Justin; DeSantis, Todd Z; Warrington, Janet; Venkatesan, Arun; Fraser, Claire M; Mowry, Ellen M

2015-06-01

Differences in gut bacteria have been described in several autoimmune disorders. In this exploratory pilot study, we compared gut bacteria in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls and evaluated the influence of glatiramer acetate and vitamin D treatment on the microbiota. Subjects were otherwise healthy white women with or without relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who were vitamin D insufficient. Patients with multiple sclerosis were untreated or were receiving glatiramer acetate. Subjects collected stool at baseline and after 90 days of vitamin D3 (5000 IU/d) supplementation. The abundance of operational taxonomic units was evaluated by hybridization of 16S rRNA to a DNA microarray. While there was overlap of gut bacterial communities, the abundance of some operational taxonomic units, including Faecalibacterium, was lower in patients with multiple sclerosis. Glatiramer acetate-treated patients with multiple sclerosis showed differences in community composition compared with untreated subjects, including Bacteroidaceae, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Lactobacillaceae, Clostridium, and other Clostridiales. Compared with the other groups, untreated patients with multiple sclerosis had an increase in the Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, and Coprococcus genera after vitamin D supplementation. While overall bacterial communities were similar, specific operational taxonomic units differed between healthy controls and patients with multiple sclerosis. Glatiramer acetate and vitamin D supplementation were associated with differences or changes in the microbiota. This study was exploratory, and larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

A case of multiple sclerosis with multi-ring-like and butterfly-like enhancement on computerized tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morimoto, Takehiko; Nagao, Hideo; Sano, Nozomi; Habara, Shinji; Takahashi, Mitsugi; Matsuda, Hiroshi; Beppu, Keiko; Shoda, Takaaki

1985-01-01

We report a case of multiple sclerosis in which CT showed multiple ring-like enhancement and butterfly-like distribution of a low density area with marginal enhancement. The latter finding is found in other demyelinating disorders but is less common in tumors or abscesses. Therefore, it seems to have some diagnostic value in multiple sclerosis. (author)

Multiple Criteria Decision Making Combined with VRP: A Categorized Bibliographic Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yahia Zare Mehrjerdi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this research author reviews references related to the topic of multi criterion (goal programming, multiple objective linear and nonlinear programming, bi-criterion programming, Multi Attribute Decision Making, Compromise Programming, Surrogate Worth Trade-off Method and various versions of vehicle routing problem (VRP, Multi depot VRP (MDVRP, VRP with time windows (VRPWTW, Stochastic VRP (SVRP, Capacitated VRP (CVRP, Fuzzy VRP (FVRP, Location VRP (LVRP, Backhauling VRP(BHVRP, Facility Location VRP (FLVRP, and Inventory control VRP (ICVRP. Although, VRP is a research area with rich research works and powerful researchers there found only 81 articles that relates various vehicle routing type problems with various multiple objectives techniques. This author found that there is no research done in some areas of VRP (i.e., FVRP, ICVRP, LRP and CVRP. It is interesting to see that this research area was completely an unattractive to master students (with zero research reported and a somewhat attractive area to doctoral students (with 6 researches reported. Among the many multi criterion programming techniques available only three of them (goal programming, bi-criterion programming, linear and nonlinear multi objective programming are being employed to solve the problem.

Aquifer Sampling Tube Completion Report: 100 Area and Hanford Townsite Shorelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, R.E.; Borghese, J.V.; Erb, D.B.

1998-02-01

Groundwater contamination is known or suspected along the Hanford Site shoreline of the Columbia River adjacent to the retired reactor areas. Along the shoreline away from the reactor areas, where contamination is presumed to be absent, monitoring sites are frequently widely spaced or unavailable to confirm the presumption. Previous characterizations of contamination near the river have relied on data from a limited number of near-river wells, contaminant plume migration predictions, and river bank seepage sampling to anticipate shoreline conditions. In recent years, new methods have been developed to obtain groundwater samples from the aquifer near the groundwater/river water interface. These methods include using (1) divers to obtain samples of pore water from riverbed sediment and (2) sampling tubes that are driven into the aquifer at the shoreline. The latter method also permits sampling the aquifer at multiple depths, which helps to determine the thickness of the potentially contaminated groundwater layer that discharges into the river

The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Register

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magyari M

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Melinda Magyari,1,3 Nils Koch-Henriksen,1,2 Per Soelberg Sørensen3 1Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 2Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Institute, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, 3Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Aim of the database: The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Register (DMSTR serves as a clinical quality register, enabling the health authorities to monitor the quality of the disease-modifying treatment, and it is an important data source for epidemiological research. Study population: The DMSTR includes all patients with multiple sclerosis who had been treated with disease-modifying drugs since 1996. At present, more than 8,400 patients have been registered in this database. Data are continuously entered online into a central database from all sites in Denmark at start and at regular visits. Main variables: Include age, sex, onset year and year of the diagnosis, basic clinical information, and information about treatment, side effects, and relapses. Descriptive data: Notification is done at treatment start, and thereafter at every scheduled clinical visit 3 months after treatment start, and thereafter every 6 months. The longitudinally collected information about the disease activity and side effects made it possible to investigate the clinical efficacy and adverse events of different disease-modifying therapies. Conclusion: The database contributed to a certain harmonization of treatment procedures in Denmark and will continue to be a major factor in terms of quality in clinical praxis, research and monitoring of adverse events, and plays an important role in research. Keywords: multiple sclerosis, epidemiology, immunomodulatory treatment, neutralizing antibodies, observational studies, registry research, disease modifying therapy

In vitro fertilization and multiple pregnancies: an evidence-based analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

, in which case it is funded for 3 cycles, excluding the cost of drugs. The cost of IUI is covered except for preparation of the sperm and drugs used for COS. DIFFUSION OF TECHNOLOGY: According to Canadian Assisted Reproductive Technology Registry data, in 2004 there were 25 infertility clinics across Canada offering IVF and 7,619 IVF cycles performed. In Ontario, there are 13 infertility clinics with about 4,300 IVF cycles performed annually. ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT ON REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES: The 1993 release of the Royal Commission report on reproductive technologies, Proceed With Care, resulted in the withdrawal of most IVF funding in Ontario, where prior to 1994 IVF was fully funded. Recommendations of the Commission to withdraw IVF funding were largely based on findings of the systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before 1990. The review showed IVF effectiveness only in cases of bilateral tubal obstruction. As for nontubal causes of infertility, there was not enough evidence to establish whether IVF was effective or not. Since the field of reproductive technology is constantly evolving, there have been several changes since the publication of the Royal Commission report. These changes include: increased success rates of IVF; introduction of ICSI in the early 1990's as a treatment for male factor infertility; and improved embryo implantation rates allowing for the transfer of a single embryo to avoid multiple pregnancies after IVF. STUDIES AFTER THE ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT: REVIEW STRATEGY THREE SEPARATE LITERATURE REVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: clinical effectiveness of IVF, cost-effectiveness of IVF, and outcomes of single embryo transfer (SET) in IVF cycles. CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF IVF: RCTs or meta-analyses of RCTs that compared live birth rates after IVF versus alternative treatments, where the cause of infertility was clearly stated or it was possible to stratify the outcome by the cause of infertility

Multisite EPR oximetry from multiple quadrature harmonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, R; Som, S; Johnson, D H; Zweier, J L; Kuppusamy, P; Potter, L C

2012-01-01

Multisite continuous wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry using multiple quadrature field modulation harmonics is presented. First, a recently developed digital receiver is used to extract multiple harmonics of field modulated projection data. Second, a forward model is presented that relates the projection data to unknown parameters, including linewidth at each site. Third, a maximum likelihood estimator of unknown parameters is reported using an iterative algorithm capable of jointly processing multiple quadrature harmonics. The data modeling and processing are applicable for parametric lineshapes under nonsaturating conditions. Joint processing of multiple harmonics leads to 2-3-fold acceleration of EPR data acquisition. For demonstration in two spatial dimensions, both simulations and phantom studies on an L-band system are reported. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is environmental radon gas associated with the incidence of neurodegenerative conditions? A retrospective study of multiple sclerosis in radon affected areas in England and Wales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groves-Kirkby, Christopher J.; Denman, Antony R.; Campbell, Jackie; Crockett, Robin G.M.; Phillips, Paul S.; Rogers, Stephen

2016-01-01

To test whether an association exists between radon gas concentration in the home and increased multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence, a retrospective study was undertaken of MS incidence in known areas of raised domestic radon concentration in England and Wales, using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) clinical research database. The study population comprised 20,140,498 person-years of clinical monitoring (males: 10,056,628: 49.93%; females: 10,083,870: 50.07%), representing a mean annual population of 2.5 million individuals. To allow for the possible latency of MS initiation following exposure, data extraction was limited to patients with at least five years registration history with the same GP practice before first diagnosis. Patient records were allocated to one of nine radon concentration bands depending on the average radon level in their postcode sector. MS incidence was analysed by searching for patients with first MS diagnosis over the eight calendar years 2005–2012 inclusive. 1512 new MS cases were diagnosed, 1070 females, 442 males, equivalent to raw incidence rates of 7.51, 10.61 and 4.40 per 10 5 person-years respectively, comparable to previously reported results. Of these new cases, 115 could be allocated to one of the radon bands representing high radon areas. Standardising to the UK 2010 population, excess relative risk (ERR) figures for MS were calculated for each radon band. Linear regression of ERR against mean band radon concentration shows a positive gradient of 0.22 per 100 Bq·m −3 (R 2  = 0.25, p = 0.0961) when forced through the origin to represent a linear-no-threshold response. The null hypothesis falls inside the 95% confidence interval for the linear fit and therefore this fit is not statistically significant. We conclude that, despite THIN sampling around 5% of the population, insufficient data was available to confirm or refute the hypothesised association between MS incidence and radon concentration. - Highlights: �

The multiple Dirichlet product and the multiple Dirichlet series

OpenAIRE

Onozuka, Tomokazu

2016-01-01

First, we define the multiple Dirichlet product and study the properties of it. From those properties, we obtain a zero-free region of a multiple Dirichlet series and a multiple Dirichlet series expression of the reciprocal of a multiple Dirichlet series.

Neuroanatomy of melanocortin-4 receptor pathway in the lateral hypothalamic area.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Huxing; Sohn, Jong-Woo; Gautron, Laurent; Funahashi, Hisayuki; Williams, Kevin W; Elmquist, Joel K; Lutter, Michael

2012-12-15

The central melanocortin system regulates body energy homeostasis including the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R). The lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) receives dense melanocortinergic inputs from the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and regulates multiple processes including food intake, reward behaviors, and autonomic function. By using a mouse line in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed under control of the MC4R gene promoter, we systemically investigated MC4R signaling in the LHA by combining double immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, and retrograde tracing techniques. We found that LHA MC4R-GFP neurons coexpress neurotensin as well as the leptin receptor but do not coexpress other peptide neurotransmitters found in the LHA including orexin, melanin-concentrating hormone, and nesfatin-1. Furthermore, electrophysiological recording demonstrated that leptin, but not the MC4R agonist melanotan II, hyperpolarizes the majority of LHA MC4R-GFP neurons in an ATP- sensitive potassium channel-dependent manner. Retrograde tracing revealed that LHA MC4R-GFP neurons do not project to the ventral tegmental area, dorsal raphe nucleus, nucleus accumbens, and spinal cord, and only limited number of neurons project to the nucleus of the solitary tract and parabrachial nucleus. Our findings provide new insights into MC4R signaling in the LHA and its potential implications in homeostatic regulation of body energy balance. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multivariate research in areas of phosphorus cast-iron brake shoes manufacturing using the statistical analysis and the multiple regression equations

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, I.; Cioată, V. G.; Alexa, V.; Raţiu, S. A.

2017-05-01

The braking system is one of the most important and complex subsystems of railway vehicles, especially when it comes for safety. Therefore, installing efficient safe brakes on the modern railway vehicles is essential. Nowadays is devoted attention to solving problems connected with using high performance brake materials and its impact on thermal and mechanical loading of railway wheels. The main factor that influences the selection of a friction material for railway applications is the performance criterion, due to the interaction between the brake block and the wheel produce complex thermos-mechanical phenomena. In this work, the investigated subjects are the cast-iron brake shoes, which are still widely used on freight wagons. Therefore, the cast-iron brake shoes - with lamellar graphite and with a high content of phosphorus (0.8-1.1%) - need a special investigation. In order to establish the optimal condition for the cast-iron brake shoes we proposed a mathematical modelling study by using the statistical analysis and multiple regression equations. Multivariate research is important in areas of cast-iron brake shoes manufacturing, because many variables interact with each other simultaneously. Multivariate visualization comes to the fore when researchers have difficulties in comprehending many dimensions at one time. Technological data (hardness and chemical composition) obtained from cast-iron brake shoes were used for this purpose. In order to settle the multiple correlation between the hardness of the cast-iron brake shoes, and the chemical compositions elements several model of regression equation types has been proposed. Because a three-dimensional surface with variables on three axes is a common way to illustrate multivariate data, in which the maximum and minimum values are easily highlighted, we plotted graphical representation of the regression equations in order to explain interaction of the variables and locate the optimal level of each variable for

The Danish multiple sclerosis treatment register

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magyari, Melinda; Koch-Henriksen, Nils; Sørensen, Per Soelberg

2016-01-01

Aim of the database: The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Register (DMSTR) serves as a clinical quality register, enabling the health authorities to monitor the quality of the diseasemodifying treatment, and it is an important data source for epidemiological research. Study population: The DMSTR...... includes all patients with multiple sclerosis who had been treated with disease-modifying drugs since 1996. At present, more than 8,400 patients have been registered in this database. Data are continuously entered online into a central database from all sites in Denmark at start and at regular visits. Main...... variables: Include age, sex, onset year and year of the diagnosis, basic clinical information, and information about treatment, side effects, and relapses. Descriptive data: Notification is done at treatment start, and thereafter at every scheduled clinical visit 3 months after treatment start...

