Challenges and perspective of drug repurposing strategies in early phase clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Shumei; Moulder, Stacy L; Ueno, Naoto T; Wheler, Jennifer J; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Kurzrock, Razelle; Janku, Filip

2015-01-01

Despite significant investments in the development of new agents only 5% of cancer drugs entering Phase I clinical trials are ultimately approved for routine clinical cancer care. Drug repurposing strategies using novel combinations of previously tested anticancer agents could reduce the cost and improve treatment outcomes. At MD Anderson Cancer Center, early phase clinical trials with drug repurposing strategies demonstrated promising outcomes in patients with both rare and common treatment refractory advanced cancers. Despite clinical efficacy advancing drug repurposing strategies in the clinical trial trajectory beyond early phase studies has been challenging mainly due to lack of funding and interest from the pharmaceutical industry. In this review, we delineate our experience and challenges with drug repurposing strategies.

Detecting gravitational waves from inspiraling binaries with a network of detectors: Coherent versus coincident strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukhopadhyay, Himan; Dhurandhar, Sanjeev; Sago, Norichika; Tagoshi, Hideyuki; Takahashi, Hirotaka; Kanda, Nobuyuki

2006-01-01

We compare two strategies of multidetector detection of compact binary inspiral signals, namely, the coincidence and the coherent. For simplicity we consider here two identical detectors having the same power spectral density of noise, that of initial LIGO, located in the same place and having the same orientation. We consider the cases of independent noise as well as that of correlated noise. The coincident strategy involves separately making two candidate event lists, one for each detector, and from these choosing those pairs of events from the two lists which lie within a suitable parameter window, which then are called coincidence detections. The coherent strategy on the other hand involves combining the data phase coherently, so as to obtain a single network statistic which is then compared with a single threshold. Here we attempt to shed light on the question as to which strategy is better. We compare the performances of the two methods by plotting the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) for the two strategies. Several of the results are obtained analytically in order to gain insight. Further we perform numerical simulations in order to determine certain parameters in the analytic formulae and thus obtain the final complete results. We consider here several cases from the relatively simple to the astrophysically more relevant in order to establish our results. The bottom line is that the coherent strategy although more computationally expensive in general than the coincidence strategy, is superior to the coincidence strategy--considerably less false dismissal probability for the same false alarm probability in the viable false alarm regime

Comparison of phasing strategies for whole human genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Yongwook; Chan, Agnes P; Kirkness, Ewen; Telenti, Amalio; Schork, Nicholas J

2018-04-01

Humans are a diploid species that inherit one set of chromosomes paternally and one homologous set of chromosomes maternally. Unfortunately, most human sequencing initiatives ignore this fact in that they do not directly delineate the nucleotide content of the maternal and paternal copies of the 23 chromosomes individuals possess (i.e., they do not 'phase' the genome) often because of the costs and complexities of doing so. We compared 11 different widely-used approaches to phasing human genomes using the publicly available 'Genome-In-A-Bottle' (GIAB) phased version of the NA12878 genome as a gold standard. The phasing strategies we compared included laboratory-based assays that prepare DNA in unique ways to facilitate phasing as well as purely computational approaches that seek to reconstruct phase information from general sequencing reads and constructs or population-level haplotype frequency information obtained through a reference panel of haplotypes. To assess the performance of the 11 approaches, we used metrics that included, among others, switch error rates, haplotype block lengths, the proportion of fully phase-resolved genes, phasing accuracy and yield between pairs of SNVs. Our comparisons suggest that a hybrid or combined approach that leverages: 1. population-based phasing using the SHAPEIT software suite, 2. either genome-wide sequencing read data or parental genotypes, and 3. a large reference panel of variant and haplotype frequencies, provides a fast and efficient way to produce highly accurate phase-resolved individual human genomes. We found that for population-based approaches, phasing performance is enhanced with the addition of genome-wide read data; e.g., whole genome shotgun and/or RNA sequencing reads. Further, we found that the inclusion of parental genotype data within a population-based phasing strategy can provide as much as a ten-fold reduction in phasing errors. We also considered a majority voting scheme for the construction of a

A simple strategy for fall events detection

KAUST Repository

Harrou, Fouzi

2017-01-20

The paper concerns the detection of fall events based on human silhouette shape variations. The detection of fall events is addressed from the statistical point of view as an anomaly detection problem. Specifically, the paper investigates the multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) control chart to detect fall events. Towards this end, a set of ratios for five partial occupancy areas of the human body for each frame are collected and used as the input data to MEWMA chart. The MEWMA fall detection scheme has been successfully applied to two publicly available fall detection databases, the UR fall detection dataset (URFD) and the fall detection dataset (FDD). The monitoring strategy developed was able to provide early alert mechanisms in the event of fall situations.

The phase detection and calculation for low hybrid wave phase-feedback control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Qiang; Liang Hao; Zhou Yongzhao; Shan Jiafang

2008-01-01

A method of phase detection and calculation for low hybrid wave phase-feedback control system and the implementing the algorithms on DSP cores embedded in FPGA is introduced. By taking the advantages of matlab-aided design and algorithms optimization to carry out parallel processing of multi-channel phase calculation in FPGA with rich resources, the purposed of fast phase-feedback control is achieved under the need of complicated mathematical operations. (authors)

Data-collection strategy for challenging native SAD phasing.

Science.gov (United States)

Olieric, Vincent; Weinert, Tobias; Finke, Aaron D; Anders, Carolin; Li, Dianfan; Olieric, Natacha; Borca, Camelia N; Steinmetz, Michel O; Caffrey, Martin; Jinek, Martin; Wang, Meitian

2016-03-01

Recent improvements in data-collection strategies have pushed the limits of native SAD (single-wavelength anomalous diffraction) phasing, a method that uses the weak anomalous signal of light elements naturally present in macromolecules. These involve the merging of multiple data sets from either multiple crystals or from a single crystal collected in multiple orientations at a low X-ray dose. Both approaches yield data of high multiplicity while minimizing radiation damage and systematic error, thus ensuring accurate measurements of the anomalous differences. Here, the combined use of these two strategies is described to solve cases of native SAD phasing that were particular challenges: the integral membrane diacylglycerol kinase (DgkA) with a low Bijvoet ratio of 1% and the large 200 kDa complex of the CRISPR-associated endonuclease (Cas9) bound to guide RNA and target DNA crystallized in the low-symmetry space group C2. The optimal native SAD data-collection strategy based on systematic measurements performed on the 266 kDa multiprotein/multiligand tubulin complex is discussed.

Strategies for dark matter detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silk, J.

1988-01-01

The present status of alternative forms of dark matter, both baryonic and nonbaryonic, is reviewed. Alternative arguments are presented for the predominance of either cold dark matter (CDM) or of baryonic dark matter (BDM). Strategies are described for dark matter detection, both for dark matter that consists of weakly interacting relic particles and for dark matter that consists of dark stellar remnants

A Wearable Gait Phase Detection System Based on Force Myography Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianta Jiang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available (1 Background: Quantitative evaluation of gait parameters can provide useful information for constructing individuals’ gait profile, diagnosing gait abnormalities, and better planning of rehabilitation schemes to restore normal gait pattern. Objective determination of gait phases in a gait cycle is a key requirement in gait analysis applications; (2 Methods: In this study, the feasibility of using a force myography-based technique for a wearable gait phase detection system is explored. In this regard, a force myography band is developed and tested with nine participants walking on a treadmill. The collected force myography data are first examined sample-by-sample and classified into four phases using Linear Discriminant Analysis. The gait phase events are then detected from these classified samples using a set of supervisory rules; (3 Results: The results show that the force myography band can correctly detect more than 99.9% of gait phases with zero insertions and only four deletions over 12,965 gait phase segments. The average temporal error of gait phase detection is 55.2 ms, which translates into 2.1% error with respect to the corresponding labelled stride duration; (4 Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of force myography techniques as viable solutions in developing wearable gait phase detection systems.

Worlds Beyond: A Strategy for the Detection and Characterization of Exoplanets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lunine, J; Fischer, D; Hammel, H; Hillenbrand, L; Kasting, J; Laughlin, G; Macintosh, B; Marley, M; Melnick, G; Monet, D; Noecker, C; Peale, S; Quirrenbach, A; Seager, S; Winn, J

2008-06-02

This report is a comprehensive study of the search for and study of planets around other stars (exoplanets). The young but maturing field of exoplanets is perhaps one of the most compelling fields of study in science today--both because of the discoveries made to date on giant planets around other stars, and because the detection of planets just like our Earth ('Earth analogs') is at last within reach technologically. In the Report we outline the need for a vigorous research program in exoplanets to understand our place in the cosmos: whether planets like our home Earth are a common or rare outcome of cosmic evolution. The strategy we developed is intended to address the following fundamental questions, in priority order, within three distinct 5-yr long phases, over a 15 year period: (1) What are the physical characteristics of planets in the habitable zones around bright, nearby stars? (2) What is the architecture of planetary systems? (3) When, how and in what environments are planets formed? The Report recommends a two-pronged strategy for the detection and characterization of planets the size of the Earth. For stars much less massive and cooler than our Sun (M-dwarfs), existing ground-based techniques including radial velocity and transit searches, and space-based facilities both existing and under development such as Spitzer and JWST, are adequate for finding and studying planets close to the mass and size of the Earth. Conducted in parallel with the M-dwarf strategy is one for the more challenging observations of the hotter and brighter F, G, and K stars, some of which are very close in properties to our Sun, in which the frequency of Earth-sized planets is assessed with Corot and Kepler, but new space missions are required for detection and study of specific Earth-mass and Earth-sized objects. Our Task Force concludes that the development of a space-based astrometric mission, narrowly-focused to identify specific nearby stars with Earth

Universal phase transition in community detectability under a stochastic block model.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Pin-Yu; Hero, Alfred O

2015-03-01

We prove the existence of an asymptotic phase-transition threshold on community detectability for the spectral modularity method [M. E. J. Newman, Phys. Rev. E 74, 036104 (2006) and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 103, 8577 (2006)] under a stochastic block model. The phase transition on community detectability occurs as the intercommunity edge connection probability p grows. This phase transition separates a subcritical regime of small p, where modularity-based community detection successfully identifies the communities, from a supercritical regime of large p where successful community detection is impossible. We show that, as the community sizes become large, the asymptotic phase-transition threshold p* is equal to √[p1p2], where pi(i=1,2) is the within-community edge connection probability. Thus the phase-transition threshold is universal in the sense that it does not depend on the ratio of community sizes. The universal phase-transition phenomenon is validated by simulations for moderately sized communities. Using the derived expression for the phase-transition threshold, we propose an empirical method for estimating this threshold from real-world data.

Seeking informed consent to Phase I cancer clinical trials: identifying oncologists' communication strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Richard; Bylund, Carma L; Siminoff, Laura A; Slovin, Susan F

2011-04-01

Phase I clinical trials are the gateway to effective new cancer treatments. Many physicians have difficulty when discussing Phase I clinical trials. Research demonstrates evidence of suboptimal communication. Little is known about communication strategies used by oncologists when recruiting patients for Phase I trials. We analyzed audio recorded Phase I consultations to identify oncologists' communication strategies. Subjects were consecutive cancer patients from six medical oncologists attending one of three outpatient clinics at a major Cancer Center in the United States. Sixteen patients signed informed consent for audio recording of their consultations in which a Phase I study was discussed. These were transcribed in full and analyzed to identify communication strategies. Six communication themes emerged from the analysis: (1) orienting, (2) educating patients, (3) describing uncertainty and prognosis, (4) persuading, (5) decision making, and (6) making a treatment recommendation. As expected, although there was some common ground between communication in Phase I and the Phase II and III settings, there were distinct differences. Oncologists used persuasive communication, made explicit recommendations, or implicitly expressed a treatment preference and were choice limiting. This highlights the complexity of discussing Phase I trials and the need to develop strategies to aid oncologists and patients in these difficult conversations. Patient centered communication that values patient preferences while preserving the oncologist's agenda can be a helpful approach to these discussions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using adversary text to detect adversary phase changes.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Speed, Ann Elizabeth; Doser, Adele Beatrice; Warrender, Christina E.

2009-05-01

The purpose of this work was to help develop a research roadmap and small proof ofconcept for addressing key problems and gaps from the perspective of using text analysis methods as a primary tool for detecting when a group is undergoing a phase change. Self- rganizing map (SOM) techniques were used to analyze text data obtained from the tworld-wide web. Statistical studies indicate that it may be possible to predict phase changes, as well as detect whether or not an example of writing can be attributed to a group of interest.

Inertial Gait Phase Detection for control of a drop foot stimulator: Inertial sensing for gait phase detection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kotiadis, D.; Hermens, Hermanus J.; Veltink, Petrus H.

An Inertial Gait Phase Detection system was developed to replace heel switches and footswitches currently being used for the triggering of drop foot stimulators. A series of four algorithms utilising accelerometers and gyroscopes individually and in combination were tested and initial results are

Open-Phase Condition Detecting System for Transformers in Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Che-Wung; Lee, Do-Hwan

2015-01-01

Recently, several events involving the loss of one of the three phases of the offsite power circuit occurred in the US nuclear power plants (NPPs).. In some cases, the open-phase condition existed undetected for an extended period and in other case, was not properly responded to. Accordingly, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested all license holders to take corrective actions to address the open-phase condition. It was also requested that all holders or applicant for a standard design certification (DC) include a description of a protection system to detect and separate the open circuit into design control document (DCD). Currently, NPPs including Duke Energy, Exelon, and institutes including Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) are working together to resolve issues associated with detecting an open-phase condition. This paper, using Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP), presents a system to detect and address the loss of one of three phases of the offsite power circuit connected to main, auxiliary and standby transformers, which is hard to be detected in the current protection system. This paper, using EMTP, presents a system to detect and address the loss of one of three phases of the offsite power circuit running to MT, UAT or SAT which is hard to be detected in the current protection system. The system presented in this paper will be useful not only for the KHNP to meet the NRC requirement, but also for nuclear power plants at home and abroad to take corrective actions to provide protection from a single phase open circuit condition for offsite power sources

Open-Phase Condition Detecting System for Transformers in Nuclear Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ha, Che-Wung; Lee, Do-Hwan [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Recently, several events involving the loss of one of the three phases of the offsite power circuit occurred in the US nuclear power plants (NPPs).. In some cases, the open-phase condition existed undetected for an extended period and in other case, was not properly responded to. Accordingly, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested all license holders to take corrective actions to address the open-phase condition. It was also requested that all holders or applicant for a standard design certification (DC) include a description of a protection system to detect and separate the open circuit into design control document (DCD). Currently, NPPs including Duke Energy, Exelon, and institutes including Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) are working together to resolve issues associated with detecting an open-phase condition. This paper, using Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP), presents a system to detect and address the loss of one of three phases of the offsite power circuit connected to main, auxiliary and standby transformers, which is hard to be detected in the current protection system. This paper, using EMTP, presents a system to detect and address the loss of one of three phases of the offsite power circuit running to MT, UAT or SAT which is hard to be detected in the current protection system. The system presented in this paper will be useful not only for the KHNP to meet the NRC requirement, but also for nuclear power plants at home and abroad to take corrective actions to provide protection from a single phase open circuit condition for offsite power sources.

TAWS: TABLE ASSISTED WALK STRATEGY IN CLONE ATTACK DETECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Sybi Cynthia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs deployed in the destructive atmosphere are susceptible to clone attacks. Clone attack in wireless sensor network is a complicated problem because it deployed in hostile environments, and also the nodes could be physically compromised by an adversary. For valuable clone attack detection, the selection criteria play an important role in the proposed work. In this paper, it has been classified the existing detection schemes regarding device type, detection methodologies, deployment strategies and detection ranges and far explore various proposals in deployment based selection criteria category. And also this paper provides a review of detection methodology based on various clone attack detection techniques. It is also widely agreed that clones should be detected quickly as possible with the best optional. Our work is exploratory in that the proposed algorithm concern with table assisted random walk with horizontal and vertical line, frequent level key change and revokes the duplicate node. Our simulation results show that it is more efficient than the detection criteria in terms of security feature, and in detection rate with high resiliency. Specifically, it concentrates on deployment strategy which includes grid based deployment technique. These all come under the selection criteria for better security performance. Our protocol analytically provides effective and clone attack detection capability of robustness.

Optimized Strategies for Detecting Extrasolar Space Weather

Science.gov (United States)

Hallinan, Gregg

2018-06-01

Fully understanding the implications of space weather for the young solar system, as well as the wider population of planet-hosting stars, requires remote sensing of space weather in other stellar systems. Solar coronal mass ejections can be accompanied by bright radio bursts at low frequencies (typically measurement of the magnetic field strength of the planet, informing on whether the atmosphere of the planet can survive the intense magnetic activity of its host star. However, both stellar and planetary radio emission are highly variable and optimal strategies for detection of these emissions requires the capability to monitor 1000s of nearby stellar/planetary systems simultaneously. I will discuss optimized strategies for both ground and space-based experiments to take advantage of the highly variable nature of the radio emissions powered by extrasolar space weather to enable detection of stellar CMEs and planetary magnetospheres.

Distributed Strategy for Optimal Dispatch of Unbalanced Three-Phase Islanded Microgrids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vergara Barrios, Pedro Pablo; Rey-López, Juan Manuel; Shaker, Hamid Reza

2018-01-01

This paper presents a distributed strategy for the optimal dispatch of islanded microgrids, modeled as unbalanced three-phase electrical distribution systems (EDS). To set the dispatch of the distributed generation (DG) units, an optimal generation problem is stated and solved distributively based......-phase microgrid. According to the obtained results, the proposed strategy achieves a lower cost solution when compared with a centralized approach based on a static droop framework, with a considerable reduction on the communication system complexity. Additionally, it corrects the mismatch between generation...

Prostate IMRT fractionation strategies. Two-phase treatment versus simultaneous integrated boost

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stavrev, P.; Hristov, D.

2003-01-01

Background. The purpose of the study was to investigate the radiobiological effect of the number of fractions, position uncertainties and clonogen spread (microscopic disease) on two different inverse treatment planning alternatives: (a) 2-phase strategy; (b) simultaneous integrated boost (SIB). Material and methods. The tumour control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) were calculated for the 2-phase strategy, which has well defined fractionation scheme and compared to the TCP and NTCP for the SIB strategy calculated as a function of the number of fractions. For a 7-beam IMRT prostate treatment, we have performed inverse treatment planning for the two different strategies following the above method. Results. When the position uncertainties and clonogen spread were accounted for in the TCP calculation a drop as large as 10% was found. A drop of 5-7% in the TCP was obtained for the SIB strategy, if delivered in the same number of fractions as the 2-phased one. Conclusions. The potential of inverse planning to design tight conformal dose distributions is fully revealed in the SIB optimization process. The optimized SIB superior dose distributions require modification of the delivered dose per fraction and therefore careful selection of the fractionation regime. Hence physically optimized SIB treatments may not always lead to better tumour control and tissue sparing. (author)

Two-phase xenon detector with gas amplification and electroluminescent signal detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimov, D.Yu.; Burenkov, A.A.; Grishkin, Yu.L.; Kovalenko, A.G.; Lebedenko, V.N.; Stekhanov, V.N.

2008-01-01

An optical technique for detecting ionization electrons produced during ionization of the liquid phase has been experimentally tested in two-phase (liquid-gas) xenon. The effects of gas and electroluminescent amplifications at the wire anode are simultaneously used for detection. This method allows construction of a supersensitive detector of small ionization signals-down to those corresponding to the detection of single electrons [ru

Defeating crypsis: detection and learning of camouflage strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Troscianko, Jolyon; Lown, Alice E; Hughes, Anna E; Stevens, Martin

2013-01-01

Camouflage is perhaps the most widespread defence against predators in nature and an active area of interdisciplinary research. Recent work has aimed to understand what camouflage types exist (e.g. background matching, disruptive, and distractive patterns) and their effectiveness. However, work has almost exclusively focused on the efficacy of these strategies in preventing initial detection, despite the fact that predators often encounter the same prey phenotype repeatedly, affording them opportunities to learn to find those prey more effectively. The overall value of a camouflage strategy may, therefore, reflect both its ability to prevent detection by predators and resist predator learning. We conducted four experiments with humans searching for hidden targets of different camouflage types (disruptive, distractive, and background matching of various contrast levels) over a series of touch screen trials. As with previous work, disruptive coloration was the most successful method of concealment overall, especially with relatively high contrast patterns, whereas potentially distractive markings were either neutral or costly. However, high contrast patterns incurred faster decreases in detection times over trials compared to other stimuli. In addition, potentially distractive markings were sometimes learnt more slowly than background matching markings, despite being found more readily overall. Finally, learning effects were highly dependent upon the experimental paradigm, including the number of prey types seen and whether subjects encountered targets simultaneously or sequentially. Our results show that the survival advantage of camouflage strategies reflects both their ability to avoid initial detection (sensory mechanisms) and predator learning (perceptual mechanisms).

Reactive Power Injection Strategies for Single-Phase Photovoltaic Systems Considering Grid Requirements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Yongheng; Wang, Huai; Blaabjerg, Frede

2014-01-01

.g. Germany and Italy. Those advanced features can be provided by next generation PV systems, and will be enhanced in the future to ensure an even efficient and reliable utilization of PV systems. In light of this, Reactive Power Injection (RPI) strategies for single-phase PV systems are explored...... in this paper. The RPI possibilities are: a) constant average active power control, b) constant active current control, c) constant peak current control and d) thermal optimized control strategy. All those strategies comply with the currently active grid codes, but are with different objectives. The proposed...... RPI strategies are demonstrated firstly by simulations and also tested experimentally on a 1 kW singe-phase grid-connected system in LVRT operation mode. Those results show the effectiveness and feasibilities of the proposed strategies with reactive power control during LVRT operation. The design...

Integrated Time and Phase Synchronization Strategy for a Multichannel Spaceborne-Stationary Bistatic SAR System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Hong

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The spatial separation of the transmitter and receiver in Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar (BiSAR makes it a promising and useful supplement to a classical Monostatic SAR system (MonoSAR. This paper proposes a novel integrated time and phase synchronization strategy for a multichannel spaceborne-stationary BiSAR system. Firstly, the time synchronization strategy is proposed, which includes Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF generation under noisy conditions, multichannel calibration and the alignment of the recorded data with the orbital data. Furthermore, the phase synchronization strategy, which fully considers the deteriorative factors in the BiSAR configuration, is well studied. The contribution of the phase synchronization strategy includes two aspects: it not only compensates the phase error, but also improves the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR of the obtained signals. Specifically, all direct signals on different PRF time can be reconstructed with the shift and phase compensation operation using a reference signal. Besides, since the parameters of the reference signal can be estimated only once using the selected practical direct signal and a priori information, the processing complexity is well reduced. Final imaging results with and without compensation for real data are presented to validate the proposed synchronization strategy.

Defeating crypsis: detection and learning of camouflage strategies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolyon Troscianko

Full Text Available Camouflage is perhaps the most widespread defence against predators in nature and an active area of interdisciplinary research. Recent work has aimed to understand what camouflage types exist (e.g. background matching, disruptive, and distractive patterns and their effectiveness. However, work has almost exclusively focused on the efficacy of these strategies in preventing initial detection, despite the fact that predators often encounter the same prey phenotype repeatedly, affording them opportunities to learn to find those prey more effectively. The overall value of a camouflage strategy may, therefore, reflect both its ability to prevent detection by predators and resist predator learning. We conducted four experiments with humans searching for hidden targets of different camouflage types (disruptive, distractive, and background matching of various contrast levels over a series of touch screen trials. As with previous work, disruptive coloration was the most successful method of concealment overall, especially with relatively high contrast patterns, whereas potentially distractive markings were either neutral or costly. However, high contrast patterns incurred faster decreases in detection times over trials compared to other stimuli. In addition, potentially distractive markings were sometimes learnt more slowly than background matching markings, despite being found more readily overall. Finally, learning effects were highly dependent upon the experimental paradigm, including the number of prey types seen and whether subjects encountered targets simultaneously or sequentially. Our results show that the survival advantage of camouflage strategies reflects both their ability to avoid initial detection (sensory mechanisms and predator learning (perceptual mechanisms.

Detection of Eccentricity Faults in Five-Phase Ferrite-PM Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Machines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos López-Torres

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Air gap eccentricity faults in five-phase ferrite-assisted synchronous reluctance motors (fPMa-SynRMs tend to distort the magnetic flux in the air gap, which in turn affects the spectral content of both the stator currents and the ZSVC (zero-sequence voltage component. However, there is a lack of research dealing with the topic of fault diagnosis in multi-phase PMa-SynRMs, and in particular, those focused on detecting eccentricity faults. An analysis of the spectral components of the line currents and the ZSVC allows the development of fault diagnosis algorithms to detect eccentricity faults. The effect of the operating conditions is also analyzed, since this paper shows that it has a non-negligible impact on the effectivity and sensitivity of the diagnosis based on an analysis of the stator currents and the ZSVC. To this end, different operating conditions are analyzed. The paper also evaluates the influence of the operating conditions on the harmonic content of the line currents and the ZSVC, and determines the most suitable operating conditions to enhance the sensitivity of the analyzed methods. Finally, fault indicators employed to detect eccentricity faults, which are based on the spectral content of the stator currents and the ZSVC, are derived and their performance is assessed. The approach presented in this work may be useful for developing fault diagnosis strategies based on the acquisition and subsequent analysis and interpretation of the spectral content of the line currents and the ZSVC.

Phase-specific Surround suppression in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex Correlates with Figure Detection Behavior Based on Phase Discontinuity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fengling; Jiang, Weiqian; Wang, Tian-Yi; Xie, Taorong; Yao, Haishan

2018-05-21

In the primary visual cortex (V1), neuronal responses to stimuli within the receptive field (RF) are modulated by stimuli in the RF surround. A common effect of surround modulation is surround suppression, which is dependent on the feature difference between stimuli within and surround the RF and is suggested to be involved in the perceptual phenomenon of figure-ground segregation. In this study, we examined the relationship between feature-specific surround suppression of V1 neurons and figure detection behavior based on figure-ground feature difference. We trained freely moving mice to perform a figure detection task using figure and ground gratings that differed in spatial phase. The performance of figure detection increased with the figure-ground phase difference, and was modulated by stimulus contrast. Electrophysiological recordings from V1 in head-fixed mice showed that the increase in phase difference between stimuli within and surround the RF caused a reduction in surround suppression, which was associated with an increase in V1 neural discrimination between stimuli with and without RF-surround phase difference. Consistent with the behavioral performance, the sensitivity of V1 neurons to RF-surround phase difference could be influenced by stimulus contrast. Furthermore, inhibiting V1 by optogenetically activating either parvalbumin (PV)- or somatostatin (SOM)-expressing inhibitory neurons both decreased the behavioral performance of figure detection. Thus, the phase-specific surround suppression in V1 represents a neural correlate of figure detection behavior based on figure-ground phase discontinuity. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CONEDEP: COnvolutional Neural network based Earthquake DEtection and Phase Picking

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Y.; Huang, Y.; Yue, H.; Zhou, S.; An, S.; Yun, N.

2017-12-01

We developed an automatic local earthquake detection and phase picking algorithm based on Fully Convolutional Neural network (FCN). The FCN algorithm detects and segments certain features (phases) in 3 component seismograms to realize efficient picking. We use STA/LTA algorithm and template matching algorithm to construct the training set from seismograms recorded 1 month before and after the Wenchuan earthquake. Precise P and S phases are identified and labeled to construct the training set. Noise data are produced by combining back-ground noise and artificial synthetic noise to form the equivalent scale of noise set as the signal set. Training is performed on GPUs to achieve efficient convergence. Our algorithm has significantly improved performance in terms of the detection rate and precision in comparison with STA/LTA and template matching algorithms.

Optimal sampling strategies for detecting zoonotic disease epidemics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jake M Ferguson

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The early detection of disease epidemics reduces the chance of successful introductions into new locales, minimizes the number of infections, and reduces the financial impact. We develop a framework to determine the optimal sampling strategy for disease detection in zoonotic host-vector epidemiological systems when a disease goes from below detectable levels to an epidemic. We find that if the time of disease introduction is known then the optimal sampling strategy can switch abruptly between sampling only from the vector population to sampling only from the host population. We also construct time-independent optimal sampling strategies when conducting periodic sampling that can involve sampling both the host and the vector populations simultaneously. Both time-dependent and -independent solutions can be useful for sampling design, depending on whether the time of introduction of the disease is known or not. We illustrate the approach with West Nile virus, a globally-spreading zoonotic arbovirus. Though our analytical results are based on a linearization of the dynamical systems, the sampling rules appear robust over a wide range of parameter space when compared to nonlinear simulation models. Our results suggest some simple rules that can be used by practitioners when developing surveillance programs. These rules require knowledge of transition rates between epidemiological compartments, which population was initially infected, and of the cost per sample for serological tests.

Optimal sampling strategies for detecting zoonotic disease epidemics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Jake M; Langebrake, Jessica B; Cannataro, Vincent L; Garcia, Andres J; Hamman, Elizabeth A; Martcheva, Maia; Osenberg, Craig W

2014-06-01

The early detection of disease epidemics reduces the chance of successful introductions into new locales, minimizes the number of infections, and reduces the financial impact. We develop a framework to determine the optimal sampling strategy for disease detection in zoonotic host-vector epidemiological systems when a disease goes from below detectable levels to an epidemic. We find that if the time of disease introduction is known then the optimal sampling strategy can switch abruptly between sampling only from the vector population to sampling only from the host population. We also construct time-independent optimal sampling strategies when conducting periodic sampling that can involve sampling both the host and the vector populations simultaneously. Both time-dependent and -independent solutions can be useful for sampling design, depending on whether the time of introduction of the disease is known or not. We illustrate the approach with West Nile virus, a globally-spreading zoonotic arbovirus. Though our analytical results are based on a linearization of the dynamical systems, the sampling rules appear robust over a wide range of parameter space when compared to nonlinear simulation models. Our results suggest some simple rules that can be used by practitioners when developing surveillance programs. These rules require knowledge of transition rates between epidemiological compartments, which population was initially infected, and of the cost per sample for serological tests.

Phase shifting-based debris effect detection in USV-assisted AFM nanomachining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Jialin [State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenyang, Liaoning 110016 (China); University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Imaging Technology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Lianqing, E-mail: lianqingliu@sia.cn [State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenyang, Liaoning 110016 (China); Yu, Peng; Cong, Yang [State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenyang, Liaoning 110016 (China); Li, Guangyong [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States)

2017-08-15

Highlights: • The mechanism of the debris effect on machining depth in force control mode operation is analyzed. • The relationship between phase shifting and pile-up of debris is investigated. • The phase shifting-based method is hardly affected by the pile-up of debris. • Debris effect detection by phase shifting-based method is achived. - Abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) mechanical-based lithography attracts much attention in nanomanufacturing due to its advantages of low cost, high precision and high resolution. However, debris effects during mechanical lithography often lead to an unstable machining process and inaccurate results, which limits further applications of AFM-based lithography. There is a lack of a real-time debris detection approach, which is the prerequisite to eventually eliminating the influence of the debris, and of a method that can solve the above problems well. The ultrasonic vibration (USV)-assisted AFM has the ability to sense the machining depth in real time by detecting the phase shifting of cantilever. However, whether the pile-up of debris affect the phase response of cantilever is still lack of investigation. Therefore, we analyzed the mechanism of the debris effect on force control mode and investigated the relationship between phase shifting and pile-up of debris. Theoretical analysis and experimental results reveal that the pile-up of debris have negligible effect on phase shifting of cantilever. Therefore, the phase shifting-based method can detect the debris effect on machining depth in force control mode of AFM machining.

Beam Phase Detection for Proton Therapy Accelerators

CERN Document Server

Aminov, Bachtior; Getta, Markus; Kolesov, Sergej; Pupeter, Nico; Stephani, Thomas; Timmer, J

2005-01-01

The industrial application of proton cyclotrons for medical applications has become one of the important contributions of accelerator physics during the last years. This paper describes an advanced vector demodulating technique used for non-destructive measurements of beam intensity and beam phase over 360°. A computer controlled I/Q-based phase detector with a very large dynamic range of 70 dB permits the monitoring of beam intensity, phase and eventually energy for wide range of beam currents down to -130 dBm. In order to avoid interference from the fundamental cyclotron frequency the phase detection is performed at the second harmonic frequency. A digital low pass filter with adjustable bandwidth and steepness is implemented to improve accuracy. With a sensitivity of the capacitive pickup in the beam line of 30 nV per nA of proton beam current at 250 MeV, accurate phase and intensity measurements can be performed with beam currents down to 3.3 nA.

Quantification of signal detection performance degradation induced by phase-retrieval in propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Cheng-Ying; Anastasio, Mark A.

2016-04-01

In propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast (PB XPC) imaging, the measured image contains a mixture of absorption- and phase-contrast. To obtain separate images of the projected absorption and phase (i.e., refractive) properties of a sample, phase retrieval methods can be employed. It has been suggested that phase-retrieval can always improve image quality in PB XPC imaging. However, when objective (task-based) measures of image quality are employed, this is not necessarily true and phase retrieval can be detrimental. In this work, signal detection theory is utilized to quantify the performance of a Hotelling observer (HO) for detecting a known signal in a known background. Two cases are considered. In the first case, the HO acts directly on the measured intensity data. In the second case, the HO acts on either the retrieved phase or absorption image. We demonstrate that the performance of the HO is superior when acting on the measured intensity data. The loss of task-specific information induced by phase-retrieval is quantified by computing the efficiency of the HO as the ratio of the test statistic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the two cases. The effect of the system geometry on this efficiency is systematically investigated. Our findings confirm that phase-retrieval can impair signal detection performance in XPC imaging.

Multi-beam synchronous measurement based on PSD phase detection using frequency-domain multiplexing

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Ying; Qin, Lan; Xue, Lian; Xi, Feng; Mao, Jiubing

2013-10-01

According to the principle of centroid measurement, position-sensitive detectors (PSD) are commonly used for micro displacement detection. However, single-beam detection method cannot satisfy such tasks as multi-dimension position measurement, three dimension vision reconstruction, and robot precision positioning, which require synchronous measurement of multiple light beams. Consequently, we designed PSD phase detection method using frequency-domain multiplexing for synchronous detection of multiple modulated light beams. Compared to previous PSD amplitude detection method, the phase detection method using FDM has advantages of simplified measuring system, low cost, high capability of resistance to light interference as well as improved resolution. The feasibility of multi-beam synchronous measurement based on PSD phase detection using FDM was validated by multi-beam measuring experiments. The maximum non-linearity error of the multi-beam synchronous measurement is 6.62%.

Do breeding phase and detection distance influence the effective area surveyed for northern goshawks?

Science.gov (United States)

Roberson, A.M.; Andersen, D.E.; Kennedy, P.L.

2005-01-01

Broadcast surveys using conspecific calls are currently the most effective method for detecting northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) during the breeding season. These surveys typically use alarm calls during the nestling phase and juvenile food-begging calls during the fledgling-dependency phase. Because goshawks are most vocal during the courtship phase, we hypothesized that this phase would be an effective time to detect goshawks. Our objective was to improve current survey methodology by evaluating the probability of detecting goshawks at active nests in northern Minnesota in 3 breeding phases and at 4 broadcast distances and to determine the effective area surveyed per broadcast station. Unlike previous studies, we broadcast calls at only 1 distance per trial. This approach better quantifies (1) the relationship between distance and probability of detection, and (2) the effective area surveyed (EAS) per broadcast station. We conducted 99 broadcast trials at 14 active breeding areas. When pooled over all distances, detection rates were highest during the courtship (70%) and fledgling-dependency phases (68%). Detection rates were lowest during the nestling phase (28%), when there appeared to be higher variation in likelihood of detecting individuals. EAS per broadcast station was 39.8 ha during courtship and 24.8 ha during fledgling-dependency. Consequently, in northern Minnesota, broadcast stations may be spaced 712m and 562 m apart when conducting systematic surveys during courtship and fledgling-dependency, respectively. We could not calculate EAS for the nestling phase because probability of detection was not a simple function of distance from nest. Calculation of EAS could be applied to other areas where the probability of detection is a known function of distance.