Modelling of real area of contact between tool and workpiece in metal forming processes including the influence of subsurface deformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Chris Valentin; Martins, Paulo A. F.; Bay, Niels Oluf

2016-01-01

New equipment for testing asperity deformation at various normal loads and subsurface elongations is presented. Resulting real contact area ratios increase heavily with increasing subsurface expansion due to lowered yield pressure on the asperities when imposing subsurface normal stress parallel ...... for estimating friction in the numerical modelling of metal forming processes.......New equipment for testing asperity deformation at various normal loads and subsurface elongations is presented. Resulting real contact area ratios increase heavily with increasing subsurface expansion due to lowered yield pressure on the asperities when imposing subsurface normal stress parallel...... to the surface. Finite element modelling supports the presentation and contributes by extrapolation of results to complete the mapping of contact area as function of normal pressure and one-directional subsurface strain parallel to the surface. Improved modelling of the real contact area is the basis...

Landslide hazard assessment in the Collazzone area, Umbria, Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Guzzetti

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We present the results of the application of a recently proposed model to determine landslide hazard. The model predicts where landslides will occur, how frequently they will occur, and how large they will be in a given area. For the Collazzone area, in the central Italian Apennines, we prepared a multi-temporal inventory map through the interpretation of multiple sets of aerial photographs taken between 1941 and 1997 and field surveys conducted in the period between 1998 and 2004. We then partitioned the 79 square kilometres study area into 894 slope units, and obtained the probability of spatial occurrence of landslides by discriminant analysis of thematic variables, including morphology, lithology, structure and land use. For each slope unit, we computed the expected landslide recurrence by dividing the total number of landslide events inventoried in the terrain unit by the time span of the investigated period. Assuming landslide recurrence was constant, and adopting a Poisson probability model, we determined the exceedance probability of having one or more landslides in each slope unit, for different periods. We obtained the probability of landslide size, a proxy for landslide magnitude, by analysing the frequency-area statistics of landslides, obtained from the multi-temporal inventory map. Lastly, assuming independence, we determined landslide hazard for each slope unit as the joint probability of landslide size, of landslide temporal occurrence, and of landslide spatial occurrence.

Genomic Physics. Multiple Laser Beam Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, V. Alexander

2014-03-01

The synapses affected by Alzheimer's disease can be rejuvenated by the multiple ultrashort wavelength laser beams.[2] The guiding lasers scan the whole area to detect the amyloid plaques based on the laser scattering technique. The scanning lasers pinpoint the areas with plaques and eliminate them. Laser interaction is highly efficient, because of the focusing capabilities and possibility for the identification of the damaging proteins by matching the protein oscillation eigen-frequency with laser frequency.[3] Supported by Nikola Tesla Labs, La Jolla, California, USA.

The increased prevalence of multiple sclerosis among people who were born and bred in areas where goitre is endemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, T R

1984-06-01

The adverse effects of feeding vitamin A deficient diets to newborn infants are found to include an increased propensity for them to fall victim to multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life. When they are artificially fed on cow's milk, this deficiency is accentuated by a number of factors such as the need to dilute the milk in view of its high protein content, births occurring during the winter when the vitamin A content of the milk reaches its lowest value, insufficient selenium (Se) in the cow's forage which is otherwise required to safeguard the vitamin against peroxidation, and finally a lack of iodine in the soil which deprives the cattle of the thyroid hormone thyroxin necessary to effect the conversion of the carotene in their diet to vitamin A. Whichever of these factors preponderates, newborn infants who are fed on cow's milk for the normal period of approximately six months are at risk of suffering from MS.

Vision and vision-related outcome measures in multiple sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Balcer, Laura J.; Miller, David H.; Reingold, Stephen C.

2015-01-01

Visual impairment is a key manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Acute optic neuritis is a common, often presenting manifestation, but visual deficits and structural loss of retinal axonal and neuronal integrity can occur even without a history of optic neuritis. Interest in vision in multiple sclerosis is growing, partially in response to the development of sensitive visual function tests, structural markers such as optical coherence tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and quality of life measures that give clinical meaning to the structure-function correlations that are unique to the afferent visual pathway. Abnormal eye movements also are common in multiple sclerosis, but quantitative assessment methods that can be applied in practice and clinical trials are not readily available. We summarize here a comprehensive literature search and the discussion at a recent international meeting of investigators involved in the development and study of visual outcomes in multiple sclerosis, which had, as its overriding goals, to review the state of the field and identify areas for future research. We review data and principles to help us understand the importance of vision as a model for outcomes assessment in clinical practice and therapeutic trials in multiple sclerosis. PMID:25433914

Perspective and Experiences of Iranian People With Multiple Sclerosis Regarding Leisure: A Qualitative Study

OpenAIRE

Ghanbari; Shayanpour

2015-01-01

Background Multiple Sclerosis, as a progressive disease, influences most of occupational performance areas. Objectives This study was conducted to describe the perspectives and experiences regarding leisure of people with multiple sclerosis in Ahvaz city, Iran. Patients and Methods The study was a descriptive phenomenological study using purposeful sampling. Data saturation was ach...

Multiple scattering processes: inverse and direct

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagiwada, H.H.; Kalaba, R.; Ueno, S.

1975-01-01

The purpose of the work is to formulate inverse problems in radiative transfer, to introduce the functions b and h as parameters of internal intensity in homogeneous slabs, and to derive initial value problems to replace the more traditional boundary value problems and integral equations of multiple scattering with high computational efficiency. The discussion covers multiple scattering processes in a one-dimensional medium; isotropic scattering in homogeneous slabs illuminated by parallel rays of radiation; the theory of functions b and h in homogeneous slabs illuminated by isotropic sources of radiation either at the top or at the bottom; inverse and direct problems of multiple scattering in slabs including internal sources; multiple scattering in inhomogeneous media, with particular reference to inverse problems for estimation of layers and total thickness of inhomogeneous slabs and to multiple scattering problems with Lambert's law and specular reflectors underlying slabs; and anisotropic scattering with reduction of the number of relevant arguments through axially symmetric fields and expansion in Legendre functions. Gaussian quadrature data for a seven point formula, a FORTRAN program for computing the functions b and h, and tables of these functions supplement the text

Peer Support in Negotiating Multiple Relationships within Supervision among Counselor Education Doctoral Students

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Amanda J.; Pimpleton, Asher; Stinchfield, Tracy; Stevens, Heath; Othman, Nor Asma

2013-01-01

Counselor education doctoral students (CEDSs), like other doctoral students, need assistance and support to ensure their self-care. One area markedly affecting self-care is one's relationships with others. The purpose of this article is to examine the multiple relationships involved within CEDSs supervision, the potential areas to utilize peer…

Local area networks in NAA; Advantages and pitfalls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blaauw, M [Technische Univ. Delft (Netherlands). Interfaculty Reactor Inst.; Lindstrom, R M [National Inst. of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States). Inorganic Analytical Research Div.

1993-03-01

Both at IRI and at NIST, Local Area Networks (LANs) are being used to acquire and process data from multiple gamma-ray spectrometers. Differences and similarities between three systems are discussed, resulting in recommendations for new systems to be set up. (author) 3 figs.

Neutron multiplication in lead in the experiments with neutron generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markovskij, D.V.

1989-01-01

A calculational analysis of neutron multiplication in lead, including the estimates of multiplication limits for the standard ENDF/BIV data set and the effects of various changes in the data themselves is performed. 10 refs, 5 figs

Development of a CFD Model Including Tree's Drag Parameterizations: Application to Pedestrian's Wind Comfort in an Urban Area

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, G.; Kim, J.

2017-12-01

This study investigated the tree's effect on wind comfort at pedestrian height in an urban area using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. We implemented the tree's drag parameterization scheme to the CFD model and validated the simulated results against the wind-tunnel measurement data as well as LES data via several statistical methods. The CFD model underestimated (overestimated) the concentrations on the leeward (windward) walls inside the street canyon in the presence of trees, because the CFD model can't resolve the latticed cage and can't reflect the concentration increase and decrease caused by the latticed cage in the simulations. However, the scalar pollutants' dispersion simulated by the CFD model was quite similar to that in the wind-tunnel measurement in pattern and magnitude, on the whole. The CFD model overall satisfied the statistical validation indices (root normalized mean square error, geometric mean variance, correlation coefficient, and FAC2) but failed to satisfy the fractional bias and geometric mean bias due to the underestimation on the leeward wall and overestimation on the windward wall, showing that its performance was comparable to the LES's performance. We applied the CFD model to evaluation of the trees' effect on the pedestrian's wind-comfort in an urban area. To investigate sensory levels for human activities, the wind-comfort criteria based on Beaufort wind-force scales (BWSs) were used. In the tree-free scenario, BWS 4 and 5 (unpleasant condition for sitting long and sitting short, respectively) appeared in the narrow spaces between buildings, in the upwind side of buildings, and the unobstructed areas. In the tree scenario, BWSs decreased by 1 3 grade inside the campus of Pukyong National University located in the target area, which indicated that trees planted in the campus effectively improved pedestrian's wind comfort.

Using mini-games for learning multiplication and division: A longitudinal effect study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, M.

2014-01-01

This thesis reports the findings of a three-year longitudinal research project set up to investigate the effectiveness of employing online mini-games for the learning of multiplication and division, including multiplicative fact knowledge (declarative knowledge), multiplicative operation skills

Drugs Approved for Multiple Myeloma

Science.gov (United States)

This page lists cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for multiple myeloma and other plasma cell neoplasms. The list includes generic names, brand names, and common drug combinations, which are shown in capital letters. The drug names link to NCI's Cancer Drug Information summaries.

Investigating Simulated Driving Errors in Amnestic Single- and Multiple-Domain Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hird, Megan A; Vesely, Kristin A; Fischer, Corinne E; Graham, Simon J; Naglie, Gary; Schweizer, Tom A

2017-01-01

The areas of driving impairment characteristic of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remain unclear. This study compared the simulated driving performance of 24 individuals with MCI, including amnestic single-domain (sd-MCI, n = 11) and amnestic multiple-domain MCI (md-MCI, n = 13), and 20 age-matched controls. Individuals with MCI committed over twice as many driving errors (20.0 versus 9.9), demonstrated difficulty with lane maintenance, and committed more errors during left turns with traffic compared to healthy controls. Specifically, individuals with md-MCI demonstrated greater driving difficulty compared to healthy controls, relative to those with sd-MCI. Differentiating between different subtypes of MCI may be important when evaluating driving safety.

Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Rebecca R; Hoffacker, Madison K; Murphy-Mariscal, Michelle L; Wu, Grace C; Allen, Michael F

2015-11-03

Decisions determining the use of land for energy are of exigent concern as land scarcity, the need for ecosystem services, and demands for energy generation have concomitantly increased globally. Utility-scale solar energy (USSE) [i.e., ≥ 1 megawatt (MW)] development requires large quantities of space and land; however, studies quantifying the effect of USSE on land cover change and protected areas are limited. We assessed siting impacts of >160 USSE installations by technology type [photovoltaic (PV) vs. concentrating solar power (CSP)], area (in square kilometers), and capacity (in MW) within the global solar hot spot of the state of California (United States). Additionally, we used the Carnegie Energy and Environmental Compatibility model, a multiple criteria model, to quantify each installation according to environmental and technical compatibility. Last, we evaluated installations according to their proximity to protected areas, including inventoried roadless areas, endangered and threatened species habitat, and federally protected areas. We found the plurality of USSE (6,995 MW) in California is sited in shrublands and scrublands, comprising 375 km(2) of land cover change. Twenty-eight percent of USSE installations are located in croplands and pastures, comprising 155 km(2) of change. Less than 15% of USSE installations are sited in "Compatible" areas. The majority of "Incompatible" USSE power plants are sited far from existing transmission infrastructure, and all USSE installations average at most 7 and 5 km from protected areas, for PV and CSP, respectively. Where energy, food, and conservation goals intersect, environmental compatibility can be achieved when resource opportunities, constraints, and trade-offs are integrated into siting decisions.