Erythropoietin abuse and erythropoietin gene doping: detection strategies in the genomic era.

Science.gov (United States)

Diamanti-Kandarakis, Evanthia; Konstantinopoulos, Panagiotis A; Papailiou, Joanna; Kandarakis, Stylianos A; Andreopoulos, Anastasios; Sykiotis, Gerasimos P

2005-01-01

The administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) increases the maximum oxygen consumption capacity, and is therefore abused as a doping method in endurance sports. The detection of erythropoietin (EPO) abuse is based on direct pharmacological and indirect haematological approaches, both of which have several limitations. In addition, current detection methods cannot cope with the emerging doping strategies of EPO mimicry, analogues and gene doping, and thus novel detection strategies are urgently needed. Direct detection methods for EPO misuse can be either pharmacological approaches that identify exogenous substances based on their physicochemical properties, or molecular methods that recognise EPO transgenes or gene transfer vectors. Since direct detection with molecular methods requires invasive procedures, it is not appropriate for routine screening of large numbers of athletes. In contrast, novel indirect methods based on haematological and/or molecular profiling could be better suited as screening tools, and athletes who are suspect of doping would then be submitted to direct pharmacological and molecular tests. This article reviews the current state of the EPO doping field, discusses available detection methods and their shortcomings, outlines emerging pharmaceutical and genetic technologies in EPO misuse, and proposes potential directions for the development of novel detection strategies.

A Real-Time Lift Detection Strategy for a Hip Exoskeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Baojun; Grazi, Lorenzo; Lanotte, Francesco; Vitiello, Nicola; Crea, Simona

2018-01-01

Repetitive lifting of heavy loads increases the risk of back pain and even lumbar vertebral injuries to workers. Active exoskeletons can help workers lift loads by providing power assistance, and therefore reduce the moment and force applied on L5/S1 joint of human body when performing lifting tasks. However, most existing active exoskeletons for lifting assistance are unable to automatically detect user's lift movement, which limits the wide application of active exoskeletons in factories. In this paper, we propose a simple but effective lift detection strategy for exoskeleton control. This strategy uses only exoskeleton integrated sensors, without any extra sensors to capture human motion intentions. This makes the lift detection system more practical for applications in manufacturing environments. Seven healthy subjects participated in this research. Three different sessions were carried out, two for training and one for testing the algorithm. In the two training sessions, subjects were asked to wear a hip exoskeleton, controlled in transparent mode, and perform repetitive lifting and a locomotion circuit; lifting was executed with different techniques. The collected data were used to train the lift detection model. In the testing session, the exoskeleton was controlled in order to deliver torque to assist the lifting action, based on the lift detection made by the trained algorithm. The across-subject average accuracy of lift detection during online test was 97.97 ± 1.39% with subject-dependent model. Offline, the algorithm was trained with data acquired from all subjects to verify its performance for subject-independent detection, and an accuracy of 97.48 ± 1.53% was achieved. In addition, timeliness of the algorithm was quantitatively evaluated and the time delay was exoskeleton in assisting subjects in performing load lifting tasks. These results validate the promise of applying the proposed lift detection strategy for exoskeleton control aiming at lift

Automatic Detection of P and S Phases by Support Vector Machine

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Y.; Ning, J.; Bao, T.

2017-12-01

Many methods in seismology rely on accurately picked phases. A well performed program on automatically phase picking will assure the application of these methods. Related researches before mostly focus on finding different characteristics between noise and phases, which are all not enough successful. We have developed a new method which mainly based on support vector machine to detect P and S phases. In it, we first input some waveform pieces into the support vector machine, then employ it to work out a hyper plane which can divide the space into two parts: respectively noise and phase. We further use the same method to find a hyper plane which can separate the phase space into P and S parts based on the three components' cross-correlation matrix. In order to further improve the ability of phase detection, we also employ array data. At last, we show that the overall effect of our method is robust by employing both synthetic and real data.

Phase separation in coamorphous systems: in silico prediction and the experimental challenge of detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Pajula, Katja; Wittoek, Lieke; Lehto, Vesa-Pekka; Ketolainen, Jarkko; Korhonen, Ossi

2014-07-07

Combinatorial chemistry has enabled the production of very potent drugs that might otherwise suffer from poor solubility and low oral bioavailability. One approach to increase solubility is to make the drug amorphous, which leads to problems associated with drug stability. To improve stability, one option is to molecularly disperse the drug in a matrix. However, the primary reason for the failed stabilization with this approach is phase separation, which has been carefully studied in polymeric systems. Nevertheless, the amorphous-amorphous phase separation in coamorphous small molecule mixtures has not yet been reported. The goal of the present study was to experimentally detect the amorphous-amorphous phase separation between two small molecules. A modified in silico method for predicting miscibility by the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter is presented, where conformational variations of the studied molecules were taken into account. A series of drug-drug mixtures, with different mixture ratios, were analyzed by conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC(conv)) to detect possible amorphous-amorphous phase separations. The phase separation of coamorphous drug-drug mixtures was also monitored by temperature modulated DSC (MDSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging at temperatures above Tg for prolonged time periods. Amorphous-amorphous phase separation was not detected with DSC(conv), probably due to the slow kinetics of phase separation. However, the melting of the separated and subsequently crystallized phases was detected by MDSC. Furthermore, FT-IR imaging was able to detect the separation of the two amorphous phases, which demonstrates the ability of this method to detect small molecule phase separations.

Online Phase Detection Using Wearable Sensors for Walking with a Robotic Prosthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maja Goršič

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a gait phase detection algorithm for providing feedback in walking with a robotic prosthesis. The algorithm utilizes the output signals of a wearable wireless sensory system incorporating sensorized shoe insoles and inertial measurement units attached to body segments. The principle of detecting transitions between gait phases is based on heuristic threshold rules, dividing a steady-state walking stride into four phases. For the evaluation of the algorithm, experiments with three amputees, walking with the robotic prosthesis and wearable sensors, were performed. Results show a high rate of successful detection for all four phases (the average success rate across all subjects >90%. A comparison of the proposed method to an off-line trained algorithm using hidden Markov models reveals a similar performance achieved without the need for learning dataset acquisition and previous model training.

A Simple Ultrasonic Experiment Using a Phase Shift Detection Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Yunus, W. Mahmood Mat; Ahmad, Maulana

1996-01-01

Describes a simple ultrasonic experiment that can be used to measure the purity of liquid samples by detecting variations in the velocity of sound. Uses a phase shift detection technique that incorporates the use of logic gates and a piezoelectric transducer. (JRH)

A four-phase strategy for the implementation of reflectance confocal microscopy in dermatology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoogedoorn, L; Gerritsen, M J P; Wolberink, E A W; Peppelman, M; van de Kerkhof, P C M; van Erp, P E J

2016-08-01

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is gradually implemented in dermatology. Strategies for further implementation and practical 'hands on' guidelines are lacking. The primary outcome was to conduct a general strategy for further implementation of RCM. The secondary outcome was the diagnosis of psoriasis and differentiation of stable from unstable psoriatic plaques by means of the 'hands on' protocol, derived from the strategy. We used a four-phased model; an exploring phase, a systematic literature search, a clinical approach and, finally, an integration phase to develop a clinical guideline for RCM in psoriasis. Receiver operating characteristic curve statistics was applied to define the accuracy for the diagnosis of unstable psoriasis. A general strategy for further implementation of RCM and practical approach was developed to examine psoriasis by RCM and to distinguish stable from unstable psoriasis. Unstable psoriasis was diagnosed by epidermal inflammatory cell counts with a sensitivity and specificity of 91.7% and 98.3%, respectively, and with an accuracy of 0.92 (area under the curve). In addition, a monitoring model was proposed. This is the first study that shows a method for implementation of RCM in dermatology. The strategy and hands on protocol for psoriasis may serve as a model for other dermatological entities and additionally may lead to specialized ready-to-use RCM protocols for clinical dermatological practice. © 2016 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Comparison of post contrast CT urography phases in bladder cancer detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helenius, Malin; Dahlman, Par; Lonnemark, Maria; Magnusson, Anders [Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Radiology, Uppsala (Sweden); Brekkan, Einar [Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Urology, Uppsala (Sweden); Wernroth, Lisa [Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala Clinical Research Center, Uppsala (Sweden)

2016-02-15

The aim of this study was to investigate which post-contrast phase(s) in a four-phase CT urography protocol is (are) most suitable for bladder cancer detection. The medical records of 106 patients with visible haematuria who underwent a CT urography examination, including unenhanced, enhancement-triggered corticomedullary (CMP), nephrographic (NP) and excretory (EP) phases, were reviewed. The post-contrast phases (n = 318 different phases) were randomized into an evaluation order and blindly reviewed by two uroradiologists. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with bladder cancer. Sensitivity for bladder cancer detection was 0.95 in CMP, 0.83 in NP and 0.81 in EP. Negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.99 in CMP, 0.96 in NP and 0.95 in EP. The sensitivity was higher in CMP than in both NP (p-value 0.016) and EP (p-value 0.0003). NPV was higher in CMP than in NP (p-value 0.024) and EP (p-value 0.002). In the CT urography protocol with enhancement-triggered scan, sensitivity and NPV were highest in the corticomedullary phase, and this phase should be used for bladder assessment. (orig.)

Comparison of post contrast CT urography phases in bladder cancer detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helenius, Malin; Dahlman, Par; Lonnemark, Maria; Magnusson, Anders; Brekkan, Einar; Wernroth, Lisa

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate which post-contrast phase(s) in a four-phase CT urography protocol is (are) most suitable for bladder cancer detection. The medical records of 106 patients with visible haematuria who underwent a CT urography examination, including unenhanced, enhancement-triggered corticomedullary (CMP), nephrographic (NP) and excretory (EP) phases, were reviewed. The post-contrast phases (n = 318 different phases) were randomized into an evaluation order and blindly reviewed by two uroradiologists. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with bladder cancer. Sensitivity for bladder cancer detection was 0.95 in CMP, 0.83 in NP and 0.81 in EP. Negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.99 in CMP, 0.96 in NP and 0.95 in EP. The sensitivity was higher in CMP than in both NP (p-value 0.016) and EP (p-value 0.0003). NPV was higher in CMP than in NP (p-value 0.024) and EP (p-value 0.002). In the CT urography protocol with enhancement-triggered scan, sensitivity and NPV were highest in the corticomedullary phase, and this phase should be used for bladder assessment. (orig.)

A reversed-phase compatible thin-layer chromatography autography for the detection of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramallo, I Ayelen; García, Paula; Furlan, Ricardo L E

2015-11-01

A dual readout autographic assay to detect acetylcholinesterase inhibitors present in complex matrices adsorbed on reversed-phase or normal-phase thin-layer chromatography plates is described. Enzyme gel entrapment with an amphiphilic copolymer was used for assay development. The effects of substrate and enzyme concentrations, pH, incubation time, and incubation temperature on the sensitivity and the detection limit of the assay were evaluated. Experimental design and response surface methodology were used to optimize conditions with a minimum number of experiments. The assay allowed the detection of 0.01% w/w of physostigmine in both a spiked Sonchus oleraceus L. extract chromatographed on normal phase and a spiked Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J.W. Moore leaf essential oil chromatographed on reversed phase. Finally, the reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography assay was applied to reveal the presence of an inhibitor in the Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf essential oil. The developed assay is able to detect acetylcholinesterase inhibitors present in complex matrixes that were chromatographed in normal phase or reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography. The detection limit for physostigmine on both normal and reversed phase was of 1×10(-4) μg. The results can be read by a change in color and/or a change in fluorescence. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Incomplete Detection of Nonclassical Phase-Space Distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Bohmann, M.; Tiedau, J.; Bartley, T.; Sperling, J.; Silberhorn, C.; Vogel, W.

2018-02-01

We implement the direct sampling of negative phase-space functions via unbalanced homodyne measurement using click-counting detectors. The negativities significantly certify nonclassical light in the high-loss regime using a small number of detectors which cannot resolve individual photons. We apply our method to heralded single-photon states and experimentally demonstrate the most significant certification of nonclassicality for only two detection bins. By contrast, the frequently applied Wigner function fails to directly indicate such quantum characteristics for the quantum efficiencies present in our setup without applying additional reconstruction algorithms. Therefore, we realize a robust and reliable approach to characterize nonclassical light in phase space under realistic conditions.

[Clinical impact of social marketing strategy on breast cancer detection].

Science.gov (United States)

Quintana-Vidaurri, Adriana Guadalupe; Santana-Chávez, Luis Alejandro; González-Villalobos, Cynthia Guadalupe

2013-01-01

to prove the impact of social marketing strategies in breast cancer detection, taking as a parameter the number of mammographies performed. quasi-experimental research, before and after. Sixty-nine physicians in charge of medical consultation and fourteen nurses were studied for a period of seven months, applying social marketing strategies. The total of mammographies were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum test (p marketing proved to be an adequate strategy, which has an impact on the clinical practice of both physicians and nurses.

Anabolic agents: recent strategies for their detection and protection from inadvertent doping

Science.gov (United States)

Geyer, Hans; Schänzer, Wilhelm; Thevis, Mario

2014-01-01

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, anabolic agents consist of exogenous anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), endogenous AAS and other anabolic agents such as clenbuterol and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). Currently employed strategies for their improved detection include the prolongation of the detection windows for exogenous AAS, non-targeted and indirect analytical approaches for the detection of modified steroids (designer steroids), the athlete’s biological passport and isotope ratio mass spectrometry for the detection of the misuse of endogenous AAS, as well as preventive doping research for the detection of SARMs. The recent use of these strategies led to 4–80-fold increases of adverse analytical findings for exogenous AAS, to the detection of the misuse of new designer steroids, to adverse analytical findings of different endogenous AAS and to the first adverse analytical findings of SARMs. The strategies of the antidoping research are not only focused on the development of methods to catch the cheating athlete but also to protect the clean athlete from inadvertent doping. Within the past few years several sources of inadvertent doping with anabolic agents have been identified. Among these are nutritional supplements adulterated with AAS, meat products contaminated with clenbuterol, mycotoxin (zearalenone) contamination leading to zeranol findings, and natural products containing endogenous AAS. The protection strategy consists of further investigations in case of reasonable suspicion of inadvertent doping, publication of the results, education of athletes and development of methods to differentiate between intentional and unintentional doping. PMID:24632537

1999 Leak Detection, Monitoring, and Mitigation Strategy Update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

OHL, P.C.

1999-01-01

This document is a complete revision of WHC-SD-WM-ES-378, Rev 1. This update includes recent developments in Leak Detection, Leak Monitoring, and Leak Mitigation technologies, as well as, recent developments in single-shell tank retrieval technologies. In addition, a single-shell tank retrieval release protection strategy is presented

Proof-testing strategies induced by dangerous detected failures of safety-instrumented systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yiliu; Rausand, Marvin

2016-01-01

Some dangerous failures of safety-instrumented systems (SISs) are detected almost immediately by diagnostic self-testing as dangerous detected (DD) failures, whereas other dangerous failures can only be detected by proof-testing, and are therefore called dangerous undetected (DU) failures. Some items may have a DU- and a DD-failure at the same time. After the repair of a DD-failure is completed, the maintenance team has two options: to perform an insert proof test for DU-failure or not. If an insert proof test is performed, it is necessary to decide whether the next scheduled proof test should be postponed or performed at the scheduled time. This paper analyzes the effects of different testing strategies on the safety performance of a single channel of a SIS. The safety performance is analyzed by Petri nets and by approximation formulas and the results obtained by the two approaches are compared. It is shown that insert testing improves the safety performance of the channel, but the feasibility and cost of the strategy may be a hindrance to recommend insert testing. - Highlights: • Identify the tests induced by detected failures. • Model the testing strategies following DD-failures. • Propose analytical formulas for effects of strategies. • Simulate and verify the proposed models.

Routing strategies in traffic network and phase transition in network ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

3Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ... Routing strategy; network traffic flow; hysteretic loop; phase transition from ... ered from two aspects: modifying the underlying network structure or developing ... capacity corresponds to α = −1 in the case of identical nodes' delivering ability.

Strategy for phase 2 whole element furnace testing K West fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, L.A.

1998-01-01

A strategy was developed for the second phase of the whole element furnace testing of damaged fuel removed from the K West Basin. The Phase 2 testing can be divided into three groups covering oxidation of whole element in moist inert atmospheres, drying elements for post Cold Vacuum Drying staging tests, and drying additional K West elements to provide confirmation of the results from the first series of damaged K West fuel drying studies

Detection of Nonverbal Synchronization through Phase Difference in Human Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Jinhwan; Ogawa, Ken-ichiro; Ono, Eisuke; Miyake, Yoshihiro

2015-01-01

Nonverbal communication is an important factor in human communication, and body movement synchronization in particular is an important part of nonverbal communication. Some researchers have analyzed body movement synchronization by focusing on changes in the amplitude of body movements. However, the definition of "body movement synchronization" is still unclear. From a theoretical viewpoint, phase difference is the most important factor in synchronization analysis. Therefore, there is a need to measure the synchronization of body movements using phase difference. The purpose of this study was to provide a quantitative definition of the phase difference distribution for detecting body movement synchronization in human communication. The phase difference distribution was characterized using four statistical measurements: density, mean phase difference, standard deviation (SD) and kurtosis. To confirm the effectiveness of our definition, we applied it to human communication in which the roles of speaker and listener were defined. Specifically, we examined the difference in the phase difference distribution between two different communication situations: face-to-face communication with visual interaction and remote communication with unidirectional visual perception. Participant pairs performed a task supposing lecture in the face-to-face communication condition and in the remote communication condition via television. Throughout the lecture task, we extracted a set of phase differences from the time-series data of the acceleration norm of head nodding motions between two participants. Statistical analyses of the phase difference distribution revealed the characteristics of head nodding synchronization. Although the mean phase differences in synchronized head nods did not differ significantly between the conditions, there were significant differences in the densities, the SDs and the kurtoses of the phase difference distributions of synchronized head nods. These

Detection of Nonverbal Synchronization through Phase Difference in Human Communication.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinhwan Kwon

Full Text Available Nonverbal communication is an important factor in human communication, and body movement synchronization in particular is an important part of nonverbal communication. Some researchers have analyzed body movement synchronization by focusing on changes in the amplitude of body movements. However, the definition of "body movement synchronization" is still unclear. From a theoretical viewpoint, phase difference is the most important factor in synchronization analysis. Therefore, there is a need to measure the synchronization of body movements using phase difference. The purpose of this study was to provide a quantitative definition of the phase difference distribution for detecting body movement synchronization in human communication. The phase difference distribution was characterized using four statistical measurements: density, mean phase difference, standard deviation (SD and kurtosis. To confirm the effectiveness of our definition, we applied it to human communication in which the roles of speaker and listener were defined. Specifically, we examined the difference in the phase difference distribution between two different communication situations: face-to-face communication with visual interaction and remote communication with unidirectional visual perception. Participant pairs performed a task supposing lecture in the face-to-face communication condition and in the remote communication condition via television. Throughout the lecture task, we extracted a set of phase differences from the time-series data of the acceleration norm of head nodding motions between two participants. Statistical analyses of the phase difference distribution revealed the characteristics of head nodding synchronization. Although the mean phase differences in synchronized head nods did not differ significantly between the conditions, there were significant differences in the densities, the SDs and the kurtoses of the phase difference distributions of synchronized head

Dynamical Detection of Topological Phase Transitions in Short-Lived Atomic Systems

OpenAIRE

Setiawan, F.; Sengupta, K.; Spielman, I. B.; Sau, Jay D.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that dynamical probes provide direct means of detecting the topological phase transition (TPT) between conventional and topological phases, which would otherwise be difficult to access because of loss or heating processes. We propose to avoid such heating by rapidly quenching in and out of the short-lived topological phase across the transition that supports gapless excitations. Following the quench, the distribution of excitations in the final conventional phase carries signat...

Optimal Attack Strategies Subject to Detection Constraints Against Cyber-Physical Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yuan; Kar, Soummya; Moura, Jose M. F.

2017-01-01

This paper studies an attacker against a cyberphysical system (CPS) whose goal is to move the state of a CPS to a target state while ensuring that his or her probability of being detected does not exceed a given bound. The attacker’s probability of being detected is related to the nonnegative bias induced by his or her attack on the CPS’s detection statistic. We formulate a linear quadratic cost function that captures the attacker’s control goal and establish constraints on the induced bias that reflect the attacker’s detection-avoidance objectives. When the attacker is constrained to be detected at the false-alarm rate of the detector, we show that the optimal attack strategy reduces to a linear feedback of the attacker’s state estimate. In the case that the attacker’s bias is upper bounded by a positive constant, we provide two algorithms – an optimal algorithm and a sub-optimal, less computationally intensive algorithm – to find suitable attack sequences. Lastly, we illustrate our attack strategies in numerical examples based on a remotely-controlled helicopter under attack.

Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) Core Grant - Phase IV ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Established in 1996, Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) is an organization that coordinates a network of researchers that seeks to provide the Government of South Africa, civil society and the region with independent advice on economic policy, with a particular focus on trade and industrial issues. Earlier phases of ...

Creative Persuasion: A Study on Adversarial Behaviors and Strategies in Phishing Attacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajivan, Prashanth; Gonzalez, Cleotilde

2018-01-01

Success of phishing attacks depend on effective exploitation of human weaknesses. This research explores a largely ignored, but crucial aspect of phishing: the adversarial behavior. We aim at understanding human behaviors and strategies that adversaries use, and how these may determine the end-user response to phishing emails. We accomplish this through a novel experiment paradigm involving two phases. In the adversarial phase, 105 participants played the role of a phishing adversary who were incentivized to produce multiple phishing emails that would evade detection and persuade end-users to respond. In the end-user phase, 340 participants performed an email management task, where they examined and classified phishing emails generated by participants in phase-one along with benign emails. Participants in the adversary role, self-reported the strategies they employed in each email they created, and responded to a test of individual creativity. Data from both phases of the study was combined and analyzed, to measure the effect of adversarial behaviors on end-user response to phishing emails. We found that participants who persistently used specific attack strategies (e.g., sending notifications, use of authoritative tone, or expressing shared interest) in all their attempts were overall more successful, compared to others who explored different strategies in each attempt. We also found that strategies largely determined whether an end-user was more likely to respond to an email immediately, or delete it. Individual creativity was not a reliable predictor of adversarial performance, but it was a predictor of an adversary's ability to evade detection. In summary, the phishing example provided initially, the strategies used, and the participants' persistence with some of the strategies led to higher performance in persuading end-users to respond to phishing emails. These insights may be used to inform tools and training procedures to detect phishing strategies in

High frequency write head measurement with the phase detection magnetic force microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, M.; Tanaka, Y.

2001-01-01

We demonstrated the measurement of the high frequency (HF) magnetic field of a write head with the phase detection magnetic force microscope. An amplitude-modulated current was applied to the head coil to detect the force gradient induced by the HF magnetic field. Spatial resolution of this method was higher than that of the deflection detection method previously proposed. By the phase detection method, dynamic HF magnetic fields at the poles of the write heads were clearly imaged. HF magnetic field leakage was observed along the P2 pole shape on the air-bearing surface. The frequency dependence of the write head dynamics up to 350 MHz was also investigated. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Coherent Detection of Wavelength Division Multiplexed Phase-Modulated Radio-over-Fibre Signals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zibar, Darko; Yu, Xianbin; Peucheret, Christophe

2008-01-01

A WDM phase-modulated Radio-over-Fibre link using digital coherent detection is experimentally demonstrated. 3 times 50 Mb/s WDM transmission of a BPSK modulated 5 GHz RF carrier is achieved over 25 km.......A WDM phase-modulated Radio-over-Fibre link using digital coherent detection is experimentally demonstrated. 3 times 50 Mb/s WDM transmission of a BPSK modulated 5 GHz RF carrier is achieved over 25 km....

Identification and initial assessment of candidate BWR late-phase in-vessel accident management strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hodge, S.A.

1991-01-01

Work sponsored by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) to identify and perform preliminary assessments of candidate BWR [boiling water reactor] in-vessel accident management strategies was completed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) during fiscal year 1990. Mitigative strategies for containment events have been the subject of a companion study at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The focus of this Oak Ridge effort was the development of new strategies for mitigation of the late phase events, that is, the events that would occur in-vessel after the onset of significant core damage. The work began with an investigation of the current status of BWR in-vessel accident management procedures and proceeded through a preliminary evaluation of several candidate new strategies. The steps leading to the identification of the candidate strategies are described. The four new candidate late-phase (in-vessel) accident mitigation strategies identified by this study and discussed in the report are: (1) keep the reactor vessel depressurized; (2) restore injection in a controlled manner; (3) inject boron if control blade damage has occurred; and (4) containment flooding to maintain core and structural debris in-vessel. Additional assessments of these strategies are proposed

Is dual-phase abdominal CT necessary for the optimal detection of metastases from renal cell carcinoma?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Y.; Liew, S.; Taylor, M.B.; Bonington, S.C.

2011-01-01

Aim: To determine whether dual-phase abdominal computed tomography (CT) detected more metastases than portal-phase CT alone in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and methods: Audit committee approval was obtained. A retrospective audit was undertaken in 100 patients who underwent both arterial and portal phase CT. The CT images were independently reviewed by two consultant radiologists. The presence of metastases in the liver, pancreas, and contralateral kidney were recorded for each phase of contrast enhancement. Results: Metastases were identified in the liver in 27 patients, pancreas in 12, and contralateral kidney in 23 patients. Nine of the 27 (33%) liver metastases, three of the 12 (25%) pancreatic metastases, and two of the 23 (9%) renal metastases were only detected in the arterial phase, whilst four of the 27 (15%) liver metastases, three of the 12 (25%) pancreatic metastases, and two of the 23 (9%) renal metastases were only detected in the portal phase. Nine patients (9%) had metastases only visualized in the arterial phase, and six (6%) only in the portal phase. Detection of metastases only visible in the arterial phase led to a change of management in two patients (2%). Conclusion: The audit results support our current standard of dual-phase abdominal CT for optimal detection of RCC metastases.

Protein lipoxidation: Detection strategies and challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giancarlo Aldini

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Enzymatic and non-enzymatic lipid metabolism can give rise to reactive species that may covalently modify cellular or plasma proteins through a process known as lipoxidation. Under basal conditions, protein lipoxidation can contribute to normal cell homeostasis and participate in signaling or adaptive mechanisms, as exemplified by lipoxidation of Ras proteins or of the cytoskeletal protein vimentin, both of which behave as sensors of electrophilic species. Nevertheless, increased lipoxidation under pathological conditions may lead to deleterious effects on protein structure or aggregation. This can result in impaired degradation and accumulation of abnormally folded proteins contributing to pathophysiology, as may occur in neurodegenerative diseases. Identification of the protein targets of lipoxidation and its functional consequences under pathophysiological situations can unveil the modification patterns associated with the various outcomes, as well as preventive strategies or potential therapeutic targets. Given the wide structural variability of lipid moieties involved in lipoxidation, highly sensitive and specific methods for its detection are required. Derivatization of reactive carbonyl species is instrumental in the detection of adducts retaining carbonyl groups. In addition, use of tagged derivatives of electrophilic lipids enables enrichment of lipoxidized proteins or peptides. Ultimate confirmation of lipoxidation requires high resolution mass spectrometry approaches to unequivocally identify the adduct and the targeted residue. Moreover, rigorous validation of the targets identified and assessment of the functional consequences of these modifications are essential. Here we present an update on methods to approach the complex field of lipoxidation along with validation strategies and functional assays illustrated with well-studied lipoxidation targets.

Automated baseline change detection phase I. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-12-01

The Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD) project is supported by the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) as part of its ER&WM cross-cutting technology program in robotics. Phase 1 of the Automated Baseline Change Detection project is summarized in this topical report. The primary objective of this project is to apply robotic and optical sensor technology to the operational inspection of mixed toxic and radioactive waste stored in barrels, using Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD), based on image subtraction. Absolute change detection is based on detecting any visible physical changes, regardless of cause, between a current inspection image of a barrel and an archived baseline image of the same barrel. Thus, in addition to rust, the ABCD system can also detect corrosion, leaks, dents, and bulges. The ABCD approach and method rely on precise camera positioning and repositioning relative to the barrel and on feature recognition in images. In support of this primary objective, there are secondary objectives to determine DOE operational inspection requirements and DOE system fielding requirements.

Automated baseline change detection phase I. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-12-01

The Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD) project is supported by the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) as part of its ER ampersand WM cross-cutting technology program in robotics. Phase 1 of the Automated Baseline Change Detection project is summarized in this topical report. The primary objective of this project is to apply robotic and optical sensor technology to the operational inspection of mixed toxic and radioactive waste stored in barrels, using Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD), based on image subtraction. Absolute change detection is based on detecting any visible physical changes, regardless of cause, between a current inspection image of a barrel and an archived baseline image of the same barrel. Thus, in addition to rust, the ABCD system can also detect corrosion, leaks, dents, and bulges. The ABCD approach and method rely on precise camera positioning and repositioning relative to the barrel and on feature recognition in images. In support of this primary objective, there are secondary objectives to determine DOE operational inspection requirements and DOE system fielding requirements

Absence of rotational activity detected using 2-dimensional phase mapping in the corresponding 3-dimensional phase maps in human persistent atrial fibrillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathik, Bhupesh; Kalman, Jonathan M; Walters, Tomos; Kuklik, Pawel; Zhao, Jichao; Madry, Andrew; Sanders, Prashanthan; Kistler, Peter M; Lee, Geoffrey

2018-02-01

Current phase mapping systems for atrial fibrillation create 2-dimensional (2D) maps. This process may affect the accurate detection of rotors. We developed a 3-dimensional (3D) phase mapping technique that uses the 3D locations of basket electrodes to project phase onto patient-specific left atrial 3D surface anatomy. We sought to determine whether rotors detected in 2D phase maps were present at the corresponding time segments and anatomical locations in 3D phase maps. One-minute left atrial atrial fibrillation recordings were obtained in 14 patients using the basket catheter and analyzed off-line. Using the same phase values, 2D and 3D phase maps were created. Analysis involved determining the dominant propagation patterns in 2D phase maps and evaluating the presence of rotors detected in 2D phase maps in the corresponding 3D phase maps. Using 2D phase mapping, the dominant propagation pattern was single wavefront (36.6%) followed by focal activation (34.0%), disorganized activity (23.7%), rotors (3.3%), and multiple wavefronts (2.4%). Ten transient rotors were observed in 9 of 14 patients (64%). The mean rotor duration was 1.1 ± 0.7 seconds. None of the 10 rotors observed in 2D phase maps were seen at the corresponding time segments and anatomical locations in 3D phase maps; 4 of 10 corresponded with single wavefronts in 3D phase maps, 2 of 10 with 2 simultaneous wavefronts, 1 of 10 with disorganized activity, and in 3 of 10 there was no coverage by the basket catheter at the corresponding 3D anatomical location. Rotors detected in 2D phase maps were not observed in the corresponding 3D phase maps. These findings may have implications for current systems that use 2D phase mapping. Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adiabatic quantum games and phase-transition-like behavior between optimal strategies

Science.gov (United States)

de Ponte, M. A.; Santos, Alan C.

2018-06-01

In this paper we propose a game of a single qubit whose strategies can be implemented adiabatically. In addition, we show how to implement the strategies of a quantum game through controlled adiabatic evolutions, where we analyze the payment of a quantum player for various situations of interest: (1) when the players receive distinct payments, (2) when the initial state is an arbitrary superposition, and (3) when the device that implements the strategy is inefficient. Through a graphical analysis, it is possible to notice that the curves that represent the gains of the players present a behavior similar to the curves that give rise to a phase transition in thermodynamics. These transitions are associated with optimal strategy changes and occur in the absence of entanglement and interaction between the players.

Developing strategies for detection of gene doping.

Science.gov (United States)

Baoutina, Anna; Alexander, Ian E; Rasko, John E J; Emslie, Kerry R

2008-01-01

It is feared that the use of gene transfer technology to enhance athletic performance, the practice that has received the term 'gene doping', may soon become a real threat to the world of sport. As recognised by the anti-doping community, gene doping, like doping in any form, undermines principles of fair play in sport and most importantly, involves major health risks to athletes who partake in gene doping. One attraction of gene doping for such athletes and their entourage lies in the apparent difficulty of detecting its use. Since the realisation of the threat of gene doping to sport in 2001, the anti-doping community and scientists from different disciplines concerned with potential misuse of gene therapy technologies for performance enhancement have focused extensive efforts on developing robust methods for gene doping detection which could be used by the World Anti-Doping Agency to monitor athletes and would meet the requirements of a legally defensible test. Here we review the approaches and technologies which are being evaluated for the detection of gene doping, as well as for monitoring the efficacy of legitimate gene therapy, in relation to the detection target, the type of sample required for analysis and detection methods. We examine the accumulated knowledge on responses of the body, at both cellular and systemic levels, to gene transfer and evaluate strategies for gene doping detection based on current knowledge of gene technology, immunology, transcriptomics, proteomics, biochemistry and physiology. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Versatile real-time interferometer phase-detection system using high-speed digital techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendell, D.S.; Willett, G.W.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the basic design and philosophy of a versatile real-time interferometer phase-detection system to be used on the 2XIIB and TMX magnetic-fusion experiments at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. This diagnostics system is a satellite to a host computer and uses high-speed emitter-coupled logic techniques to derive data on real-time phase relationships. The system's input signals can be derived from interferometer outputs over a wide range of reference frequencies. An LSI-11 microcomputer is the interface between the high-speed phase-detection logic, buffer memory, human interaction, and host computer. Phase data on a storage CRT is immediately displayed after each experimental fusion shot. An operator can interrogate this phase data more closely from an interactive control panel, and the host computer can be simultaneously examining the system's buffer memory or arming the system for the next shot

Towards laboratory detection of topological vortices in superfluid phases of QCD

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Arpan; Dave, Shreyansh S.; de, Somnath; Srivastava, Ajit M.

2017-10-01

Topological defects arise in a variety of systems, e.g. vortices in superfluid helium to cosmic strings in the early universe. There is an indirect evidence of neutron superfluid vortices from the glitches in pulsars. One also expects that the topological defects may arise in various high baryon density phases of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), e.g. superfluid topological vortices in the color flavor locked (CFL) phase. Though vastly different in energy/length scales, there are universal features in the formation of all these defects. Utilizing this universality, we investigate the possibility of detecting these topological superfluid vortices in laboratory experiments, namely heavy-ion collisions (HICs). Using hydrodynamic simulations, we show that vortices can qualitatively affect the power spectrum of flow fluctuations. This can give an unambiguous signal for superfluid transition resulting in vortices, allowing for the check of defect formation theories in a relativistic quantum field theory system, and the detection of superfluid phases of QCD. Detection of nucleonic superfluid vortices in low energy HICs will give opportunity for laboratory controlled study of their properties, providing crucial inputs for the physics of pulsars.

Algorithm for detection of the broken phase conductor in the radial networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ostojić Mladen M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an algorithm for a directional relay to be used for a detection of the broken phase conductor in the radial networks. The algorithm would use synchronized voltages, measured at the beginning and at the end of the line, as input signals. During the process, the measured voltages would be phase-compared. On the basis of the normalized energy, the direction of the phase conductor, with a broken point, would be detected. Software tool Matlab/Simulink package has developed a radial network model which simulates the broken phase conductor. The simulations generated required input signals by which the algorithm was tested. Development of the algorithm along with the formation of the simulation model and the test results of the proposed algorithm are presented in this paper.

Phase analysis in gated blood pool tomography. Detection of accessory conduction pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakajima, Kenichi; Bunko, Hisashi; Tada, Akira; Taki, Junichi; Nanbu, Ichiro (Kanazawa Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine)

1984-02-01

Phase analysis of gated blood pool study has been applied to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway (ACP) in the Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome; however, there was a limitation to detect the precise location of ACP by phase analysis alone. In this study, we applied phase analysis to gated blood pool tomography using seven pin hole tomography (7PT) and gated emission computed tomography (GECT) in 21 patients with WPW syndrome and 3 normal subjects. In 17 patients, the sites of ACPs were confirmed by epicardial mapping and the result of the surgical division of ACP. In 7PT, the site of ACP grossly agreed to the abnormal initial phase in phase image in 5 out of 6 patients with left cardiac type. In GECT, phase images were generated in short axial, vertical and horizontal long axial sections. In 8 out of 9 patients, the site of ACP was correctly identified by phase images, and in a patient who had two ACPs, initial phase corresponded to one of the two locations. Phase analysis of gated blood pool tomography has advantages for avoiding overlap of blood pools and for estimating three-dimensional propagation of the contraction, and can be a good adjunctive method in patients with WPW syndrome.

Evaluating surveillance strategies for the early detection of low pathogenicity avian influenza infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Comin, Arianna; Stegeman, Arjan; Marangon, Stefano; Klinkenberg, Don

2012-01-01

In recent years, the early detection of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses in poultry has become increasingly important, given their potential to mutate into highly pathogenic viruses. However, evaluations of LPAI surveillance have mainly focused on prevalence and not on the ability to act as an early warning system. We used a simulation model based on data from Italian LPAI epidemics in turkeys to evaluate different surveillance strategies in terms of their performance as early warning systems. The strategies differed in terms of sample size, sampling frequency, diagnostic tests, and whether or not active surveillance (i.e., routine laboratory testing of farms) was performed, and were also tested under different epidemiological scenarios. We compared surveillance strategies by simulating within-farm outbreaks. The output measures were the proportion of infected farms that are detected and the farm reproduction number (R(h)). The first one provides an indication of the sensitivity of the surveillance system to detect within-farm infections, whereas R(h) reflects the effectiveness of outbreak detection (i.e., if detection occurs soon enough to bring an epidemic under control). Increasing the sampling frequency was the most effective means of improving the timeliness of detection (i.e., it occurs earlier), whereas increasing the sample size increased the likelihood of detection. Surveillance was only effective in preventing an epidemic if actions were taken within two days of sampling. The strategies were not affected by the quality of the diagnostic test, although performing both serological and virological assays increased the sensitivity of active surveillance. Early detection of LPAI outbreaks in turkeys can be achieved by increasing the sampling frequency for active surveillance, though very frequent sampling may not be sustainable in the long term. We suggest that, when no LPAI virus is circulating yet and there is a low risk of virus introduction

Evaluating surveillance strategies for the early detection of low pathogenicity avian influenza infections.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arianna Comin

Full Text Available In recent years, the early detection of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI viruses in poultry has become increasingly important, given their potential to mutate into highly pathogenic viruses. However, evaluations of LPAI surveillance have mainly focused on prevalence and not on the ability to act as an early warning system. We used a simulation model based on data from Italian LPAI epidemics in turkeys to evaluate different surveillance strategies in terms of their performance as early warning systems. The strategies differed in terms of sample size, sampling frequency, diagnostic tests, and whether or not active surveillance (i.e., routine laboratory testing of farms was performed, and were also tested under different epidemiological scenarios. We compared surveillance strategies by simulating within-farm outbreaks. The output measures were the proportion of infected farms that are detected and the farm reproduction number (R(h. The first one provides an indication of the sensitivity of the surveillance system to detect within-farm infections, whereas R(h reflects the effectiveness of outbreak detection (i.e., if detection occurs soon enough to bring an epidemic under control. Increasing the sampling frequency was the most effective means of improving the timeliness of detection (i.e., it occurs earlier, whereas increasing the sample size increased the likelihood of detection. Surveillance was only effective in preventing an epidemic if actions were taken within two days of sampling. The strategies were not affected by the quality of the diagnostic test, although performing both serological and virological assays increased the sensitivity of active surveillance. Early detection of LPAI outbreaks in turkeys can be achieved by increasing the sampling frequency for active surveillance, though very frequent sampling may not be sustainable in the long term. We suggest that, when no LPAI virus is circulating yet and there is a low risk of virus

Techniques for detection of transition phases in calcined alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandolfelli, V.C.; Folgueras-Dominguez, S.

1987-01-01

Detection of transition phases in alumina, is very important in the receiving control and calcination of aluminium hydroxide. The non alfa or transition phases difficults the processability and causes localized shrinkage on sintering compromising the dimensional and mechanical aspects of the product. In this research using refraction index, absorption of dyes, specific density, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, analyses, are done in calcined hydroxides submited to different thermal treatments. The limits and facilities of each technique are discussed and compared. (Author) [pt

Learning strategies in the planning and evaluation phase of image production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsson, W.; Aspelin, P.; Lundberg, N.

2013-01-01

This paper identifies, describes and analyses radiographers' learning strategies in practice. These strategies are particularly important in the light of the great changes in radiology departments and the role of radiographers during the past two decades. With increased responsibility for quality assurance and diagnostic work, radiographers need to develop specific skills over time, which requires learning strategies in practice. The aim of this study is to identify, describe and analyze the learning strategies of novice and experienced radiographers in the planning and evaluation phase of image production. This study found that novice radiographers; use memorization combined with logical reasoning, apply focused observation, selective reading and information-seeking, communicate through: active and attentive listening, asking questions, receiving feedback, discussing problems and speak out loud. Experienced radiographers; use memorization in combination with logical reasoning and predicting, observe discriminating, read selectively, validate information and perform information-seeking. They communicate through: listening analyzing and demanding way, answering questions and providing feed-back and discussing problems. This study concludes that the difference between the learning strategies of novice and experienced radiographers is in the way they apply the strategies rather than the strategies themselves

Detection and processing of phase modulated optical signals at 40 Gbit/s and beyond

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geng, Yan

the amplitude regeneration capability based on FWM in a highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF). The first reported experimental demonstration of amplitude equalization of 40 Gbit/s RZ-DPSK signals using a 500 m long HNLF is presented. Using four possible phase levels to carry the information, DQPSK allows generation......This thesis addresses demodulation in direct detection systems and signal processing of high speed phase modulated signals in future all-optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) communication systems where differential phase shift keying (DPSK) or differential quadrature phase shift keying...... (DQPSK) are used to transport information. All-optical network functionalities -such as optical labeling, wavelength conversion and signal regeneration- are experimentally investigated. Direct detection of phase modulated signals requires phase-to-intensity modulation conversion in a demodulator...

μ-'Diving suit' for liquid-phase high-Q resonant detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Haitao; Chen, Ying; Xu, Pengcheng; Xu, Tiegang; Bao, Yuyang; Li, Xinxin

2016-03-07

A resonant cantilever sensor is, for the first time, dressed in a water-proof 'diving suit' for real-time bio/chemical detection in liquid. The μ-'diving suit' technology can effectively avoid not only unsustainable resonance due to heavy liquid-damping, but also inevitable nonspecific adsorption on the cantilever body. Such a novel technology ensures long-time high-Q resonance of the cantilever in solution environment for real-time trace-concentration bio/chemical detection and analysis. After the formation of the integrated resonant micro-cantilever, a patterned photoresist and hydrophobic parylene thin-film are sequentially formed on top of the cantilever as sacrificial layer and water-proof coat, respectively. After sacrificial-layer release, an air gap is formed between the parylene coat and the cantilever to protect the resonant cantilever from heavy liquid damping effect. Only a small sensing-pool area, located at the cantilever free-end and locally coated with specific sensing-material, is exposed to the liquid analyte for gravimetric detection. The specifically adsorbed analyte mass can be real-time detected by recording the frequency-shift signal. In order to secure vibration movement of the cantilever and, simultaneously, reject liquid leakage from the sensing-pool region, a hydrophobic parylene made narrow slit structure is designed surrounding the sensing-pool. The anti-leakage effect of the narrow slit and damping limited resonance Q-factor are modelled and optimally designed. Integrated with electro-thermal resonance excitation and piezoresistive frequency readout, the cantilever is embedded in a micro-fluidic chip to form a lab-chip micro-system for liquid-phase bio/chemical detection. Experimental results show the Q-factor of 23 in water and longer than 20 hours liquid-phase continuous working time. Loaded with two kinds of sensing-materials at the sensing-pools, two types of sensing chips successfully show real-time liquid-phase detection to ppb

Reversed phase liquid chromatography with UV absorbance and flame ionization detection using a water mobile phase and a cyano propyl stationary phase Analysis of alcohols and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Quigley, W W; Ecker, S T; Vahey, P G; Synovec, R E

1999-10-01

The development of liquid chromatography with a commercially available cyano propyl stationary phase and a 100% water mobile phase is reported. Separations were performed at ambient temperature, simplifying instrumental requirements. Excellent separation efficiency using a water mobile phase was achieved, for example N=18 800, or 75 200 m(-1), was obtained for resorcinol, at a retention factor of k'=4.88 (retention time of 9.55 min at 1 ml min(-1) for a 25 cmx4.6 mm i.d. column, packed with 5 mum diameter particles with the cyano propyl stationary phase). A separation via reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) with a 100% water mobile phase of six phenols and related compounds was compared to a separation of the same compounds by traditional RP-LC, using octadecylsilane (ODS), i.e. C18, bound to silica and an aqueous mobile phase modified with acetonitrile. Nearly identical analysis time was achieved for the separation of six phenols and related compounds using the cyano propyl stationary phase with a 100% water mobile phase, as compared to traditional RP-LC requiring a relatively large fraction of organic solvent modifier in the mobile phase (25% acetonitrile:75% water). Additional understanding of the retention mechanism with the 100% water mobile phase was obtained by relating measured retention factors of aliphatic alcohols, phenols and related compounds, and chlorinated hydrocarbons to their octanol:water partition coefficients. The retention mechanism is found to be consistent with a RP-LC mechanism coupled with an additional retention effect due to residual hydroxyl groups on the cyano propyl stationary phase. Advantages due to a 100% water mobile phase for the chemical analysis of alcohol mixtures and chlorinated hydrocarbons are reported. By placing an absorbance detector in-series and preceding a novel drop interface to a flame ionization detector (FID), selective detection of a separated mixture of phenols and related compounds and aliphatic

Chemometric strategy for automatic chromatographic peak detection and background drift correction in chromatographic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yong-Jie; Xia, Qiao-Ling; Wang, Sheng; Wang, Bing; Xie, Fu-Wei; Zhang, Xiao-Bing; Ma, Yun-Ming; Wu, Hai-Long

2014-09-12

Peak detection and background drift correction (BDC) are the key stages in using chemometric methods to analyze chromatographic fingerprints of complex samples. This study developed a novel chemometric strategy for simultaneous automatic chromatographic peak detection and BDC. A robust statistical method was used for intelligent estimation of instrumental noise level coupled with first-order derivative of chromatographic signal to automatically extract chromatographic peaks in the data. A local curve-fitting strategy was then employed for BDC. Simulated and real liquid chromatographic data were designed with various kinds of background drift and degree of overlapped chromatographic peaks to verify the performance of the proposed strategy. The underlying chromatographic peaks can be automatically detected and reasonably integrated by this strategy. Meanwhile, chromatograms with BDC can be precisely obtained. The proposed method was used to analyze a complex gas chromatography dataset that monitored quality changes in plant extracts during storage procedure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global Anomaly Detection in Two-Dimensional Symmetry-Protected Topological Phases

Science.gov (United States)

Bultinck, Nick; Vanhove, Robijn; Haegeman, Jutho; Verstraete, Frank

2018-04-01

Edge theories of symmetry-protected topological phases are well known to possess global symmetry anomalies. In this Letter we focus on two-dimensional bosonic phases protected by an on-site symmetry and analyze the corresponding edge anomalies in more detail. Physical interpretations of the anomaly in terms of an obstruction to orbifolding and constructing symmetry-preserving boundaries are connected to the cohomology classification of symmetry-protected phases in two dimensions. Using the tensor network and matrix product state formalism we numerically illustrate our arguments and discuss computational detection schemes to identify symmetry-protected order in a ground state wave function.

Three different signal amplification strategies for the impedimetric sandwich detection of thrombin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ocaña, Cristina; Valle, Manel del, E-mail: manel.delvalle@uab.cat

2016-03-17

In this work, we report a comparative study on three highly specific amplification strategies for the ultrasensitive detection of thrombin with the use of aptamer sandwich protocol. The protocol consisted on the use of a first thrombin aptamer immobilized on the electrode surface, the recognition of thrombin protein, and the reaction with a second biotinylated thrombin aptamer forming the sandwich. Through the exposed biotin end, three variants have been tested to amplify the electrochemical impedance signal. The strategies included (a) silver enhancement treatment, (b) gold enhancement treatment and (c) insoluble product produced by the combination of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole (AEC). The properties of the sensing surface were probed by electrochemical impedance measurements in the presence of the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox marker. Insoluble product strategy and silver enhancement treatment resulted in the lowest detection limit (0.3 pM), while gold enhancement method resulted in the highest reproducibility, 8.8% RSD at the pM thrombin concentration levels. Results of silver and gold enhancement treatment also permitted direct inspection by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). - Highlights: • Aptasensor to detect thrombin reaching the femtomolar level. • Biosensing protocol employs two thrombin aptamers in a sandwich capture scheme. • Use of second biotinylated aptamer allows many amplification and detection variants. • Precipitation reaction provides the highest signal amplification of ca. 3 times. • Double recognition event improves remarkably selectivity for thrombin detection.

Three different signal amplification strategies for the impedimetric sandwich detection of thrombin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ocaña, Cristina; Valle, Manel del

2016-01-01

In this work, we report a comparative study on three highly specific amplification strategies for the ultrasensitive detection of thrombin with the use of aptamer sandwich protocol. The protocol consisted on the use of a first thrombin aptamer immobilized on the electrode surface, the recognition of thrombin protein, and the reaction with a second biotinylated thrombin aptamer forming the sandwich. Through the exposed biotin end, three variants have been tested to amplify the electrochemical impedance signal. The strategies included (a) silver enhancement treatment, (b) gold enhancement treatment and (c) insoluble product produced by the combination of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole (AEC). The properties of the sensing surface were probed by electrochemical impedance measurements in the presence of the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox marker. Insoluble product strategy and silver enhancement treatment resulted in the lowest detection limit (0.3 pM), while gold enhancement method resulted in the highest reproducibility, 8.8% RSD at the pM thrombin concentration levels. Results of silver and gold enhancement treatment also permitted direct inspection by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). - Highlights: • Aptasensor to detect thrombin reaching the femtomolar level. • Biosensing protocol employs two thrombin aptamers in a sandwich capture scheme. • Use of second biotinylated aptamer allows many amplification and detection variants. • Precipitation reaction provides the highest signal amplification of ca. 3 times. • Double recognition event improves remarkably selectivity for thrombin detection.

Optimal combinations of acute phase proteins for detecting infectious disease in pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heegaard, Peter M. H.; Stockmarr, Anders; Piñeiro, Matilde

2011-01-01

The acute phase protein (APP) response is an early systemic sign of disease, detected as substantial changes in APP serum concentrations and most disease states involving inflammatory reactions give rise to APP responses. To obtain a detailed picture of the general utility of porcine APPs to detect...... gondii) and one viral (porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus) infection and one aseptic inflammation. Immunochemical analyses of seven APPs, four positive (C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), pig major acute phase protein (pigMAP) and serum amyloid A (SAA)) and three negative...

A strategy for the phased replacement of CANDU digital control computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hepburn, G.A.

2001-01-01

Significant developments have occurred with respect to the replacement of the Plant Digital Control Computers (DCCs) on CANDU plants in the past six months. This paper summarises the conclusions of the condition assessment carried out on these machines at Point Lepreau Generating Station, and describes a strategy for a phased transition to a replacement system based on today's technology. Most elements of the strategy are already in place, and sufficient technical work has been done to allow those components which have been assessed as requiring prompt attention to be replaced in a matter of months. (author)

Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation Strategy for Single-Phase Three-Level CIC T-source Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shults, Tatiana E.; Husev, Oleksandr O.; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

This paper presents a novel space vector pulse-width modulation strategy for a single-phase three-level buck-boost inverter based on an impedance-source network. The case study system is based on T-source inverter with continuous input current. To demonstrate the improved performance of the inver......This paper presents a novel space vector pulse-width modulation strategy for a single-phase three-level buck-boost inverter based on an impedance-source network. The case study system is based on T-source inverter with continuous input current. To demonstrate the improved performance...... of the inverter, the strategy was compared the traditional pulse-width modulation. It is shown that the approach proposed has fewer switching states and does not suffer from neutral point misbalance....

Correlation of Positive and Negative Reciprocity Fails to Confer an Evolutionary Advantage: Phase Transitions to Elementary Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Attila Szolnoki

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Economic experiments reveal that humans value cooperation and fairness. Punishing unfair behavior is therefore common, and according to the theory of strong reciprocity, it is also directly related to rewarding cooperative behavior. However, empirical data fail to confirm that positive and negative reciprocity are correlated. Inspired by this disagreement, we determine whether the combined application of reward and punishment is evolutionarily advantageous. We study a spatial public goods game, where in addition to the three elementary strategies of defection, rewarding, and punishment, a fourth strategy that combines the latter two competes for space. We find rich dynamical behavior that gives rise to intricate phase diagrams where continuous and discontinuous phase transitions occur in succession. Indirect territorial competition, spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance, as well as divergent fluctuations of oscillations that terminate in an absorbing phase are observed. Yet, despite the high complexity of solutions, the combined strategy can survive only in very narrow and unrealistic parameter regions. Elementary strategies, either in pure or mixed phases, are much more common and likely to prevail. Our results highlight the importance of patterns and structure in human cooperation, which should be considered in future experiments.

Correlation of Positive and Negative Reciprocity Fails to Confer an Evolutionary Advantage: Phase Transitions to Elementary Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2013-10-01

Economic experiments reveal that humans value cooperation and fairness. Punishing unfair behavior is therefore common, and according to the theory of strong reciprocity, it is also directly related to rewarding cooperative behavior. However, empirical data fail to confirm that positive and negative reciprocity are correlated. Inspired by this disagreement, we determine whether the combined application of reward and punishment is evolutionarily advantageous. We study a spatial public goods game, where in addition to the three elementary strategies of defection, rewarding, and punishment, a fourth strategy that combines the latter two competes for space. We find rich dynamical behavior that gives rise to intricate phase diagrams where continuous and discontinuous phase transitions occur in succession. Indirect territorial competition, spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance, as well as divergent fluctuations of oscillations that terminate in an absorbing phase are observed. Yet, despite the high complexity of solutions, the combined strategy can survive only in very narrow and unrealistic parameter regions. Elementary strategies, either in pure or mixed phases, are much more common and likely to prevail. Our results highlight the importance of patterns and structure in human cooperation, which should be considered in future experiments.

Two-phase strategy of controlling motor coordination determined by task performance optimality.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimansky, Yury P; Rand, Miya K

2013-02-01

A quantitative model of optimal coordination between hand transport and grip aperture has been derived in our previous studies of reach-to-grasp movements without utilizing explicit knowledge of the optimality criterion or motor plant dynamics. The model's utility for experimental data analysis has been demonstrated. Here we show how to generalize this model for a broad class of reaching-type, goal-directed movements. The model allows for measuring the variability of motor coordination and studying its dependence on movement phase. The experimentally found characteristics of that dependence imply that execution noise is low and does not affect motor coordination significantly. From those characteristics it is inferred that the cost of neural computations required for information acquisition and processing is included in the criterion of task performance optimality as a function of precision demand for state estimation and decision making. The precision demand is an additional optimized control variable that regulates the amount of neurocomputational resources activated dynamically. It is shown that an optimal control strategy in this case comprises two different phases. During the initial phase, the cost of neural computations is significantly reduced at the expense of reducing the demand for their precision, which results in speed-accuracy tradeoff violation and significant inter-trial variability of motor coordination. During the final phase, neural computations and thus motor coordination are considerably more precise to reduce the cost of errors in making a contact with the target object. The generality of the optimal coordination model and the two-phase control strategy is illustrated on several diverse examples.

Fault detection of a Five-Phase Permanent-Magnet Machine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bianchini, Claudio; Matzen, Torben N.; Bianchi, Nicola

2008-01-01

The paper focuses on the fault detection of a five-phase Permanent-Magnet (PM) machine. This machine has been de-signed for fault tolerant applications, and it is characterised by a mutual inductance equal to zero and a high self inductance, with the purpose to limit the short circuit current...

An Efficient and Packing-Resilient Two-Phase Android Cloned Application Detection Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Lyu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The huge benefit of mobile application industry has attracted a large number of developers and attendant attackers. Application repackaging provides help for the distribution of most Android malware. It is a serious threat to the entire Android ecosystem, as it not only compromises the security and privacy of the app users but also plunders app developers’ income. Although massive approaches have been proposed to address this issue, plagiarists try to fight back through packing their malicious code with the help of commercial packers. Previous works either do not consider the packing issue or rely on time-consuming computations, which are not scalable for large-scale real-world scenario. In this paper, we propose FUIDroid, a novel two-phase app clones detection system that can detect the packed cloned app. FUIDroid includes a function-based fast selection phase to quickly select suspicious apps by analyzing apps’ description and a further UI-based accurate detection phase to refine the detection result. We evaluate our system on two sets of apps. The result from experiment on 320 packed samples demonstrates that FUIDroid is resilient to packed apps. The evaluation on more than 150,000 real-world apps shows the efficiency of FUIDroid in large-scale scenario.

Denaturation strategies for detection of double stranded PCR products on GMR magnetic biosensor array

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rizzi, Giovanni; Lee, Jung-Rok; Guldberg, Per

2017-01-01

Microarrays and other surface-based nucleic acid detection schemes rely on the hybridization of the target to surface-bound detection probes. We present the first comparison of two strategies to detect DNA using a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) biosensor platform starting from an initially double...

Reentrant phase transitions and defensive alliances in social dilemmas with informed strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2015-05-01

Knowing the strategy of an opponent in a competitive environment conveys obvious evolutionary advantages. But this information is costly, and the benefit of being informed may not necessarily offset the additional cost. Here we introduce social dilemmas with informed strategies, and we show that this gives rise to two cyclically dominant triplets that form defensive alliances. The stability of these two alliances is determined by the rotation velocity of the strategies within each triplet. A weaker strategy in a faster rotating triplet can thus overcome an individually stronger competitor. Fascinating spatial patterns favor the dominance of a single defensive alliance, but enable also the stable coexistence of both defensive alliances in very narrow regions of the parameter space. A continuous reentrant phase transition reveals before unseen complexity behind the stability of strategic alliances in evolutionary social dilemmas.

Rapid detection of AAC(6')-Ib-cr production using a MALDI-TOF MS strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardo, C-A; Tan, R N; Hennequin, C; Beyrouthy, R; Bonnet, R; Robin, F

2016-12-01

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance mechanisms have become increasingly prevalent among Enterobacteriaceae strains since the 1990s. Among these mechanisms, AAC(6')-Ib-cr is the most difficult to detect. Different detection methods have been developed, but they require expensive procedures such as Sanger sequencing, pyrosequencing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction, or the time-consuming phenotypic method of Wachino. In this study, we describe a simple matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) method which can be easily implemented in clinical laboratories that use the MALDI-TOF technique for bacterial identification. We tested 113 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, of which 64 harbored the aac(6')-Ib-cr gene. We compared two MALDI-TOF strategies, which differed by their norfloxacin concentration (0.03 vs. 0.5 g/L), and the method of Wachino with the PCR and sequencing strategy used as the reference. The MALDI-TOF strategy, performed with 0.03 g/L norfloxacin, and the method of Wachino yielded the same high performances (Se = 98 %, Sp = 100 %), but the turnaround time of the MALDI-TOF strategy was faster (<5 h), simpler, and inexpensive (<1 Euro). Our study shows that the MALDI-TOF strategy has the potential to become a major method for the detection of many different enzymatic resistance mechanisms.

Detection with Enhanced Energy Windowing Phase I Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bass, David A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Enders, Alexander L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-12-01

This document reviews the progress of Phase I of the Detection with Enhanced Energy Windowing (DEEW) project. The DEEW project is the implementation of software incorporating an algorithm which reviews data generated by radiation portal monitors and utilizes advanced and novel techniques for detecting radiological and fissile material while not alarming on Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material. Independent testing indicated that the Enhanced Energy Windowing algorithm showed promise at reducing the probability of alarm in the stream of commerce compared to existing algorithms and other developmental algorithms, while still maintaining adequate sensitivity to threats. This document contains a brief description of the project, instructions for setting up and running the applications, and guidance to help make reviewing the output files and source code easier.

Improving Focal Depth Estimates: Studies of Depth Phase Detection at Regional Distances

Science.gov (United States)

Stroujkova, A.; Reiter, D. T.; Shumway, R. H.

2006-12-01

The accurate estimation of the depth of small, regionally recorded events continues to be an important and difficult explosion monitoring research problem. Depth phases (free surface reflections) are the primary tool that seismologists use to constrain the depth of a seismic event. When depth phases from an event are detected, an accurate source depth is easily found by using the delay times of the depth phases relative to the P wave and a velocity profile near the source. Cepstral techniques, including cepstral F-statistics, represent a class of methods designed for the depth-phase detection and identification; however, they offer only a moderate level of success at epicentral distances less than 15°. This is due to complexities in the Pn coda, which can lead to numerous false detections in addition to the true phase detection. Therefore, cepstral methods cannot be used independently to reliably identify depth phases. Other evidence, such as apparent velocities, amplitudes and frequency content, must be used to confirm whether the phase is truly a depth phase. In this study we used a variety of array methods to estimate apparent phase velocities and arrival azimuths, including beam-forming, semblance analysis, MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) (e.g., Schmidt, 1979), and cross-correlation (e.g., Cansi, 1995; Tibuleac and Herrin, 1997). To facilitate the processing and comparison of results, we developed a MATLAB-based processing tool, which allows application of all of these techniques (i.e., augmented cepstral processing) in a single environment. The main objective of this research was to combine the results of three focal-depth estimation techniques and their associated standard errors into a statistically valid unified depth estimate. The three techniques include: 1. Direct focal depth estimate from the depth-phase arrival times picked via augmented cepstral processing. 2. Hypocenter location from direct and surface-reflected arrivals observed on sparse

Reliable Grid Condition Detection and Control of Single-Phase Distributed Power Generation Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ciobotaru, Mihai

standards addressed to the grid-connected systems will harmonize the combination of the DPGS and the classical power plants. Consequently, the major tasks of this thesis were to develop new grid condition detection techniques and intelligent control in order to allow the DPGS not only to deliver power...... to the utility grid but also to sustain it. This thesis was divided into two main parts, namely "Grid Condition Detection" and "Control of Single-Phase DPGS". In the first part, the main focus was on reliable Phase Locked Loop (PLL) techniques for monitoring the grid voltage and on grid impedance estimation...... techniques. Additionally, a new technique for detecting the islanding mode has been developed and successfully tested. In the second part, the main reported research was concentrated around adaptive current controllers based on the information provided by the grid condition detection techniques. To guarantee...

Damage detection in multilayered fiber-metal laminates using guided-wave phased array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maghsoodi, Ameneh; Ohadi, Abdolrezap; Sadighi, Mojtaba; Amindavar, Hamidreza [Amirkabir University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-05-15

This study employs the Lamb wave method to detect damage in Fiber-metal laminates (FMLs). The method is based on quasiisotropic behavior approximation and beam forming techniques. Delay and sum and minimum variance distorsionless response beam formers are applied to a uniform linear phased array. The simulation in finite element software is conducted to evaluate the performance of the presented procedure. The two types of damage studied are the following: (1) Delamination between fiber-epoxy and metal layers and (2) crack on the metal layer. The present study has the following important contributions: (1) Health monitoring of multi-damaged FMLs using Lamb waves and beam forming technique, (2) detection of damage type, (3) detection of damage size by 1D phased array, and (4) identification of damages that occurred very close to the laminate edges or close to each other.

Enhancing the lateral-flow immunoassay for detection of proteins using an aqueous two-phase micellar system.

Science.gov (United States)

Mashayekhi, Foad; Le, Alexander M; Nafisi, Parsa M; Wu, Benjamin M; Kamei, Daniel T

2012-10-01

The lateral-flow (immuno)assay (LFA) has been widely investigated for the detection of molecular, macromolecular, and particle targets at the point-of-need due to its ease of use, rapid processing, and minimal power and laboratory equipment requirements. However, for some analytes, such as certain proteins, the detection limit of LFA is inferior to lab-based assays, such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and needs to be improved. One solution for improving the detection limit of LFA is to concentrate the target protein in a solution prior to the detection step. In this study, a novel approach was used in the context of an aqueous two-phase micellar system comprised of the nonionic surfactant Triton X-114 to concentrate a model protein, namely transferrin, prior to LFA. Proteins have been shown to partition, or distribute, fairly evenly between the two phases of an aqueous two-phase system, which in turn results in their limited concentration in one of the two phases. Therefore, larger colloidal gold particles decorated with antibodies for transferrin were used in the concentration step to bind to transferrin and aid its partitioning into the top, micelle-poor phase. By manipulating the volume ratio of the two coexisting micellar phases and combining the concentration step with LFA, the transferrin detection limit of LFA was improved by tenfold from 0.5 to 0.05 μg/mL in a predictive manner. In addition to enhancing the sensitivity of LFA, this universal concentration method could also be used to improve other detection assays.

Credit Card Fraud Detection: A Realistic Modeling and a Novel Learning Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dal Pozzolo, Andrea; Boracchi, Giacomo; Caelen, Olivier; Alippi, Cesare; Bontempi, Gianluca

2017-09-14

Detecting frauds in credit card transactions is perhaps one of the best testbeds for computational intelligence algorithms. In fact, this problem involves a number of relevant challenges, namely: concept drift (customers' habits evolve and fraudsters change their strategies over time), class imbalance (genuine transactions far outnumber frauds), and verification latency (only a small set of transactions are timely checked by investigators). However, the vast majority of learning algorithms that have been proposed for fraud detection rely on assumptions that hardly hold in a real-world fraud-detection system (FDS). This lack of realism concerns two main aspects: 1) the way and timing with which supervised information is provided and 2) the measures used to assess fraud-detection performance. This paper has three major contributions. First, we propose, with the help of our industrial partner, a formalization of the fraud-detection problem that realistically describes the operating conditions of FDSs that everyday analyze massive streams of credit card transactions. We also illustrate the most appropriate performance measures to be used for fraud-detection purposes. Second, we design and assess a novel learning strategy that effectively addresses class imbalance, concept drift, and verification latency. Third, in our experiments, we demonstrate the impact of class unbalance and concept drift in a real-world data stream containing more than 75 million transactions, authorized over a time window of three years.

Single particle detection: Phase control in submicron Hall sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Michele, Lorenzo; Shelly, Connor; Gallop, John; Kazakova, Olga

2010-01-01

We present a phase-sensitive ac-dc Hall magnetometry method which allows a clear and reliable separation of real and parasitic magnetic signals of a very small magnitude. High-sensitivity semiconductor-based Hall crosses are generally accepted as a preferential solution for non-invasive detection of superparamagnetic nanobeads used in molecular biology, nanomedicine, and nanochemistry. However, detection of such small beads is often hindered by inductive pick-up and other spurious signals. The present work demonstrates an unambiguous experimental route for detection of small magnetic moments and provides a simple theoretical background for it. The reliability of the method has been tested for a variety of InSb Hall sensors in the range 600 nm-5 μm. Complete characterization of empty devices, involving Hall coefficients and noise measurements, has been performed and detection of a single FePt bead with diameter of 140 nm and magnetic moment of μ≅10 8 μ B has been achieved with a 600 nm-wide sensor.

Suppression of laser phase noise in direct-detection optical OFDM transmission using phase-conjugated pilots

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lu; Ming, Yi; Li, Jin

2017-11-01

Due to the unique phase noise (PN) characteristics in direct-detection optical OFDM (DDO-OFDM) systems, the design of PN compensator is considered as a difficult task. In this paper, a laser PN suppression scheme with low complexity for DDO-OFDM based on coherent superposition of data carrying subcarriers and their phase conjugates is proposed. Through theoretical derivation, the obvious PN suppression is observed. The effectiveness of this technique is demonstrated by simulation of a 4-QAM DDO-OFDM system over 1000 km transmission length at different laser line-width and subcarrier frequency spacing. The results show that the proposed scheme can significantly suppress both varied phase rotation term (PTR) and inter-carrier interference (ICI), and the laser line-width can be relaxed with up to 9 dB OSNR saving or even breakthrough of performance floor.

Luminescence detection of phase transitions in crystals and nanoparticle inclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townsend, P. D.; Yang, B.; Wang, Y.

2008-01-01

Luminescence measurements are extremely sensitive to variations in structural environment and thus have the potential to probe distortions of fluorescence sites. Changes can be monitored via luminescence efficiency, emission spectra or excited state lifetimes and these factors are influenced by the local neighbourhood around the emission site, and therefore by structure, composition, pressure and temperature. A rarely exploited approach for condensed matter has been to use the changes in luminescence responses during heating or cooling of a material to provide a rapid survey to detect the presence of phase transitions. One can often differentiate between bulk and surface effects by contrasting results from radioluminescence for bulk responses, and cathodoluminescence or photoluminescence for surface effects. One expects that discontinuous changes in optical parameters occur during temperature changes through phase transitions of insulating materials. In practice, optical signals also exist from surface states of fullerenes and high temperature superconductors etc which identify the presence of structural or superconducting transitions. Numerous examples are cited which match standard documented transitions. Interestingly many examples show the host signals are strongly sensitive to impurity phase transitions from inclusions such as nanoparticles of water, N 2 , O 2 or CO 2 . Recent luminescence data reveal many examples of new transitions, hysteresis and irreversible changes. The signals equally respond to relaxations of a structure and surprisingly indicate that in some materials, such as SrTiO 3 or ZnO, ion implantation of the surface triggers relaxations and phase changes throughout the bulk of the material. Luminescence routes to detect phase transitions are powerful tools but have a tiny literature and so the subject is ideal for rapid exploitation and development. (Author)

Detection and Tracking Strategies for Autonomous Aerial Refuelling Tasks Based on Monocular Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingjie Yin

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Detection and tracking strategies based on monocular vision are proposed for autonomous aerial refuelling tasks. The drogue attached to the fuel tanker aircraft has two important features. The grey values of the drogue's inner part are different from the external umbrella ribs, as shown in the image. The shape of the drogue's inner dark part is nearly circular. According to crucial prior knowledge, the rough and fine positioning algorithms are designed to detect the drogue. Particle filter based on the drogue's shape is proposed to track the drogue. A strategy to switch between detection and tracking is proposed to improve the robustness of the algorithms. The inner dark part of the drogue is segmented precisely in the detecting and tracking process and the segmented circular part can be used to measure its spatial position. The experimental results show that the proposed method has good performance in real-time and satisfied robustness and positioning accuracy.

The power of FIA Phase 3 Crown-Indicator variables to detect change

Science.gov (United States)

William Bechtold; KaDonna Randolph; Stanley Zarnoch

2009-01-01

The goal of Phase 3 Detection Monitoring as implemented by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program is to identify forest ecosystems where conditions might be deteriorating in subtle ways over large areas. At the relatively sparse sampling intensity of the Phase 3 plot network, a rough measure of success for the forest health indicators developed for this purpose is...