Conservation in Context: A Comparison of Conservation Perspectives in a Mexican Protected Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Bonilla-Moheno

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The conservation of biodiversity in protected areas depends on the interests and agendas of stakeholders involved in the planning and enforcing of management actions. The challenge, therefore, has been to identify and include the perspectives of multiple participants important to local conservation. This paper describes the social context in which local conservation is conducted in a natural protected area in Yucatan, Mexico. In particular, it examines the agreement and expectations among local stakeholders on the main goals the reserve should achieve. Through participatory observation and semi-structured interviews, we analyzed the perceptions on conservation of the five groups relevant to the area management: 1 local people; 2 conservation government agency; 3 scientists; 4 non-governmental organization, and 5 a tourist agency. All actors agreed that the protected area should fulfill two main goals: i to conserve biodiversity and, ii to improve local welfare and development. In general, ecotourism is perceived as the best option for protecting the forest and promoting local development. Traditional agriculture, on the other hand, is perceived as the main conservation threat, but recognized as a crucial component of local wellbeing. We discuss these results in the context of the Yucatan Peninsula.

MULTIPLE SELECTIONS OF ALTERNATIVES UNDER CONSTRAINTS: CASE STUDY OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN AREA OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Furková

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper is given over to a multicriteria evaluation approach to the issue of international comparison of research and development indicators. The policy activities in R&D (Research & Development area are significant parts of many national programs of many EU member states. There are several reasons for governments to take active role in stimulation investment in R&D. R&D are generally considered to be the main engine of long-run economic growth. Also The European Commission pays more attention to R&D activities and provides more and more resources to these activities through Community Framework Programs. We decided to exploit multi-attribute decision-making to evaluate R&D indicators of European countries. As multi-attribute decision-making method Topsis method was applied. Topis method has provided us complete ranking of the countries taking into account indicators such as patent applications, total intramural R&D expenditure, human resources in science and technology, employment in knowledge-intensive activities and business enterprise R&D expenditure. Having these results in a hand; we proceed to making multiple selections of countries under constraints. Our main goal was to suggest an optimization model for resources distribution - subsides for R&D encouragement, i.e. to find an optimal selection of several alternatives given a set of constraints. To make a decision concerning proper countries selection we employed optimization model inspired by Promethee V, which enables us to take into account the results of previous empirical part and, at the same time, to take into account defined constraints. Formulated binary linear programming model could be useful support decision making tool in the process of resources distribution - subsides for R&D encouragement.

Pediatric multiple sclerosis: current perspectives on health behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sikes EM

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Elizabeth Morghen Sikes,1 Robert W Motl,1 Jayne M Ness2 1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 2Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Purpose: Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS accounts for ~5% of all multiple sclerosis cases, and has a prevalence of ~10,000 children in the USA. POMS is associated with a higher relapse rate, and results in irreversible disability on average 10 years earlier than adult-onset multiple sclerosis. Other manifestations of POMS include mental and physical fatigue, cognitive impairment, and depression. We believe that the health behaviors of physical activity, diet, and sleep may have potential benefits in POMS, and present a scoping review of the existing literature. Methods: We identified papers by searching three electronic databases (PubMed, GoogleScholar, and CINAHL. Search terms included: pediatric multiple sclerosis OR pediatric onset multiple sclerosis OR POMS AND health behavior OR physical activity OR sleep OR diet OR nutrition OR obesity. Papers were included in this review if they were published in English, referenced nutrition, diet, obesity, sleep, exercise, or physical activity, and included pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis as a primary population. Results: Twenty papers were identified via the literature search that addressed health-promoting behaviors in POMS, and 11, 8, and 3 papers focused on diet, activity, and sleep, respectively. Health-promoting behaviors were associated with markers of disease burden in POMS. Physical activity participation was associated with reduced relapse rate, disease burden, and sleep/rest fatigue symptoms. Nutritional factors, particularly vitamin D intake, may be associated with relapse rate. Obesity has been associated with increased risk of developing POMS. POMS is associated with better sleep hygiene, and this may benefit fatigue and quality of life

UTILIZATION OF PHOSWICH DETECTORS FOR SIMULTANEOUS, MULTIPLE RADIATION DETECTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, William H.; Manuel Diaz de Leon

2003-01-01

A phoswich radiation detector is comprised of a phosphor sandwich in which several different phosphors are viewed by a common photomultiplier. By selecting the appropriate phosphors, this system can be used to simultaneously measure multiple radiation types (alpha, beta, gamma and/or neutron) with a single detector. Differentiation between the signals from the different phosphors is accomplished using digital pulse shape discrimination techniques. This method has been shown to result in accurate discrimination with highly reliable and versatile digital systems. This system also requires minimal component count (i.e. only the detector and a computer for signal processing). A variety of detectors of this type have been built and tested including: (1) a triple phoswich system for alpha/beta/gamma swipe counting, (2) two well-type detectors for measuring low levels of low energy photons in the presence of a high energy background, (3) a large area detector for measuring beta contamination in the presence of a photon background, (4) another large area detector for measuring low energy photons from radioactive elements such as uranium in the presence of a photon background. An annular geometry, triple phoswich system optimized for measuring alpha/beta/gamma radiation in liquid waste processing streams is currently being designed

UTILIZATION OF PHOSWICH DETECTORS FOR SIMULTANEOUS, MULTIPLE RADIATION DETECTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William H. Miller; Manuel Diaz de Leon

2003-04-15

A phoswich radiation detector is comprised of a phosphor sandwich in which several different phosphors are viewed by a common photomultiplier. By selecting the appropriate phosphors, this system can be used to simultaneously measure multiple radiation types (alpha, beta, gamma and/or neutron) with a single detector. Differentiation between the signals from the different phosphors is accomplished using digital pulse shape discrimination techniques. This method has been shown to result in accurate discrimination with highly reliable and versatile digital systems. This system also requires minimal component count (i.e. only the detector and a computer for signal processing). A variety of detectors of this type have been built and tested including: (1) a triple phoswich system for alpha/beta/gamma swipe counting, (2) two well-type detectors for measuring low levels of low energy photons in the presence of a high energy background, (3) a large area detector for measuring beta contamination in the presence of a photon background, (4) another large area detector for measuring low energy photons from radioactive elements such as uranium in the presence of a photon background. An annular geometry, triple phoswich system optimized for measuring alpha/beta/gamma radiation in liquid waste processing streams is currently being designed.

Vision and vision-related outcome measures in multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balcer, Laura J; Miller, David H; Reingold, Stephen C

2015-01-01

Visual impairment is a key manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Acute optic neuritis is a common, often presenting manifestation, but visual deficits and structural loss of retinal axonal and neuronal integrity can occur even without a history of optic neuritis. Interest in vision in multiple...... sclerosis is growing, partially in response to the development of sensitive visual function tests, structural markers such as optical coherence tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and quality of life measures that give clinical meaning to the structure-function correlations that are unique...... of investigators involved in the development and study of visual outcomes in multiple sclerosis, which had, as its overriding goals, to review the state of the field and identify areas for future research. We review data and principles to help us understand the importance of vision as a model for outcomes...

Palliative radiotherapy for multiple myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furusawa, Mitsuhiro; Baba, Yuji; Murakami, Ryuji; Yokoyama, Toshimi; Nishimura, Ryuichi; Uozumi, Hideaki; Takada, Chitose; Takahashi, Mutsumasa

1995-01-01

This study reviews the experience of palliative radiotherapy to patients with multiple myeloma to define the optimal dose for pain relief. The records of 31 patients (66 sites) with multiple myeloma irradiated for palliation at Kumamoto University hospital between 1985 and 1994 were reviewed. Total dose ranged from 8 to 50 Gy, with a mean of 32.2 Gy. Symptoms included pain (78.1%), neurological abnormalities (28.1%), and palpable masses (34.3%). Symptomatic remission was obtained in 45 of 46 evaluable sites (97.8%). Complete remission of symptoms were obtained in 28.3%, and partial remission in 69.6%. According to fraction size, there was no significant difference between 3-5 Gy and 1.8-2 Gy. The incidence of complete remission increased when a total dose of more than 20 Gy was given. When the quality of life is considered, hypofractionation was recommended for the palliative radiation therapy of multiple myeloma. (author)

Multiple Attempts for Online Assessments in an Operations Management Course: An Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Orchard, Ryan K.

2016-01-01

In learning management systems, tools for online homework assessments include a number of alternatives for the assessment settings, including the ability to permit students to attempt an assessment multiple times, with options for how the multiple attempts are administered. A specific implementation of online assessments in an introductory…

Towards an autonomous sensor architecture for persistent area protection

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Paul A.; Marshall, Gillian F.; Stubbins, Daniel J.; Faulkner, David A.

2016-10-01

The majority of sensor installations for area protection (e.g. critical national infrastructure, military forward operating bases, etc.) make use of banks of screens each containing one or more sensor feeds, such that the burden of combining data from the various sources, understanding the situation, and controlling the sensors all lies with the human operator. Any automation in the system is generally heavily bespoke for the particular installation, leading to an inflexible system which is difficult to change or upgrade. We have developed a modular system architecture consisting of intelligent autonomous sensor modules, a high level decision making module, a middleware integration layer and an end-user GUI. The modules are all effectively "plug and play", and we have demonstrated that it is relatively simple to incorporate legacy sensors into the architecture. We have extended our previously-reported SAPIENT demonstration system to operate with a larger number and variety of sensor modules, over an extended area, detecting and classifying a wider variety of "threat activities", both vehicular and pedestrian. We report the results of a demonstration of the SAPIENT system containing multiple autonomous sensor modules with a range of modalities including laser scanners, radar, TI, EO, acoustic and seismic sensors. They operate from a combination of mains, generator and battery power, and communicate with the central "hub" over Ethernet, point-to-point wireless links and Wi-Fi. The system has been configured to protect an extended area in a complex semi-urban environment. We discuss the operation of the SAPIENT system in a realistic demonstration environment (which included significant activity not under trial control), showing sensor cueing, multi-modal sensor fusion, threat prioritisation and target hand-off.

Multiple and Single Green Area Measurements and Classification Using Phantom Images in Comparison with Derived Experimental Law

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Zaid, N. A. M.

2017-11-01

In many circumstances, it is difficult for humans to reach some areas, due to its topography, personal safety, or security regulations in the country. Governments and persons need to calculate those areas and classify the green parts for reclamation to benefit from it.To solve this problem, this research proposes to use a phantom air plane to capture a digital image for the targeted area, then use a segmentation algorithm to separate the green space and calculate it's area. It was necessary to deal with two problems. The first is the variable elevation at which an image was taken, which leads to a change in the physical area of each pixel. To overcome this problem a fourth degree polynomial was fit to some experimental data. The second problem was the existence of different unconnected pieces of green areas in a single image, but we might be interested only in one of them. To solve this problem, the probability of classifying the targeted area as green was increased, while the probability of other untargeted sections was decreased by the inclusion of parts of it as non-green. A practical law was also devised to measure the target area in the digital image for comparison purposes with practical measurements and the polynomial fit.

Multiple vulnerabilities and maternal healthcare in Vietnam: findings from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, 2000, 2006, and 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoang Van Minh

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Knowledge of the aggregate effects of multiple socioeconomic vulnerabilities is important for shedding light on the determinants of growing health inequalities and inequities in maternal healthcare. Objective: This paper describes patterns of inequity in maternal healthcare utilization and analyzes associations between inequity and multiple socioeconomic vulnerabilities among women in Vietnam. Design: This is a repeated cross-sectional study using data from the Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys 2000, 2006, and 2011. Two maternal healthcare indicators were selected: (1 skilled antenatal care and (2 skilled delivery care. Four types of socioeconomic vulnerabilities – low education, ethnic minority, poverty, and rural location – were assessed both as separate explanatory variables and as composite indicators (combinations of three and four vulnerabilities. Pairwise comparisons and adjusted odds ratios were used to assess socioeconomic inequities in maternal healthcare. Results: In all three surveys, there were increases across the survey years in both the proportions of women who received antenatal care by skilled staff (68.6% in 2000, 90.8% in 2006, and 93.7% in 2011 and the proportions of women who gave birth with assistance from skilled staff (69.9% in 2000, 87.7% in 2006, and 92.9% in 2011. The receipt of antenatal care by skilled staff and birth assistance from skilled health personnel were less common among vulnerable women, especially those with multiple vulnerabilities. Conclusions: Even though Vietnam has improved its coverage of maternal healthcare on average, policies should target maternal healthcare utilization among women with multiple socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Both multisectoral social policies and health policies are needed to tackle multiple vulnerabilities more effectively by identifying those who are poor, less educated, live in rural areas, and belong to ethnic minority groups.

Functional equation for the Mordell-Tornheim multiple zeta-function

OpenAIRE

Okamoto, Takuya; Onozuka, Tomokazu

2016-01-01

We show a relation between the Mordell-Tornheim multiple zeta-function and the confluent hypergeometric function, and using it, we give the functional equation for the Mordell-Tornheim multiple zeta-function. In the double case, the functional equation includes the known functional equation for the Euler-Zagier double zeta-function.

Cleanup and treatment of radioactively contaminated land including areas near nuclear facilities. A selected bibliography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fore, C.S.; Faust, R.A.; Brewster, R.H.