Anti-glomerular basement membrane autoantibodies in the Brown Norway rat: detection by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowman, C.; Peters, D.K.; Lockwood, C.M.

1983-01-01

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) is described for the detection of IgG autoantibodies to glomerular basement membrane (GBM) induced in the Brown Norway rat by mercuric chloride. The assay involves the adsorption of a collagenase digest of GBM to plastic microtitre plates and detection of bound antibody with affinity purified radiolabelled rabbit anti-rat IgG. Comparison with existing immunofluorescence methods for detection of anti-GBM antibody showed that the solid-phase RIA is highly sensitive, allowing detection of antibody in solutions with as low as 0.5 ng protein/ml. The assay is suitable for detection of anti-GBM antibody both in serum and in eluates from nephritic kidneys. The assay proved to be specific in competitive studies of inhibition brought about by GBM, keyhole limpet antigen and ovalbumin. This solid-phase RIA is reproducible, robust and easy to perform. (Auth.)

Improved detection of multiple environmental antibiotics through an optimized sample extraction strategy in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Xinzhu; Bayen, Stéphane; Kelly, Barry C; Li, Xu; Zhou, Zhi

2015-12-01

A solid-phase extraction/liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/multi-stage mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-ESI-MS/MS) method was optimized in this study for sensitive and simultaneous detection of multiple antibiotics in urban surface waters and soils. Among the seven classes of tested antibiotics, extraction efficiencies of macrolides, lincosamide, chloramphenicol, and polyether antibiotics were significantly improved under optimized sample extraction pH. Instead of only using acidic extraction in many existing studies, the results indicated that antibiotics with low pK a values (antibiotics with high pK a values (>7) were extracted more efficiently under neutral conditions. The effects of pH were more obvious on polar compounds than those on non-polar compounds. Optimization of extraction pH resulted in significantly improved sample recovery and better detection limits. Compared with reported values in the literature, the average reduction of minimal detection limits obtained in this study was 87.6% in surface waters (0.06-2.28 ng/L) and 67.1% in soils (0.01-18.16 ng/g dry wt). This method was subsequently applied to detect antibiotics in environmental samples in a heavily populated urban city, and macrolides, sulfonamides, and lincomycin were frequently detected. Antibiotics with highest detected concentrations were sulfamethazine (82.5 ng/L) in surface waters and erythromycin (6.6 ng/g dry wt) in soils. The optimized sample extraction strategy can be used to improve the detection of a variety of antibiotics in environmental surface waters and soils.

Benchmarking of Constant Power Generation Strategies for Single-Phase Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sangwongwanich, Ariya; Yang, Yongheng; Blaabjerg, Frede

2018-01-01

strategies based on: 1) a power control method (P-CPG), 2) a current limit method (I-CPG) and 3) the Perturb and Observe algorithm (P&O-CPG). However, the operational mode changes (e.g., from the maximum power point tracking to a CPG operation) will affect the entire system performance. Thus, a benchmarking...... of the presented CPG strategies is also conducted on a 3-kW single-phase grid-connected PV system. Comparisons reveal that either the P-CPG or I-CPG strategies can achieve fast dynamics and satisfactory steady-state performance. In contrast, the P&O-CPG algorithm is the most suitable solution in terms of high...

Phase-detected Brillouin optical correlation-domain reflectometry

Science.gov (United States)

Mizuno, Yosuke; Hayashi, Neisei; Fukuda, Hideyuki; Nakamura, Kentaro

2018-05-01

Optical fiber sensing techniques based on Brillouin scattering have been extensively studied for structural health monitoring owing to their capability of distributed strain and temperature measurement. Although a higher signal-to-noise ratio (leading to high spatial resolution and high-speed measurement) is generally obtained for two-end-access systems, they reduce the degree of freedom in embedding the sensors into structures, and render the measurement no longer feasible when extremely high loss or breakage occurs at a point of the sensing fiber. To overcome these drawbacks, a one-end-access sensing technique called Brillouin optical correlation-domain reflectometry (BOCDR) has been developed. BOCDR has a high spatial resolution and cost efficiency, but its conventional configuration suffered from relatively low-speed operation. In this paper, we review the recently developed high-speed configurations of BOCDR, including phase-detected BOCDR, with which we demonstrate real-time distributed measurement by tracking a propagating mechanical wave. We also demonstrate breakage detection with a wide strain dynamic range.

Detecting phase transitions in a neural network and its application to classification of syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, J; Xi, G [Key Laboratory of Complex Systems and Intelligence Science, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100080, Beijing (China); Wang, W [Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 100029, Beijing (China)], E-mail: guangcheng.xi@ia.ac.cn

2008-02-15

Detecting phase transitions in neural networks (determined or random) presents a challenging subject for phase transitions play a key role in human brain activity. In this paper, we detect numerically phase transitions in two types of random neural network(RNN) under proper parameters.

Indirect solid-phase immunosorbent assay for detection of arenavirus antigens and antibodies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivanov, A P; Rezapkin, G V; Dzagurova, T K; Tkachenko, E A [Institute of Poliomyelitis anU Viral Encephalities of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow

1984-05-01

Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and solid phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) using either enti-human or anti-mouse IgG labelled with horseradish peroxidase and /sup 125/I, respectively, were developed for the detection of Junin, Machupo, Tacaribe, Amapari, Tamiami, Lassa and LCM arenaviruses. Both methods allow high sensitivity detection of arenavirus antigens and antibodies.

Analysis of the in-vessel phase of SAM strategy for a Korean 1000 MWe PWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Sung-Min; Oh, Seung-Jong [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS), Ulsan (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of NPP Engineering; Diab, Aya [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS), Ulsan (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of NPP Engineering; Ain Shams Univ., Cairo (Egypt). Mechanical Power Engineering Dept.

2017-12-15

This paper focuses on the in-vessel phase of Severe Accident Management (SAM) strategy for a Korean 1000 MWe Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) with reference to ROAAM+ framework approach. To apply ROAAM+, it is needed to identify epistemic and aleatory uncertainties. The selected scenario is a station blackout (SBO) and the corresponding SAM strategy is RCS depressurization followed by water injection into the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The analysis considers the depressurization timing and the flow rate and timing of in-vessel injection for scenario variations. For the phenomenological uncertainties, the core melting and relocation process is considered to be the most important phenomenon in the in-vessel phase of SAM strategy. Accordingly, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to assess the impact of the cut-off porosity below which the flow area of a core node is zero (EPSCUT), and the critical temperature for cladding rupture (TCLMAX) on the core melting and relocation process. In this paper, the SAM strategy for maintaining the integrity of RPV is derived after quantification of the scenario and phenomenological uncertainties.

Detectability index of differential phase contrast CT compared with conventional CT: a preliminary channelized Hotelling observer study

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiangyang; Yang, Yi; Tang, Shaojie

2013-03-01

Under the framework of model observer with signal and background exactly known (SKE/BKE), we investigate the detectability of differential phase contrast CT compared with that of the conventional attenuation-based CT. Using the channelized Hotelling observer and the radially symmetric difference-of-Gaussians channel template , we investigate the detectability index and its variation over the dimension of object and detector cells. The preliminary data show that the differential phase contrast CT outperforms the conventional attenuation-based CT significantly in the detectability index while both the object to be detected and the cell of detector used for data acquisition are relatively small. However, the differential phase contrast CT's dominance in the detectability index diminishes with increasing dimension of either object or detector cell, and virtually disappears while the dimension of object or detector cell approaches a threshold, respectively. It is hoped that the preliminary data reported in this paper may provide insightful understanding of the differential phase contrast CT's characteristic in the detectability index and its comparison with that of the conventional attenuation-based CT.

Detection of hepatic VX2 tumors in rabbits: comparison of conventional US and phase- inversion harmonic US during the liver- specific late phase of contrast enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jeong Min; Youk, Ji Hyun; Lee, Young Hwan; Kim, Young Kon; Kim, Chong Soo; Li, Chun Ai

2003-01-01

To compare phase-inversion sonography during the liver-specific phase of contrast enhancement using a microbubble contrast agent with conventional B-mode sonography for the detection of VX2 liver tumors. Twenty-three rabbits, 18 of which had VX2 liver tumor implants, received a bolus injection of 0.6 g of Levovist (200 mg/ml). During the liver-specific phase of this agent, they were evaluated using both conventional sonography and contrast-enhanced phase-inversion harmonic imaging (CEPIHI). Following sacrifice of the animals, pathologic analysis was performed and the reference standard thus obtained. The conspicuity, size and number of the tumors before and after contrast administration, as determined by a sonographer, were compared between the two modes and with the pathologic findings. CE-PIHI demonstrated marked hepatic parenchymal enhancement in all rabbits. For VX2 tumors detected at both conventional US and CE- PIHI, conspicuity was improved by contrast-enhanced PIHI. On examination of gross specimens, 52 VX2 tumors were identified. Conventional US correctly detected 18 of the 52 (34.6%), while PIHI detected 35 (67.3%) (p < 0.05). In particular, conventional US detected only three (8.3%) of the 36 tumors less than 10 mm in diameter, but CE-PIHI detected 19 such tumors (52.8%) (p < 0.05). Compared to conventional sonography, PIHI performed during the liver-specific phase after intravenous injection of Levovist is markedly better at detecting VX2 liver tumors

Blood doping: risks to athletes' health and strategies for detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Carolina Dizioli Rodrigues de; Bairros, André Valle de; Yonamine, Mauricio

2014-07-01

Blood doping has been defined as the misuse of substances or certain techniques to optimize oxygen delivery to muscles with the aim to increase performance in sports activities. It includes blood transfusion, administration of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents or blood substitutes, and gene manipulations. The main reasons for the widespread use of blood doping include: its availability for athletes (erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and blood transfusions), its efficiency in improving performance, and its difficult detection. This article reviews and discusses the blood doping substances and methods used for in sports, the adverse effects related to this practice, and current strategies for its detection.

Detecting failed elements on phased array ultrasound transducers using the Edinburgh Pipe Phantom

Science.gov (United States)

Inglis, Scott; Pye, Stephen D

2016-01-01

Aims Imaging faults with ultrasound transducers are common. Failed elements on linear and curvilinear array transducers can usually be detected with a simple image uniformity or ‘paperclip’ test. However, this method is less effective for phased array transducers, commonly used in cardiac imaging. The aim of this study was to assess whether the presence of failed elements could be detected through measurement of the resolution integral (R) using the Edinburgh Pipe Phantom. Methods A 128-element paediatric phased array transducer was studied. Failed elements were simulated using layered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tape as an attenuator and measurements of resolution integral were carried out for several widths of attenuator. Results All widths of attenuator greater than 0.5 mm resulted in a significant reduction in resolution integral and low contrast penetration measurements compared to baseline (p tests to detect failed elements on phased array transducers. Particularly encouraging is the result for low contrast penetration as this is a quick and simple measurement to make and can be performed with many different test objects, thus enabling ‘in-the-field’ checks. PMID:27482276

Improved detection limits for phthalates by selective solid-phase micro-extraction

KAUST Repository

Zia, Asif I.; Afsarimanesh, Nasrin; Xie, Li; Nag, Anindya; Al-Bahadly, I. H.; Yu, P. L.; Kosel, Jü rgen

2016-01-01

Presented research reports on an improved method and enhanced limits of detection for phthalates; a hazardous additive used in the production of plastics by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) polymer in comparison to molecularly imprinted solid

Acoustic waves and the detectability of first-order phase transitions by eLISA

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, David J.

2017-05-01

In various extensions of the Standard Model it is possible that the electroweak phase transition was first order. This would have been a violent process, involving the formation of bubbles and associated shock waves. Not only would the collision of these bubbles and shock waves be a detectable source of gravitational waves, but persistent acoustic waves could enhance the signal and improve prospects of detection by eLISA. I summarise the results of a recent campaign to model such a phase transition based on large-scale hydrodynamical simulations, and its implications for the eLISA mission.

Automatic phase aberration compensation for digital holographic microscopy based on deep learning background detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thanh; Bui, Vy; Lam, Van; Raub, Christopher B; Chang, Lin-Ching; Nehmetallah, George

2017-06-26

We propose a fully automatic technique to obtain aberration free quantitative phase imaging in digital holographic microscopy (DHM) based on deep learning. The traditional DHM solves the phase aberration compensation problem by manually detecting the background for quantitative measurement. This would be a drawback in real time implementation and for dynamic processes such as cell migration phenomena. A recent automatic aberration compensation approach using principle component analysis (PCA) in DHM avoids human intervention regardless of the cells' motion. However, it corrects spherical/elliptical aberration only and disregards the higher order aberrations. Traditional image segmentation techniques can be employed to spatially detect cell locations. Ideally, automatic image segmentation techniques make real time measurement possible. However, existing automatic unsupervised segmentation techniques have poor performance when applied to DHM phase images because of aberrations and speckle noise. In this paper, we propose a novel method that combines a supervised deep learning technique with convolutional neural network (CNN) and Zernike polynomial fitting (ZPF). The deep learning CNN is implemented to perform automatic background region detection that allows for ZPF to compute the self-conjugated phase to compensate for most aberrations.

Detecting Output Pressure Change of Positive-Displacement Pump by Phase Trajectory Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Stojek

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The monitoring of hydraulic system condition change during its exploitation ran its complex problem. The main task is to identifyearly phase damage of hydraulic system elements (pumps, valves, ect. in order to take decision which can avoid hydraulic system breakdown. This paper presents the possibility of phase trajectories use in detecting output pressure change of hydraulic system causedby positive-displacement pump wear.

FPGA based phase detection technique for electron density measurement in SST-1 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pramila; Mandaliya, Hitesh; Rajpal, Rachana; Kaur, Rajwinder

2016-01-01

A multi-channel signal-conditioning and phase-detection concept is implemented in the prototype design using the high-precision OPAMP, high-speed comparators, high Q filters, high-density FPGA (Field Programmable Gate array), 10 MHz parallel-multiplying DACs (Digital to Analog Converter), etc. The complete digital-logic for the phase-detection is implemented inside the logic cells of FPGA using VHDL code, with high speed 100 MHz clock generated from Digital Clock Manager (DCM), which is used to measure the time elapsed between zero crossings of the two signals coming from reference and probe paths of the diagnostics. The logic is implemented to measure either leading or lagging phase and also to accumulate the total phase difference throughout the shot duration with the maximum value of accumulated phase of 5760 (16 cycles × 360°) degree and a resolution of 3.6 °. A precision high speed and high bandwidth (80 MHz) operational amplifiers are used as the front end-electronics component for conditioning the high-frequency (1 MHz) and low amplitude signal (μV). The hardware detail, implementation concept in FPGA and testing results will be presented in the paper.

FPGA based phase detection technique for electron density measurement in SST-1 tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pramila, E-mail: pramila@ipr.res.in; Mandaliya, Hitesh; Rajpal, Rachana; Kaur, Rajwinder

2016-11-15

A multi-channel signal-conditioning and phase-detection concept is implemented in the prototype design using the high-precision OPAMP, high-speed comparators, high Q filters, high-density FPGA (Field Programmable Gate array), 10 MHz parallel-multiplying DACs (Digital to Analog Converter), etc. The complete digital-logic for the phase-detection is implemented inside the logic cells of FPGA using VHDL code, with high speed 100 MHz clock generated from Digital Clock Manager (DCM), which is used to measure the time elapsed between zero crossings of the two signals coming from reference and probe paths of the diagnostics. The logic is implemented to measure either leading or lagging phase and also to accumulate the total phase difference throughout the shot duration with the maximum value of accumulated phase of 5760 (16 cycles × 360°) degree and a resolution of 3.6 °. A precision high speed and high bandwidth (80 MHz) operational amplifiers are used as the front end-electronics component for conditioning the high-frequency (1 MHz) and low amplitude signal (μV). The hardware detail, implementation concept in FPGA and testing results will be presented in the paper.

An integrated strategy combining DNA walking and NGS to detect GMOs.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraiture, Marie-Alice; Herman, Philippe; Papazova, Nina; De Loose, Marc; Deforce, Dieter; Ruttink, Tom; Roosens, Nancy H

2017-10-01

Recently, we developed a DNA walking system for the detection and characterization of a broad spectrum of GMOs in routine analysis of food/feed matrices. Here, we present a new version with improved throughput and sensitivity by coupling the DNA walking system to Pacific Bioscience® Next-generation sequencing technology. The performance of the new strategy was thoroughly assessed through several assays. First, we tested its detection and identification capability on grains with high or low GMO content. Second, the potential impacts of food processing were investigated using rice noodle samples. Finally, GMO mixtures and a real-life sample were analyzed to illustrate the applicability of the proposed strategy in routine GMO analysis. In all tested samples, the presence of multiple GMOs was unambiguously proven by the characterization of transgene flanking regions and the combinations of elements that are typical for transgene constructs. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Real-time interferometer phase detection using an LSI-11 microcomputer and high-speed digital techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendell, D.S.

1978-01-01

This paper describes the basic design and philosophy of a real-time, interferometer phase-detection system used on the 2XIIB and TMX magnetic-fusion experiments at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. This diagnostics system is now a satellite to a host computer and uses high-speed, emitter-coupled logic techniques to derive data on real-time phase relationships. The system's input signals can be derived from interferometer outputs over a wide range of reference frequencies. An LSI-11 microcomputer is the interface between the high-speed phase-detection logic, buffer memory, human interaction, and host computer. Phase data on a storage CRT is immediately displayed after each experimental fusion shot. An operator can interrogate this phase data more closely from an interactive control panel, while the host computer is simultaneously examining the system's buffer memory or arming the system for the next shot

Nondestructive detection of an undesirable metallic phase, T.sub.1, during processing of aluminum-lithium alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, Otto; Bracci, David J.; Jiles, David C.; Brasche, Lisa J. H.; Shield, Jeffrey E.; Chumbley, Leonard S.

1990-08-07

A method is disclosed for detecting the T.sub.1 phase in aluminum-lithium alloys through simultaneous measurement of conductivity and hardness. In employing eddy current to measure conductivity, when the eddy current decreases with aging of the alloy, while the hardness of the material continues to increase, the presence of the T.sub.1 phase may be detected.

Two-phase strategy of neural control for planar reaching movements: I. XY coordination variability and its relation to end-point variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Miya K; Shimansky, Yury P

2013-03-01

A quantitative model of optimal transport-aperture coordination (TAC) during reach-to-grasp movements has been developed in our previous studies. The utilization of that model for data analysis allowed, for the first time, to examine the phase dependence of the precision demand specified by the CNS for neurocomputational information processing during an ongoing movement. It was shown that the CNS utilizes a two-phase strategy for movement control. That strategy consists of reducing the precision demand for neural computations during the initial phase, which decreases the cost of information processing at the expense of lower extent of control optimality. To successfully grasp the target object, the CNS increases precision demand during the final phase, resulting in higher extent of control optimality. In the present study, we generalized the model of optimal TAC to a model of optimal coordination between X and Y components of point-to-point planar movements (XYC). We investigated whether the CNS uses the two-phase control strategy for controlling those movements, and how the strategy parameters depend on the prescribed movement speed, movement amplitude and the size of the target area. The results indeed revealed a substantial similarity between the CNS's regulation of TAC and XYC. First, the variability of XYC within individual trials was minimal, meaning that execution noise during the movement was insignificant. Second, the inter-trial variability of XYC was considerable during the majority of the movement time, meaning that the precision demand for information processing was lowered, which is characteristic for the initial phase. That variability significantly decreased, indicating higher extent of control optimality, during the shorter final movement phase. The final phase was the longest (shortest) under the most (least) challenging combination of speed and accuracy requirements, fully consistent with the concept of the two-phase control strategy. This paper

Improved control strategy for the three-phase grid-connected inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yao, Zhilei; Xiao, Lan; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

An improved control strategy for the three-phase grid-connected inverter with space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) is proposed. When the grid current contains harmonics, the d- and q-axis grid currents will be interacted, and then the waveform quality of the grid current will be poorer....... As the reference output voltage cannot directly reflect the change of the reference grid current, the dynamic response of the grid-connected inverter is slow. In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the d- and q-axis grid currents in the decoupled components of the grid current controller can be substituted...... by the d- and q-axis reference grid currents, respectively. The operating principles of the traditional and proposed control methods are illustrated. Experimental results for a 15-kVA three-phase grid-connected inverter with SVPWM verify the theoretical analysis. Compared with the traditional control...

Magnetic detection of sigma phase in duplex stainless steel UNS S31803

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavares, S.S.M., E-mail: ssmtavares@terra.com.b [Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica, PGMEC, Rua Passo da Patria, 156, CEP 24210-240, Niteroi (Brazil); Pardal, J.M.; Guerreiro, J.L. [Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica, PGMEC, Rua Passo da Patria, 156, CEP 24210-240, Niteroi (Brazil); Gomes, A.M. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Fisica (Brazil); Silva, M.R. da [Universidade Federal de Itajuba, Instituto de Ciencias (Brazil)

2010-09-15

Duplex stainless steels are high strength and corrosion resistant steels extensively used in the chemical and petrochemical industry. The best mechanical properties and corrosion resistance are obtained with a microstructure composed by equal parts of ferrite and austenite and free from tertiary phases. Sigma phase is one of these deleterious tertiary phases. In the present work different amounts of sigma phase were precipitated by heat treatments in a UNS S31803 stainless steel. Some specimens were cold rolled before sigma phase precipitation in order to evaluate the effect of deformation on the magnetic measurements. The amount of sigma phase was precisely determined by microscopy and image analysis for each heat treatment condition. The effects of sigma phase on the steel properties were investigated, confirming the detrimental effects of very small percentages on corrosion resistance and toughness. Two magnetic methods were used to detect sigma phase: magnetization saturation measurements in a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer and ferritoscope testing. Both methods were found to be sensitive to small percentages of sigma phase in the microstructure.

Strategies for Testing Statistical and Practical Significance in Detecting DIF with Logistic Regression Models

Science.gov (United States)

Fidalgo, Angel M.; Alavi, Seyed Mohammad; Amirian, Seyed Mohammad Reza

2014-01-01

This study examines three controversial aspects in differential item functioning (DIF) detection by logistic regression (LR) models: first, the relative effectiveness of different analytical strategies for detecting DIF; second, the suitability of the Wald statistic for determining the statistical significance of the parameters of interest; and…

Assessment of a Smart Sensing Shoe for Gait Phase Detection in Level Walking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Carbonaro

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Gait analysis and more specifically ambulatory monitoring of temporal and spatial gait parameters may open relevant fields of applications in activity tracking, sports and also in the assessment and treatment of specific diseases. Wearable technology can boost this scenario by spreading the adoption of monitoring systems to a wide set of healthy users or patients. In this context, we assessed a recently developed commercial smart shoe—the FootMoov—for automatic gait phase detection in level walking. FootMoov has built-in force sensors and a triaxial accelerometer and is able to transmit the sensor data to the smartphone through a wireless connection. We developed a dedicated gait phase detection algorithm relying both on force and inertial information. We tested the smart shoe on ten healthy subjects in free level walking conditions and in a laboratory setting in comparison with an optical motion capture system. Results confirmed a reliable detection of the gait phases. The maximum error committed, on the order of 44.7 ms, is comparable with previous studies. Our results confirmed the possibility to exploit consumer wearable devices to extract relevant parameters to improve the subject health or to better manage his/her progressions.

Towards Improved Airborne Fire Detection Systems Using Beetle Inspired Infrared Detection and Fire Searching Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herbert Bousack

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Every year forest fires cause severe financial losses in many countries of the world. Additionally, lives of humans as well as of countless animals are often lost. Due to global warming, the problem of wildfires is getting out of control; hence, the burning of thousands of hectares is obviously increasing. Most important, therefore, is the early detection of an emerging fire before its intensity becomes too high. More than ever, a need for early warning systems capable of detecting small fires from distances as large as possible exists. A look to nature shows that pyrophilous “fire beetles” of the genus Melanophila can be regarded as natural airborne fire detection systems because their larvae can only develop in the wood of fire-killed trees. There is evidence that Melanophila beetles can detect large fires from distances of more than 100 km by visual and infrared cues. In a biomimetic approach, a concept has been developed to use the surveying strategy of the “fire beetles” for the reliable detection of a smoke plume of a fire from large distances by means of a basal infrared emission zone. Future infrared sensors necessary for this ability are also inspired by the natural infrared receptors of Melanophila beetles.

Phase transitions in community detection: A solvable toy model

Science.gov (United States)

Ver Steeg, Greg; Moore, Cristopher; Galstyan, Aram; Allahverdyan, Armen

2014-05-01

Recently, it was shown that there is a phase transition in the community detection problem. This transition was first computed using the cavity method, and has been proved rigorously in the case of q = 2 groups. However, analytic calculations using the cavity method are challenging since they require us to understand probability distributions of messages. We study analogous transitions in the so-called “zero-temperature inference” model, where this distribution is supported only on the most likely messages. Furthermore, whenever several messages are equally likely, we break the tie by choosing among them with equal probability, corresponding to an infinitesimal random external field. While the resulting analysis overestimates the thresholds, it reproduces some of the qualitative features of the system. It predicts a first-order detectability transition whenever q > 2 (as opposed to q > 4 according to the finite-temperature cavity method). It also has a regime analogous to the “hard but detectable” phase, where the community structure can be recovered, but only when the initial messages are sufficiently accurate. Finally, we study a semisupervised setting where we are given the correct labels for a fraction ρ of the nodes. For q > 2, we find a regime where the accuracy jumps discontinuously at a critical value of ρ.

Ideal-observer detectability in photon-counting differential phase-contrast imaging using a linear-systems approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredenberg, Erik; Danielsson, Mats; Stayman, J. Webster; Siewerdsen, Jeffrey H.; Aslund, Magnus [Research and Development, Philips Women' s Healthcare, Smidesvaegen 5, SE-171 41 Solna, Sweden and Department of Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205 (United States); Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205 (United States); Research and Development, Philips Women' s Healthcare, Smidesvaegen 5, SE-171 41 Solna (Sweden)

2012-09-15

Purpose: To provide a cascaded-systems framework based on the noise-power spectrum (NPS), modulation transfer function (MTF), and noise-equivalent number of quanta (NEQ) for quantitative evaluation of differential phase-contrast imaging (Talbot interferometry) in relation to conventional absorption contrast under equal-dose, equal-geometry, and, to some extent, equal-photon-economy constraints. The focus is a geometry for photon-counting mammography. Methods: Phase-contrast imaging is a promising technology that may emerge as an alternative or adjunct to conventional absorption contrast. In particular, phase contrast may increase the signal-difference-to-noise ratio compared to absorption contrast because the difference in phase shift between soft-tissue structures is often substantially larger than the absorption difference. We have developed a comprehensive cascaded-systems framework to investigate Talbot interferometry, which is a technique for differential phase-contrast imaging. Analytical expressions for the MTF and NPS were derived to calculate the NEQ and a task-specific ideal-observer detectability index under assumptions of linearity and shift invariance. Talbot interferometry was compared to absorption contrast at equal dose, and using either a plane wave or a spherical wave in a conceivable mammography geometry. The impact of source size and spectrum bandwidth was included in the framework, and the trade-off with photon economy was investigated in some detail. Wave-propagation simulations were used to verify the analytical expressions and to generate example images. Results: Talbot interferometry inherently detects the differential of the phase, which led to a maximum in NEQ at high spatial frequencies, whereas the absorption-contrast NEQ decreased monotonically with frequency. Further, phase contrast detects differences in density rather than atomic number, and the optimal imaging energy was found to be a factor of 1.7 higher than for absorption

Ideal-observer detectability in photon-counting differential phase-contrast imaging using a linear-systems approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredenberg, Erik; Danielsson, Mats; Stayman, J. Webster; Siewerdsen, Jeffrey H.; Åslund, Magnus

2012-01-01

Purpose: To provide a cascaded-systems framework based on the noise-power spectrum (NPS), modulation transfer function (MTF), and noise-equivalent number of quanta (NEQ) for quantitative evaluation of differential phase-contrast imaging (Talbot interferometry) in relation to conventional absorption contrast under equal-dose, equal-geometry, and, to some extent, equal-photon-economy constraints. The focus is a geometry for photon-counting mammography. Methods: Phase-contrast imaging is a promising technology that may emerge as an alternative or adjunct to conventional absorption contrast. In particular, phase contrast may increase the signal-difference-to-noise ratio compared to absorption contrast because the difference in phase shift between soft-tissue structures is often substantially larger than the absorption difference. We have developed a comprehensive cascaded-systems framework to investigate Talbot interferometry, which is a technique for differential phase-contrast imaging. Analytical expressions for the MTF and NPS were derived to calculate the NEQ and a task-specific ideal-observer detectability index under assumptions of linearity and shift invariance. Talbot interferometry was compared to absorption contrast at equal dose, and using either a plane wave or a spherical wave in a conceivable mammography geometry. The impact of source size and spectrum bandwidth was included in the framework, and the trade-off with photon economy was investigated in some detail. Wave-propagation simulations were used to verify the analytical expressions and to generate example images. Results: Talbot interferometry inherently detects the differential of the phase, which led to a maximum in NEQ at high spatial frequencies, whereas the absorption-contrast NEQ decreased monotonically with frequency. Further, phase contrast detects differences in density rather than atomic number, and the optimal imaging energy was found to be a factor of 1.7 higher than for absorption

Toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction-dependent fluorescent strategy for sensitive detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yushu; Wang, Lei; Jiang, Wei

2017-03-15

Sensitive detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) activity is beneficial for evaluating the repairing process of DNA lesions. Here, toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction (TSDR)-dependent fluorescent strategy was constructed for sensitive detection of UDG activity. A single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probe with two uracil bases and a trigger sequence were designed. A hairpin probe with toehold domain was designed, and a reporter probe was also designed. Under the action of UDG, two uracil bases were removed from ssDNA probe, generating apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites. Then, the AP sites could inhibit the TSDR between ssDNA probe and hairpin probe, leaving the trigger sequence in ssDNA probe still free. Subsequently, the trigger sequence was annealed with the reporter probe, initiating the polymerization and nicking amplification reaction. As a result, numerous G-quadruplex (G4) structures were formed, which could bind with N-methyl-mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) to generate enhanced fluorescent signal. In the absence of UDG, the ssDNA probe could hybridize with the toehold domain of the hairpin probe to initiate TSDR, blocking the trigger sequence, and then the subsequent amplification reaction would not occur. The proposed strategy was successfully implemented for detecting UDG activity with a detection limit of 2.7×10 -5 U/mL. Moreover, the strategy could distinguish UDG well from other interference enzymes. Furthermore, the strategy was also applied for detecting UDG activity in HeLa cells lysate with low effect of cellular components. These results indicated that the proposed strategy offered a promising tool for sensitive quantification of UDG activity in UDG-related function study and disease prognosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aggressive active case detection: a malaria control strategy based on the Brazilian model.

Science.gov (United States)

Macauley, Cameron

2005-02-01

Since 1996, the Brazilian Ministry of Health has adopted a malaria control strategy known as aggressive active case detection (AACD) in which most or all members of every community are tested and treated for malaria on a monthly basis. The strategy attempts to identify and treat cases of asymptomatic malaria, which, if untreated, continue to transmit the infection. Malaria remains uncontrolled because almost all health care systems in the world rely on passive case detection: the treatment of only symptomatic cases of malaria. Research has shown conclusively that asymptomatic cases exist in any population where malaria transmission is stable and incidence is high: therefore passive case detection simply will not succeed in breaking the cycle of transmission. Numerous case studies show that malaria has been successfully controlled on a regional or national level by mass blood surveys. AACD is an effective malaria control strategy if used in conjunction with other methods, especially when (1) an effective treatment exists, (2) influx of potential carriers of the infection can be monitored, and (3) people are inclined to cooperate with monthly blood testing. AACD requires access to rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), microscopy supplies, extensive human resources, and prompt, affordable, and effective treatment. AACD is compared to PCD in terms of clinical efficacy and cost effectiveness in a case study of malaria in the Brazilian Yanomami Indians. Where it is feasible, AACD could drastically reduce the incidence of malaria and should be an integral part of the World Health Organization's Roll Back Malaria strategy.

Online slug detection in multi-phase transportation pipelines using electrical tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Simon; Mai, Christian; Hansen, Leif

2015-01-01

in the pipelines is a highly investigated topic. To eliminate the slug in an online manner real-time slug detection methods are often required. Traditionally topside pressure transmitters upstream a 3-phase separator have been used as the controlled variable. In this paper Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT...

Online Slug Detection in Multi-phase Transportation Pipelines Using Electrical Tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Simon; Mai, Christian; Hansen, Leif

2015-01-01

in the pipelines is a highly investigated topic. To eliminate the slug in an online manner real-time slug detection methods are often required. Traditionally topside pressure transmitters upstream a 3-phase separator have been used as the controlled variable. In this paper Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT...

Applying Information Retrieval Techniques to Detect Duplicates and to Rank References in the Preliminary Phases of Systematic Literature Reviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramon Abilio

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Systematic Literature Review (SLR is a means to synthesize relevant and high quality studies related to a specific topic or research questions. In the Primary Selection stage of an SLR, the selection of studies is usually performed manually by reading title, abstract and keywords of each study. In the last years, the number of published scientific studies has grown increasing the effort to perform this sort of reviews. In this paper, we proposed strategies to detect non-papers and duplicated references in results exported by search engines, and strategies to rank the references in decreasing order of importance for an SLR, regarding the terms in the search string. These strategies are based on Information Retrieval techniques. We implemented the strategies and carried out an experimental evaluation of their applicability using two real datasets. As results, the strategy to detect non-papers presented 100% of precision and 50% of recall; the strategy to detect duplicates detected more duplicates than the manual inspection; and one of the strategies to rank relevant references presented 50% of precision and 80% of recall. Therefore, the results show that the proposed strategies can minimize the effort in the Primary Selection stage of an SLR.

Label free luminescence strategy for sensitive detection of ATP using aptamer-Ru(II) complexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Babu, Eththilu [Department of Physical Che mistry, School of Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, Tamil Nadu (India); Muthu Mareeswaran, Paulpandian [Department of Physical Che mistry, School of Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, Tamil Nadu (India); Department of Industrial Chemistry, Alagappa Univesity, Karaikudi 630003, Tamil Nadu (India); Ramdass, Arumugam [Department of Physical Che mistry, School of Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, Tamil Nadu (India); Research Department of Chemistry, Aditanar College of Arts and Science, Tiruchendur 628216, Tamil Nadu (India); Ramesh, Pandian [UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Departmento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Rajagopal, Seenivasan, E-mail: rajagopalseenivasan@yahoo.com [Department of Physical Che mistry, School of Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, Tamil Nadu (India)

2016-07-15

A simple and sensitive aptamer-based luminescence strategy for ATP detection is developed using Ru(II) complexes as probe molecule. It is based on the fact that Ru(II)-dppz complexes show the light switching behavior with DNA aptamers and found to show significant luminescence spectral change on the addition of ATP molecules. The binding efficiencies of aptamer with ATP, ADP and AMP are calculated and compared. The structural change of aptamer is also studied using circular dichroism (CD) spectral techniques. Moreover, the binding nature of aptamer with ATP, ADP and AMP is demonstrated by computational techniques. The proposed strategy was successfully applied to the detection of ATP.

Label free luminescence strategy for sensitive detection of ATP using aptamer-Ru(II) complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babu, Eththilu; Muthu Mareeswaran, Paulpandian; Ramdass, Arumugam; Ramesh, Pandian; Rajagopal, Seenivasan

2016-01-01

A simple and sensitive aptamer-based luminescence strategy for ATP detection is developed using Ru(II) complexes as probe molecule. It is based on the fact that Ru(II)-dppz complexes show the light switching behavior with DNA aptamers and found to show significant luminescence spectral change on the addition of ATP molecules. The binding efficiencies of aptamer with ATP, ADP and AMP are calculated and compared. The structural change of aptamer is also studied using circular dichroism (CD) spectral techniques. Moreover, the binding nature of aptamer with ATP, ADP and AMP is demonstrated by computational techniques. The proposed strategy was successfully applied to the detection of ATP.