1982-09-01

This annotated bibliography of 337 references summarizes the literature published on the cleanup and treatment of radioactively contaminated land. Specifically, this bibliography focuses on literature concerned with the methods of cleanup and treatment being applied - chemical, physical, or vegetative stabilization; the types of equipment being used; and the influence of climatic conditions on the method selected for use. The emphasis in such literature is placed on hazardous site cleanup efforts that have been completed as well as those that are in progress and are being planned. Appendix A includes 135 additional references to literature identified but not included in the bibliography because of time and funding constraints. Appendix B consists of a table that identifies the cleanup and treatment research conducted at specific sites. All of the information included in this bibliography is stored in a computerized form that is readily available upon request

Moisture Monitoring at Area G, Technical Area 54, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 2016 Status Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levitt, Daniel Glenn [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Birdsell, Kay Hanson [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Jennings, Terry L. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); French, Sean B. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-01-17

Hydrological characterization and moisture monitoring activities provide data required for evaluating the transport of subsurface contaminants in the unsaturated and saturated zones beneath Area G, and for the Area G Performance Assessment and Composite Analysis. These activities have been ongoing at Area G, Technical Area 54 of the Los Alamos National Laboratory since waste disposal operations began in 1957. This report summarizes the hydrological characterization and moisture monitoring activities conducted at Area G. It includes moisture monitoring data collected from 1986 through 2016 from numerous boreholes and access tubes with neutron moisture meters, as well as data collected by automated dataloggers for water content measurement sensors installed in a waste disposal pit cover, and buried beneath the floor of a waste disposal pit. This report is an update of a nearly identical report by Levitt et al., (2015) that summarized data collected through early 2015; this report includes additional moisture monitoring data collected at Pit 31 and the Pit 38 extension through December, 2016. It also includes information from the Jennings and French (2009) moisture monitoring report and includes all data from Jennings and French (2009) and the Draft 2010 Addendum moisture monitoring report (Jennings and French, 2010). For the 2015 version of this report, all neutron logging data, including neutron probe calibrations, were investigated for quality and pedigree. Some data were recalculated using more defensible calibration data. Therefore, some water content profiles are different from those in the Jennings and French (2009) report. All of that information is repeated in this report for completeness. Monitoring and characterization data generally indicate that some areas of the Area G vadose zone are consistent with undisturbed conditions, with water contents of less than five percent by volume in the top two layers of the Bandelier tuff at Area G. These data also

Natalizumab therapy of multiple sclerosis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hutchinson, Michael

2012-02-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the commonest disabling neurological disease of young and middle-aged adults affecting 1 million persons world wide. The illness begins with a relapsing-remitting MS course in 85%-90% of patients; the other 10%-15% have a primary progressive onset MS. Our current understanding is that MS is an autoimmune disorder with an inflammatory T-cell attack on myelin or some component of the oligodendrocyte--myelin structure. Relapses of disease activity result in plaques of demyelination with destruction of myelin and, to a lesser, extent axons. Lymphocytes within the central nervous system tissue recruit more cells leading to an inflammatory cascade that causes myelin damage, axonal disruption, and neuronal death. If the plaque occurs in a vocal area of the central nervous system then symptoms relating to that area result. However, magnetic resonance imaging shows that approximately 10 times more lesions occur in asymptomatic areas of the brain. Recovery from an initial relapse may appear relatively complete but persistent inflammation results in axonal injury and residual disability results. With time and accumulated lesion load, secondary degeneration of denuded axons results in the phase of secondary progressive MS usually 15-20 years after onset.

Cascade multiplicity inside deuteron in Π d high energy collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kisielewska, D.

1983-01-01

Multiplicity distribution of double scattering events is analysed using the additive quark model including the cascading effect. The mean multiplicity of particles produced in the process of cascading estimated for Π d experiments at 100, 205 and 360 GeV/c is equal to 1.15 ± .31. This value does not depend on the momentum of the incident pion. Some indications are found that the probability of cascading depends on multiplicity of the collision with the first nucleon and is smaller for low multiplicities. (author)

Respiratory muscle training for multiple sclerosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rietberg, Marc B.; Veerbeek, Janne M.; Gosselink, Rik; Kwakkel, Gert; van Wegen, Erwin E.H.

2017-01-01

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, affecting approximately 2.5 million people worldwide. People with MS may experience limitations in muscular strength and endurance - including the respiratory muscles, affecting functional performance and

Guidelines for supportive care in multiple myeloma 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Snowden, John A; Ahmedzai, Sam H; Ashcroft, John; D'Sa, Shirley; Littlewood, Timothy; Low, Eric; Lucraft, Helen; Maclean, Rhona; Feyler, Sylvia; Pratt, Guy; Bird, Jennifer M

2011-07-01

Supportive care plays an increasingly important role in the modern management of multiple myeloma. While modern treatments have significantly prolonged overall and progression free survival through improved disease control, the vast majority of patients remain incurable, and live with the burden of the disease itself and the cumulative side effects of treatments. Maintenance of quality of life presents challenges at all stages of the disease from diagnosis through the multiple phases of active treatment to the end of life. Written on behalf of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) and the UK Myeloma Forum (UKMF), these evidence based guidelines summarize the current national consensus for supportive and symptomatic care in multiple myeloma in the following areas; pain management, peripheral neuropathy, skeletal complications, infection, anaemia, haemostasis and thrombosis, sedation, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, constipation, diarrhoea, mucositis, bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw, complementary therapies, holistic needs assessment and end of life care. Although most aspects of supportive care can be supervised by haematology teams primarily responsible for patients with multiple myeloma, multidisciplinary collaboration involving specialists in palliative medicine, pain management, radiotherapy and surgical specialities is essential, and guidance is provided for appropriate interdisciplinary referral. These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the BCSH/UKMF Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Multiple Myeloma 2011. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cross Talk Analysis on Multiple Coupled Transmission Lines; (The calculation of transfer functions on multiple coupled tansmission lines in an inhomogeneous dielectric medium)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalby, Arne Brejning

1994-01-01

A flow graph relating voltages and the forward and reflected propagation modes (¿ TEM) on multiple coupled transmission lines in an inhomogeneous dielectric medium is presented. This flow graph directy gives the different transfer functions, including S-parameters, in matrix form needed to calcul......A flow graph relating voltages and the forward and reflected propagation modes (¿ TEM) on multiple coupled transmission lines in an inhomogeneous dielectric medium is presented. This flow graph directy gives the different transfer functions, including S-parameters, in matrix form needed...

Arteriolosclerosis that affects multiple brain regions is linked to hippocampal sclerosis of ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Neltner, Janna H; Abner, Erin L; Baker, Steven; Schmitt, Frederick A; Kryscio, Richard J; Jicha, Gregory A; Smith, Charles D; Hammack, Eleanor; Kukull, Walter A; Brenowitz, Willa D; Van Eldik, Linda J; Nelson, Peter T

2014-01-01

Hippocampal sclerosis of ageing is a prevalent brain disease that afflicts older persons and has been linked with cerebrovascular pathology. Arteriolosclerosis is a subtype of cerebrovascular pathology characterized by concentrically thickened arterioles. Here we report data from multiple large autopsy series (University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Centre, Nun Study, and National Alzheimer's Coordinating Centre) showing a specific association between hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology and arteriolosclerosis. The present analyses incorporate 226 cases of autopsy-proven hippocampal sclerosis of ageing and 1792 controls. Case-control comparisons were performed including digital pathological assessments for detailed analyses of blood vessel morphology. We found no evidence of associations between hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology and lacunar infarcts, large infarcts, Circle of Willis atherosclerosis, or cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Individuals with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology did not show increased rates of clinically documented hypertension, diabetes, or other cardiac risk factors. The correlation between arteriolosclerosis and hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology was strong in multiple brain regions outside of the hippocampus. For example, the presence of arteriolosclerosis in the frontal cortex (Brodmann area 9) was strongly associated with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology (P studies to optimize immunostaining methods for small blood vessel visualization, our analyses focused on sections immunostained for smooth muscle actin (a marker of arterioles) and CD34 (an endothelial marker), with separate analyses on grey and white matter. A total of 43 834 smooth muscle actin-positive vascular profiles and 603 798 CD34-positive vascular profiles were evaluated. In frontal cortex of cases with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing, smooth muscle actin-immunoreactive arterioles had thicker walls (P < 0.05), larger perimeters (P < 0

Local multiplicity adjustment for the spatial scan statistic using the Gumbel distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gangnon, Ronald E

2012-03-01

The spatial scan statistic is an important and widely used tool for cluster detection. It is based on the simultaneous evaluation of the statistical significance of the maximum likelihood ratio test statistic over a large collection of potential clusters. In most cluster detection problems, there is variation in the extent of local multiplicity across the study region. For example, using a fixed maximum geographic radius for clusters, urban areas typically have many overlapping potential clusters, whereas rural areas have relatively few. The spatial scan statistic does not account for local multiplicity variation. We describe a previously proposed local multiplicity adjustment based on a nested Bonferroni correction and propose a novel adjustment based on a Gumbel distribution approximation to the distribution of a local scan statistic. We compare the performance of all three statistics in terms of power and a novel unbiased cluster detection criterion. These methods are then applied to the well-known New York leukemia dataset and a Wisconsin breast cancer incidence dataset. © 2011, The International Biometric Society.

From nature tourism to ecotourism? The case of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Susan. Charnley

2005-01-01

This paper examines what is needed to transform nature tourism to protected areas into ecotourism, having genuine social benefits and serving as a tool for sustainable community development. It draws on the case of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania's most visited protected area, and a multiple land use zone inhabited by the pastoral Maasai peoples. I...

Evaluation of multiple satellite evaporation products in two dryland regions using GRACE

KAUST Repository

Lopez, Oliver; McCabe, Matthew; Houborg, Rasmus

2015-01-01

Remote sensing has become a valuable tool for monitoring the water cycle variables in areas that lack the availability of ground-based measurements. Integrating multiple remote sensing-based estimates of evaporation, precipitation

Prevalence of multiple birth in Isfahan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Yazdekhasti

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: According to increasing rate of using assisted reproductive technology (ART which result in higher rates of multiple birth and natal difficulties, we aimed to determine the prevalence rate of multiple birth pregnancies. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study evaluating birth files in 2009–2010 of main hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. Results: Among 31640 files' studies, 614 cases of multiple birth pregnancies were investigated. The product of these pregnancies were 1286 (50.2% females infants including 557 twins (17.6/1000, 56 triplets (1.8/1000, and one case of quadruple (0.03/1000. Infants weigh <2500 g were 84.9% of all. Mothers had a mean age of 27.9 ± 4.9 which 30.4% of them had a positive history of using ART. Conclusion: The prevalence of multiple birth pregnancies is growing. The need for more mother and child care is important. Using ART world wide is leading more multiple birth which could be a cause for more complicated pregnancies.

Combined adaptive multiple subtraction based on optimized event tracing and extended wiener filtering

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Jun; Song, Peng; Li, Jinshan; Wang, Lei; Zhong, Mengxuan; Zhang, Xiaobo

2017-06-01

The surface-related multiple elimination (SRME) method is based on feedback formulation and has become one of the most preferred multiple suppression methods used. However, some differences are apparent between the predicted multiples and those in the source seismic records, which may result in conventional adaptive multiple subtraction methods being barely able to effectively suppress multiples in actual production. This paper introduces a combined adaptive multiple attenuation method based on the optimized event tracing technique and extended Wiener filtering. The method firstly uses multiple records predicted by SRME to generate a multiple velocity spectrum, then separates the original record to an approximate primary record and an approximate multiple record by applying the optimized event tracing method and short-time window FK filtering method. After applying the extended Wiener filtering method, residual multiples in the approximate primary record can then be eliminated and the damaged primary can be restored from the approximate multiple record. This method combines the advantages of multiple elimination based on the optimized event tracing method and the extended Wiener filtering technique. It is an ideal method for suppressing typical hyperbolic and other types of multiples, with the advantage of minimizing damage of the primary. Synthetic and field data tests show that this method produces better multiple elimination results than the traditional multi-channel Wiener filter method and is more suitable for multiple elimination in complicated geological areas.

Multiple passage cells theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riva, R.

1983-01-01

A review of the main concepts envolved in non astigmatic multiple passes cells is presented. It is shown that these concepts can be extended to ring cavities in which the analysis of the ray propagation (in the paraxial approaching) in two separated plans is accomplished. The concepts developed are applyed to a simple ring cavity (one curve mirror and two plane ones) showing that the acquired pattern of the rays on the mirrors is the one of a Lissajours figure which allows a better use of the mirror's area and consequently a larger number of passes. The cavity has applications in optical delay lines, measurements of mirrors reflectivities and possibly in passive optical gyroscopes. (Author) [pt

Familial pseudoxanthoma elasticum associated with multiple comedones

OpenAIRE

Maarouf, Melody; Sharon, Victoria R; Sivamani, Raja K; Prakash, Neha; Bipin, TH; Davis, Tracy; Shi, Vivian Y

2017-01-01

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by atypical elastic fibers that causes connective tissue abnormalities of the skin, eyes, and heart, among other organs. The disorder is rare, with a classic presentation of yellow-orange cobblestone-like papules on flexural areas, lax skin, ocular degeneration, and moribund vasculature in multiple organs. There is wide variability in the presentation of the affected organs [1]. We present two sisters with classic...