New solid phase radioimmunoassay (CLB-RIA) for the detection of hepatitis-B antigen and antibody

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duimel, W J [Centraal Laboratorium van de Bloedtransfusiedienst, Amsterdam; Brummelhuis, H G.J.

1975-07-01

A new competitive solid phase radioimmunoassay (CLB-RIA) has been developed for the detection of HBAg and HBAb in human serum and plasma. In the assay, sheep antibodies to HBAg, covalently linked to an insoluble carrier, highly purified /sup 125/I labelled HBAg and the serum or plasma sample are incubated for 20 h at room temperature. After incubation, the bound and the free fraction of the tracer are separated by centrifugation. The presence of both HBAg and HBAb results in a decrease of the amount of bound tracer, when compared with a negative control serum. Differentiation between HBAg and HBAb requires the use of another type of radioimmunoassay. For this purpose a sandwich solid phase radioimmunoassay, for the detection of HBAb only, has been developed (CLB-AURIA). In this, assay-purified HBAg is covalently linked to an insoluble carrier. Using a mixture of both immunosorbents (insolubilized HBAg and HBAb), it is possible to detect and to distinguish HBAg and HBAb in one single solid phase radioimmunoassay (CLB-MIRIA). The influence of three parameters on the CLB-RIA, the incubation time, the amount of tracer and the effect of Tween-20 has been studied. The sensitivity of the described solid phase CLB-RIA for the detection of HBAg is comparable to that of other radioimmunoassays reported in literature; its specificity is very high.

Speed-sensorless control strategy for multi-phase induction generator in wind energy conversion systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumnić Boris P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy sources, especially wind energy conversion systems (WECS, exhibit constant growth. Increase in power and installed capacity led to advances in WECS topologies. Multi-phase approach presents a new development direction, with several key advantages over three-phase systems. Paired with a sensorless control strategy, multi-phase machines are expected to take primacy over standard solutions. This paper presents speed sensorless vector control of an asymmetrical six-phase induction generator based on a model reference adaptive system (MRAS. Suggested topology and developed control algorithm show that sensorless control can yield appropriate dynamic characteristics for the use in WECS with increase in reliability and robustness. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 042004: Smart Electricity Distribution Grids Based on Distribution Management System and Distributed Generation

Direct detection of metal-insulator phase transitions using the modified Backus-Gilbert method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulybyshev Maksim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The detection of the (semimetal-insulator phase transition can be extremely difficult if the local order parameter which characterizes the ordered phase is unknown. In some cases, it is even impossible to define a local order parameter: the most prominent example of such system is the spin liquid state. This state was proposed to exist in the Hubbard model on the hexagonal lattice in a region between the semimetal phase and the antiferromagnetic insulator phase. The existence of this phase has been the subject of a long debate. In order to detect these exotic phases we must use alternative methods to those used for more familiar examples of spontaneous symmetry breaking. We have modified the Backus-Gilbert method of analytic continuation which was previously used in the calculation of the pion quasiparticle mass in lattice QCD. The modification of the method consists of the introduction of the Tikhonov regularization scheme which was used to treat the ill-conditioned kernel. This modified Backus-Gilbert method is applied to the Euclidean propagators in momentum space calculated using the hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm. In this way, it is possible to reconstruct the full dispersion relation and to estimate the mass gap, which is a direct signal of the transition to the insulating state. We demonstrate the utility of this method in our calculations for the Hubbard model on the hexagonal lattice. We also apply the method to the metal-insulator phase transition in the Hubbard-Coulomb model on the square lattice.

Object-Based Change Detection in Urban Areas: The Effects of Segmentation Strategy, Scale, and Feature Space on Unsupervised Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Ma

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Object-based change detection (OBCD has recently been receiving increasing attention as a result of rapid improvements in the resolution of remote sensing data. However, some OBCD issues relating to the segmentation of high-resolution images remain to be explored. For example, segmentation units derived using different segmentation strategies, segmentation scales, feature space, and change detection methods have rarely been assessed. In this study, we have tested four common unsupervised change detection methods using different segmentation strategies and a series of segmentation scale parameters on two WorldView-2 images of urban areas. We have also evaluated the effect of adding extra textural and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI information instead of using only spectral information. Our results indicated that change detection methods performed better at a medium scale than at a fine scale where close to the pixel size. Multivariate Alteration Detection (MAD always outperformed the other methods tested, at the same confidence level. The overall accuracy appeared to benefit from using a two-date segmentation strategy rather than single-date segmentation. Adding textural and NDVI information appeared to reduce detection accuracy, but the magnitude of this reduction was not consistent across the different unsupervised methods and segmentation strategies. We conclude that a two-date segmentation strategy is useful for change detection in high-resolution imagery, but that the optimization of thresholds is critical for unsupervised change detection methods. Advanced methods need be explored that can take advantage of additional textural or other parameters.

Machine-Learning Inspired Seismic Phase Detection for Aftershocks of the 2008 MW7.9 Wenchuan Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, L.; Li, Z.; Li, C.; Wang, B.; Chen, Z.; McClellan, J. H.; Peng, Z.

2017-12-01

Spatial-temporal evolution of aftershocks is important for illumination of earthquake physics and for rapid response of devastative earthquakes. To improve aftershock catalogs of the 2008 MW7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China, Alibaba cloud and China Earthquake Administration jointly launched a seismological contest in May 2017 [Fang et al., 2017]. This abstract describes how we handle this problem in this competition. We first used Short-Term Average/Long-Term Average (STA/LTA) and Kurtosis function to obtain over 55000 candidate phase picks (P or S). Based on Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), about 40000 phases (P or S) are selected. So far, these 40000 phases have a hit rate of 40% among the manually picks. The causes include that 1) there exist false picks (neither P nor S); 2) some P and S arrivals are mis-labeled. To improve our results, we correlate the 40000 phases over continuous waveforms to obtain the phases missed by during the first pass. This results in 120,000 events. After constructing an affinity matrix based on the cross-correlation for newly detected phases, subspace clustering methods [Vidal 2011] are applied to group those phases into separated subspaces. Initial results show good agreement between empirical and clustered labels of P phases. Half of the empirical S phases are clustered into the P phase cluster. This may be a combined effect of 1) mislabeling isolated P phases to S phases and 2) clustering errors due to a small incomplete sample pool. Phases that were falsely detected in the initial results can be also teased out. To better characterize P and S phases, our next step is to apply subspace clustering methods directly to the waveforms, instead of using the cross-correlation coefficients of detected phases. After that, supervised learning, e.g., a convolutional neural network, can be employed to improve the pick accuracy. Updated results will be presented at the meeting.

A PWM strategy for acoustic noise reduction for grid-connected single-phase inverters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shao, R.; Guo, Z.; Chang, L. [New Brunswick Univ., Fredericton, NB (Canada). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

2006-07-01

This paper presented a newly proposed and improved pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy for grid-connected single-phase inverters. Small distributed generators using energy from renewable resources such as PV and wind systems typically use grid-connected single-phase inverters as voltage source inverters for good acoustic performance. PWM is generally applied in these inverters in order to achieve good waveforms of output current as required by interconnection standards. In routine simultaneous switching PWM methods, the current ripples through the inverter output filter inductor are at the carrier switching frequency, which is one of the major causes for inverter acoustic noise. The new PWM strategy effectively alleviates acoustic noise and improves output power quality. It is based on the principle of evenly splitting the switching of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) in each switching cycle among all IGBTs of the full bridge, thereby using a non-simultaneous mode of PWM which doubles the output current ripple frequency. This increases the inductor current ripple frequency to twice the carrier frequency. It is therefore possible to increase the current ripple frequency, or noise frequency into the range of ultrasonic which is inaudible to the human ear, without increasing the inverter's switching frequency to which the inverter's switching loss is proportional. In addition, this new PWM scheme can reduce the output current harmonics distortion and dc link current ripples. As such, lower capacitance in dc link capacitors and lower inductance of output inductor are needed. The improved PWM scheme was verified in a 3 kW grid-connected single-phase inverter. It was shown that the PWM strategy can be readily implemented with a digital signal processing microcontroller. 8 refs., 11 figs.

A new islanding detection technique for multiple mini hydro based on rate of change of reactive power and load connecting strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laghari, J.A.; Mokhlis, H.; Bakar, A.H.A.; Karimi, M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The requirement of DG interconnection with existing power system is discussed. • Various islanding detection techniques are discussed with their merits and demerits. • New islanding detection strategy is proposed for multiple mini hydro type DGs. • The proposed strategy is based on dq/dt and load connecting strategy. • The effectiveness of strategy is verified on various other cases. - Abstract: The interconnection of distributed generation (DG) into distribution networks is undergoing a rapid global expansion. It enhances the system’s reliability, while simultaneously reduces pollution problems related to the generation of electrical power. To fully utilize the benefits of DGs, certain technical issues need to be addressed. One of the most important issues in this context is islanding detection. This paper presents a new islanding detection technique that is suitable for multiple mini-hydro type DG units. The proposed strategy is based on the rate of change of reactive power and load connecting strategy to detect islanding within the system. For a large power mismatch, islanding is detected by rate of change of reactive power only. However, for a close power mismatch, the rate of change of reactive power initiates a load connecting strategy, which in turn alters the load on the distribution network. This load variation in the distribution network causes a variation in the rate of change of reactive power, which is utilized to distinguish islanding and other events. The simulation results show that the proposed strategy is effective in detecting islanding occurrence in a distribution network

Detection of phase synchronization from the data: Application to physiology

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenblum, Michael G.; Pikovsky, Arkady S.; Schäfer, Carsten; Tass, Peter; Kurths, Jürgen

2000-02-01

Synchronization of coupled oscillating systems means appearance of certain relations between their phases and frequencies. Here we use this concept in order to address the inverse problem and to reveal interaction between systems from experimental data. We discuss how the phases and frequencies can be estimated from time series and present the techniques for detection and quantification of synchronization. We apply our approach to multichannel magnetoencephalography data and records of muscle activity of a Parkinsonian patient, and also use it to analyze the cardiorespiratory interaction in humans. By means of these examples we demonstrate that our method is effective for the analysis of systems interrelation from noisy nonstationary bivariate data and provides other information than traditional correlation (spectral) techniques.

Multiple strategies to improve sensitivity, speed and robustness of isothermal nucleic acid amplification for rapid pathogen detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemieux Bertrand

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past decades the rapid growth of molecular diagnostics (based on either traditional PCR or isothermal amplification technologies meet the demand for fast and accurate testing. Although isothermal amplification technologies have the advantages of low cost requirements for instruments, the further improvement on sensitivity, speed and robustness is a prerequisite for the applications in rapid pathogen detection, especially at point-of-care diagnostics. Here, we describe and explore several strategies to improve one of the isothermal technologies, helicase-dependent amplification (HDA. Results Multiple strategies were approached to improve the overall performance of the isothermal amplification: the restriction endonuclease-mediated DNA helicase homing, macromolecular crowding agents, and the optimization of reaction enzyme mix. The effect of combing all strategies was compared with that of the individual strategy. With all of above methods, we are able to detect 50 copies of Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA in just 20 minutes of amplification using a nearly instrument-free detection platform (BESt™ cassette. Conclusions The strategies addressed in this proof-of-concept study are independent of expensive equipments, and are not limited to particular primers, targets or detection format. However, they make a large difference in assay performance. Some of them can be adjusted and applied to other formats of nucleic acid amplification. Furthermore, the strategies to improve the in vitro assays by maximally simulating the nature conditions may be useful in the general field of developing molecular assays. A new fast molecular assay for Neisseria gonorrhoeae has also been developed which has great potential to be used at point-of-care diagnostics.

Detection of secondary phases in duplex stainless steel by magnetic force microscopy and scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramírez-Salgado, J. [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Dirección de Investigación y Posgrado, Eje Central Norte Lázaro Cárdenas, No. 152, 07730 D.F., México (Mexico); Domínguez-Aguilar, M.A., E-mail: madoming@imp.mx [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Dirección de Investigación y Posgrado, Eje Central Norte Lázaro Cárdenas, No. 152, 07730 D.F., México (Mexico); Castro-Domínguez, B. [University of Tokyo, Department of Chemical System Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Bldg. 5, 7F 722, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113–8656 (Japan); Hernández-Hernández, P. [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Dirección de Investigación y Posgrado, Eje Central Norte Lázaro Cárdenas, No. 152, 07730 D.F., México (Mexico); Newman, R.C. [University of Toronto, Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, 200 College Street, Toronto M5S 3E5 (Canada)

2013-12-15

The secondary phase transformations in a commercial super duplex stainless steel were investigated by micro-chemical analyses and high resolution scanning probe microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray and electron probe detected ferrite and austenite as well as secondary phases in unetched aged duplex stainless steel type 25Cr-7Ni-3Mo. Volta potential indicated that nitride and sigma appeared more active than ferrite, while secondary austenite and austenite presented a nobler potential. Reversal order in nobility is thought to be attributable to the potential ranking provided by oxide nature diversity as a result of secondary phase surface compositions on steel. After eutectoid transformation, secondary austenite was detected by electron probe microanalysis, whereas atomic force microscopy distinguished this phase from former austenite by image contrast. Magnetic force microscopy revealed a “ghosted” effect on the latter microstructure probably derived from metal memory reminiscence of mechanical polishing at passivity and long range magnetic forces of ferrite phase. - Highlights: • Nobility detection of secondary phases by SKPFM in DSS particles is not a straightforward procedure. • As Volta potential and contrast are not always consistent SKPFM surface oxides is thought played an important role in detection. • AFM distinguished secondary austenite from former austenite by image contrast though SEM required EPMA.

Parallel solid-phase isothermal amplification and detection of multiple DNA targets in microliter-sized wells of a digital versatile disc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santiago-Felipe, Sara; Tortajada-Genaro, Luis Antonio; Puchades, Rosa; Maquieira, Ángel

2016-01-01

An integrated method for the parallelized detection of multiple DNA target sequences is presented by using microstructures in a digital versatile disc (DVD). Samples and reagents were managed by using both the capillary and centrifugal forces induced by disc rotation. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), in a bridge solid phase format, took place in separate wells, which thereby modified their optical properties. Then the DVD drive reader recorded the modifications of the transmitted laser beam. The strategy allowed tens of genetic determinations to be made simultaneously within <2 h, with small sample volumes (3 μL), low manipulation and at low cost. The method was applied to high-throughput screening of relevant safety threats (allergens, GMOs and pathogenic bacteria) in food samples. Satisfactory results were obtained in terms of sensitivity (48.7 fg of DNA) and reproducibility (below 18 %). This scheme warrants cost-effective multiplex amplification and detection and is perceived to represent a viable tool for screening of nucleic acid targets. (author)

Automated Manufacture of Damage Detecting, Self-Healing Composite Cryogenic Pressure Vessels, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — After successfully demonstrating the basic functionality of a damage-detecting, self-healing 'smart' material system in Phase I, Aurora and UMass Lowell aim to...

Hepcidin as a new biomarker for detecting autologous blood transfusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Leuenberger, Nicolas; Barras, Laura; Nicoli, Raul; Robinson, Neil; Baume, Norbert; Lion, Niels; Barelli, Stefano; Tissot, Jean-Daniel; Saugy, Martial

2016-05-01

Autologous blood transfusion (ABT) is an efficient way to increase sport performance. It is also the most challenging doping method to detect. At present, individual follow-up of haematological variables via the athlete biological passport (ABP) is used to detect it. Quantification of a novel hepatic peptide called hepcidin may be a new alternative to detect ABT. In this prospective clinical trial, healthy subjects received a saline injection for the control phase, after which they donated blood that was stored and then transfused 36 days later. The impact of ABT on hepcidin as well as haematological parameters, iron metabolism, and inflammation markers was investigated. Blood transfusion had a particularly marked effect on hepcidin concentrations compared to the other biomarkers, which included haematological variables. Hepcidin concentrations increased significantly: 12 hr and 1 day after blood reinfusion, these concentrations rose by seven- and fourfold, respectively. No significant change was observed in the control phase. Hepcidin quantification is a cost-effective strategy that could be used in an "ironomics" strategy to improve the detection of ABT. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental demonstration of continuous variable cloning with phase-conjugate inputs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sabuncu, Metin; Andersen, Ulrik Lund; Leuchs, G.

2007-01-01

We report the first experimental demonstration of continuous variable cloning of phase-conjugate coherent states as proposed by Cerf and Iblisdir [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 247903 (2001)]. In contrast to this proposal, the cloning transformation is accomplished using only linear optical components......, homodyne detection, and feedforward. As a result of combining phase conjugation with a joint measurement strategy, superior cloning is demonstrated with cloning fidelities reaching 89%....

JRC GMO-Matrix: a web application to support Genetically Modified Organisms detection strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Angers-Loustau, Alexandre; Petrillo, Mauro; Bonfini, Laura; Gatto, Francesco; Rosa, Sabrina; Patak, Alexandre; Kreysa, Joachim

2014-12-30

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the current state of the art technique for DNA-based detection of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). A typical control strategy starts by analyzing a sample for the presence of target sequences (GM-elements) known to be present in many GMOs. Positive findings from this "screening" are then confirmed with GM (event) specific test methods. A reliable knowledge of which GMOs are detected by combinations of GM-detection methods is thus crucial to minimize the verification efforts. In this article, we describe a novel platform that links the information of two unique databases built and maintained by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Genetically Modified Food and Feed (EU-RL GMFF) at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, one containing the sequence information of known GM-events and the other validated PCR-based detection and identification methods. The new platform compiles in silico determinations of the detection of a wide range of GMOs by the available detection methods using existing scripts that simulate PCR amplification and, when present, probe binding. The correctness of the information has been verified by comparing the in silico conclusions to experimental results for a subset of forty-nine GM events and six methods. The JRC GMO-Matrix is unique for its reliance on DNA sequence data and its flexibility in integrating novel GMOs and new detection methods. Users can mine the database using a set of web interfaces that thus provide a valuable support to GMO control laboratories in planning and evaluating their GMO screening strategies. The platform is accessible at http://gmo-crl.jrc.ec.europa.eu/jrcgmomatrix/ .

Osteoarthritis: detection, pathophysiology, and current/future treatment strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Sovani, Sujata; Grogan, Shawn P

2013-01-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of the joint, and age is the major risk factor for its development. Clinical manifestation of OA includes joint pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility. Currently, no pharmacological treatments are available to treat this specific joint disease; only symptom-modifying drugs are available. Improvement in imaging technology, identification of biomarkers, and increased understanding of the molecular basis of OA will aid in detecting the early stages of disease. Yet the development of interventional strategies remains elusive and will be critical for effective prevention of OA-associated joint destruction. The potential of cell-based therapies may be applicable in improving joint function in mild to more advanced cases of OA. Ongoing studies to understand the basis of this disease will eventually lead to prevention and treatment strategies and will also be a key in reducing the social and economic burden of this disease. Nurses are advised to provide an integrative approach of disease assessment and management in OA patients' care with a focus on education and implementation. Knowledge and understanding of OA and how this affects the individual patient form the basis for such an integrative approach to all-round patient care and disease management.

Segmentation of the Clustered Cells with Optimized Boundary Detection in Negative Phase Contrast Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuliang; Zhang, Zaicheng; Wang, Huimin; Bi, Shusheng

2015-01-01

Cell image segmentation plays a central role in numerous biology studies and clinical applications. As a result, the development of cell image segmentation algorithms with high robustness and accuracy is attracting more and more attention. In this study, an automated cell image segmentation algorithm is developed to get improved cell image segmentation with respect to cell boundary detection and segmentation of the clustered cells for all cells in the field of view in negative phase contrast images. A new method which combines the thresholding method and edge based active contour method was proposed to optimize cell boundary detection. In order to segment clustered cells, the geographic peaks of cell light intensity were utilized to detect numbers and locations of the clustered cells. In this paper, the working principles of the algorithms are described. The influence of parameters in cell boundary detection and the selection of the threshold value on the final segmentation results are investigated. At last, the proposed algorithm is applied to the negative phase contrast images from different experiments. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated. Results show that the proposed method can achieve optimized cell boundary detection and highly accurate segmentation for clustered cells.

Two-phase strategy of neural control for planar reaching movements: II--relation to spatiotemporal characteristics of movement trajectory.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Miya K; Shimansky, Yury P

2013-09-01

In the companion paper utilizing a quantitative model of optimal motor coordination (Part I, Rand and Shimansky, in Exp Brain Res 225:55-73, 2013), we examined coordination between X and Y movement directions (XYC) during reaching movements performed under three prescribed speeds, two movement amplitudes, and two target sizes. The obtained results indicated that the central nervous system (CNS) utilizes a two-phase strategy, where the initial and the final phases correspond to lower and higher precision of information processing, respectively, for controlling goal-directed reach-type movements to optimize the total cost of task performance including the cost of neural computations. The present study investigates how two different well-known concepts used for describing movement performance relate to the concepts of optimal XYC and two-phase control strategy. First, it is examined to what extent XYC is equivalent to movement trajectory straightness. The data analysis results show that the variability, the movement trajectory's deviation from the straight line, increases with an increase in prescribed movement speed. In contrast, the dependence of XYC strength on movement speed is opposite (in total agreement with an assumption of task performance optimality), suggesting that XYC is a feature of much higher level of generality than trajectory straightness. Second, it is tested how well the ballistic and the corrective components described in the traditional concept of two-component model of movement performance match with the initial and the final phase of the two-phase control strategy, respectively. In fast reaching movements, the percentage of trials with secondary corrective submovement was smaller under larger-target shorter-distance conditions. In slower reaching movements, meaningful parsing was impossible due to massive fluctuations in the kinematic profile throughout the movement. Thus, the parsing points determined by the conventional submovement analysis

An autonomous surface discontinuity detection and quantification method by digital image correlation and phase congruency

Science.gov (United States)

Cinar, A. F.; Barhli, S. M.; Hollis, D.; Flansbjer, M.; Tomlinson, R. A.; Marrow, T. J.; Mostafavi, M.

2017-09-01

Digital image correlation has been routinely used to measure full-field displacements in many areas of solid mechanics, including fracture mechanics. Accurate segmentation of the crack path is needed to study its interaction with the microstructure and stress fields, and studies of crack behaviour, such as the effect of closure or residual stress in fatigue, require data on its opening displacement. Such information can be obtained from any digital image correlation analysis of cracked components, but it collection by manual methods is quite onerous, particularly for massive amounts of data. We introduce the novel application of Phase Congruency to detect and quantify cracks and their opening. Unlike other crack detection techniques, Phase Congruency does not rely on adjustable threshold values that require user interaction, and so allows large datasets to be treated autonomously. The accuracy of the Phase Congruency based algorithm in detecting cracks is evaluated and compared with conventional methods such as Heaviside function fitting. As Phase Congruency is a displacement-based method, it does not suffer from the noise intensification to which gradient-based methods (e.g. strain thresholding) are susceptible. Its application is demonstrated to experimental data for cracks in quasi-brittle (Granitic rock) and ductile (Aluminium alloy) materials.

USE OF-EPR-DL FIELD TEST EQUIPMENT FOR DETECTION OF SIGMA PHASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abraão Danilo Gomes Barreto

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This work has objective to correlate the intergranular corrosion susceptibility test named EPR-DL (Electrochemical Potentiokinetic Reactivation of Double Loop with the sigma phase formation and other phases. It has been used samples from a UNS S32760 steel pipe for conducting various aging heat treatments. Held isothermal heat treatment at 850°C for 1 min, 10 min, 30 min, 1 h, 1h30min and 10 h. Each heat treated sample and as received were tested using the electrochemical polarization reactivation of double loop technique (EPR-DL. It was possible the detection of deleterious phases with DL-EPR portable cell. The EPR-DL test of some samples showed a second peak of reactivation in which the results showed that this peak might be associated with ferrite or be related to the presence of chi phase

Delayed-Phase Cone-Beam CT Improves Detectability of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma During Conventional Transarterial Chemoembolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schernthaner, Ruediger Egbert; Lin, MingDe; Duran, Rafael; Chapiro, Julius; Wang, Zhijun; Geschwind, Jean-François

2015-01-01

PurposeTo evaluate the detectability of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) on dual-phase cone-beam CT (DPCBCT) during conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) compared to that of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) with respect to pre-procedure contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) of the liver.MethodsThis retrospective study included 17 consecutive patients (10 male, mean age 64) with ICC who underwent pre-procedure CE-MRI of the liver, and DSA and DPCBCT (early-arterial phase (EAP) and delayed-arterial phase (DAP)) just before cTACE. The visibility of each ICC lesion was graded by two radiologists on a three-rank scale (complete, partial, and none) on DPCBCT and DSA images, and then compared to pre-procedure CE-MRI.ResultsOf 61 ICC lesions, only 45.9 % were depicted by DSA, whereas EAP- and DAP-CBCT yielded a significantly higher detectability rate of 73.8 % and 93.4 %, respectively (p < 0.01). Out of the 33 lesions missed on DSA, 18 (54.5 %) and 30 (90.9 %) were revealed on EAP- and DAP-CBCT images, respectively. DSA depicted only one lesion that was missed by DPCBCT due to streak artifacts caused by a prosthetic mitral valve. DAP-CBCT identified significantly more lesions than EAP-CBCT (p < 0.01). Conversely, EAP-CBCT did not detect lesions missed by DAP-CBCT. For complete lesion visibility, DAP-CBCT yielded significantly higher detectability (78.7 %) compared to EAP (31.1 %) and DSA (21.3 %) (p < 0.01).ConclusionDPCBCT, and especially the DAP-CBCT, significantly improved the detectability of ICC lesions during cTACE compared to DSA. We recommend the routine use of DAP-CBCT in patients with ICC for per-procedure detectability and treatment planning in the setting of TACE

Delayed-Phase Cone-Beam CT Improves Detectability of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma During Conventional Transarterial Chemoembolization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schernthaner, Ruediger Egbert [The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (United States); Lin, MingDe [Philips Research North America, Ultrasound and Interventions (United States); Duran, Rafael; Chapiro, Julius; Wang, Zhijun; Geschwind, Jean-François, E-mail: jfg@jhmi.edu [The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (United States)

2015-08-15

PurposeTo evaluate the detectability of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) on dual-phase cone-beam CT (DPCBCT) during conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) compared to that of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) with respect to pre-procedure contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) of the liver.MethodsThis retrospective study included 17 consecutive patients (10 male, mean age 64) with ICC who underwent pre-procedure CE-MRI of the liver, and DSA and DPCBCT (early-arterial phase (EAP) and delayed-arterial phase (DAP)) just before cTACE. The visibility of each ICC lesion was graded by two radiologists on a three-rank scale (complete, partial, and none) on DPCBCT and DSA images, and then compared to pre-procedure CE-MRI.ResultsOf 61 ICC lesions, only 45.9 % were depicted by DSA, whereas EAP- and DAP-CBCT yielded a significantly higher detectability rate of 73.8 % and 93.4 %, respectively (p < 0.01). Out of the 33 lesions missed on DSA, 18 (54.5 %) and 30 (90.9 %) were revealed on EAP- and DAP-CBCT images, respectively. DSA depicted only one lesion that was missed by DPCBCT due to streak artifacts caused by a prosthetic mitral valve. DAP-CBCT identified significantly more lesions than EAP-CBCT (p < 0.01). Conversely, EAP-CBCT did not detect lesions missed by DAP-CBCT. For complete lesion visibility, DAP-CBCT yielded significantly higher detectability (78.7 %) compared to EAP (31.1 %) and DSA (21.3 %) (p < 0.01).ConclusionDPCBCT, and especially the DAP-CBCT, significantly improved the detectability of ICC lesions during cTACE compared to DSA. We recommend the routine use of DAP-CBCT in patients with ICC for per-procedure detectability and treatment planning in the setting of TACE.

Effect of parameters in moving average method for event detection enhancement using phase sensitive OTDR

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yong-Seok; Naeem, Khurram; Jeon, Min Yong; Kwon, Il-bum

2017-04-01

We analyze the relations of parameters in moving average method to enhance the event detectability of phase sensitive optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR). If the external events have unique frequency of vibration, then the control parameters of moving average method should be optimized in order to detect these events efficiently. A phase sensitive OTDR was implemented by a pulsed light source, which is composed of a laser diode, a semiconductor optical amplifier, an erbium-doped fiber amplifier, a fiber Bragg grating filter, and a light receiving part, which has a photo-detector and high speed data acquisition system. The moving average method is operated with the control parameters: total number of raw traces, M, number of averaged traces, N, and step size of moving, n. The raw traces are obtained by the phase sensitive OTDR with sound signals generated by a speaker. Using these trace data, the relation of the control parameters is analyzed. In the result, if the event signal has one frequency, then the optimal values of N, n are existed to detect the event efficiently.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in water: proposition of a strategy and evaluation in Champagne-Ardenne Region, France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D Aubert

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Water is a vehicle for disseminating human and veterinary toxoplasmosis due to oocyst contamination. Several outbreaks of toxoplasmosis throughout the world have been related to contaminated drinking water. We have developed a method for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in water and we propose a strategy for the detection of multiple waterborne parasites, including Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia. Water samples were filtered to recover Toxoplasma oocysts and, after the detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts by immunofluorescence, as recommended by French norm procedure NF T 90-455, the samples were purified on a sucrose density gradient. Detection of Toxoplasma was based on PCR amplification and mouse inoculation to determine the presence and infectivity of recovered oocysts. After experimental seeding assays, we determined that the PCR assay was more sensitive than the bioassay. This strategy was then applied to 482 environmental water samples collected since 2001. We detected Toxoplasma DNA in 37 environmental samples (7.7%, including public drinking water; however, none of them were positive by bioassay. This strategy efficiently detects Toxoplasma oocysts in water and may be suitable as a public health sentinel method. Alternative methods can be used in conjunction with this one to determine the infectivity of parasites that were detected by molecular methods.

Enhanced change detection performance reveals improved strategy use in avid action video game players.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Kait; Fleck, Mathias S; Mitroff, Stephen R

2011-01-01

Recent research has shown that avid action video game players (VGPs) outperform non-video game players (NVGPs) on a variety of attentional and perceptual tasks. However, it remains unknown exactly why and how such differences arise; while some prior research has demonstrated that VGPs' improvements stem from enhanced basic perceptual processes, other work indicates that they can stem from enhanced attentional control. The current experiment used a change-detection task to explore whether top-down strategies can contribute to VGPs' improved abilities. Participants viewed alternating presentations of an image and a modified version of the image and were tasked with detecting and localizing the changed element. Consistent with prior claims of enhanced perceptual abilities, VGPs were able to detect the changes while requiring less exposure to the change than NVGPs. Further analyses revealed this improved change detection performance may result from altered strategy use; VGPs employed broader search patterns when scanning scenes for potential changes. These results complement prior demonstrations of VGPs' enhanced bottom-up perceptual benefits by providing new evidence of VGPs' potentially enhanced top-down strategic benefits. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New Trends in Food Allergens Detection: Toward Biosensing Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Rita C; Barroso, M Fátima; González-García, María Begoña; Oliveira, M Beatriz P P; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2016-10-25

Food allergens are a real threat to sensitized individuals. Although food labeling is crucial to provide information to consumers with food allergies, accidental exposure to allergenic proteins may result from undeclared allergenic substances by means of food adulteration, fraud or uncontrolled cross-contamination. Allergens detection in foodstuffs can be a very hard task, due to their presence usually in trace amounts, together with the natural interference of the matrix. Methods for allergens analysis can be mainly divided in two large groups: the immunological assays and the DNA-based ones. Mass spectrometry has also been used as a confirmatory tool. Recently, biosensors appeared as innovative, sensitive, selective, environmentally friendly, cheaper and fast techniques (especially when automated and/or miniaturized), able to effectively replace the classical methodologies. In this review, we present the advances in the field of food allergens detection toward the biosensing strategies and discuss the challenges and future perspectives of this technology.

Seizure detection using the phase-slope index and multichannel ECoG

KAUST Repository

Rana, Puneet; Lipor, John; Lee, Hyong; Van Drongelen, Wim; Kohrman, Michael H.; Van Veen, Barry D.

2012-01-01

Detection and analysis of epileptic seizures is of clinical and research interest. We propose a novel seizure detection and analysis scheme based on the phase-slope index (PSI) of directed influence applied to multichannel electrocorticogram data. The PSI metric identifies increases in the spatio-temporal interactions between channels that clearly distinguish seizure from interictal activity. We form a global metric of interaction between channels and compare this metric to a threshold to detect the presence of seizures. The threshold is chosen based on a moving average of recent activity to accommodate differences between patients and slow changes within each patient over time. We evaluate detection performance over a challenging population of five patients with different types of epilepsy using a total of 47 seizures in nearly 258 h of recorded data. Using a common threshold procedure, we show that our approach detects all of the seizures in four of the five patients with a false detection rate less than two per hour. A variation on the global metric is proposed to identify which channels are strong drivers of activity in each patient. These metrics are computationally efficient and suitable for real-time application. © 2006 IEEE.

Seizure detection using the phase-slope index and multichannel ECoG

KAUST Repository

Rana, Puneet

2012-04-01

Detection and analysis of epileptic seizures is of clinical and research interest. We propose a novel seizure detection and analysis scheme based on the phase-slope index (PSI) of directed influence applied to multichannel electrocorticogram data. The PSI metric identifies increases in the spatio-temporal interactions between channels that clearly distinguish seizure from interictal activity. We form a global metric of interaction between channels and compare this metric to a threshold to detect the presence of seizures. The threshold is chosen based on a moving average of recent activity to accommodate differences between patients and slow changes within each patient over time. We evaluate detection performance over a challenging population of five patients with different types of epilepsy using a total of 47 seizures in nearly 258 h of recorded data. Using a common threshold procedure, we show that our approach detects all of the seizures in four of the five patients with a false detection rate less than two per hour. A variation on the global metric is proposed to identify which channels are strong drivers of activity in each patient. These metrics are computationally efficient and suitable for real-time application. © 2006 IEEE.

Automated contouring error detection based on supervised geometric attribute distribution models for radiation therapy: A general strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Hsin-Chen; Tan, Jun; Dolly, Steven; Kavanaugh, James; Harold Li, H.; Altman, Michael; Gay, Hiram; Thorstad, Wade L.; Mutic, Sasa; Li, Hua, E-mail: huli@radonc.wustl.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110 (United States); Anastasio, Mark A. [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110 (United States); Low, Daniel A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States)

2015-02-15

Purpose: One of the most critical steps in radiation therapy treatment is accurate tumor and critical organ-at-risk (OAR) contouring. Both manual and automated contouring processes are prone to errors and to a large degree of inter- and intraobserver variability. These are often due to the limitations of imaging techniques in visualizing human anatomy as well as to inherent anatomical variability among individuals. Physicians/physicists have to reverify all the radiation therapy contours of every patient before using them for treatment planning, which is tedious, laborious, and still not an error-free process. In this study, the authors developed a general strategy based on novel geometric attribute distribution (GAD) models to automatically detect radiation therapy OAR contouring errors and facilitate the current clinical workflow. Methods: Considering the radiation therapy structures’ geometric attributes (centroid, volume, and shape), the spatial relationship of neighboring structures, as well as anatomical similarity of individual contours among patients, the authors established GAD models to characterize the interstructural centroid and volume variations, and the intrastructural shape variations of each individual structure. The GAD models are scalable and deformable, and constrained by their respective principal attribute variations calculated from training sets with verified OAR contours. A new iterative weighted GAD model-fitting algorithm was developed for contouring error detection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed in a unique way to optimize the model parameters to satisfy clinical requirements. A total of forty-four head-and-neck patient cases, each of which includes nine critical OAR contours, were utilized to demonstrate the proposed strategy. Twenty-nine out of these forty-four patient cases were utilized to train the inter- and intrastructural GAD models. These training data and the remaining fifteen testing data sets

Automated contouring error detection based on supervised geometric attribute distribution models for radiation therapy: A general strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Hsin-Chen; Tan, Jun; Dolly, Steven; Kavanaugh, James; Harold Li, H.; Altman, Michael; Gay, Hiram; Thorstad, Wade L.; Mutic, Sasa; Li, Hua; Anastasio, Mark A.; Low, Daniel A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: One of the most critical steps in radiation therapy treatment is accurate tumor and critical organ-at-risk (OAR) contouring. Both manual and automated contouring processes are prone to errors and to a large degree of inter- and intraobserver variability. These are often due to the limitations of imaging techniques in visualizing human anatomy as well as to inherent anatomical variability among individuals. Physicians/physicists have to reverify all the radiation therapy contours of every patient before using them for treatment planning, which is tedious, laborious, and still not an error-free process. In this study, the authors developed a general strategy based on novel geometric attribute distribution (GAD) models to automatically detect radiation therapy OAR contouring errors and facilitate the current clinical workflow. Methods: Considering the radiation therapy structures’ geometric attributes (centroid, volume, and shape), the spatial relationship of neighboring structures, as well as anatomical similarity of individual contours among patients, the authors established GAD models to characterize the interstructural centroid and volume variations, and the intrastructural shape variations of each individual structure. The GAD models are scalable and deformable, and constrained by their respective principal attribute variations calculated from training sets with verified OAR contours. A new iterative weighted GAD model-fitting algorithm was developed for contouring error detection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed in a unique way to optimize the model parameters to satisfy clinical requirements. A total of forty-four head-and-neck patient cases, each of which includes nine critical OAR contours, were utilized to demonstrate the proposed strategy. Twenty-nine out of these forty-four patient cases were utilized to train the inter- and intrastructural GAD models. These training data and the remaining fifteen testing data sets

Economic Analysis of Alternative Strategies for Detection of ALK Rearrangements in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Shivang; Ray, David; Stein, Karen; Zhang, Jie; Koduru, Prasad; Fogt, Franz; Wellman, Axel; Wat, Ricky; Mathews, Charles

2016-01-06

Identification of alterations in ALK gene and development of ALK-directed therapies have increased the need for accurate and efficient detection methodologies. To date, research has focused on the concordance between the two most commonly used technologies, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). However, inter-test concordance reflects only one, albeit important, aspect of the diagnostic process; laboratories, hospitals, and payors must understand the cost and workflow of ALK rearrangement detection strategies. Through literature review combined with interviews of pathologists and laboratory directors in the U.S. and Europe, a cost-impact model was developed that compared four alternative testing strategies-IHC only, FISH only, IHC pre-screen followed by FISH confirmation, and parallel testing by both IHC and FISH. Interviews were focused on costs of reagents, consumables, equipment, and personnel. The resulting model showed that testing by IHC alone cost less ($90.07 in the U.S., $68.69 in Europe) than either independent or parallel testing by both FISH and IHC ($441.85 in the U.S. and $279.46 in Europe). The strategies differed in cost of execution, turnaround time, reimbursement, and number of positive results detected, suggesting that laboratories must weigh the costs and the clinical benefit of available ALK testing strategies.

Detection of Cerebral Hemorrhage in Rabbits by Time-Difference Magnetic Inductive Phase Shift Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Wencai; Yan, Qingguang; Qin, Mingxin; Jin, Gui; Sun, Jian; Ning, Xu; Zhuang, Wei; Peng, Bin; Li, Gen

2015-01-01

Cerebral hemorrhage, a difficult issue in clinical practice, is often detected and studied with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). However, these expensive devices are not readily available in economically underdeveloped regions, and hence are unable to provide bedside and emergency on-site monitoring. The magnetic inductive phase shift (MIPS) is an emerging technology that may become a new tool to detect cerebral hemorrhage and to serve as an inexpensive partial substitute to medical imaging. In order to study a wider band of cerebral hemorrhage MIPS and to provide more useful information for measuring cerebral hemorrhage, we established a cerebral hemorrhage magnetic induction phase shift spectroscopy (MIPSS) detection system. Thirteen rabbits with five cerebral hemorrhage states were studied using a single coil-coil within a 1 MHz-200 MHz frequency range in linear sweep. A feature band (FB) with the highest detection sensitivity and the greatest stability was selected for further analysis and processing. In addition, a maximum conductivity cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) MRI was performed to verify and interpret the MIPSS result. The average phase shift change induced by a 3 ml injection of autologous blood under FB was -7.7503° ± 1.4204°, which was considerably larger than our previous work. Data analysis with a non-parametric statistical Friedman M test showed that in the FB, MIPSS could distinguish the five states of cerebral hemorrhage in rabbits, with a statistical significance of phemorrhage severity from a single set of measurements. The results illustrate that the MIPSS detection method is able to provide a new possibility for real-time monitoring and diagnosis of the severity of cerebral hemorrhage. PMID:26001112

Improvement of detection of stress corrosion cracks with ultrasonic phased array probes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wustenberg, H.; Mohrle, W.; Wegner, W.; Schenk, G.; Erhard, A.

1986-01-01

Probes with linear arrays can be used for the detection of stress corrosion cracks especially if the variability of the sound field is used to change the skewing angle of angle beam probes. The phased array concept can be used to produce a variable skewing angle or a variable angle of incidence depending on the orientation of the linear array on the wedge. This helps to adapt the direction of the ultrasonic beam to probable crack orientations. It has been demonstrated with artificial reflectors as well as with corrosion cracks, that the detection of misoriented cracks can be improved by this approach. The experiences gained during the investigations are encouraging the application of phased array probes for stress corrosion phenomena close to the heat effected zone of welds. Probes with variable skewing angles may find some interesting applications on welds in tubular structures e.g., at off shore constructions and on some difficult geometries within the primary circuit of nuclear power plants

Motion patterns and phase-transition of a defender-intruder problem and optimal interception strategy of the defender

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jiangliu; Li, Wei

2015-10-01

In this paper, we consider a defense-intrusion interaction, in which an intruder is attracted by a protected stationary target but repulsed by a defender; while the defender tries to move towards an appropriate interception position (IP) between the intruder and the target in order to intercept the intruder and expel the intruder away from the target as maximum as possible. Intuitionally, to keep the intruder further away, one may wonder that: is it a better strategy for the defender trying to approach the intruder as near as possible? Unexpectedly and interestingly enough, this is not always the case. We first introduce the flexibility for IP selection, then investigate the system dynamics and the stable motion patterns, and characterize the phase-transition surface for the motion patterns. We show that, the phase-transition surface just defines the optimal interception strategy of the defender for IP selection; and from the perspective of mobility of agents, the optimal strategy just depends on relative mobility of the two agents.

Research on Improved Control Strategy for STATCOM Based on Virtual Matrix Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Xudong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Fast and accurate detection of reactive current is the precondition for the realization of static synchronous compensator (STATCOM reactive power compensation and harmonic suppression. Aiming at deviation and delay of the traditional reactive current detection algorithm with phase-locked loop (PLL and low-pass filter (LPF of STATCOM, a novel improved reactive current detection algorithm without PLL is proposed, in which the virtual matrix (VM is built to replace the original PLL, and improved current average value filter is used to realize the function of LPF, so as to improve the real-time performance and robustness of reactive current detection. The realization process of VM detection method is derived in this paper, and improved control strategy for STATCOM is designed based on the VM detection method. Simulation analysis of the proposed detection algorithm and control strategy is conducted in Matlab platform so as to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the control strategy. The VM detection has the advantages of simple structure, fast response and easy for digital realization, which provides reference for the improvement of reactive power compensation precision for STATCOM.

A Strategy for Detection of Inconsistency in Evaluation of Essay Type Answers

Science.gov (United States)

Shukla, Archana; Chaudhary, Banshi D.

2014-01-01

The quality of evaluation of essay type answer books involving multiple evaluators for courses with large number of enrollments is likely to be affected due to heterogeneity in experience, expertise and maturity of evaluators. In this paper, we present a strategy to detect anomalies in evaluation of essay type answers by multiple evaluators based…

Dual-signal amplification strategy for ultrasensitive chemiluminescence detection of PDGF-BB in capillary electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Jun-Tao; Wang, Hui; Ren, Shu-Wei; Chen, Yong-Hong; Liu, Yan-Ming

2015-12-01

Many efforts have been made toward the achievement of high sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis coupled with chemiluminescence detection (CE-CL). This work describes a novel dual-signal amplification strategy for highly specific and ultrasensitive CL detection of human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) using both aptamer and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) modified gold nanoparticles (HRP-AuNPs-aptamer) as nanoprobes in CE. Both AuNPs and HRP in the nanoprobes could amplify the CL signals in the luminol-H2 O2 CL system, owing to the excellent catalytic behavior of AuNPs and HRP in the CL system. Meanwhile, the high affinity of aptamer modified on the AuNPs allows detection with high specificity. As proof-of-concept, the proposed method was employed to quantify the concentration of PDGF-BB from 0.50 to 250 fm with a detection limit of 0.21 fm. The applicability of the assay was further demonstrated in the analysis of PDGF-BB in human serum samples with acceptable accuracy and reliability. The result of this study exhibits distinct advantages, such as high sensitivity, good specificity, simplicity, and very small sample consumption. The good performances of the proposed strategy provide a powerful avenue for ultrasensitive detection of rare proteins in biological sample, showing great promise in biochemical analysis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Self-Tuning Threshold Method for Real-Time Gait Phase Detection Based on Ground Contact Forces Using FSRs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Tang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel methodology for detecting the gait phase of human walking on level ground. The previous threshold method (TM sets a threshold to divide the ground contact forces (GCFs into on-ground and off-ground states. However, the previous methods for gait phase detection demonstrate no adaptability to different people and different walking speeds. Therefore, this paper presents a self-tuning triple threshold algorithm (STTTA that calculates adjustable thresholds to adapt to human walking. Two force sensitive resistors (FSRs were placed on the ball and heel to measure GCFs. Three thresholds (i.e., high-threshold, middle-threshold andlow-threshold were used to search out the maximum and minimum GCFs for the self-adjustments of thresholds. The high-threshold was the main threshold used to divide the GCFs into on-ground and off-ground statuses. Then, the gait phases were obtained through the gait phase detection algorithm (GPDA, which provides the rules that determine calculations for STTTA. Finally, the STTTA reliability is determined by comparing the results between STTTA and Mariani method referenced as the timing analysis module (TAM and Lopez–Meyer methods. Experimental results show that the proposed method can be used to detect gait phases in real time and obtain high reliability when compared with the previous methods in the literature. In addition, the proposed method exhibits strong adaptability to different wearers walking at different walking speeds.

How to detect the gravitationally induced phase shift of electromagnetic waves by optical-fiber interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K.

1983-01-01

Attention is called to a laboratory experiment of an optical-fiber interferometer which can show the gravitationally induced phase shift of optical waves. A phase shift of approx.10 -6 rad is anticipated for the Earth's gravitational potential difference of 1 m when a He-Ne laser and two multiple-turn optical-fiber loops of length 5 km are used. The phase shift can be varied by rotating the loops about an axis parallel to the Earth's surface. This order of phase shifts can be detected by current optical-fiber interferometric techniques

Segmentation of the Clustered Cells with Optimized Boundary Detection in Negative Phase Contrast Images.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuliang Wang

Full Text Available Cell image segmentation plays a central role in numerous biology studies and clinical applications. As a result, the development of cell image segmentation algorithms with high robustness and accuracy is attracting more and more attention. In this study, an automated cell image segmentation algorithm is developed to get improved cell image segmentation with respect to cell boundary detection and segmentation of the clustered cells for all cells in the field of view in negative phase contrast images. A new method which combines the thresholding method and edge based active contour method was proposed to optimize cell boundary detection. In order to segment clustered cells, the geographic peaks of cell light intensity were utilized to detect numbers and locations of the clustered cells. In this paper, the working principles of the algorithms are described. The influence of parameters in cell boundary detection and the selection of the threshold value on the final segmentation results are investigated. At last, the proposed algorithm is applied to the negative phase contrast images from different experiments. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated. Results show that the proposed method can achieve optimized cell boundary detection and highly accurate segmentation for clustered cells.

A new solid-phase sandwich radioimmunoassay and its application to the detection of snake venom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coulter, A.R.; Cox, J.C.; Sutherland, S.K.; Waddel, C.J.

1978-01-01

A solid-phase sandwich radioimmunoassay is described which can be used for the detection and quantitative estimation of crude snake venom and a snake neurotoxin in clinical and experimental situations. Rabbit IgG antivenom or antineurotoxin, covalently coupled to a solid phase (CH-Sepharose 4B) is incubated with sample of unknown venom concentration. Venom bound by the solid-phase antibody is detected by reaction with 125 I-labelled rabbit IgG antivenom or antineurotoxin ([ 125 I]IgG). The resultant count, T, is the total (specific and non-specific) uptake of [ 125 I]IgG. Non-specific binding N, is similarly determined, but with normal rabbit IgG antivenom or antineurotoxin ([ 125 I]IgG). The resultant count, T, is the total (specific and non-specific) uptake of [ 125 I]IgG. Non-specific binding N, is similarly determined, but with normal rabbit IgG bound to the solid phase. A T:N value greater than 1.8 for human serum or urine indicates the presence of venom in a sample (P>0.95). Positive samples are assayed at several dilutions and the venom present estimated from the specific count (T-N). Levels of 0.4 ng/ml of crude tiger snake venom (TSV) and 0.1 ng/ml of neurotoxin can be reliably detected by this procedure. (Auth.)

Development of Phase Detection Schemes Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance Using Interferometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Kashif

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Surface plasmon resonance (SPR is a novel optical sensing technique with a unique ability to monitor molecular binding in real-time for biological and chemical sensor applications. Interferometry is an excellent tool for accurate measurement of SPR changes, the measurement and comparison is made for the sensitivity, dynamic range and resolution of the different analytes using interferometry techniques. SPR interferometry can also employ phase detection in addition to the amplitude of the reflected light wave, and the phase changes more rapidly compared with other approaches, i.e., intensity, angle and wavelength. Therefore, the SPR phase interferometer offers the advantages of spatial phase resolution and high sensitivity. This work discusses the advancements in interferometric SPR methods to measure the phase shifts due to refractive index changes. The main application areas of SPR sensors are demonstrated, i.e., the Fabry-Perot interferometer, Michelson interferometer and Mach-Zehnder interferometer, with different configurations. The three interferometers are discussed in detail, and solutions are suggested to enhance the performance parameters that will aid in future biological and chemical sensors.

Deep Neural Network Detects Quantum Phase Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Arai, Shunta; Ohzeki, Masayuki; Tanaka, Kazuyuki

2018-03-01

We detect the quantum phase transition of a quantum many-body system by mapping the observed results of the quantum state onto a neural network. In the present study, we utilized the simplest case of a quantum many-body system, namely a one-dimensional chain of Ising spins with the transverse Ising model. We prepared several spin configurations, which were obtained using repeated observations of the model for a particular strength of the transverse field, as input data for the neural network. Although the proposed method can be employed using experimental observations of quantum many-body systems, we tested our technique with spin configurations generated by a quantum Monte Carlo simulation without initial relaxation. The neural network successfully identified the strength of transverse field only from the spin configurations, leading to consistent estimations of the critical point of our model Γc = J.

Marine target detection in quad-pol synthetic aperture radar imagery based on the relative phase of cross-polarized channels

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunhua; Li, Huimin; Zhang, Yanmin; Guo, Lixin

2015-01-01

A focus on marine target detection in noise corrupted fully polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is presented. The property of the relative phase between two cross-polarized channels reveals that the relative phases evaluated within sea surface area or noise corrupted area are widely spread phase angle region [-π,π] due to decorrelation effect; however, the relative phases are concentrated to zero and ±π for real target and its first-order azimuth ambiguities (FOAAs), respectively. Exploiting this physical behavior, the reciprocal of the mean square value of the relative phase (RMSRP) is defined as a new parameter for target detection, and the experiments based on fully polarimetric Radarsat-2 SAR images show that the strong noise and the FOAAs can be effectively suppressed in RMSRP image. Meanwhile, validity of the new parameter for target detection is also verified by two typical Radarsat-2 SAR images, in which targets' ambiguities and strong noise are present.

Stator fault detection for multi-phase machines with multiple reference frames transformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bianchini, Claudio; Fornasiero, Emanuele; Matzen, T.N.

2009-01-01

The paper focuses on a new diagnostic index for fault detection of a five-phase permanent-magnet machine. This machine has been designed for fault tolerant applications, and it is characterized by a mutual inductance equal to zero and a high self inductance, in order to limit the short-circuit cu...

Pulse Pattern-Modulated Strategy for Harmonic Current Components Reduction in Three-Phase AC–DC Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davari, Pooya; Zare, Firuz; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

, which need to be considered in order to be competitive in the market. Therefore, having a flexibility to meet various requirements imposed by the standard recommendations or costumer needs is at most desirable. This makes the generated harmonic current mitigation a challenging task especially with three......-phase diode bridge rectifier, which still is preferred in many power electronic systems. This paper addresses a novel current modulation strategy using a single-switch boost three-phase diode bridge rectifier. The proposed method can selectively mitigate current harmonics, which makes it suitable...

Pulse pattern modulated strategy for harmonic current components reduction in three-phase AC-DC converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davari, Pooya; Zare, Firuz; Blaabjerg, Frede

2015-01-01

, which need to be considered in order to be competitive in the market. Therefore, having a flexibility to meet various requirements imposed by the standard recommendations or costumer needs is at most desirable. This makes the generated harmonic current mitigation a challenging task especially with three......-phase diode bridge rectifier, which still is preferred in many power electronic systems. This paper addresses a novel current modulation strategy using a single-switch boost three-phase diode bridge rectifier. The proposed method can selectively mitigate current harmonics, which makes it suitable...

An Islanding Detection Method by Using Frequency Positive Feedback Based on FLL for Single-Phase Microgrid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Qinfei; Guerrero, Josep M.; Jing, Tianjun

2017-01-01

An active islanding detection method based on Frequency-Locked Loop (FLL) for constant power controlled inverter in single-phase microgrid is proposed. This method generates a phase shift comparing the instantaneous frequency obtained from FLL unit with the nominal frequency to modify the reference...

Detection of cerebral hemorrhage in rabbits by time-difference magnetic inductive phase shift spectroscopy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wencai Pan

Full Text Available Cerebral hemorrhage, a difficult issue in clinical practice, is often detected and studied with computed tomography (CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET. However, these expensive devices are not readily available in economically underdeveloped regions, and hence are unable to provide bedside and emergency on-site monitoring. The magnetic inductive phase shift (MIPS is an emerging technology that may become a new tool to detect cerebral hemorrhage and to serve as an inexpensive partial substitute to medical imaging. In order to study a wider band of cerebral hemorrhage MIPS and to provide more useful information for measuring cerebral hemorrhage, we established a cerebral hemorrhage magnetic induction phase shift spectroscopy (MIPSS detection system. Thirteen rabbits with five cerebral hemorrhage states were studied using a single coil-coil within a 1 MHz-200 MHz frequency range in linear sweep. A feature band (FB with the highest detection sensitivity and the greatest stability was selected for further analysis and processing. In addition, a maximum conductivity cerebrospinal fluid (CSF MRI was performed to verify and interpret the MIPSS result. The average phase shift change induced by a 3 ml injection of autologous blood under FB was -7.7503° ± 1.4204°, which was considerably larger than our previous work. Data analysis with a non-parametric statistical Friedman M test showed that in the FB, MIPSS could distinguish the five states of cerebral hemorrhage in rabbits, with a statistical significance of p<0.05. A B-F distribution profile was designed according to the MIPSS under FB that can provide instantaneous diagnostic information about the cerebral hemorrhage severity from a single set of measurements. The results illustrate that the MIPSS detection method is able to provide a new possibility for real-time monitoring and diagnosis of the severity of cerebral hemorrhage.

Genetically modified crops: detection strategies and biosafety issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamle, Suchitra; Ali, Sher

2013-06-15

Genetically modified (GM) crops are increasingly gaining acceptance but concurrently consumers' concerns are also increasing. The introduction of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes into the plants has raised issues related to its risk assessment and biosafety. The International Regulations and the Codex guidelines regulate the biosafety requirements of the GM crops. In addition, these bodies synergize and harmonize the ethical issues related to the release and use of GM products. The labeling of GM crops and their products are mandatory if the genetically modified organism (GMO) content exceeds the levels of a recommended threshold. The new and upcoming GM crops carrying multiple stacked traits likely to be commercialized soon warrant sensitive detection methods both at the DNA and protein levels. Therefore, traceability of the transgene and its protein expression in GM crops is an important issue that needs to be addressed on a priority basis. The advancement in the area of molecular biology has made available several bioanalytical options for the detection of GM crops based on DNA and protein markers. Since the insertion of a gene into the host genome may even cause copy number variation, this may be uncovered using real time PCR. Besides, assessing the exact number of mRNA transcripts of a gene, correlation between the template activity and expressed protein may be established. Here, we present an overview on the production of GM crops, their acceptabilities, detection strategies, biosafety issues and potential impact on society. Further, overall future prospects are also highlighted. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A decentralized receptance-based damage detection strategy for wireless smart sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Shinae; Spencer Jr, Billie F; Sim, Sung-Han

2012-01-01

Various structural health monitoring strategies have been proposed recently that can be implemented in the decentralized computing environment intrinsic to wireless smart sensor networks (WSSN). Many are based on changes in the experimentally determined flexibility matrix for the structure under consideration. However, the flexibility matrix contains only static information; much richer information is available by considering the dynamic flexibility, or receptance, of the structure. Recently, the stochastic dynamic damage locating vector (SDDLV) method was proposed based on changes of dynamic flexibility matrices employing centrally collected output-only measurements. This paper investigates the potential of the SDDLV method for implementation on a network of wireless smart sensors, where a decentralized, hierarchical, in-network processing approach is used to address issues of scalability of the SDDLV algorithm. Two approaches to aggregate results are proposed that provide robust estimates of damage locations. The efficacy of the developed strategy is first verified using wired sensors emulating a wireless sensor network. Subsequently, the decentralized damage detection strategy is implemented on MEMSIC’s Imote2 smart sensor platform and validated experimentally on a laboratory scale truss bridge. (paper)

Network analysis to detect common strategies in Italian foreign direct investment

Science.gov (United States)

De Masi, G.; Giovannetti, G.; Ricchiuti, G.

2013-03-01

In this paper we reconstruct and discuss the network of Italian firms investing abroad, exploiting information from complex network analysis. This method, detecting the key nodes of the system (both in terms of firms and countries of destination), allows us to single out the linkages among firms without ex-ante priors. Moreover, through the examination of affiliates’ economic activity, it allows us to highlight different internationalization strategies of “leaders” in different manufacturing sectors.

Coherent optical communication detection device based on modified balanced optical phase-locked loop

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Sun, Jianfeng; Xu, Mengmeng; Li, Guangyuan; Zhang, Guo; Lao, Chenzhe; He, Hongyu; Lu, Zhiyong

2017-08-01

In the field of satellite communication, space laser communication technology is famous for its high communication rate, good confidentiality, small size, low power consumption and so on. The design of coherent optical communication detection device based on modified balanced optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) is presented in the paper. It combined by local oscillator beam, modulator, voltage controlled oscillator, signal beam, optical filter, 180 degree hybrid, balanced detector, loop filter and signal receiver. Local oscillator beam and voltage controlled oscillator trace the phase variation of signal beam simultaneously. That taking the advantage of voltage controlled oscillator which responses sensitively and tunable local oscillator laser source with large tuning range can trace the phase variation of signal beam rapidly and achieve phase locking. The demand of the phase deviation is very low, and the system is easy to adjust. When the transmitter transmits the binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signal, the receiver can demodulate the baseband signal quickly, which has important significance for the free space coherent laser communication.

A unified triangle carrier based PWM strategy for three-phase N-level diode clamped inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Kai; Xie, Chuan; Wei, Min

2017-01-01

The triangle carrier based pulse width modulation (TCB-PWM) can be functionally equivalent to space vector base PWM (SVB-PWM). For multi-level inverter, it is very difficult to realize the SVB-PWM because its vector space is very complex. In this paper, a unified TCB-PWM strategy for three-phase ...

Thermo-optical Characterization of Photothermal Optical Phase Shift Detection in Extended-Nano Channels and UV Detection of Biomolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Hisashi; Miyawaki, Naoya; Asano, Yoshihiro; Mawatari, Kazuma; Kitamori, Takehiko

2017-06-06

The expansion of microfluidics research to nanofluidics requires absolutely sensitive and universal detection methods. Photothermal detection, which utilizes optical absorption and nonradiative relaxation, is promising for the sensitive detection of nonlabeled biomolecules in nanofluidic channels. We have previously developed a photothermal optical phase shift (POPS) detection method to detect nonfluorescent molecules sensitively, while a rapid decrease of the sensitivity in nanochannels and the introduction of an ultraviolet (UV) excitation system were issues to be addressed. In the present study, our primary aim is to characterize the POPS signal in terms of the thermo-optical properties and quantitatively evaluate the causes for the decrease in sensitivity. The UV excitation system is then introduced into the POPS detector to realize the sensitive detection of nonlabeled biomolecules. The UV-POPS detection system is designed and constructed from scratch based on a symmetric microscope. The results of simulations and experiments reveal that the sensitivity decreases due to a reduction of the detection volume, dissipation of the heat, and cancellation of the changes in the refractive indices. Finally, determination of the concentration of a nonlabeled protein (bovine serum albumin) is performed in a very thin 900 nm deep nanochannel. As a result, the limit of detection (LOD) is 2.3 μM (600 molecules in the 440 attoliter detection volume), which is as low as that previously obtained for our visible POPS detector. UV-POPS detection is thus expected be a powerful technique for the study of biomolecules, including DNAs and proteins confined in nanofluidic channels.

Power Swing Detection in UPFC-Compensated Line by Phase Angle of Current

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khodaparast, Jalal; Khederzadeh, M.; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da

2017-01-01

Power swing blocker (PSB) is a complementary part of distance relay protection, that detects power swing, in order to prevent unintended operation of a distance relay. Unified power flow controller (UPFC) is used in power system to control both active and reactive powers and its operation during...... condition. The results show that these indices may no longer work in systems with UPFC. In addition, this paper proposes a new method for detecting power swing based on the phase angle of current at relay point and compares it with two other methods. The new method distinguishes power swing from a fault...

A novel electrochemical sensing strategy for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella by rolling circle amplification and DNA–AuNPs probe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Dan; Yan, Yurong; Lei, Pinhua; Shen, Bo [Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Cheng, Wei [Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); The Center for Clinical Molecular Medical detection, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Ju, Huangxian [Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Department of Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Ding, Shijia, E-mail: dingshijia@163.com [Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China)

2014-10-10

A novel electrochemical sensing strategy was developed for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Salmonella by combining the rolling circle amplification with DNA–AuNPs probe. - Highlights: • This paper presented a novel sensing strategy for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection for Salmonella. • Combination of rolling circle amplification and DNA–AuNPs probe is the first time for Salmonella electrochemical detection. • The method displayed excellent sensitivity and specificity for detection of Salmonella. • The fabricated biosensor was successfully applied to detect Salmonella in milk samples. - Abstract: A novel electrochemical sensing strategy was developed for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Salmonella by combining the rolling circle amplification with DNA–AuNPs probe. The target DNA could be specifically captured by probe 1 on the sensing interface. Then the circularization mixture was added to form a typical sandwich structure. In the presence of dNTPs and phi29 DNA polymerase, the RCA was initiated to produce micrometer-long single-strand DNA. Finally, the detection probe (DNA–AuNPs) could recognize RCA product to produce enzymatic electrochemical signal. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve of synthetic target DNA had good linearity from 10 aM to 10 pM with a detection limit of 6.76 aM (S/N = 3). The developed method had been successfully applied to detect Salmonella as low as 6 CFU mL{sup −1} in real milk sample. This proposed strategy showed great potential for clinical diagnosis, food safety and environmental monitoring.

A novel electrochemical sensing strategy for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella by rolling circle amplification and DNA–AuNPs probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Dan; Yan, Yurong; Lei, Pinhua; Shen, Bo; Cheng, Wei; Ju, Huangxian; Ding, Shijia

2014-01-01

A novel electrochemical sensing strategy was developed for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Salmonella by combining the rolling circle amplification with DNA–AuNPs probe. - Highlights: • This paper presented a novel sensing strategy for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection for Salmonella. • Combination of rolling circle amplification and DNA–AuNPs probe is the first time for Salmonella electrochemical detection. • The method displayed excellent sensitivity and specificity for detection of Salmonella. • The fabricated biosensor was successfully applied to detect Salmonella in milk samples. - Abstract: A novel electrochemical sensing strategy was developed for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Salmonella by combining the rolling circle amplification with DNA–AuNPs probe. The target DNA could be specifically captured by probe 1 on the sensing interface. Then the circularization mixture was added to form a typical sandwich structure. In the presence of dNTPs and phi29 DNA polymerase, the RCA was initiated to produce micrometer-long single-strand DNA. Finally, the detection probe (DNA–AuNPs) could recognize RCA product to produce enzymatic electrochemical signal. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve of synthetic target DNA had good linearity from 10 aM to 10 pM with a detection limit of 6.76 aM (S/N = 3). The developed method had been successfully applied to detect Salmonella as low as 6 CFU mL −1 in real milk sample. This proposed strategy showed great potential for clinical diagnosis, food safety and environmental monitoring

Improved detection of chronic myocardial infarction with Fourier amplitude and phase imaging in two projections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akins, E.W.; Scott, E.A.; Williams, C.M.

1987-01-01

Twenty-seven patients with 33 chronic myocaridal infarctions underwent MR imaging and radionuclide ventriculography at rest. The radionuclide ventriculographs, in left anterior oblique (LAO) and left posterior oblique (LPO) projections, were analyzed by two independent observers by visual inspection and combined Fourier-transformed amplitude and phase imaging. Only 15 (45%) of the 33 infarctions were detected by visual inspection, but 21 (64%) were detected on the LAO Fourier-transformed images along. Thirty (91%) were detected by using both LAO and LPO Fourier-transformed images. On MR imaging, 28 (85%) of the myocardial infarctions appeared as areas of focal wall thinning. Combined Fourier-transformed amplitude and phase imaging in both LAO and LPO views discloses more myocardial infarctions than visual inspection or LAO Fourier-transformed images alone because inferior infarctions, which are frequently missed in the LAO view, are easily seen in the LPO view

NEW APPROACHES IN DECEPTION DETECTION II. ACTIVE INTERVIEWING STRATEGIES AND CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaume Masip

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Meta-analytical evidence shows that behavioural indicators of deception are scant, poorly diagnostic and inconsistent. This has yielded a shift in deception detection research. Rather than passively scrutinising the communication sender to find tell-tale behavioural indicators of deception, the deception judge needs to (a adopt an active role by using interviewing techniques specifically designed to detect deception, or (b focus on contextual (rather than behavioural deception cues. In the previous paper (Masip & Herrero, 2015a, we reviewed the antecedents of this change in focus, as well as the theoretical grounding of the new approaches. Here we describe specific interviewing strategies for detecting deception, as well as the (still scant research on contextual deception indicia. In doing this, we hope to offer the reader a detailed perspective on the recent developments in this specific area of psychology and law.

Computing Optimal Mixed Strategies for Terrorist Plot Detection Games with the Consideration of Information Leakage

OpenAIRE

Li MingChu; Yang Zekun; Lu Kun; Guo Cheng

2017-01-01

The terrorist’s coordinated attack is becoming an increasing threat to western countries. By monitoring potential terrorists, security agencies are able to detect and destroy terrorist plots at their planning stage. Therefore, an optimal monitoring strategy for the domestic security agency becomes necessary. However, previous study about monitoring strategy generation fails to consider the information leakage, due to hackers and insider threat. Such leakage events may lead to failure of watch...

Silicone sensing phase for detection of aromatic hydrocarbons in water employing near-infrared spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Albuquerque, Jackson S; Pimentel, M Fernanda; Silva, Valdinete L; Raimundo, Ivo M; Rohwedder, Jarbas J R; Pasquini, Celio

2005-01-01

The use of silicone for detection of aromatic hydrocarbons in water using near-infrared spectroscopy is proposed. A sensing phase of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was prepared, and a rod of this material was adapted to a transflectance probe for measurements from 850 to 1800 nm. Deionized water samples contaminated separately with known amounts of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene were used for evaluation of the PDMS sensing phase, and measurements were made in a closed reactor with constant stirring. Equilibrium states were obtained after 90, 180, 360, and 405 min for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene, respectively. The PDMS sensing phase showed a reversible response, presenting linear response ranges up to 360, 290, 100, and 80 mg L(-1), with detection limits of 8.0, 7.0, 2.6, and 3.0 mg L(-1) for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene, respectively. Reference spectra obtained with different rods showed a relative standard deviation of 0.5%, indicating repeatability in the sensing phase preparation. A relative standard deviation of 6.7% was obtained for measurements performed with six different rods, using a 52 mg L(-1) toluene aqueous solution. The sensing phase was evaluated for identification of sources of contamination of water in simulated studies, employing Brazilian gasoline type A (without ethanol), gasoline type C (with 25% of anhydrous ethanol), and diesel fuel. Principal component analysis was able to classify the water in distinct groups, contaminated by gasoline A, gasoline C, or diesel fuel.

EBSD spatial resolution for detecting sigma phase in steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bordín, S. Fernandez; Limandri, S. [Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola, CONICET. M. Allende s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba (Argentina); Ranalli, J.M. [Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. Gral. Paz 1499, San Martín, 1650 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Castellano, G. [Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola, CONICET. M. Allende s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba (Argentina)

2016-12-15

The spatial resolution of the electron backscatter diffraction signal is explored by Monte Carlo simulation for the sigma phase in steel at a typical instrumental set-up. In order to estimate the active volume corresponding to the diffracted electrons, the fraction of the backscattered electrons contributing to the diffraction signal was inferred by extrapolating the Kikuchi pattern contrast measured by other authors, as a function of the diffracted electron energy. In the resulting estimation, the contribution of the intrinsic incident beam size and the software capability to deconvolve patterns were included. A strong influence of the beam size on the lateral resolution was observed, resulting in 20 nm for the aperture considered. For longitudinal and depth directions the resolutions obtained were 75 nm and 16 nm, respectively. The reliability of this last result is discussed in terms of the survey of the last large-angle deflection undergone by the backscattered electrons involved in the diffraction process. Bearing in mind the mean transversal resolution found, it was possible to detect small area grains of sigma phase by EBSD measurements, for a stabilized austenitic AISI 347 stainless steel under heat treatments, simulating post welding (40 h at 600 °C) and aging (284 h at 484 °C) effects—as usually occurring in nuclear reactor pressure vessels. - Highlights: • EBSD spatial resolution is studied by Monte Carlo simulation for σ-phase in steel. • The contribution of the intrinsic incident beam size was included. • A stabilized austenitic stainless steel under heat treatments was measured by EBSD. • With the transversal resolution found, small area σ-phase grains could be identified.