Sparing land for biodiversity at multiple spatial scales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johan eEkroos

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A common approach to the conservation of farmland biodiversity and the promotion of multifunctional landscapes, particularly in landscapes containing only small remnants of non-crop habitats, has been to maintain landscape heterogeneity and reduce land-use intensity. In contrast, it has recently been shown that devoting specific areas of non-crop habitats to conservation, segregated from high-yielding farmland (‘land sparing’, can more effectively conserve biodiversity than promoting low-yielding, less intensively managed farmland occupying larger areas (‘land sharing’. In the present paper we suggest that the debate over the relative merits of land sparing or land sharing is partly blurred by the differing spatial scales at which it is suggested that land sparing should be applied. We argue that there is no single correct spatial scale for segregating biodiversity protection and commodity production in multifunctional landscapes. Instead we propose an alternative conceptual construct, which we call ‘multiple-scale land sparing’, targeting biodiversity and ecosystem services in transformed landscapes. We discuss how multiple-scale land sparing may overcome the apparent dichotomy between land sharing and land sparing and help to find acceptable compromises that conserve biodiversity and landscape multifunctionality.

Script of Healthcare Technology: Do Designs of Robotic Beds Exclude or Include Users?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brodersen, Søsser Grith Kragh; Hansen, Meiken; Lindegaard, Hanne

2015-01-01

Many new product designs are currently being implemented in the healthcare sector, and this presents designers with challenges involved in socially innovative design. In this paper, we argue that designing assistive technologies requires focus on multiple users and use practices. We see the design...... of assistive technologies as design of socio-material assemblies , which include an analysis of the products already used in relation to multiple users, their practices and wishes. In the article we focus on the challenges in the implementation of two types of robotic beds used for disability care...

Multiple sclerosis - etiology and diagnostic potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamińska, Joanna; Koper, Olga M; Piechal, Kinga; Kemona, Halina

2017-06-30

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of autoimmune originate. The main agents responsible for the MS development include exogenous, environmental, and genetic factors. MS is characterized by multifocal and temporally scattered central nervous system (CNS) damage which lead to the axonal damage. Among clinical courses of MS it can be distinguish relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPSM), primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), and progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (RPMS). Depending on the severity of signs and symptoms MS can be described as benign MS or malignant MS. MS diagnosis is based on McDonald's diagnostic criteria, which link clinical manifestation with characteristic lesions demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, and visual evoked potentials. Among CSF laboratory tests used to the MS diagnosis are applied: Tibbling & Link IgG index, reinbegrams, and CSF isoelectrofocusing for oligoclonal bands detection. It should be emphasized, that despite huge progress regarding MS as well as the availability of different diagnostics methods this disease is still a diagnostic challenge. It may result from fact that MS has diverse clinical course and there is a lack of single test, which would be of appropriate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for quick and accurate diagnosis.

Multiple sclerosis - etiology and diagnostic potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Kamińska

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis (MS is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of autoimmune originate. The main agents responsible for the MS development include exogenous, environmental, and genetic factors. MS is characterized by multifocal and temporally scattered central nervous system (CNS damage which lead to the axonal damage. Among clinical courses of MS it can be distinguish relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPSM, primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS, and progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (RPMS. Depending on the severity of signs and symptoms MS can be described as benign MS or malignant MS. MS diagnosis is based on McDonald’s diagnostic criteria, which link clinical manifestation with characteristic lesions demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF analysis, and visual evoked potentials. Among CSF laboratory tests used to the MS diagnosis are applied: Tibbling & Link IgG index, reinbegrams, and CSF isoelectrofocusing for oligoclonal bands detection. It should be emphasized, that despite huge progress regarding MS as well as the availability of differentdiagnostics methods this disease is still a diagnostic challenge. It may result from fact that MS has diverse clinical course and there is a lack of single test, which would be of appropriate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for quick and accurate diagnosis.

Selenium status, thyroid volume, and multiple nodule formation in an area with mild iodine deficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Lone Banke; Schomburg, Lutz; Kohrle, Josef

2011-01-01

) introduction of iodine fortification. Serum selenium concentration and urinary iodine were measured, and the thyroid gland was examined by ultrasonography in the same subjects. Associations between serum selenium concentration and thyroid parameters were examined in multiple linear regression models...... or logistic regression models.Results: Serum selenium concentration was found to be significantly, negatively associated with thyroid volume (P=0.006), and a low selenium status significantly increased the risk for thyroid enlargement (P=0.007). Furthermore, low serum selenium status had a tendency...

An autopsy case of multiple myeloma with veno-occlusive disease of the liver induced by ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueno, Hironori; Inagaki, Yasutaka; Yonei, Yoshikazu; Ozawa, Yukako; Atsukawa, Kazuhiro; Tsukada, Nobuhiro; Miyamoto, Kei; Suzuki, Osamu; Kiryu, Yasuyoshi

1995-01-01

An autopsy case of multiple myeloma which accompanied radiation-induced veno-occlusion of the liver is presented. A 62-year-old woman with a chief complaint of low back pain was diagnosed as having multiple myeloma. Approximately one year later, the patient was treated with chemotherapy, consisting of VCR, MCNU, ADR, PSL, and CPA, and X-irradiation of 30 Gy to the bilateral trunk for medically intractable rib pain. The irradiation field included the entire liver. Six months later, she was admitted to the hospital due to abdominal distention and massive amounts of ascites. Various examinations failed to make a qualitative diagnosis. Postmortem examination revealed fibrotic occlusion of the central vein which is typical for veno-occlusion disease of the liver. This finding was restricted to the area that was not shielded, irrespective of anatomical structure, strongly suggesting radiation-induced veno-occlusion of the liver. (N.K.)

Patients with neuromyelitis optica have a more severe disease than patients with relapsingremitting multiple sclerosis, including higher risk of dying of a demyelinating disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis Bernardi Bichuetti

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Although neuromyelitis optica (NMO is known to be a more severe disease than relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS, few studies comparing both conditions in a single center have been done. Methods: Comparison of our previously published cohort of 41 NMO patients with 177 RRMS patients followed in the same center, from 1994 to 2007. Results: Mean age of onset was 32.6 for NMO and 30.2 for RRMS (p=0.2062 with mean disease duration of 7.4 years for NMO and 10.3 years for RRMS. Patients with NMO had a higher annualized relapse rate (1.0 versus 0.8, p=0.0013 and progression index (0.9 versus 0.6, p≪0.0001, with more patients reaching expanded disability status scale (EDSS 6.0 (39 versus 17%, p=0.0036. The odds ratio for reaching EDSS 6.0 and being deceased due to NMO in comparison to RRMS were, respectively, 3.14 and 12.15. Conclusion: Patients with NMO have a more severe disease than patients with RRMS, including higher risk of dying of a demyelinating disease.

Animal attack: an unusual case of multiple trauma in childhood.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Grady, E

2014-11-01

A 2½ year old girl attended our facility following attack by a tapir at a city zoo. She sustained multiple injuries including a forearm laceration and multiple perforating wounds to her abdominal wall. She had several procedures, including bowel resection, performed under the care of the General Paediatric Surgery and Plastic Surgery teams and was treated with a course of IV antibiotics. She recovered well and to date has suffered no long-term adverse outcome.

Hydrologic Areas of Concern

Data.gov (United States)

University of New Hampshire — A Hydrologic Area of Concern (HAC) is a land area surrounding a water source, which is intended to include the portion of the watershed in which land uses are likely...

Redox flow batteries having multiple electroactive elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Wei; Li, Liyu; Yang, Zhenguo; Nie, Zimin

2018-05-01

Introducing multiple redox reactions with a suitable voltage range can improve the energy density of redox flow battery (RFB) systems. One example includes RFB systems utilizing multiple redox pairs in the positive half cell, the negative half cell, or in both. Such RFB systems can have a negative electrolyte, a positive electrolyte, and a membrane between the negative electrolyte and the positive electrolyte, in which at least two electrochemically active elements exist in the negative electrolyte, the positive electrolyte, or both.

Joint Estimation of Multiple Precision Matrices with Common Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Wonyul; Liu, Yufeng

Estimation of inverse covariance matrices, known as precision matrices, is important in various areas of statistical analysis. In this article, we consider estimation of multiple precision matrices sharing some common structures. In this setting, estimating each precision matrix separately can be suboptimal as it ignores potential common structures. This article proposes a new approach to parameterize each precision matrix as a sum of common and unique components and estimate multiple precision matrices in a constrained l 1 minimization framework. We establish both estimation and selection consistency of the proposed estimator in the high dimensional setting. The proposed estimator achieves a faster convergence rate for the common structure in certain cases. Our numerical examples demonstrate that our new estimator can perform better than several existing methods in terms of the entropy loss and Frobenius loss. An application to a glioblastoma cancer data set reveals some interesting gene networks across multiple cancer subtypes.

Evaluation of multiple emission point facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miltenberger, R.P.; Hull, A.P.; Strachan, S.; Tichler, J.

1988-01-01

In 1970, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) assumed responsibility for the environmental aspect of the state's regulatory program for by-product, source, and special nuclear material. The major objective of this study was to provide consultation to NYSDEC and the US NRC to assist NYSDEC in determining if broad-based licensed facilities with multiple emission points were in compliance with NYCRR Part 380. Under this contract, BNL would evaluate a multiple emission point facility, identified by NYSDEC, as a case study. The review would be a nonbinding evaluation of the facility to determine likely dispersion characteristics, compliance with specified release limits, and implementation of the ALARA philosophy regarding effluent release practices. From the data collected, guidance as to areas of future investigation and the impact of new federal regulations were to be developed. Reported here is the case study for the University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Medical Center and Riverside Campus

Facilitating Multiple Intelligences Through Multimodal Learning Analytics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayesha PERVEEN

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper develops a theoretical framework for employing learning analytics in online education to trace multiple learning variations of online students by considering their potential of being multiple intelligences based on Howard Gardner’s 1983 theory of multiple intelligences. The study first emphasizes the need to facilitate students as multiple intelligences by online education systems and then suggests a framework of the advanced form of learning analytics i.e., multimodal learning analytics for tracing and facilitating multiple intelligences while they are engaged in online ubiquitous learning. As multimodal learning analytics is still an evolving area, it poses many challenges for technologists, educationists as well as organizational managers. Learning analytics make machines meet humans, therefore, the educationists with an expertise in learning theories can help technologists devise latest technological methods for multimodal learning analytics and organizational managers can implement them for the improvement of online education. Therefore, a careful instructional design based on a deep understanding of students’ learning abilities, is required to develop teaching plans and technological possibilities for monitoring students’ learning paths. This is how learning analytics can help design an adaptive instructional design based on a quick analysis of the data gathered. Based on that analysis, the academicians can critically reflect upon the quick or delayed implementation of the existing instructional design based on students’ cognitive abilities or even about the single or double loop learning design. The researcher concludes that the online education is multimodal in nature, has the capacity to endorse multiliteracies and, therefore, multiple intelligences can be tracked and facilitated through multimodal learning analytics in an online mode. However, online teachers’ training both in technological implementations and

A FIRST COMPARISON OF KEPLER PLANET CANDIDATES IN SINGLE AND MULTIPLE SYSTEMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latham, David W.; Quinn, Samuel N.; Carter, Joshua A.; Holman, Matthew J.; Rowe, Jason F.; Borucki, William J.; Bryson, Stephen T.; Howell, Steve B.; Batalha, Natalie M.; Brown, Timothy M.; Buchhave, Lars A.; Caldwell, Douglas A.; Christiansen, Jessie L.; Ciardi, David R.; Cochran, William D.; Dunham, Edward W.; Fabrycky, Daniel C.; Ford, Eric B.; Gautier, Thomas N. III; Gilliland, Ronald L.

2011-01-01

In this Letter, we present an overview of the rich population of systems with multiple candidate transiting planets found in the first four months of Kepler data. The census of multiples includes 115 targets that show two candidate planets, 45 with three, eight with four, and one each with five and six, for a total of 170 systems with 408 candidates. When compared to the 827 systems with only one candidate, the multiples account for 17% of the total number of systems, and one-third of all the planet candidates. We compare the characteristics of candidates found in multiples with those found in singles. False positives due to eclipsing binaries are much less common for the multiples, as expected. Singles and multiples are both dominated by planets smaller than Neptune; 69 +2 -3 % for singles and 86 +2 -5 % for multiples. This result, that systems with multiple transiting planets are less likely to include a transiting giant planet, suggests that close-in giant planets tend to disrupt the orbital inclinations of small planets in flat systems, or maybe even prevent the formation of such systems in the first place.

Can dentists detect multiple myeloma through oral manifestations?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thaís Miranda Xavier de Almeida

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To review published data on oral manifestations of multiple myeloma. Methods: An electronic database search was performed of articles published from 1971 to November 2016 in order to identify studies that reported oral manifestations of patients with multiple myeloma. Case reports and case series with oral manifestations of multiple myeloma in English were included in the study. An additional search was performed of the references of the selected articles. Results: Thirty-seven articles that reported 81 patients with oral manifestations of multiple myeloma were selected: 30 case reports (82% and seven case series (18%. The most common clinical features in the dental cavity were swelling (65.4%, bone pain (33.3%, paresthesia (27.1% and amyloidosis lesions (11.1%. Osteolytic lesions detected on imaging exams were reported in the majority of the patients (90.1% as plasmacytomas or ‘punched-out’ lesions. Conclusions: Swelling and osteolytic lesions represent the most common clinical and radiographic signs of the jaws relating to multiple myeloma, respectively. Keywords: Multiple Myeloma, Oral Manifestations, Mouth, Jaws

Monitoring and identification of spatiotemporal landscape changes in multiple remote sensing images by using a stratified conditional Latin hypercube sampling approach and geostatistical simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yu-Pin; Chu, Hone-Jay; Huang, Yu-Long; Tang, Chia-Hsi; Rouhani, Shahrokh

2011-06-01

This study develops a stratified conditional Latin hypercube sampling (scLHS) approach for multiple, remotely sensed, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) images. The objective is to sample, monitor, and delineate spatiotemporal landscape changes, including spatial heterogeneity and variability, in a given area. The scLHS approach, which is based on the variance quadtree technique (VQT) and the conditional Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) method, selects samples in order to delineate landscape changes from multiple NDVI images. The images are then mapped for calibration and validation by using sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) with the scLHS selected samples. Spatial statistical results indicate that in terms of their statistical distribution, spatial distribution, and spatial variation, the statistics and variograms of the scLHS samples resemble those of multiple NDVI images more closely than those of cLHS and VQT samples. Moreover, the accuracy of simulated NDVI images based on SGS with scLHS samples is significantly better than that of simulated NDVI images based on SGS with cLHS samples and VQT samples, respectively. However, the proposed approach efficiently monitors the spatial characteristics of landscape changes, including the statistics, spatial variability, and heterogeneity of NDVI images. In addition, SGS with the scLHS samples effectively reproduces spatial patterns and landscape changes in multiple NDVI images.

Multiple eigenmodes of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability observed for a fluid interface with smoothly varying density

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, C. X.; Xue, C.; Liu, J.; Hu, X. Y.; Liu, Y. Y.; Ye, W. H.; Wang, L. F.; Wu, J. F.; Fan, Z. F.

2018-01-01

In this article, multiple eigen-systems including linear growth rates and eigen-functions have been discovered for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) by numerically solving the Sturm-Liouville eigen-value problem in the case of two-dimensional plane geometry. The system called the first mode has the maximal linear growth rate and is just extensively studied in literature. Higher modes have smaller eigen-values, but possess multi-peak eigen-functions which bring on multiple pairs of vortices in the vorticity field. A general fitting expression for the first four eigen-modes is presented. Direct numerical simulations show that high modes lead to appearances of multi-layered spike-bubble pairs, and lots of secondary spikes and bubbles are also generated due to the interactions between internal spikes and bubbles. The present work has potential applications in many research and engineering areas, e.g., in reducing the RTI growth during capsule implosions in inertial confinement fusion.

Parallel point-multiplication architecture using combined group operations for high-speed cryptographic applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md Selim Hossain

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a novel parallel architecture for fast hardware implementation of elliptic curve point multiplication (ECPM, which is the key operation of an elliptic curve cryptography processor. The point multiplication over binary fields is synthesized on both FPGA and ASIC technology by designing fast elliptic curve group operations in Jacobian projective coordinates. A novel combined point doubling and point addition (PDPA architecture is proposed for group operations to achieve high speed and low hardware requirements for ECPM. It has been implemented over the binary field which is recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST. The proposed ECPM supports two Koblitz and random curves for the key sizes 233 and 163 bits. For group operations, a finite-field arithmetic operation, e.g. multiplication, is designed on a polynomial basis. The delay of a 233-bit point multiplication is only 3.05 and 3.56 μs, in a Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA, for Koblitz and random curves, respectively, and 0.81 μs in an ASIC 65-nm technology, which are the fastest hardware implementation results reported in the literature to date. In addition, a 163-bit point multiplication is also implemented in FPGA and ASIC for fair comparison which takes around 0.33 and 0.46 μs, respectively. The area-time product of the proposed point multiplication is very low compared to similar designs. The performance ([Formula: see text] and Area × Time × Energy (ATE product of the proposed design are far better than the most significant studies found in the literature.

18F-DOPA PET/CT and MRI Findings in a Patient With Multiple Meningiomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Calabria, Ferdinando F; Chiaravalloti, Agostino; Calabria, Eros N; Grillea, Giovanni; Schillaci, Orazio

2016-08-01

A 56-year-old man was referred to our Department for a 2-year story of upper limb tremor, severe headache, and episodes of confusion. Brain F-DOPA PET/CT showed multiple areas of tracer uptake in the two hemispheres of the brain. Subsequent MRI displayed demyelinating foci with high contrast enhancement. Histological specimen confirmed the diagnosis of multiple meningiomas.

The impact of comorbidity on mortality in multiple myeloma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gregersen, Henrik; Vangsted, Annette Juul; Abildgaard, Niels

2017-01-01

To describe the prevalence of comorbidity and its impact on survival in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients compared with population controls. Cases of newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma during the 2005-2012 period were identified in the Danish National Multiple Myeloma Registry....... For each myeloma patient, 10 members of the general population matched by age and sex were chosen from the national Civil Registration System. Data on comorbidity in the myeloma patients and the general population comparison cohort were collected by linkage to the Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR......). Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of comorbidity. The study included 2190 cases of multiple myeloma and 21,900 population controls. The comorbidity was increased in multiple myeloma patients compared with population controls, odds ratio (OR) 1...

Study on the clinical usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging in cases of multiple cerebral infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyashita, Kotaro

1991-01-01

The clinical significance of MRI in thrombotic multiple cerebral infarction was examined in 9 patients having recent lacunar stroke. Recent infarct was identified on Gd-enhanced MRI in 4 patients. For patients multiple small infarction, Gd-enhanced MRI made it possible to differentiate recent from other lesions. To clarify the significance of periventricular high intensity lesion (PVH) on T2-weighted MRI, hemodynamic and neuropsychologic examinations were carried out in 41 patients with multiple cerebral infarction. All the patients had PVH, which was classified into three grades as follows: grade I (n=16) showing only a thin high intensity band along the body of lateral ventricles; grade 2 (n=15) showing a definite high intensity area around the lateral ventricles; grade 3 (n=10) showing diffuse thick and irregular foci around the whole ventricle. In these patients, rCBF was measured by 133 Xe inhalation methods. Initial slope index was significantly higher in patients with grade 3 than those with grade I. Mini-mental state test score was significantly higher in patients with grade l than those with grade 2 and 3. Progression of PVH may be related with the reduction of the cerebral circulation and mental function in cases of multiple cerebral infarction. Ischemic and hemorrhagic lesions can be distinguished by MRI, because old intracerebral hemorrhage appear as hypointensity areas with or without hyperintensity area on T2w images. In 92 patients with multiple infarction, MRI was used to evaluate the incidence and distribution of coexisting old intracerebral hemorrhage. Old hemorrhage were found in 15 patients (16.3%). locating the site where hypertensive hemorrhage commonly occurred. High-field MRI is useful for assessing the coexistence of hemorrhage in hypertensive patients with multiple cerebral infarction. (N.K.)

Delimiting areas of endemism through kernel interpolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Ubirajara; Brescovit, Antonio D; Santos, Adalberto J

2015-01-01

We propose a new approach for identification of areas of endemism, the Geographical Interpolation of Endemism (GIE), based on kernel spatial interpolation. This method differs from others in being independent of grid cells. This new approach is based on estimating the overlap between the distribution of species through a kernel interpolation of centroids of species distribution and areas of influence defined from the distance between the centroid and the farthest point of occurrence of each species. We used this method to delimit areas of endemism of spiders from Brazil. To assess the effectiveness of GIE, we analyzed the same data using Parsimony Analysis of Endemism and NDM and compared the areas identified through each method. The analyses using GIE identified 101 areas of endemism of spiders in Brazil GIE demonstrated to be effective in identifying areas of endemism in multiple scales, with fuzzy edges and supported by more synendemic species than in the other methods. The areas of endemism identified with GIE were generally congruent with those identified for other taxonomic groups, suggesting that common processes can be responsible for the origin and maintenance of these biogeographic units.

Delimiting areas of endemism through kernel interpolation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ubirajara Oliveira

Full Text Available We propose a new approach for identification of areas of endemism, the Geographical Interpolation of Endemism (GIE, based on kernel spatial interpolation. This method differs from others in being independent of grid cells. This new approach is based on estimating the overlap between the distribution of species through a kernel interpolation of centroids of species distribution and areas of influence defined from the distance between the centroid and the farthest point of occurrence of each species. We used this method to delimit areas of endemism of spiders from Brazil. To assess the effectiveness of GIE, we analyzed the same data using Parsimony Analysis of Endemism and NDM and compared the areas identified through each method. The analyses using GIE identified 101 areas of endemism of spiders in Brazil GIE demonstrated to be effective in identifying areas of endemism in multiple scales, with fuzzy edges and supported by more synendemic species than in the other methods. The areas of endemism identified with GIE were generally congruent with those identified for other taxonomic groups, suggesting that common processes can be responsible for the origin and maintenance of these biogeographic units.

Directed area search using socio-biological vision algorithms and cognitive Bayesian reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Medasani, S.; Owechko, Y.; Allen, D.; Lu, T. C.; Khosla, D.

2010-04-01

Volitional search systems that assist the analyst by searching for specific targets or objects such as vehicles, factories, airports, etc in wide area overhead imagery need to overcome multiple problems present in current manual and automatic approaches. These problems include finding targets hidden in terabytes of information, relatively few pixels on targets, long intervals between interesting regions, time consuming analysis requiring many analysts, no a priori representative examples or templates of interest, detecting multiple classes of objects, and the need for very high detection rates and very low false alarm rates. This paper describes a conceptual analyst-centric framework that utilizes existing technology modules to search and locate occurrences of targets of interest (e.g., buildings, mobile targets of military significance, factories, nuclear plants, etc.), from video imagery of large areas. Our framework takes simple queries from the analyst and finds the queried targets with relatively minimum interaction from the analyst. It uses a hybrid approach that combines biologically inspired bottom up attention, socio-biologically inspired object recognition for volitionally recognizing targets, and hierarchical Bayesian networks for modeling and representing the domain knowledge. This approach has the benefits of high accuracy, low false alarm rate and can handle both low-level visual information and high-level domain knowledge in a single framework. Such a system would be of immense help for search and rescue efforts, intelligence gathering, change detection systems, and other surveillance systems.

General solutions to multiple testing problems. Translation of "Sonnemann, E. (1982). Allgemeine Lösungen multipler Test probleme. EDV in Medizin und Biologie 13(4), 120-128".

Science.gov (United States)

Sonnemann, Eckart

2008-10-01

The introduction of sequentially rejective multiple test procedures (Einot and Gabriel, 1975; Naik, 1975; Holm, 1977; Holm, 1979) has caused considerable progress in the theory of multiple comparisons. Emphasizing the closure of multiple tests we give a survey of the general theory and its recent results in applications. Some new applications are given including a discussion of the connection with the theory of confidence regions.

Multiple regression and beyond an introduction to multiple regression and structural equation modeling

CERN Document Server

Keith, Timothy Z

2014-01-01

Multiple Regression and Beyond offers a conceptually oriented introduction to multiple regression (MR) analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), along with analyses that flow naturally from those methods. By focusing on the concepts and purposes of MR and related methods, rather than the derivation and calculation of formulae, this book introduces material to students more clearly, and in a less threatening way. In addition to illuminating content necessary for coursework, the accessibility of this approach means students are more likely to be able to conduct research using MR or SEM--and more likely to use the methods wisely. Covers both MR and SEM, while explaining their relevance to one another Also includes path analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and latent growth modeling Figures and tables throughout provide examples and illustrate key concepts and techniques For additional resources, please visit: http://tzkeith.com/.

Increasing revenues for protected areas. A wealth of financing options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verweij, P.

2004-12-01

This paper aims at giving an overview of traditional and new financing mechanisms in support of protected areas. The web of life is breaking down: our world is facing biodiversity loss at unprecedented rates. Human impacts are causing the acceleration of species loss, at rates of several hundreds up to 1000 times the natural rate of species extinction, depending on the type of organisms. Habitat degradation and loss, introduction of invasive species, pollution, and overexploitation of resources are factors that determine the process of mass extinction. Protected areas obviously play a critical role in biodiversity conservation. Article 8 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) obliges Parties to establish a system of protected areas to-conserve biodiversity, to develop guidelines for protected areas management and to promote appropriate development adjacent to protected areas. Besides agreeing on this global mandate for protected areas, through Article 8m of the CBD Parties committed themselves to cooperate in providing financial support for protected area systems: 'Each contracting party (...) shall cooperate in providing financial and other support for in-situ conservation (...) particularly to developing countries'. Current revenues for maintaining existing protected areas and the creation of new ones are insufficient. Annually, approximately USD 7 billion is spent on the creation and maintenance of protected areas around the world (Balmford, 2003). The amount required to adequately protect biodiversity is estimated to be about five times higher. The flow of revenues from traditional and new financing mechanisms should clearly be increased to mitigate the financing deficit for protected areas. As part of the solution, innovative financing mechanisms are being developed aimed at increasing the global revenues for protected areas, thus capturing the multiple values of ecosystem goods and services provided by protected areas to mankind. This scoping paper

Male Urethral Diverticulum Having Multiple Stones

African Journals Online (AJOL)

muscle fibers in their wall, commonly encountered in adults, and involve the posterior urethra. Differential diagnosis for UD includes syringoceles (cystic dilatation of the Cowper's gland), sequestration cysts, epidermoid and epithelial inclusion cysts. Male Urethral Diverticulum Having Multiple Stones. Mohanty D, Garg PK, ...