Multi-GNSS high-rate RTK, PPP and novel direct phase observation processing method: application to precise dynamic displacement detection

Science.gov (United States)

Paziewski, Jacek; Sieradzki, Rafal; Baryla, Radoslaw

2018-03-01

This paper provides the methodology and performance assessment of multi-GNSS signal processing for the detection of small-scale high-rate dynamic displacements. For this purpose, we used methods of relative (RTK) and absolute positioning (PPP), and a novel direct signal processing approach. The first two methods are recognized as providing accurate information on position in many navigation and surveying applications. The latter is an innovative method for dynamic displacement determination with the use of GNSS phase signal processing. This method is based on the developed functional model with parametrized epoch-wise topocentric relative coordinates derived from filtered GNSS observations. Current regular kinematic PPP positioning, as well as medium/long range RTK, may not offer coordinate estimates with subcentimeter precision. Thus, extended processing strategies of absolute and relative GNSS positioning have been developed and applied for displacement detection. The study also aimed to comparatively analyze the developed methods as well as to analyze the impact of combined GPS and BDS processing and the dependence of the results of the relative methods on the baseline length. All the methods were implemented with in-house developed software allowing for high-rate precise GNSS positioning and signal processing. The phase and pseudorange observations collected with a rate of 50 Hz during the field test served as the experiment’s data set. The displacements at the rover station were triggered in the horizontal plane using a device which was designed and constructed to ensure a periodic motion of GNSS antenna with an amplitude of ~3 cm and a frequency of ~4.5 Hz. Finally, a medium range RTK, PPP, and direct phase observation processing method demonstrated the capability of providing reliable and consistent results with the precision of the determined dynamic displacements at the millimeter level. Specifically, the research shows that the standard deviation of

Simple control strategy for mitigating N2O emissions in phase isolated full-scale WWTPs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ekström, Sara Elisabet Margareta; Vangsgaard, Anna Katrine; Lemaire, Romain

2017-01-01

removal processes relying on nitrification and denitrification are known to produce N2O. A one year long-term study of N2O production and emissions was performed at Lynetten, Denmark’s largest WWTP. Nitrification and denitrification takes place by alternating process conditions as well as influent....... Nitrification phases were identified to produce and emit most of the N2O. High production and emissions were also associated with the afternoon loading peaks at the WWTP. During denitrification phases N2O was produced initially but consumed consequently. An effective control strategy was implemented, whereby N2...

Contamination Detection and Mitigation Strategies for Unsymmetric Dimethylhydrazine/Nitrogen Tetroxide Non-Combustion Product Residues

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Benjamin; Buchanan, Vanessa D.; Baker, David L.

2006-01-01

Dimethylamine and nitrite, which are non-combustion reaction products of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) propellants, can contaminate spacesuits during extra-vehicular activity (EVA) operations. They can react with water in the International Space Station (ISS) airlock to form N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a carcinogen. Detection methods for assessing nitrite and dimethylamine contamination were investigated. The methods are based on color-forming reactions in which intensity of color is proportional to concentration. A concept color detection kit using a commercially available presumptive field test for methamphetamine coupled with nitrite test strips was developed and used to detect dimethylamine and nitrite. Contamination mitigation strategies were also developed.

A strategy to objectively evaluate the necessity of correcting detected target deviations in image guided radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yue, Ning J.; Kim, Sung; Jabbour, Salma; Narra, Venkat; Haffty, Bruce G.

2007-01-01

Image guided radiotherapy technologies are being increasingly utilized in the treatment of various cancers. These technologies have enhanced the ability to detect temporal and spatial deviations of the target volume relative to planned radiation beams. Correcting these detected deviations may, in principle, improve the accuracy of dose delivery to the target. However, in many situations, a clinical decision has to be made as to whether it is necessary to correct some of the deviations since the relevant dosimetric impact may or may not be significant, and the corresponding corrective action may be either impractical or time consuming. Ideally this decision should be based on objective and reproducible criteria rather than subjective judgment. In this study, a strategy is proposed for the objective evaluation of the necessity of deviation correction during the treatment verification process. At the treatment stage, without any alteration from the planned beams, the treatment beams should provide the desired dose coverage to the geometric volume identical to the planning target volume (PTV). Given this fact, the planned dose distribution and PTV geometry were used to compute the dose coverage and PTV enclosure of the clinical target volume (CTV) that was detected from imaging during the treatment setup verification. The spatial differences between the detected CTV and the planning CTV are essentially the target deviations. The extent of the PTV enclosure of the detected CTV as well as its dose coverage were used as criteria to evaluate the necessity of correcting any of the target deviations. This strategy, in principle, should be applicable to any type of target deviations, including both target deformable and positional changes and should be independent of how the deviations are detected. The proposed strategy was used on two clinical prostate cancer cases. In both cases, gold markers were implanted inside the prostate for the purpose of treatment setup

High performance control strategy for single-phase three-level neutral-point-clamped traction four-quadrant converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kejian, Song; Konstantinou, Georgios; Jing, Li

2017-01-01

Operational data from Chinese railways indicate a number of challenges for traction four-quadrant converter (4QC) control including low-order voltage and current harmonics and reference tracking. A control strategy for a single-phase three-level neutral-point-clamped 4QC employed in the electric...

NuSTAR DETECTION OF HARD X-RAY PHASE LAGS FROM THE ACCRETING PULSAR GS 0834–430

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyasaka, Hiromasa; Harrison, Fiona A.; Fürst, Felix; Bellm, Eric C.; Grefenstette, Brian W.; Madsen, Kristin K.; Walton, Dominic J. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bachetti, Matteo; Barret, Didier [Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP, IRAP, F-31400 Toulouse (France); Boggs, Steven E.; Craig, William W.; Tomsick, John A. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Chakrabarty, Deepto [Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Chenevez, Jerome; Christensen, Finn E. [DTU Space, National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Hailey, Charles J. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Natalucci, Lorenzo [Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma I-00133 (Italy); Pottschmidt, Katja [CRESST, UMBC, and NASA GSFC, Code 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Stern, Daniel [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Wilms, Jörn, E-mail: miyasaka@srl.caltech.edu [Dr. Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte and ECAP, Sternwartstr. 7, D-96049 Bamberg (Germany); and others

2013-09-20

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array hard X-ray telescope observed the transient Be/X-ray binary GS 0834–430 during its 2012 outburst—the first active state of this system observed in the past 19 yr. We performed timing and spectral analysis and measured the X-ray spectrum between 3-79 keV with high statistical significance. We find the phase-averaged spectrum to be consistent with that observed in many other magnetized, accreting pulsars. We fail to detect cyclotron resonance scattering features that would allow us to constrain the pulsar's magnetic field in either phase-averaged or phase-resolved spectra. Timing analysis shows a clearly detected pulse period of ∼12.29 s in all energy bands. The pulse profiles show a strong, energy-dependent hard phase lag of up to 0.3 cycles in phase, or about 4 s. Such dramatic energy-dependent lags in the pulse profile have never before been reported in high-mass X-ray binary pulsars. Previously reported lags have been significantly smaller in phase and restricted to low energies (E < 10 keV). We investigate the possible mechanisms that might produce this energy-dependent pulse phase shift. We find the most likely explanation for this effect is a complex beam geometry.

Switching Loss Reduction in the Three-Phase Quasi-Z-Source Inverters Utilizing Modified Space Vector Modulation Strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abdelhakim, Ahmed; Davari, Pooya; Blaabjerg, Frede

2018-01-01

Several single-stage topologies have been introduced since kicking off the three-phase Z-source inverter (ZSI), and among these topologies, the quasi-ZSI (qZSI) is the most common one due to its simple structure and continuous input current. Furthermore, different modulation strategies, utilizing...... multiple reference signals, have been developed as well. However, prior art modulation methods have some demerits, such as the complexity of generating the gate signals, the increased number of switch commutations with continuous commutation at high current level during the entire fundamental cycle...... the generation of the gate signals by utilizing only three reference signals, and achieving a single switch commutation at a time. These modulation strategies are analyzed and compared to the conventional ones, where a reduced-scale 1 kVA three-phase qZSI is designed and simulated using these different...

DETECTION OF FAST TRANSIENTS WITH RADIO INTERFEROMETRIC ARRAYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhat, N. D. R.; Chengalur, J. N.; Gupta, Y.; Prasad, J.; Roy, J.; Kudale, S. S.; Cox, P. J.; Bailes, M.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Van Straten, W.

2013-01-01

Next-generation radio arrays, including the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and its pathfinders, will open up new avenues for exciting transient science at radio wavelengths. Their innovative designs, comprising a large number of small elements, pose several challenges in digital processing and optimal observing strategies. The Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) presents an excellent test-bed for developing and validating suitable observing modes and strategies for transient experiments with future arrays. Here we describe the first phase of the ongoing development of a transient detection system for GMRT that is planned to eventually function in a commensal mode with other observing programs. It capitalizes on the GMRT's interferometric and sub-array capabilities, and the versatility of a new software backend. We outline considerations in the plan and design of transient exploration programs with interferometric arrays, and describe a pilot survey that was undertaken to aid in the development of algorithms and associated analysis software. This survey was conducted at 325 and 610 MHz, and covered 360 deg 2 of the sky with short dwell times. It provides large volumes of real data that can be used to test the efficacies of various algorithms and observing strategies applicable for transient detection. We present examples that illustrate the methodologies of detecting short-duration transients, including the use of sub-arrays for higher resilience to spurious events of terrestrial origin, localization of candidate events via imaging, and the use of a phased array for improved signal detection and confirmation. In addition to demonstrating applications of interferometric arrays for fast transient exploration, our efforts mark important steps in the roadmap toward SKA-era science.

Detection of Fast Transients with Radio Interferometric Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Bhat, N. D. R.; Chengalur, J. N.; Cox, P. J.; Gupta, Y.; Prasad, J.; Roy, J.; Bailes, M.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Kudale, S. S.; van Straten, W.

2013-05-01

Next-generation radio arrays, including the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and its pathfinders, will open up new avenues for exciting transient science at radio wavelengths. Their innovative designs, comprising a large number of small elements, pose several challenges in digital processing and optimal observing strategies. The Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) presents an excellent test-bed for developing and validating suitable observing modes and strategies for transient experiments with future arrays. Here we describe the first phase of the ongoing development of a transient detection system for GMRT that is planned to eventually function in a commensal mode with other observing programs. It capitalizes on the GMRT's interferometric and sub-array capabilities, and the versatility of a new software backend. We outline considerations in the plan and design of transient exploration programs with interferometric arrays, and describe a pilot survey that was undertaken to aid in the development of algorithms and associated analysis software. This survey was conducted at 325 and 610 MHz, and covered 360 deg2 of the sky with short dwell times. It provides large volumes of real data that can be used to test the efficacies of various algorithms and observing strategies applicable for transient detection. We present examples that illustrate the methodologies of detecting short-duration transients, including the use of sub-arrays for higher resilience to spurious events of terrestrial origin, localization of candidate events via imaging, and the use of a phased array for improved signal detection and confirmation. In addition to demonstrating applications of interferometric arrays for fast transient exploration, our efforts mark important steps in the roadmap toward SKA-era science.

Sensitive and fast mutation detection by solid phase chemical cleavage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lise Lotte; Justesen, Just; Kruse, Torben A

1996-01-01

We have developed a solid phase chemical cleavage method (SpCCM) for screening large DNA fragments for mutations. All reactions can be carried out in microtiterwells from the first amplification of the patient (or test) DNA through the search for mutations. The reaction time is significantly...... reduced compared to the conventional chemical cleavage method (CCM), and even by using a uniformly labelled probe, the exact position and nature of the mutation can be revealed. The SpCCM is suitable for automatization using a workstation to carry out the reactions and a fluorescent detection-based DNA...

Detection and specifity of class specific antibodies to whole bacteria cells using a solid phase radioimmunoassay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czerkinsky, C.; Rees, A.S.; Bergimeier, L.A.; Challacombe, S.J. (Guy' s Hospital Medical and Dental Schools, London (UK))

1983-07-01

A solid phase radioimmunoassay has been developed which can be used for the detection of isotype specific antibodies to whole bacteria and other particulate antigens, and is applicable to a variety of species. Bacteria are bound to the solid phase by the use either of antibodies, or of methyl glyoxal. Both methods result in a sensitive and reproducible assay, and bacteria do not appear to desorb from the solid phase. The specificity of antibodies to whole bacteria was examined by absorption of antisera with various species of bacteria and retesting, or by determining the binding of antisera to various bacteria bound to the solid phase. Both methods revealed specificity for the bacteria examined. Inhibition studies showed that antibodies to Streptococcus mutans whole cells could be inhibited by purified cell surface antigens glucosyltransferase and antigen I/II, but only minimally by lipoteichoic acid, c polysaccharide or dextran. In murine antisera antibodies of the IgG, IgM, and IgA classes could be detected at amounts of less than 1 ng/ml.

Economic Analysis of Alternative Strategies for Detection of ALK Rearrangements in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shivang Doshi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Identification of alterations in ALK gene and development of ALK-directed therapies have increased the need for accurate and efficient detection methodologies. To date, research has focused on the concordance between the two most commonly used technologies, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH and immunohistochemistry (IHC. However, inter-test concordance reflects only one, albeit important, aspect of the diagnostic process; laboratories, hospitals, and payors must understand the cost and workflow of ALK rearrangement detection strategies. Through literature review combined with interviews of pathologists and laboratory directors in the U.S. and Europe, a cost-impact model was developed that compared four alternative testing strategies—IHC only, FISH only, IHC pre-screen followed by FISH confirmation, and parallel testing by both IHC and FISH. Interviews were focused on costs of reagents, consumables, equipment, and personnel. The resulting model showed that testing by IHC alone cost less ($90.07 in the U.S., $68.69 in Europe than either independent or parallel testing by both FISH and IHC ($441.85 in the U.S. and $279.46 in Europe. The strategies differed in cost of execution, turnaround time, reimbursement, and number of positive results detected, suggesting that laboratories must weigh the costs and the clinical benefit of available ALK testing strategies.

Phased arrays: A strategy to lower the energy threshold for neutrinos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wissel Stephanie

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In-ice radio arrays are optimized for detecting the highest energy, cosmogenic neutrinos expected to be produced though cosmic ray interactions with background photons. However, there are two expected populations of high energy neutrinos: the astrophysical flux observed by IceCube (~1 PeV and the cosmogenic flux (~ 1017 eV or 100 PeV. Typical radio arrays employ a noise-riding trigger, which limits their minimum energy threshold based on the background noise temperature of the ice. Phased radio arrays could lower the energy threshold by combining the signals from several channels before triggering, thereby improving the signal-to-noise at the trigger level. Reducing the energy threshold would allow radio experiments to more efficiently overlap with optical Cherenkov neutrino telescopes as well as for more efficient searches for cosmogenic neutrinos. We discuss the proposed technique and prototypical phased arrays deployed in an anechoic chamber and at Greenland’s Summit Station.

Double Displacement: an Improved Bioorthogonal Reaction Strategy for Templated Nucleic Acid Detection

OpenAIRE

Kleinbaum, Daniel J.; Miller, Gregory P.; Kool, Eric T.

2010-01-01

Quenched autoligation probes have been employed previously in a target-templated nonenzymatic ligation strategy for detecting nucleic acids in cells by fluorescence. A common source of background signal in such probes is undesired reaction with water and other cellular nucleophiles. Here we describe a new class of self-ligating probes, double displacement (DD) probes, that rely on two displacement reactions to fully unquench a nearby fluorophore. Three potential double displacement architectu...

Phase 2, Solid waste retrieval strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, D.M.

1994-01-01

Solid TRU retrieval, Phase 1 is scheduled to commence operation in 1998 at 218W-4C-T01 and complete recovery of the waste containers in 2001. Phase 2 Retrieval will recover the remaining buried TRU waste to be retrieved and provide the preliminary characterization by non-destructive means to allow interim storage until processing for disposal. This document reports on researching the characterization documents to determine the types of wastes to be retrieved and where located, waste configurations, conditions, and required methods for retrieval. Also included are discussions of wastes encompassed by Phase 2 for which there are valid reasons to not retrieve

Phase 2, Solid waste retrieval strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, D.M.

1994-09-29

Solid TRU retrieval, Phase 1 is scheduled to commence operation in 1998 at 218W-4C-T01 and complete recovery of the waste containers in 2001. Phase 2 Retrieval will recover the remaining buried TRU waste to be retrieved and provide the preliminary characterization by non-destructive means to allow interim storage until processing for disposal. This document reports on researching the characterization documents to determine the types of wastes to be retrieved and where located, waste configurations, conditions, and required methods for retrieval. Also included are discussions of wastes encompassed by Phase 2 for which there are valid reasons to not retrieve.

A general sensing strategy for detection of Fe{sup 3+} by using amino acid-modified graphene quantum dots as fluorescent probe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Qi [College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, and Institute of Applied Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, Shanxi, 037009 (China); Song, Jinping, E-mail: songjphxsxdt@163.com [College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, and Institute of Applied Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, Shanxi, 037009 (China); Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006 (China); Wang, Shangzhi; Yang, Jie; Guo, Yong [College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, and Institute of Applied Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, Shanxi, 037009 (China); Dong, Chuan, E-mail: dc@sxu.edu.cn [Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006 (China)

2016-12-15

Graphical abstract: Three kinds of amino acid-modified graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were synthesized through acylation and amination reactions. The as-synthesized GQDs can emit strong blue fluorescence. The presence of Fe{sup 3+} will cause obvious fluorescence quenching of the three kinds of GQDs. Based on these, a general sensing strategy for detection of Fe{sup 3+} was successfully developed. - Highlights: • Amino acid-modified graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were synthesized through acylation and amination reactions. • The presence of Fe{sup 3+} will cause obvious fluorescence quenching of the three kinds of GQDs. • A general sensing strategy for Fe{sup 3+} detection was successfully developed. • The proposed sensing strategy can successfully detect Fe{sup 3+} in real water sample. - Abstract: Amino acid-modified graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were synthesized through acylation and amination reactions. The as-synthesized GQDs were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. A general sensing strategy for detection of Fe{sup 3+} was successfully developed. The detection limit can reach as low as 50 nM. Moreover, the proposed sensing system was successfully employed to detect Fe{sup 3+} in real water sample, and satisfactory results were obtained. This work will open up new avenues to develop potential applications of GQDs materials in environmental monitoring.

Precision mass measurements using the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance detection technique

CERN Document Server

Karthein, Jonas

This thesis presents the implementation and improvement of the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance (PI-ICR) detection technique at the ISOLTRAP experiment, located at the ISOLDE / CERN, with the purpose of on-line high-precision and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Extensive simulation studies were performed with the aim of improving the phase-imaging resolution and finding the optimal position for detector placement. Following the outcome of these simulations, the detector was moved out of a region of electric-field distortion and closer to the center of the Penning trap, showing a dramatic improvement in the quality and reproducibility of the phase-imaging measurements. A new image reconstitution and analysis software for the MCP-PS detector was written in Python and ROOT and introduced in the framework of PI-ICR mass measurements. The state of the art in the field of time-of-flight ion-cyclotron-resonance measurements is illustrated through an analysis of on-line measurements of the mirror nuclei $...

Alcohol vapour detection at the three phase interface using enzyme-conducting polymer composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Winther-Jensen, Orawan; Kerr, Robert; Winther-Jensen, Bjorn

2014-02-15

Immobilisation of enzymes on a breathable electrode can be useful for various applications where the three-phase interface between gas or chemical vapour, electrolyte and electrode is crucial for the reaction. In this paper, we report the further development of the breathable electrode concept by immobilisation of alcohol dehydrogenase into vapour-phase polymerised poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) that has been coated onto a breathable membrane. Typical alcohol sensing, whereby the coenzyme β-Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is employed as a redox-mediator, was successfully used as a model reaction for the oxidation of ethanol. This indicates that the ethanol vapour from the backside of the membrane has access to the active enzyme embedded in the electrode. The detecting range of the sensor is suitable for the detection of ethanol in fruit juices and for the baseline breath ethanol concentration of drunken driving. After continuous operation for 4.5h the system only showed a 20% decrease in the current output. The electrodes maintained 62% in current output after being refrigerated for 76 days. This work is continuing the progress of the immobilisation of specific enzymes for certain electrochemical reactions whereby the three-phase interface has to be maintained and/or the simultaneous separation of gas from liquid is required. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dual Recognition Strategy for Specific and Sensitive Detection of Bacteria Using Aptamer-Coated Magnetic Beads and Antibiotic-Capped Gold Nanoclusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Dan; Yu, Mengqun; Fu, Fei; Han, Weiye; Li, Gan; Xie, Jianping; Song, Yang; Swihart, Mark T; Song, Erqun

2016-01-05

Food poisoning and infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (SA) are serious public health concerns. A method of specific, sensitive, and rapid detection of such bacteria is essential and important. This study presents a strategy that combines aptamer and antibiotic-based dual recognition units with magnetic enrichment and fluorescent detection to achieve specific and sensitive quantification of SA in authentic specimens and in the presence of much higher concentrations of other bacteria. Aptamer-coated magnetic beads (Apt-MB) were employed for specific capture of SA. Vancomycin-stabilized fluorescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs@Van) were prepared by a simple one-step process and used for sensitive quantification of SA in the range of 32-10(8) cfu/mL with the detection limit of 16 cfu/mL via a fluorescence intensity measurement. And using this strategy, about 70 cfu/mL of SA in complex samples (containing 3 × 10(8) cfu/mL of other different contaminated bacteria) could be successfully detected. In comparison to prior studies, the developed strategy here not only simplifies the preparation procedure of the fluorescent probes (AuNCs@Van) to a great extent but also could sensitively quantify SA in the presence of much higher concentrations of other bacteria directly with good accuracy. Moreover, the aptamer and antibiotic used in this strategy are much less expensive and widely available compared to common-used antibodies, making it cost-effective. This general aptamer- and antibiotic-based dual recognition strategy, combined with magnetic enrichment and fluorescent detection of trace bacteria, shows great potential application in monitoring bacterial food contamination and infectious diseases.

Ultrasonic detection of solid phase mass flow ratio of pneumatic conveying fly ash

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Guang Bin; Pan, Hong Li; Wang, Yong; Liu, Zong Ming

2014-04-01

In this paper, ultrasonic attenuation detection and weight balance are adopted to evaluate the solid mass ratio in this paper. Fly ash is transported on the up extraction fluidization pneumatic conveying workbench. In the ultrasonic test. McClements model and Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law model were applied to formulate the ultrasonic attenuation properties of gas-solid flow, which can give the solid mass ratio. While in the method of weigh balance, the averaged mass addition per second can reveal the solids mass flow ratio. By contrast these two solid phase mass ratio detection methods, we can know, the relative error is less.

Laser-to-RF phase detection with femtosecond precision for remote reference phase stabilization in particle accelerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamb, Thorsten

2017-05-15

The operation of modern free-electron lasers (FELs) requires the synchronization of different accelerator subsystems with femtosecond precision. A pulsed optical synchronization system is for this reason operated at the Free-Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH) and it is under construction for the upcoming European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL). Laser pulses from the optical master oscillator are transmitted by timing stabilized optical fiberlinks to dedicated end stations along the accelerator. Devices which cannot operate with optical synchronization signals are instead conventionally synchronized with radio frequency (RF) reference signals. These signals are distributed in the accelerator by coaxial cables. Especially the low -level radio frequency (LLRF) system requires RF reference signals with femtosecond stability in order to meet nowadays femtosecond demands. Due to cable drifts and the length of the accelerators, this level of stability cannot be provided by conventional RF transport. A laser-to-RF (L2RF) phase detector has been invented, which allows to measure with femtosecond precision the relative phase between a phase stable optical pulse train from an optical fiberlink and an RF signal. The L2RF phase detector is based on an integrated MACH-ZEHNDER modulator (MZM) in which the phase error between both signals is encoded in an amplitude modulation of the optical pulse train. Different configurations, based on single output and dual output MZMs have been evaluated for different operation scenarios. A full mathematical representation of the chosen configuration has been derived. The impact of multiple error sources has been investigated. It has been proven that most error sources have only second or higher order influence on the detection principle which is a significant advantage over existing schemes. The invented L2RF phase detector is for example balanced and in its working point insensitive to power variations of the optical reference pulse train

Laser-to-RF phase detection with femtosecond precision for remote reference phase stabilization in particle accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamb, Thorsten

2017-05-01

The operation of modern free-electron lasers (FELs) requires the synchronization of different accelerator subsystems with femtosecond precision. A pulsed optical synchronization system is for this reason operated at the Free-Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH) and it is under construction for the upcoming European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL). Laser pulses from the optical master oscillator are transmitted by timing stabilized optical fiberlinks to dedicated end stations along the accelerator. Devices which cannot operate with optical synchronization signals are instead conventionally synchronized with radio frequency (RF) reference signals. These signals are distributed in the accelerator by coaxial cables. Especially the low -level radio frequency (LLRF) system requires RF reference signals with femtosecond stability in order to meet nowadays femtosecond demands. Due to cable drifts and the length of the accelerators, this level of stability cannot be provided by conventional RF transport. A laser-to-RF (L2RF) phase detector has been invented, which allows to measure with femtosecond precision the relative phase between a phase stable optical pulse train from an optical fiberlink and an RF signal. The L2RF phase detector is based on an integrated MACH-ZEHNDER modulator (MZM) in which the phase error between both signals is encoded in an amplitude modulation of the optical pulse train. Different configurations, based on single output and dual output MZMs have been evaluated for different operation scenarios. A full mathematical representation of the chosen configuration has been derived. The impact of multiple error sources has been investigated. It has been proven that most error sources have only second or higher order influence on the detection principle which is a significant advantage over existing schemes. The invented L2RF phase detector is for example balanced and in its working point insensitive to power variations of the optical reference pulse train

Analyzing phase diagrams and phase transitions in networked competing populations

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Y.-C.; Yin, H. P.; Xu, C.; Hui, P. M.

2011-03-01

Phase diagrams exhibiting the extent of cooperation in an evolutionary snowdrift game implemented in different networks are studied in detail. We invoke two independent payoff parameters, unlike a single payoff often used in most previous works that restricts the two payoffs to vary in a correlated way. In addition to the phase transition points when a single payoff parameter is used, phase boundaries separating homogeneous phases consisting of agents using the same strategy and a mixed phase consisting of agents using different strategies are found. Analytic expressions of the phase boundaries are obtained by invoking the ideas of the last surviving patterns and the relative alignments of the spectra of payoff values to agents using different strategies. In a Watts-Strogatz regular network, there exists a re-entrant phenomenon in which the system goes from a homogeneous phase into a mixed phase and re-enters the homogeneous phase as one of the two payoff parameters is varied. The non-trivial phase diagram accompanying this re-entrant phenomenon is quantitatively analyzed. The effects of noise and cooperation in randomly rewired Watts-Strogatz networks are also studied. The transition between a mixed phase and a homogeneous phase is identify to belong to the directed percolation universality class. The methods used in the present work are applicable to a wide range of problems in competing populations of networked agents.

Dynamic and label-free high-throughput detection of biomolecular interactions based on phase-shift interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiang; Huang, Guoliang; Gan, Wupeng; Chen, Shengyi

2009-08-01

Biomolecular interactions can be detected by many established technologies such as fluorescence imaging, surface plasmon resonance (SPR)[1-4], interferometry and radioactive labeling of the analyte. In this study, we have designed and constructed a label-free, real-time sensing platform and its operating imaging instrument that detects interactions using optical phase differences from the accumulation of biological material on solid substrates. This system allows us to monitor biomolecular interactions in real time and quantify concentration changes during micro-mixing processes by measuring the changes of the optical path length (OPD). This simple interferometric technology monitors the optical phase difference resulting from accumulated biomolecular mass. A label-free protein chip that forms a 4×4 probe array was designed and fabricated using a commercial microarray robot spotter on solid substrates. Two positive control probe lines of BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) and two experimental human IgG and goat IgG was used. The binding of multiple protein targets was performed and continuously detected by using this label-free and real-time sensing platform.

[Detecting Thallium in Water Samples using Dispersive Liquid Phase Microextraction-Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jing; Li, Yan; Zheng, Bo; Tang, Wei; Chen, Xiao; Zou, Xiao-li

2015-11-01

To develope a method of solvent demulsification dispersive liquid phase microextraction (SD-DLPME) based on ion association reaction coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) for detecting thallium in water samples. Methods Thallium ion in water samples was oxidized to Tl(III) with bromine water, which reacted with Cl- to form TlCl4-. The ionic associated compound with trioctylamine was obtained and extracted. DLPME was completed with ethanol as dispersive solvent. The separation of aqueous and organic phase was achieved by injecting into demulsification solvent without centrifugation. The extractant was collected and injected into GFAAS for analysis. With palladium colloid as matrix modifier, a two step drying and ashing temperature programming process was applied for high precision and sensitivity. The linear range was 0.05-2.0 microg/L, with a detection limit of 0.011 microg/L. The relative standard derivation (RSD) for detecting Tl in spiked water sample was 9.9%. The spiked recoveries of water samples ranged from 94.0% to 103.0%. The method is simple, sensitive and suitable for batch analysis of Tl in water samples.

Rapid classification of pharmaceutical ingredients with Raman spectroscopy using compressive detection strategy with PLS-DA multivariate filters.

Science.gov (United States)

Cebeci Maltaş, Derya; Kwok, Kaho; Wang, Ping; Taylor, Lynne S; Ben-Amotz, Dor

2013-06-01

Identifying pharmaceutical ingredients is a routine procedure required during industrial manufacturing. Here we show that a recently developed Raman compressive detection strategy can be employed to classify various widely used pharmaceutical materials using a hybrid supervised/unsupervised strategy in which only two ingredients are used for training and yet six other ingredients can also be distinguished. More specifically, our liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) based compressive detection instrument is trained using only the active ingredient, tadalafil, and the excipient, lactose, but is tested using these and various other excipients; microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, titanium (IV) oxide, talc, sodium lauryl sulfate and hydroxypropyl cellulose. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) is used to generate the compressive detection filters necessary for fast chemical classification. Although the filters used in this study are trained on only lactose and tadalafil, we show that all the pharmaceutical ingredients mentioned above can be differentiated and classified using PLS-DA compressive detection filters with an accumulation time of 10ms per filter. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid Detection Strategies for the Global Threat of Zika Virus: Current State, New Hypotheses and Limitations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shruti Shukla

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The current scenario regarding the widespread Zika virus (ZIKV has resulted in numerous diagnostic studies, specifically in South America and in locations where there is frequent entry of travelers returning from ZIKV-affected areas, including pregnant women with or without clinical symptoms of ZIKV infection. The World Health Organization, WHO, announced that millions of cases of ZIKV are likely to occur in the United States of America in the near future. This situation has created an alarming public health emergency of international concern requiring the detection of this life-threatening viral candidate due to increased cases of newborn microcephaly associated with ZIKV infection. Hence, this review reports possible methods and strategies for the fast and reliable detection of ZIKV with particular emphasis on current updates, knowledge and new hypotheses that might be helpful for medical professionals in poor and developing countries that urgently need to address this problem. In particular, we emphasize liposome-based biosensors. Although these biosensors are currently among the less popular tools for human disease detection, they have become useful tools for the screening and detection of pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses because of their versatile advantageous features compared to other sensing devices. This review summarizes the currently available methods employed for the rapid detection of ZIKV and suggests an innovative approach involving the application of a liposome-based hypothesis for the development of new strategies for ZIKV detection and their use as effective biomedicinal tools.

Fringe order correction for the absolute phase recovered by two selected spatial frequency fringe projections in fringe projection profilometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yi; Peng, Kai; Yu, Miao; Lu, Lei; Zhao, Kun

2017-08-01

The performance of the two selected spatial frequency phase unwrapping methods is limited by a phase error bound beyond which errors will occur in the fringe order leading to a significant error in the recovered absolute phase map. In this paper, we propose a method to detect and correct the wrong fringe orders. Two constraints are introduced during the fringe order determination of two selected spatial frequency phase unwrapping methods. A strategy to detect and correct the wrong fringe orders is also described. Compared with the existing methods, we do not need to estimate the threshold associated with absolute phase values to determine the fringe order error, thus making it more reliable and avoiding the procedure of search in detecting and correcting successive fringe order errors. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by the experimental results.

Nanocasting of Periodic Mesoporous Materials as an Effective Strategy to Prepare Mixed Phases of Titania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luther Mahoney

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Mesoporous titanium dioxide materials were prepared using a nanocasting technique involving silica SBA-15 as the hard-template. At an optimal loading of titanium precursor, the hexagonal periodic array of pores in SBA-15 was retained. The phases of titanium dioxide could be easily varied by the number of impregnation cycles and the nature of titanium alkoxide employed. Low number of impregnation cycles produced mixed phases of anatase and TiO2(B. The mesoporous TiO2 materials were tested for solar hydrogen production, and the material consisting of 98% anatase and 2% TiO2(B exhibited the highest yield of hydrogen from the photocatalytic splitting of water. The periodicity of the pores was an important factor that influenced the photocatalytic activity. This study indicates that mixed phases of titania containing ordered array of pores can be prepared by using the nanocasting strategy.

Strategies for Time-resolved X-ray Diffraction of Phase Transitions with Laser Compression

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetti, Laura Robin; Eggert, J. H.; Bradley, D. K.; Bell, P. M.; Kilkenny, J. D.; Palmer, N.; Petre, R. B.; Rygg, J. R.; Sorce, C.; Collins, G. W.; Boehly, T. R.

2017-10-01

As part of a program to document kinetics of phase transitions under laser-driven dynamic compression, we are designing a platform to make multiple x-ray diffraction measurements during a single laser experiment. Our plans include experimental development at Omega-EP and eventual implementation at NIF. We will present our strategy for designing a robust platform that can effectively document a wide variety of phase transformations by utilizing both streaked and multiple-frame imaging detectors. Preliminary designs utilize a novel CMOS detector designed by Sandia National Lab. Our initial experiments include scoping studies that will focus on photometrics and shielding requirements in the high EMP environment close to the target. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, LLNL-ABS-734470.

Role of data aggregation in biosurveillance detection strategies with applications from ESSENCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkom, Howard S; Elbert, Y; Feldman, A; Lin, J

2004-09-24

Syndromic surveillance systems are used to monitor daily electronic data streams for anomalous counts of features of varying specificity. The monitored quantities might be counts of clinical diagnoses, sales of over-the-counter influenza remedies, school absenteeism among a given age group, and so forth. Basic data-aggregation decisions for these systems include determining which records to count and how to group them in space and time. This paper discusses the application of spatial and temporal data-aggregation strategies for multiple data streams to alerting algorithms appropriate to the surveillance region and public health threat of interest. Such a strategy was applied and evaluated for a complex, authentic, multisource, multiregion environment, including >2 years of data records from a system-evaluation exercise for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). Multivariate and multiple univariate statistical process control methods were adapted and applied to the DARPA data collection. Comparative parametric analyses based on temporal aggregation were used to optimize the performance of these algorithms for timely detection of a set of outbreaks identified in the data by a team of epidemiologists. The sensitivity and timeliness of the most promising detection methods were tested at empirically calculated thresholds corresponding to multiple practical false-alert rates. Even at the strictest false-alert rate, all but one of the outbreaks were detected by the best method, and the best methods achieved a 1-day median time before alert over the set of test outbreaks. These results indicate that a biosurveillance system can provide a substantial alerting-timeliness advantage over traditional public health monitoring for certain outbreaks. Comparative analyses of individual algorithm results indicate further achievable improvement in sensitivity and specificity.