Control of multiple robots using vision sensors

CERN Document Server

Aranda, Miguel; Sagüés, Carlos

2017-01-01

This monograph introduces novel methods for the control and navigation of mobile robots using multiple-1-d-view models obtained from omni-directional cameras. This approach overcomes field-of-view and robustness limitations, simultaneously enhancing accuracy and simplifying application on real platforms. The authors also address coordinated motion tasks for multiple robots, exploring different system architectures, particularly the use of multiple aerial cameras in driving robot formations on the ground. Again, this has benefits of simplicity, scalability and flexibility. Coverage includes details of: a method for visual robot homing based on a memory of omni-directional images a novel vision-based pose stabilization methodology for non-holonomic ground robots based on sinusoidal-varying control inputs an algorithm to recover a generic motion between two 1-d views and which does not require a third view a novel multi-robot setup where multiple camera-carrying unmanned aerial vehicles are used to observe and c...

[A case of multiple cavernous angioma with dementia].

Science.gov (United States)

Kariya, S; Kawahara, M; Suzumura, A

2000-10-01

We reported a 65-year-old man who developed dementia since 50 years of age. His consciousness was clear but he was indifferent to his illness. Also, the luck of attention was recognized when we underwent examinations and the result of intellectual test varied every time we performed. His memory function was almost normal on the examination which was performed when he was cooperative. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed multiple tiny lesions (more than 130 in all) in cerebrum, brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord. These lesions were compatible with multiple cavernous angioma. Most of lesions manifested high-density area on cranial CT. Though the multiplicity of foci indicated the possibility of familial occurrence, he was considered to be a sporadic case on his lineage investigation and the brain MRI of his only son. In this case, neither headache nor seizures which were known as the major clinical features of intracerebral cavernous angioma was observed. He was diagnosed as having white matter dementia characterized by attentional dysfunction, decrement of volition and less memory disturbance. We speculated that he developed symptomatic dementia by the sum of multiple minor degeneration, especially in frontal lobe white matter, caused by repeated minor bleeding from cavernous angiomas.

Multiplicity distributions in QCD cascades

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustafson, G.

1992-03-01

Multiplicity distributions for hadrons and for jets are studied in QCD parton cascades. The colour dipole formalism is used and earlier results in the double log approximation are generalized to include terms which are suppressed by colour factors or factors of ln s. The result is a set of coupled differential equations, together with appropriate boundary conditions

Rendering Intelligence at Physical Layer for Smart Addressing and Multiple Access

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sanyal, Rajarshi; Prasad, Ramjee; Cianca, Ernestina

2010-01-01

addressing of a node. For a typical closed user group type of network, we propose a multiple access mechanism and network topology which will not only eliminate the need of intelligent core network equipments in the network area , but to use this intelligent physical layer to directly reach any node over......The primary objective of this work is to propose a technique of wireless communication, where we render intelligence to the physical layer. We aim to realize a physical layer that can take part in some processes which is otherwise confined to higher layer signalling activities, like for example...... the fundamentals behind the proposed multiple access scheme and draws out the benefits compared to the existing multiple access processes based on cellular approach....

Combined interpretation of multiple geophysical techniques: an archaeological case study

Science.gov (United States)

Riedl, S.; Reichmann, S.; Tronicke, J.; Lück, E.

2009-04-01

In order to locate and ascertain the dimensions of an ancient orangery, we explored an area of about 70 m x 60 m in the Rheinsberg Palace Garden (Germany) with multiple geophysical techniques. The Rheinsberg Park, situated about 100 km northwest of Berlin, Germany, was established by the Prussian emperors in the 18th century. Due to redesign of the architecture and the landscaping during the past 300 years, buildings were dismantled and detailed knowledge about some original buildings got lost. We surveyed an area close to a gazebo where, after historical sources, an orangery was planned around the year 1740. However, today it is not clear to what extent this plan has been realized and if remains of this building are still buried in the subsurface. Applied geophysical techniques include magnetic gradiometry, frequency domain electromagnetic (FDEM) and direct current (DC) resistivity mapping as well as ground penetrating radar (GPR). To get an overview of the site, we performed FDEM electrical conductivity mapping using an EM38 instrument and magnetic gradiometry with caesium magnetometers. Both data sets were collected with an in- and crossline data point spacing of ca. 10 cm and 50 cm, respectively. DC resistivity surveying was performed using a pole-pole electrode configuration with an electrode spacing of 1.5 m and a spacing of 1.0 m between individual readings. A 3-D GPR survey was conducted using 200 MHz antennae and in- and crossline spacing of ca. 10 cm and 40 cm, respectively. A standard processing sequence including 3-D migration was applied. A combined interpretation of all collected data sets illustrates that the magnetic gradient and the EM38 conductivity maps is are dominated by anomalies from metallic water pipes from belonging to the irrigation system of the park. The DC resistivity map outlines a rectangular area which might indicate the extension of a former building south of the gazebo. The 3-D GPR data set provides further insights about

Multiple myeloma: diagnosis and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nau, Konrad C; Lewis, William D

2008-10-01

Multiple myeloma, the most common bone malignancy, is occurring with increasing frequency in older persons. Typical symptoms are bone pain, malaise, anemia, renal insufficiency, and hypercalcemia. Incidental discovery on comprehensive laboratory panels is common. The disease is diagnosed with serum or urine protein electrophoresis or immunofixation and bone marrow aspirate analysis. Skeletal radiographs are important in staging multiple myeloma and revealing lytic lesions, vertebral compression fractures, and osteoporosis. Magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography or computed tomography are emerging as useful tools in the evaluation of patients with myeloma; magnetic resonance imaging is preferred for evaluating acute spinal compression. Nuclear bone scans and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry have no role in the diagnosis and staging of myeloma. The differential diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathies includes monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance, smoldering (asymptomatic) and symptomatic multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, and rare plasma cell leukemia and heavy chain diseases. Patients with monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance or smoldering multiple myeloma should be followed closely, but not treated. Symptomatic multiple myeloma is treated with chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation, if possible. Melphalan, prednisolone, dexamethasone, vincristine, doxorubicin, bortezomib, and thalidomide and its analogue lenalidomide have been used successfully. It is important that family physicians recognize and appropriately treat multiple myeloma complications. Bone pain is treated with opiates, bisphosphonates, radiotherapy, vertebroplasty, or kyphoplasty; nephrotoxic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided. Hypercalcemia is treated with isotonic saline infusions, steroids, furosemide, or bisphosphonates. Because of susceptibility to infections

Effects of whole-body vibration training in patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-Bueno, I; Ramos-Campo, D J; Rubio-Arias, J A

2016-07-19

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS is characterised by nerve demyelination that can alter nerve transmission and lead to such symptoms as fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired motor function. There are 47 000 people with MS in Spain. Vibration training can be an effective and complementary alternative to traditional exercise to treat patients with MS. The aim of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of vibration training programmes in patients with MS. We searched 5 electronic databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, SciELO, Lilacs, IBECS, and ISI Web of Knowledge) in August 2015. By using a set of keywords, we found studies linking vibration training and MS and included randomised controlled trials that applied vibration training to patients with MS. Our search yielded 71 studies. Only 9 of them were included after removing duplicate studies and those which were not relevant according to our selection criteria. These studies obtained different outcomes. Some studies found improvements in muscle strength, functional capacity, coordination, resistance, balance, and some areas of MSSS-88. However, we identified limitations in some of these studies and there are still few publications on vibration training and multiple sclerosis to ensure training effectiveness. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Multiple trichodiscomas: histogenetical observations.

Science.gov (United States)

Requena, L; Schöendorff, C; López, M J; Yus, E S

1991-02-01

A 23-year-old man with multiple trichodiscomas on his face is described. Four papules were histologically examinated, and all of them showed similar findings, a dermal fibrovascular proliferation with abundant ground substance between collagen bundles and an absence of elastic fibers. We found no evidence to establish a relationship between trichodiscomas and hair disk, and, in our opinion, these lesions should be included into the spectrum of hyperplasia of the adventicial dermis.

Sample size determination in clinical trials with multiple endpoints

CERN Document Server

Sozu, Takashi; Hamasaki, Toshimitsu; Evans, Scott R

2015-01-01

This book integrates recent methodological developments for calculating the sample size and power in trials with more than one endpoint considered as multiple primary or co-primary, offering an important reference work for statisticians working in this area. The determination of sample size and the evaluation of power are fundamental and critical elements in the design of clinical trials. If the sample size is too small, important effects may go unnoticed; if the sample size is too large, it represents a waste of resources and unethically puts more participants at risk than necessary. Recently many clinical trials have been designed with more than one endpoint considered as multiple primary or co-primary, creating a need for new approaches to the design and analysis of these clinical trials. The book focuses on the evaluation of power and sample size determination when comparing the effects of two interventions in superiority clinical trials with multiple endpoints. Methods for sample size calculation in clin...

Multiple Unerupted Permanent Teeth Associated with Noonan ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

[2] Oral findings in patients with NS include a high arched palate ... the atypical dental anomalies such as multiple unerupted permanent ... clinical features in a child with NS. .... Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Novel fMRI working memory paradigm accurately detects cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Flavia; Akhtar, Mohammad A; Zúñiga, Edward; Perez, Carlos A; Hasan, Khader M; Wilken, Jeffrey; Wolinsky, Jerry S; Narayana, Ponnada A; Steinberg, Joel L

2017-05-01

Cognitive impairment (CI) cannot be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigms, such as the immediate/delayed memory task (I/DMT), detect varying degrees of working memory (WM). Preliminary findings using I/DMT showed differences in blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activation between impaired (MSCI, n = 12) and non-impaired (MSNI, n = 9) multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The aim of the study was to confirm CI detection based on I/DMT BOLD activation in a larger cohort of MS patients. The role of T2 lesion volume (LV) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in magnitude of BOLD signal was also sought. A total of 50 patients (EDSS mean ( m) = 3.2, disease duration (DD) m = 12 years, and age m = 40 years) underwent the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis (MACFIMS) and I/DMT. Working memory activation (WMa) represents BOLD signal during DMT minus signal during IMT. CI was based on MACFIMS. A total of 10 MSNI, 30 MSCI, and 4 borderline patients were included in the analyses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed MSNI had significantly greater WMa than MSCI, in the left prefrontal cortex and left supplementary motor area ( p = 0.032). Regression analysis showed significant inverse correlations between WMa and T2 LV/EDSS in similar areas ( p = 0.005, 0.004, respectively). I/DMT-based BOLD activation detects CI in MS. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Activator Gcn4 employs multiple segments of Med15/Gal11, including the KIX domain, to recruit mediator to target genes in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Jedidi, Iness; Zhang, Fan; Qiu, Hongfang; Stahl, Stephen J; Palmer, Ira; Kaufman, Joshua D; Nadaud, Philippe S; Mukherjee, Sujoy; Wingfield, Paul T; Jaroniec, Christopher P; Hinnebusch, Alan G

2010-01-22

Mediator is a multisubunit coactivator required for initiation by RNA polymerase II. The Mediator tail subdomain, containing Med15/Gal11, is a target of the activator Gcn4 in vivo, critical for recruitment of native Mediator or the Mediator tail subdomain present in sin4Delta cells. Although several Gal11 segments were previously shown to bind Gcn4 in vitro, the importance of these interactions for recruitment of Mediator and transcriptional activation by Gcn4 in cells was unknown. We show that interaction of Gcn4 with the Mediator tail in vitro and recruitment of this subcomplex and intact Mediator to the ARG1 promoter in vivo involve additive contributions from three different segments in the N terminus of Gal11. These include the KIX domain, which is a critical target of other activators, and a region that shares a conserved motif (B-box) with mammalian coactivator SRC-1, and we establish that B-box is a critical determinant of Mediator recruitment by Gcn4. We further demonstrate that Gcn4 binds to the Gal11 KIX domain directly and, by NMR chemical shift analysis combined with mutational studies, we identify the likely binding site for Gcn4 on the KIX surface. Gcn4 is distinctive in relying on comparable contributions from multiple segments of Gal11 for efficient recruitment of Mediator in vivo.

Lung volume recruitment in multiple sclerosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadim Srour

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary function abnormalities have been described in multiple sclerosis including reductions in forced vital capacity (FVC and cough but the time course of this impairment is unknown. Peak cough flow (PCF is an important parameter for patients with respiratory muscle weakness and a reduced PCF has a direct impact on airway clearance and may therefore increase the risk of respiratory tract infections. Lung volume recruitment is a technique that improves PCF by inflating the lungs to their maximal insufflation capacity. OBJECTIVES: Our goals were to describe the rate of decline of pulmonary function and PCF in patients with multiple sclerosis and describe the use of lung volume recruitment in this population. METHODS: We reviewed all patients with multiple sclerosis referred to a respiratory neuromuscular rehabilitation clinic from February 1999 until December 2010. Lung volume recruitment was attempted in patients with FVC <80% predicted. Regular twice daily lung volume recruitment was prescribed if it resulted in a significant improvement in the laboratory. RESULTS: There were 79 patients included, 35 of whom were seen more than once. A baseline FVC <80% predicted was present in 82% of patients and 80% of patients had a PCF insufficient for airway clearance. There was a significant decline in FVC (122.6 mL/y, 95% CI 54.9-190.3 and PCF (192 mL/s/y, 95% 72-311 over a median follow-up time of 13.4 months. Lung volume recruitment was associated with a slower decline in FVC (p<0.0001 and PCF (p = 0.042. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary function and cough decline significantly over time in selected patients with multiple sclerosis and lung volume recruitment is associated with a slower rate of decline in lung function and peak cough flow. Given design limitations, additional studies are needed to assess the role of lung volume recruitment in patients with multiple sclerosis.

NEWTONIAN IMPERIALIST COMPETITVE APPROACH TO OPTIMIZING OBSERVATION OF MULTIPLE TARGET POINTS IN MULTISENSOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Afghan-Toloee

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The problem of specifying the minimum number of sensors to deploy in a certain area to face multiple targets has been generally studied in the literatures. In this paper, we are arguing the multi-sensors deployment problem (MDP. The Multi-sensor placement problem can be clarified as minimizing the cost required to cover the multi target points in the area. We propose a more feasible method for the multi-sensor placement problem. Our method makes provision the high coverage of grid based placements while minimizing the cost as discovered in perimeter placement techniques. The NICA algorithm as improved ICA (Imperialist Competitive Algorithm is used to decrease the performance time to explore an enough solution compared to other meta-heuristic schemes such as GA, PSO and ICA. A three dimensional area is used for clarify the multiple target and placement points, making provision x, y, and z computations in the observation algorithm. A structure of model for the multi-sensor placement problem is proposed: The problem is constructed as an optimization problem with the objective to minimize the cost while covering all multiple target points upon a given probability of observation tolerance.

MANGO: a new approach to multiple sequence alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zefeng; Lin, Hao; Li, Ming

2007-01-01

Multiple sequence alignment is a classical and challenging task for biological sequence analysis. The problem is NP-hard. The full dynamic programming takes too much time. The progressive alignment heuristics adopted by most state of the art multiple sequence alignment programs suffer from the 'once a gap, always a gap' phenomenon. Is there a radically new way to do multiple sequence alignment? This paper introduces a novel and orthogonal multiple sequence alignment method, using multiple optimized spaced seeds and new algorithms to handle these seeds efficiently. Our new algorithm processes information of all sequences as a whole, avoiding problems caused by the popular progressive approaches. Because the optimized spaced seeds are provably significantly more sensitive than the consecutive k-mers, the new approach promises to be more accurate and reliable. To validate our new approach, we have implemented MANGO: Multiple Alignment with N Gapped Oligos. Experiments were carried out on large 16S RNA benchmarks showing that MANGO compares favorably, in both accuracy and speed, against state-of-art multiple sequence alignment methods, including ClustalW 1.83, MUSCLE 3.6, MAFFT 5.861, Prob-ConsRNA 1.11, Dialign 2.2.1, DIALIGN-T 0.2.1, T-Coffee 4.85, POA 2.0 and Kalign 2.0.

Transmedia Storytelling in Science Communication: One Subject, Multiple Media, Multiple Stories

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, M.; Moloney, K.

2012-12-01

Each communication medium has particular storytelling strengths. For example, video is particularly good at illustrating a progression of events, text at background and context, and games at describing systems. In what USC's Prof. Henry Jenkins described as "transmedia storytelling," multiple media are used simultaneously, in an expansive rather than repetitive way, to better tell a single, complex story. The audience is given multiple entry points to the story, and the story is exposed to diverse and dispersed audiences, ultimately engaging a broader public. We will examine the effectiveness of a transmedia approach to communicating scientific and other complex concepts to a broad and diverse audience. Using the recently developed Educational Visitor Center at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center as a case study, we will evaluate the reach of various means of presenting information about the geosciences, climate change and computational science. These will include an assessment of video, mechanical and digital interactive elements, animated movie segments, web-based content, photography, scientific visualizations, printed material and docent-led activities.

Ability of crime, demographic and business data to forecast areas of increased violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Daniel A; Mercer Kollar, Laura M; Wu, Daniel T; Fraser, David A; Flood, Charles E; Moore, Jasmine C; Mays, Elizabeth W; Sumner, Steven A

2018-05-24

Identifying geographic areas and time periods of increased violence is of considerable importance in prevention planning. This study compared the performance of multiple data sources to prospectively forecast areas of increased interpersonal violence. We used 2011-2014 data from a large metropolitan county on interpersonal violence (homicide, assault, rape and robbery) and forecasted violence at the level of census block-groups and over a one-month moving time window. Inputs to a Random Forest model included historical crime records from the police department, demographic data from the US Census Bureau, and administrative data on licensed businesses. Among 279 block groups, a model utilizing all data sources was found to prospectively improve the identification of the top 5% most violent block-group months (positive predictive value = 52.1%; negative predictive value = 97.5%; sensitivity = 43.4%; specificity = 98.2%). Predictive modelling with simple inputs can help communities more efficiently focus violence prevention resources geographically.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 165: Areas 25 and 26 Dry Well and Washdown Areas, Nevada Test Site, Nevada (including Record of Technical Change Nos. 1, 2, and 3) (January 2002, Rev. 0)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office (NNSA/NV)

2002-01-09

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan contains the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office's approach to collect the data necessary to evaluate corrective action alternatives appropriate for the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 165 under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 165 consists of eight Corrective Action Sites (CASs): CAS 25-20-01, Lab Drain Dry Well; CAS 25-51-02, Dry Well; CAS 25-59-01, Septic System; CAS 26-59-01, Septic System; CAS 25-07-06, Train Decontamination Area; CAS 25-07-07, Vehicle Washdown; CAS 26-07-01, Vehicle Washdown Station; and CAS 25-47-01, Reservoir and French Drain. All eight CASs are located in the Nevada Test Site, Nevada. Six of these CASs are located in Area 25 facilities and two CASs are located in Area 26 facilities. The eight CASs at CAU 165 consist of dry wells, septic systems, decontamination pads, and a reservoir. The six CASs in Area 25 are associated with the Nuclear Rocket Development Station that operated from 1958 to 1973. The two CASs in Area 26 are associated with facilities constructed for Project Pluto, a series of nuclear reactor tests conducted between 1961 to 1964 to develop a nuclear-powered ramjet engine. Based on site history, the scope of this plan will be a two-phased approach to investigate the possible presence of hazardous and/or radioactive constituents at concentrations that could potentially pose a threat to human health and the environment. The Phase I analytical program for most CASs will include volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radionuclides. If laboratory data obtained from the Phase I investigation indicates the presence of contaminants of concern, the process will continue with a Phase II investigation to define the extent of contamination. Based on the

Integral Methodological Pluralism in Science Education Research: Valuing Multiple Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Nancy T.; Callihan, Laurie P.

2013-01-01

This article examines the multiple methodologies used in educational research and proposes a model that includes all of them as contributing to understanding educational contexts and research from multiple perspectives. The model, based on integral theory (Wilber in a theory of everything. Shambhala, Boston, 2000) values all forms of research as…

Superficial Type of Multiple Basal Cell Carcinomas: Detailed Comparative Study of Its Dermoscopic and Histopathological Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirofuji, A.; Takiguchi, K.; Nakamura, K.; Kuramochi, A.; Tsuchida, T.; Arai, E.; Shimizu, M.

2011-01-01

We investigated in detail the dermoscopic and histopathological findings in a case of a superficial type of multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). These multiple lesions (occurring in the chest, neck, and back) showed three different findings, respectively. Dermoscopy of the erythematous and brown-colored patch on the anterior chest showed spoke wheel areas, and the histopathological cross-section revealed vertical spoke wheel structures. In the black- and brown-colored patch at the neck, the dermatoscopy showed a maple leaf-like structure, which was in accordance with the strengthening of the histological lateral connection of the lesion. The brown-colored patch of the lateral back histologically showed irregularly enlarged spoke wheel-like areas with peripheral increased melanin pigments, which correlated with the dark black color of dermoscopic maple leaf-like areas. The vertical spoke wheel areas by dermatoscopy revealed a horizontal spoke wheel structure by histopathology

Superficial Type of Multiple Basal Cell Carcinomas: Detailed Comparative Study of Its Dermoscopic and Histopathological Findings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akiko Hirofuji

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated in detail the dermoscopic and histopathological findings in a case of a superficial type of multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs. These multiple lesions (occurring in the chest, neck, and back showed three different findings, respectively. Dermoscopy of the erythematous and brown-colored patch on the anterior chest showed spoke wheel areas, and the histopathological cross-section revealed vertical spoke wheel structures. In the black- and brown-colored patch at the neck, the dermatoscopy showed a maple leaf-like structure, which was in accordance with the strengthening of the histological lateral connection of the lesion. The brown-colored patch of the lateral back histologically showed irregularly enlarged spoke wheel-like areas with peripheral increased melanin pigments, which correlated with the dark black color of dermoscopic maple leaf-like areas. The vertical spoke wheel areas by dermatoscopy revealed a horizontal spoke wheel structure by histopathology.

Large area high-speed metrology SPM system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klapetek, P; Valtr, M; Martinek, J; Picco, L; Payton, O D; Miles, M; Yacoot, A

2015-01-01

We present a large area high-speed measuring system capable of rapidly generating nanometre resolution scanning probe microscopy data over mm 2 regions. The system combines a slow moving but accurate large area XYZ scanner with a very fast but less accurate small area XY scanner. This arrangement enables very large areas to be scanned by stitching together the small, rapidly acquired, images from the fast XY scanner while simultaneously moving the slow XYZ scanner across the region of interest. In order to successfully merge the image sequences together two software approaches for calibrating the data from the fast scanner are described. The first utilizes the low uncertainty interferometric sensors of the XYZ scanner while the second implements a genetic algorithm with multiple parameter fitting during the data merging step of the image stitching process. The basic uncertainty components related to these high-speed measurements are also discussed. Both techniques are shown to successfully enable high-resolution, large area images to be generated at least an order of magnitude faster than with a conventional atomic force microscope. (paper)

Large area high-speed metrology SPM system

Science.gov (United States)

Klapetek, P.; Valtr, M.; Picco, L.; Payton, O. D.; Martinek, J.; Yacoot, A.; Miles, M.

2015-02-01

We present a large area high-speed measuring system capable of rapidly generating nanometre resolution scanning probe microscopy data over mm2 regions. The system combines a slow moving but accurate large area XYZ scanner with a very fast but less accurate small area XY scanner. This arrangement enables very large areas to be scanned by stitching together the small, rapidly acquired, images from the fast XY scanner while simultaneously moving the slow XYZ scanner across the region of interest. In order to successfully merge the image sequences together two software approaches for calibrating the data from the fast scanner are described. The first utilizes the low uncertainty interferometric sensors of the XYZ scanner while the second implements a genetic algorithm with multiple parameter fitting during the data merging step of the image stitching process. The basic uncertainty components related to these high-speed measurements are also discussed. Both techniques are shown to successfully enable high-resolution, large area images to be generated at least an order of magnitude faster than with a conventional atomic force microscope.

Negotiating the use of biodiversity in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Blasiak

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A relatively small group of states is disproportionately active in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ, raising questions of equity, while a myriad of sectoral regulations and guidelines spread across multiple international bodies has led to uneven conservation and use of biological diversity and resources in these areas. Within this context, the UN General Assembly resolved in 2015 to begin negotiations on an international legally-binding instrument to conserve and protect biodiversity in ABNJ, with the negotiations framed by four issues: (1 marine genetic resources, including questions on the sharing of benefits; (2 measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas; (3 environmental impact assessments; (4 capacity building and the transfer of marine technology. Yet our analysis demonstrates that least developed countries (LDCs and small island developing states (SIDS are significantly under-represented in regional and international meetings on such issues, while the authorship of academic literature on these topics is dominated to an unusual extent by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD member states (97%. Statistical analysis of delegation statements delivered during the first round of negotiations following the UN General Assembly resolution also illustrates that the interests of OECD member states differ substantially from LDCs and SIDS, suggesting that imbalanced representation has the potential to result in skewed negotiations. Moreover, the restriction on negotiating parties not to undermine the mandate of existing organizations limits their maneuverability, and may hamper progress towards achieving ambitious time-bound commitments to promote sustainable resource use and reduce inequality (e.g. under the Sustainable Development Goals and Aichi Targets. With ABNJ covering half the world’s surface, self-interested compliance with new regulations is the most promising