Individual differences in attention strategies during detection, fine discrimination, and coarse discrimination

Science.gov (United States)

Hecker, Elizabeth A.; Serences, John T.; Srinivasan, Ramesh

2013-01-01

Interacting with the environment requires the ability to flexibly direct attention to relevant features. We examined the degree to which individuals attend to visual features within and across Detection, Fine Discrimination, and Coarse Discrimination tasks. Electroencephalographic (EEG) responses were measured to an unattended peripheral flickering (4 or 6 Hz) grating while individuals (n = 33) attended to orientations that were offset by 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, and 90° from the orientation of the unattended flicker. These unattended responses may be sensitive to attentional gain at the attended spatial location, since attention to features enhances early visual responses throughout the visual field. We found no significant differences in tuning curves across the three tasks in part due to individual differences in strategies. We sought to characterize individual attention strategies using hierarchical Bayesian modeling, which grouped individuals into families of curves that reflect attention to the physical target orientation (“on-channel”) or away from the target orientation (“off-channel”) or a uniform distribution of attention. The different curves were related to behavioral performance; individuals with “on-channel” curves had lower thresholds than individuals with uniform curves. Individuals with “off-channel” curves during Fine Discrimination additionally had lower thresholds than those assigned to uniform curves, highlighting the perceptual benefits of attending away from the physical target orientation during fine discriminations. Finally, we showed that a subset of individuals with optimal curves (“on-channel”) during Detection also demonstrated optimal curves (“off-channel”) during Fine Discrimination, indicating that a subset of individuals can modulate tuning optimally for detection and discrimination. PMID:23678013

A Pedestrian Detection Scheme Using a Coherent Phase Difference Method Based on 2D Range-Doppler FMCW Radar

Science.gov (United States)

Hyun, Eugin; Jin, Young-Seok; Lee, Jong-Hun

2016-01-01

For an automotive pedestrian detection radar system, fast-ramp based 2D range-Doppler Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar is effective for distinguishing between moving targets and unwanted clutter. However, when a weak moving target such as a pedestrian exists together with strong clutter, the pedestrian may be masked by the side-lobe of the clutter even though they are notably separated in the Doppler dimension. To prevent this problem, one popular solution is the use of a windowing scheme with a weighting function. However, this method leads to a spread spectrum, so the pedestrian with weak signal power and slow Doppler may also be masked by the main-lobe of clutter. With a fast-ramp based FMCW radar, if the target is moving, the complex spectrum of the range- Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is changed with a constant phase difference over ramps. In contrast, the clutter exhibits constant phase irrespective of the ramps. Based on this fact, in this paper we propose a pedestrian detection for highly cluttered environments using a coherent phase difference method. By detecting the coherent phase difference from the complex spectrum of the range-FFT, we first extract the range profile of the moving pedestrians. Then, through the Doppler FFT, we obtain the 2D range-Doppler map for only the pedestrian. To test the proposed detection scheme, we have developed a real-time data logging system with a 24 GHz FMCW transceiver. In laboratory tests, we verified that the signal processing results from the proposed method were much better than those expected from the conventional 2D FFT-based detection method. PMID:26805835

A Pedestrian Detection Scheme Using a Coherent Phase Difference Method Based on 2D Range-Doppler FMCW Radar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugin Hyun

2016-01-01

Full Text Available For an automotive pedestrian detection radar system, fast-ramp based 2D range-Doppler Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW radar is effective for distinguishing between moving targets and unwanted clutter. However, when a weak moving target such as a pedestrian exists together with strong clutter, the pedestrian may be masked by the side-lobe of the clutter even though they are notably separated in the Doppler dimension. To prevent this problem, one popular solution is the use of a windowing scheme with a weighting function. However, this method leads to a spread spectrum, so the pedestrian with weak signal power and slow Doppler may also be masked by the main-lobe of clutter. With a fast-ramp based FMCW radar, if the target is moving, the complex spectrum of the range- Fast Fourier Transform (FFT is changed with a constant phase difference over ramps. In contrast, the clutter exhibits constant phase irrespective of the ramps. Based on this fact, in this paper we propose a pedestrian detection for highly cluttered environments using a coherent phase difference method. By detecting the coherent phase difference from the complex spectrum of the range-FFT, we first extract the range profile of the moving pedestrians. Then, through the Doppler FFT, we obtain the 2D range-Doppler map for only the pedestrian. To test the proposed detection scheme, we have developed a real-time data logging system with a 24 GHz FMCW transceiver. In laboratory tests, we verified that the signal processing results from the proposed method were much better than those expected from the conventional 2D FFT-based detection method.

A new method for ultrasound detection of interfacial position in gas-liquid two-phase flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Coutinho, Fábio Rizental; Ofuchi, César Yutaka; de Arruda, Lúcia Valéria Ramos; Neves, Flávio; Morales, Rigoberto E M

2014-05-22

Ultrasonic measurement techniques for velocity estimation are currently widely used in fluid flow studies and applications. An accurate determination of interfacial position in gas-liquid two-phase flows is still an open problem. The quality of this information directly reflects on the accuracy of void fraction measurement, and it provides a means of discriminating velocity information of both phases. The algorithm known as Velocity Matched Spectrum (VM Spectrum) is a velocity estimator that stands out from other methods by returning a spectrum of velocities for each interrogated volume sample. Interface detection of free-rising bubbles in quiescent liquid presents some difficulties for interface detection due to abrupt changes in interface inclination. In this work a method based on velocity spectrum curve shape is used to generate a spatial-temporal mapping, which, after spatial filtering, yields an accurate contour of the air-water interface. It is shown that the proposed technique yields a RMS error between 1.71 and 3.39 and a probability of detection failure and false detection between 0.89% and 11.9% in determining the spatial-temporal gas-liquid interface position in the flow of free rising bubbles in stagnant liquid. This result is valid for both free path and with transducer emitting through a metallic plate or a Plexiglas pipe.

Development of cost effective fenceline monitoring approaches to support advanced leak detection and repair strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Cost-effective fence line and process monitoring systems to support advanced leak detection and repair (LDAR) strategies can enhance protection of public health, facilitate worker safety, and help companies realize cost savings by reducing lost product. The U.S. EPA Office of Re...

Probing the phase composition of silicon films in situ by etch product detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dingemans, G.; Donker, M. N. van den; Gordijn, A.; Kessels, W. M. M.; Sanden, M. C. M. van de

2007-01-01

Exploiting the higher etch probability for amorphous silicon relative to crystalline silicon, the transiently evolving phase composition of silicon films in the microcrystalline growth regime was probed in situ by monitoring the etch product (SiH 4 ) gas density during a short H 2 plasma treatment step. Etch product detection took place by the easy-to-implement techniques of optical emission spectroscopy and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The phase composition of the films was probed as a function of the SiH 4 concentration during deposition and as a function of the film thickness. The in situ results were corroborated by Raman spectroscopy and solar cell analysis

Wake Vortex Detection: Phased Microphone vs. Linear Infrasonic Array

Science.gov (United States)

Shams, Qamar A.; Zuckerwar, Allan J.; Sullivan, Nicholas T.; Knight, Howard K.

2014-01-01

Sensor technologies can make a significant impact on the detection of aircraft-generated vortices in an air space of interest, typically in the approach or departure corridor. Current state-of-the art sensor technologies do not provide three-dimensional measurements needed for an operational system or even for wake vortex modeling to advance the understanding of vortex behavior. Most wake vortex sensor systems used today have been developed only for research applications and lack the reliability needed for continuous operation. The main challenges for the development of an operational sensor system are reliability, all-weather operation, and spatial coverage. Such a sensor has been sought for a period of last forty years. Acoustic sensors were first proposed and tested by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) early in 1970s for tracking wake vortices but these acoustic sensors suffered from high levels of ambient noise. Over a period of the last fifteen years, there has been renewed interest in studying noise generated by aircraft wake vortices, both numerically and experimentally. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) was the first to propose the application of a phased microphone array for the investigation of the noise sources of wake vortices. The concept was first demonstrated at Berlins Airport Schoenefeld in 2000. A second test was conducted in Tarbes, France, in 2002, where phased microphone arrays were applied to study the wake vortex noise of an Airbus 340. Similarly, microphone phased arrays and other opto-acoustic microphones were evaluated in a field test at the Denver International Airport in 2003. For the Tarbes and Denver tests, the wake trajectories of phased microphone arrays and lidar were compared as these were installed side by side. Due to a built-in pressure equalization vent these microphones were not suitable for capturing acoustic noise below 20 Hz. Our group at NASA Langley Research Center developed and installed an

Phase-based x-ray scattering—A possible method to detect cancer cells in a very early stage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feye-Treimer, U., E-mail: feye-treimer@helmholtz-berlin.de; Treimer, W. [Department of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences, D-13353 Berlin, Germany and Joint Department G-GTOMO, Helmholtz Zentrum fuer Materialien und Energie Berlin, D-14109 Berlin (Germany)

2014-05-15

Purpose: This theoretical work contains a detailed investigation of the potential and sensitivity of phase-based x-ray scattering for cancer detection in biopsies if cancer is in a very early stage of development. Methods: Cancer cells in their early stage of development differ from healthy ones mainly due to their faster growing cell nuclei and the enlargement of their densities. This growth is accompanied by an altered nucleus–plasma relation for the benefit of the cell nuclei, that changes the physical properties especially the index of refraction of the cell and the one of the cell nuclei. Interaction of radiation with matter is known to be highly sensitive to small changes of the index of refraction of matter; therefore a detection of such changes of volume and density of cell nuclei by means of high angular resolved phase-based scattering of x rays might provide a technique to distinguish malignant cells from healthy ones ifthe cell–cell nucleus system is considered as a coherent phase shifting object. Then one can observe from a thin biopsy which represents a monolayer of cells (no multiple scattering) that phase-based x-ray scattering curves from healthy cells differ from those of cancer cells in their early stage of development. Results: Detailed calculations of x-ray scattering patterns from healthy and cancer cell nuclei yield graphs and numbers with which one can distinguish healthy cells from cancer ones, taking into account that both kinds of cells occur in a tissue within a range of size and density. One important result is the role and the influence of the (lateral) coherence width of the radiation on the scattering curves and the sensitivity of phase-based scattering for cancer detection. A major result is that a larger coherence width yields a larger sensitivity for cancer detection. Further import results are calculated limits for critical sizes and densities of cell nuclei in order to attribute the investigated tissue to be healthy or

Optimal search strategies for detecting cost and economic studies in EMBASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haynes R Brian

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Economic evaluations in the medical literature compare competing diagnosis or treatment methods for their use of resources and their expected outcomes. The best evidence currently available from research regarding both cost and economic comparisons will continue to expand as this type of information becomes more important in today's clinical practice. Researchers and clinicians need quick, reliable ways to access this information. A key source of this type of information is large bibliographic databases such as EMBASE. The objective of this study was to develop search strategies that optimize the retrieval of health costs and economics studies from EMBASE. Methods We conducted an analytic survey, comparing hand searches of journals with retrievals from EMBASE for candidate search terms and combinations. 6 research assistants read all issues of 55 journals indexed by EMBASE for the publishing year 2000. We rated all articles using purpose and quality indicators and categorized them into clinically relevant original studies, review articles, general papers, or case reports. The original and review articles were then categorized for purpose (i.e., cost and economics and other clinical topics and depending on the purpose as 'pass' or 'fail' for methodologic rigor. Candidate search strategies were developed for economic and cost studies, then run in the 55 EMBASE journals, the retrievals being compared with the hand search data. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy of the search strategies were calculated. Results Combinations of search terms for detecting both cost and economic studies attained levels of 100% sensitivity with specificity levels of 92.9% and 92.3% respectively. When maximizing for both sensitivity and specificity, the combination of terms for detecting cost studies (sensitivity increased 2.2% over the single term but at a slight decrease in specificity of 0.9%. The maximized combination of terms

Phase transition detection by surface photo charge effect in liquid crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, O.; Petrov, M.; Naradikian, H.; Perez-Diaz, J. L.

2018-05-01

The surface photo charge effect (SPCE) was applied for the first time at structure and phase transitions study of hydrogen bonded in dimer liquid crystals (HBDLCs). Due to the high sensitivity of this method, besides first-order phase transitions, characteristic for the p,n-octyloxibenzoic acids (8OBA), an order transition was definitely detected within the nematic range. We state that the SPCE, arising at the solid-HBDLCs interface due to the double electrical layer, is invariably concomitant with solid surface-liquid interfaces, and indicates that the changes of the characteristics of this layer, under incident optical irradiation, induce surface charge rearrangement and alternating potential difference. A mechanism of induction of the SPCE at the interface of solid surface-anisotropic liquids is proposed. We also indicate that this mechanism can be adapted for solid surface-isotropic liquid interface, including colloids (milk) and fog (aerosols)-condensed medium.

The detection and specifity of class specific antibodies to whole bacteria cells using a solid phase radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czerkinsky, C.; Rees, A.S.; Bergimeier, L.A.; Challacombe, S.J.

1983-01-01

A solid phase radioimmunoassay has been developed which can be used for the detection of isotype specific antibodies to whole bacteria and other particulate antigens, and is applicable to a variety of species. Bacteria are bound to the solid phase by the use either of antibodies, or of methyl glyoxal. Both methods result in a sensitive and reproducible assay, and bacteria do not appear to desorb from the solid phase. The specificity of antibodies to whole bacteria was examined by absorption of antisera with various species of bacteria and retesting, or by determining the binding of antisera to various bacteria bound to the solid phase. Both methods revealed specificity for the bacteria examined. Inhibition studies showed that antibodies to Streptococcus mutans whole cells could be inhibited by purified cell surface antigens glucosyltransferase and antigen I/II, but only minimally by lipoteichoic acid, c polysaccharide or dextran. In murine antisera antibodies of the IgG, IgM, and IgA classes could be detected at amounts of less than 1 ng/ml. (author)

Gait phase detection from sciatic nerve recordings in functional electrical stimulation systems for foot drop correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Jun-Uk; Song, Kang-Il; Han, Sungmin; Suh, Jun-Kyo Francis; Choi, Kuiwon; Youn, Inchan; Lee, Soo Hyun; Kang, Ji Yoon; Hwang, Dosik

2013-01-01

Cutaneous afferent activities recorded by a nerve cuff electrode have been used to detect the stance phase in a functional electrical stimulation system for foot drop correction. However, the implantation procedure was difficult, as the cuff electrode had to be located on the distal branches of a multi-fascicular nerve to exclude muscle afferent and efferent activities. This paper proposes a new gait phase detection scheme that can be applied to a proximal nerve root that includes cutaneous afferent fibers as well as muscle afferent and efferent fibers. To test the feasibility of this scheme, electroneurogram (ENG) signals were measured from the rat sciatic nerve during treadmill walking at several speeds, and the signal properties of the sciatic nerve were analyzed for a comparison with kinematic data from the ankle joint. On the basis of these experiments, a wavelet packet transform was tested to define a feature vector from the sciatic ENG signals according to the gait phases. We also propose a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) classifier and investigate whether it could be used successfully to discriminate feature vectors into the stance and swing phases. In spite of no significant differences in the rectified bin-integrated values between the stance and swing phases, the sciatic ENG signals could be reliably classified using the proposed wavelet packet transform and GMM classification methods. (paper)

Dual phase helical CT versus portal venous phase CT for the detection of colorectal liver metastases: Correlation with intra-operative sonography, surgical and pathological findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, D. John; Guthrie, J. Ashley; Arnold, Paul; Ward, Janice; Atchley, Julian; Wilson, Daniel; Robinson, Philip J.

2001-01-01

AIM: To assess whether dual phase helical computed tomography (DPCT) of the liver improves the detection of colorectal liver metastases compared with portal venous phase (PVP) imaging alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DPCT was performed in 33 consecutive patients before laparotomy for resection of colorectal liver metastases. CT comprised 8-mm slice collimation with a pitch of 1 to 1.25; imaging was commenced 20-25 and 65-70 s after the start of injection of 150 ml of contrast medium at 5 ml/s to coincide with hepatic arterial phase (HAP) and PVP contrast enhancement, respectively. Four blinded observers independently reviewed the HAP, PVP and DPCT images recording the site and size of all lesions. Alternative-free response receiver operating characteristic (AFROC) methodology was used to analyse the results, which were correlated with surgery, intra-operative ultrasound and histology. RESULTS: The mean observer sensitivities for malignant lesion detection were 75.3% for DPCT, 69.7% for PVP imaging and 66.7% for HAP imaging alone. There was a statistically significant improvement in malignant lesion detection using DPCT when compared with PVP imaging alone (P < 0.05). The mean areas under the AFROC curves were 0.84 for DPCT and 0.82 for PVP (P < 0.03) imaging alone. CONCLUSION: The detection of colorectal liver metastases was marginally better with DPCT than with PVP imaging alone, but the discovery of additional lesions did not affect the management of any of the patients in this study. Scott, D.J. et al. (2001)

Toward Continuous GPS Carrier-Phase Time Transfer: Eliminating the Time Discontinuity at an Anomaly.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Jian; Levine, Judah; Weiss, Marc

2015-01-01

The wide application of Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier-phase (CP) time transfer is limited by the problem of boundary discontinuity (BD). The discontinuity has two categories. One is "day boundary discontinuity," which has been studied extensively and can be solved by multiple methods [1-8]. The other category of discontinuity, called "anomaly boundary discontinuity (anomaly-BD)," comes from a GPS data anomaly. The anomaly can be a data gap (i.e., missing data), a GPS measurement error (i.e., bad data), or a cycle slip. Initial study of the anomaly-BD shows that we can fix the discontinuity if the anomaly lasts no more than 20 min, using the polynomial curve-fitting strategy to repair the anomaly [9]. However, sometimes, the data anomaly lasts longer than 20 min. Thus, a better curve-fitting strategy is in need. Besides, a cycle slip, as another type of data anomaly, can occur and lead to an anomaly-BD. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a new strategy, i.e., the satellite-clock-aided curve fitting strategy with the function of cycle slip detection. Basically, this new strategy applies the satellite clock correction to the GPS data. After that, we do the polynomial curve fitting for the code and phase data, as before. Our study shows that the phase-data residual is only ~3 mm for all GPS satellites. The new strategy also detects and finds the number of cycle slips by searching the minimum curve-fitting residual. Extensive examples show that this new strategy enables us to repair up to a 40-min GPS data anomaly, regardless of whether the anomaly is due to a data gap, a cycle slip, or a combination of the two. We also find that interference of the GPS signal, known as "jamming", can possibly lead to a time-transfer error, and that this new strategy can compensate for jamming outages. Thus, the new strategy can eliminate the impact of jamming on time transfer. As a whole, we greatly improve the robustness of the GPS CP time transfer.

Selectivity enhancement in photoacoustic gas analysis via phase-sensitive detection at high modulation frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Kosterev, Anatoliy (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A method for detecting a target fluid in a fluid sample comprising a first fluid and the target fluid using photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), comprises a) providing a light source configured to introduce an optical signal having at least one wavelength into the fluid sample; b) modulating the optical signal at a desired modulation frequency such that the optical signal generates an acoustic signal in the fluid sample; c) measuring the acoustic signal in a resonant acoustic detector; and d) using the phase of the acoustic signal to detect the presence of the target fluid.

The impact of the phase-space density on the indirect detection of dark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrer, Francesc; Hunter, Daniel R.

2013-01-01

We study the indirect detection of dark matter when the local dark matter velocity distribution depends upon position, as expected for the Milky Way and its dwarf spheroidal satellites, and the annihilation cross-section is not purely s-wave. Using a phase-space distribution consistent with the dark matter density profile, we present estimates of cosmic and gamma-ray fluxes from dark matter annihilations. The expectations for the indirect detection of dark matter can differ significantly from the usual calculation that assumes that the velocity of the dark matter particles follows a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution

Code of Conduct for wind-power projects - Phase 3; Code of Conduct fuer windkraftprojekte. Phase 3 Machbarkeit und Strategie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strub, P. [Pierre Strub, freischaffender Berater, Binningen (Switzerland); Ziegler, Ch. [Inter Act, Basel (Switzerland)

2008-11-15

This paper discusses the results of phase three of a project concerning wind-power projects. Feasibility and strategy aspects are examined and discussed. The current state of the wind power market is discussed on the basis of the results of a survey made on the subject. The social acceptance of wind power installations is discussed, whereby the rejection of particular projects is compared with a general lack of acceptance. Requirements placed on such projects and possible solutions are discussed. Finally, the feasibility of setting up a code of conduct in the area of wind-power projects is discussed and the definition of further instruments is examined

Phase Error Caused by Speed Mismatch Analysis in the Line-Scan Defect Detection by Using Fourier Transform Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eryi Hu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The phase error caused by the speed mismatch issue is researched in the line-scan images capturing 3D profile measurement. The experimental system is constructed by a line-scan CCD camera, an object moving device, a digital fringe pattern projector, and a personal computer. In the experiment procedure, the detected object is moving relative to the image capturing system by using a motorized translation stage in a stable velocity. The digital fringe pattern is projected onto the detected object, and then the deformed patterns are captured and recorded in the computer. The object surface profile can be calculated by the Fourier transform profilometry. However, the moving speed mismatch error will still exist in most of the engineering application occasion even after an image system calibration. When the moving speed of the detected object is faster than the expected value, the captured image will be compressed in the moving direction of the detected object. In order to overcome this kind of measurement error, an image recovering algorithm is proposed to reconstruct the original compressed image. Thus, the phase values can be extracted much more accurately by the reconstructed images. And then, the phase error distribution caused by the speed mismatch is analyzed by the simulation and experimental methods.

16-level differential phase shift keying (D16PSK) in direct detection optical communication systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sambaraju, R.; Tokle, Torger; Jensen, J.B.

2006-01-01

Optical 16-level differential phase shift keying (D16PSK) carrying four bits for every symbol is proposed for direct detection optical communication systems. Transmitter and receiver schematics are presented, and the receiver sensitivity is discussed. We numerically investigate the impact...

Reduction of false positives in the detection of architectural distortion in mammograms by using a geometrically constrained phase portrait model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayres, Fabio J.; Rangayyan, Rangaraj M.

2007-01-01

Objective One of the commonly missed signs of breast cancer is architectural distortion. We have developed techniques for the detection of architectural distortion in mammograms, based on the analysis of oriented texture through the application of Gabor filters and a linear phase portrait model. In this paper, we propose constraining the shape of the general phase portrait model as a means to reduce the false-positive rate in the detection of architectural distortion. Material and methods The methods were tested with one set of 19 cases of architectural distortion and 41 normal mammograms, and with another set of 37 cases of architectural distortion. Results Sensitivity rates of 84% with 4.5 false positives per image and 81% with 10 false positives per image were obtained for the two sets of images. Conclusion The adoption of a constrained phase portrait model with a symmetric matrix and the incorporation of its condition number in the analysis resulted in a reduction in the false-positive rate in the detection of architectural distortion. The proposed techniques, dedicated for the detection and localization of architectural distortion, should lead to efficient detection of early signs of breast cancer. (orig.)

Computing Optimal Mixed Strategies for Terrorist Plot Detection Games with the Consideration of Information Leakage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li MingChu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The terrorist’s coordinated attack is becoming an increasing threat to western countries. By monitoring potential terrorists, security agencies are able to detect and destroy terrorist plots at their planning stage. Therefore, an optimal monitoring strategy for the domestic security agency becomes necessary. However, previous study about monitoring strategy generation fails to consider the information leakage, due to hackers and insider threat. Such leakage events may lead to failure of watching potential terrorists and destroying the plot, and cause a huge risk to public security. This paper makes two major contributions. Firstly, we develop a new Stackelberg game model for the security agency to generate optimal monitoring strategy with the consideration of information leakage. Secondly, we provide a double-oracle framework DO-TPDIL for calculation effectively. The experimental result shows that our approach can obtain robust strategies against information leakage with high feasibility and efficiency.

The local dark matter phase-space density and impact on WIMP direct detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catena, Riccardo; Ullio, Piero

2012-01-01

We present a new determination of the local dark matter phase-space density. This result is obtained implementing, in the limit of isotropic velocity distribution and spherical symmetry, Eddington's inversion formula, which links univocally the dark matter distribution function to the density profile, and applying, within a Bayesian framework, a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to sample mass models for the Milky Way against a broad and variegated sample of dynamical constraints. We consider three possible choices for the dark matter density profile, namely the Einasto, NFW and Burkert profiles, finding that the velocity dispersion, which characterizes the width in the distribution, tends to be larger for the Burkert case, while the escape velocity depends very weakly on the profile, with the mean value we obtain being in very good agreement with estimates from stellar kinematics. The derived dark matter phase-space densities differ significantly — most dramatically in the high velocity tails — from the model usually taken as a reference in dark matter detection studies, a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution with velocity dispersion fixed in terms of the local circular velocity and with a sharp truncation at a given value of the escape velocity. We discuss the impact of astrophysical uncertainties on dark matter scattering rates and direct detection exclusion limits, considering a few sample cases and showing that the most sensitive ones are those for light dark matter particles and for particles scattering inelastically. As a general trend, regardless of the assumed profile, when adopting a self-consistent phase-space density, we find that rates are larger, and hence exclusion limits stronger, than with the standard Maxwell-Boltzmann approximation. Tools for applying our result on the local dark matter phase-space density to other dark matter candidates or experimental setups are provided

Image Denoising And Segmentation Approchto Detect Tumor From BRAINMRI Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shanta Rangaswamy

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The detection of the Brain Tumor is a challenging problem, due to the structure of the Tumor cells in the brain. This project presents a systematic method that enhances the detection of brain tumor cells and to analyze functional structures by training and classification of the samples in SVM and tumor cell segmentation of the sample using DWT algorithm. From the input MRI Images collected, first noise is removed from MRI images by applying wiener filtering technique. In image enhancement phase, all the color components of MRI Images will be converted into gray scale image and make the edges clear in the image to get better identification and improvised quality of the image. In the segmentation phase, DWT on MRI Image to segment the grey-scale image is performed. During the post-processing, classification of tumor is performed by using SVM classifier. Wiener Filter, DWT, SVM Segmentation strategies were used to find and group the tumor position in the MRI filtered picture respectively. An essential perception in this work is that multi arrange approach utilizes various leveled classification strategy which supports execution altogether. This technique diminishes the computational complexity quality in time and memory. This classification strategy works accurately on all images and have achieved the accuracy of 93%.

Magneto-motive detection of tissue-based macrophages by differential phase optical coherence tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Junghwan; Feldman, Marc D; Kim, Jihoon; Kang, Hyun Wook; Sanghi, Pramod; Milner, Thomas E

2007-03-01

A novel method to detect tissue-based macrophages using a combination of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles and differential phase optical coherence tomography (DP-OCT) with an external oscillating magnetic field is reported. Magnetic force acting on iron-laden tissue-based macrophages was varied by applying a sinusoidal current to a solenoid containing a conical iron core that substantially focused and increased magnetic flux density. Nanoparticle motion was detected with DP-OCT, which can detect tissue movement with nanometer resolution. Frequency response of iron-laden tissue movement was twice the modulation frequency since the magnetic force is proportional to the product of magnetic flux density and gradient. Results of our experiments indicate that DP-OCT can be used to identify tissue-based macrophage when excited by an external focused oscillating magnetic field. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Phase synchronization of delta and theta oscillations increase during the detection of relevant lexical information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enzo eBrunetti

2013-06-01

Full Text Available During monitoring of the discourse, the detection of the relevance of incoming lexical information could be critical for its incorporation to update mental representations in memory. Because, in these situations, the relevance for lexical information is defined by abstract rules that are maintained in memory, results critical to understand how an abstract level of knowledge maintained in mind mediates the detection of the lower-level semantic information. In the present study, we propose that neuronal oscillations participate in the detection of relevant lexical information, based on ‘kept in mind’ rules deriving from more abstract semantic information. We tested our hypothesis using an experimental paradigm that restricted the detection of relevance to inferences based on explicit information, thus controlling for ambiguities derived from implicit aspects. We used a categorization task, in which the semantic relevance was previously defined based on the congruency between a kept in mind category (abstract knowledge, and the lexical-semantic information presented. Our results show that during the detection of the relevant lexical information, phase synchronization of neuronal oscillations selectively increases in delta and theta frequency bands during the interval of semantic analysis. These increments were independent of the semantic category maintained in memory, had a temporal profile specific for each subject, and were mainly induced, as they had no effect on the evoked mean global field power. Also, recruitment of an increased number of pairs of electrodes was a robust observation during the detection of semantic contingent words. These results are consistent with the notion that the detection of relevant lexical information based on a particular semantic rule, could be mediated by increasing the global phase synchronization of neuronal oscillations, which may contribute to the recruitment of an extended number of cortical regions.

Phase synchronization of delta and theta oscillations increase during the detection of relevant lexical information.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunetti, Enzo; Maldonado, Pedro E; Aboitiz, Francisco

2013-01-01

During monitoring of the discourse, the detection of the relevance of incoming lexical information could be critical for its incorporation to update mental representations in memory. Because, in these situations, the relevance for lexical information is defined by abstract rules that are maintained in memory, a central aspect to elucidate is how an abstract level of knowledge maintained in mind mediates the detection of the lower-level semantic information. In the present study, we propose that neuronal oscillations participate in the detection of relevant lexical information, based on "kept in mind" rules deriving from more abstract semantic information. We tested our hypothesis using an experimental paradigm that restricted the detection of relevance to inferences based on explicit information, thus controlling for ambiguities derived from implicit aspects. We used a categorization task, in which the semantic relevance was previously defined based on the congruency between a kept in mind category (abstract knowledge), and the lexical semantic information presented. Our results show that during the detection of the relevant lexical information, phase synchronization of neuronal oscillations selectively increases in delta and theta frequency bands during the interval of semantic analysis. These increments occurred irrespective of the semantic category maintained in memory, had a temporal profile specific for each subject, and were mainly induced, as they had no effect on the evoked mean global field power. Also, recruitment of an increased number of pairs of electrodes was a robust observation during the detection of semantic contingent words. These results are consistent with the notion that the detection of relevant lexical information based on a particular semantic rule, could be mediated by increasing the global phase synchronization of neuronal oscillations, which may contribute to the recruitment of an extended number of cortical regions.

Dynamic Modeling Strategy for Flow Regime Transition in Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xia Wang

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In modeling gas-liquid two-phase flows, the concept of flow regimes has been widely used to characterize the global interfacial structure of the flows. Nearly all constitutive relations that provide closures to the interfacial transfers in two-phase flow models, such as the two-fluid model, are flow regime dependent. Current nuclear reactor safety analysis codes, such as RELAP5, classify flow regimes using flow regime maps or transition criteria that were developed for steady-state, fully-developed flows. As two-phase flows are dynamic in nature, it is important to model the flow regime transitions dynamically to more accurately predict the two-phase flows. The present work aims to develop a dynamic modeling strategy to determine flow regimes in gas-liquid two-phase flows through introduction of interfacial area transport equations (IATEs within the framework of a two-fluid model. The IATE is a transport equation that models the interfacial area concentration by considering the creation of the interfacial area, fluid particle (bubble or liquid droplet disintegration, boiling and evaporation, and the destruction of the interfacial area, fluid particle coalescence and condensation. For flow regimes beyond bubbly flows, a two-group IATE has been proposed, in which bubbles are divided into two groups based on their size and shapes, namely group-1 and group-2 bubbles. A preliminary approach to dynamically identify the flow regimes is discussed, in which discriminators are based on the predicted information, such as the void fraction and interfacial area concentration. The flow regime predicted with this method shows good agreement with the experimental observations.

Detection of viral antigens by solid phase radioimmunoassay on polyethylene film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prokudina, E N; Semenova, N P; Zhdanov, V M

1986-04-01

Polyethylene film, without any pretreatment, may serve as a solid phase (SP) for RIA. Viral antigens (HBsAg, and influenza virus) are detected by SP-RIA on the film with a sensitivity of about 2-3 ng/ml or 40-60 pg/assay. The use of polyethylene film allows one to record RIA autographically. The use of micro amounts of reagents and specimens tested is an added advantage. No special equipment is necessary, the method is inexpensive, easy to perform and may be used for mass screening. (Auth.). 7 refs.; 4 figs.

Induced Voltages Ratio-Based Algorithm for Fault Detection, and Faulted Phase and Winding Identification of a Three-Winding Power Transformer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byung Eun Lee

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an algorithm for fault detection, faulted phase and winding identification of a three-winding power transformer based on the induced voltages in the electrical power system. The ratio of the induced voltages of the primary-secondary, primary-tertiary and secondary-tertiary windings is the same as the corresponding turns ratio during normal operating conditions, magnetic inrush, and over-excitation. It differs from the turns ratio during an internal fault. For a single phase and a three-phase power transformer with wye-connected windings, the induced voltages of each pair of windings are estimated. For a three-phase power transformer with delta-connected windings, the induced voltage differences are estimated to use the line currents, because the delta winding currents are practically unavailable. Six detectors are suggested for fault detection. An additional three detectors and a rule for faulted phase and winding identification are presented as well. The proposed algorithm can not only detect an internal fault, but also identify the faulted phase and winding of a three-winding power transformer. The various test results with Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP-generated data show that the proposed algorithm successfully discriminates internal faults from normal operating conditions including magnetic inrush and over-excitation. This paper concludes by implementing the algorithm into a prototype relay based on a digital signal processor.

Nest site selection by Kentish plover suggests a trade-off between nest-crypsis and predator detection strategies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ángel Gómez-Serrano

Full Text Available Predation is one of the main causes of adult mortality and breeding failure for ground-nesting birds. Micro-habitat structure around nests plays a critical role in minimizing predation risk. Plovers nest in sites with little vegetation cover to maximize the incubating adult visibility, but many studies suggest a trade-off between nest-crypsis and predator detection strategies. However, this trade-off has not been explored in detail because methods used so far do not allow estimating the visibility with regards to critical factors such as slope or plant permeability to vision. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Kentish plovers select exposed sites according to a predator detection strategy, and the hypothesis that more concealed nests survive longer according to a crypsis strategy. To this end, we obtained an accurate estimation of the incubating adult's field of vision through a custom built inverted periscope. Our results showed that plovers selected nest sites with higher visibility than control points randomly selected with regards to humans and dogs, although nests located in sites with higher vegetation cover survived longer. In addition, the flushing distance (i.e., the distance at which incubating adults leave the nest when they detect a potential predator decreased with vegetation cover. Consequently, the advantages of concealing the nest were limited by the ability to detect predators, thus indirectly supporting the existence of the trade-off between crypsis and predator detection. Finally, human disturbance also constrained nest choice, forcing plovers to move to inland sites that were less suitable because of higher vegetation cover, and modulated flushing behavior, since plovers that were habituated to humans left their nests closer to potential predators. This constraint on the width of suitable breeding habitat is particularly relevant for the conservation of Kentish Plover in sand beaches, especially under the current context of

Absolute distance measurement by dual-comb interferometry with multi-channel digital lock-in phase detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Ruitao; Pollinger, Florian; Meiners-Hagen, Karl; Krystek, Michael; Bosse, Harald; Tan, Jiubin

2015-01-01

We present a dual-comb-based heterodyne multi-wavelength absolute interferometer capable of long distance measurements. The phase information of the various comb modes is extracted in parallel by a multi-channel digital lock-in phase detection scheme. Several synthetic wavelengths of the same order are constructed and the corresponding phases are averaged to deduce the absolute lengths with significantly reduced uncertainty. Comparison experiments with an incremental HeNe reference interferometer show a combined relative measurement uncertainty of 5.3 × 10 −7 at a measurement distance of 20 m. Combining the advantage of synthetic wavelength interferometry and dual-comb interferometry, our compact and simple approach provides sufficient precision for many industrial applications. (paper)

Absolute distance measurement by dual-comb interferometry with multi-channel digital lock-in phase detection

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ruitao; Pollinger, Florian; Meiners-Hagen, Karl; Krystek, Michael; Tan, Jiubin; Bosse, Harald

2015-08-01

We present a dual-comb-based heterodyne multi-wavelength absolute interferometer capable of long distance measurements. The phase information of the various comb modes is extracted in parallel by a multi-channel digital lock-in phase detection scheme. Several synthetic wavelengths of the same order are constructed and the corresponding phases are averaged to deduce the absolute lengths with significantly reduced uncertainty. Comparison experiments with an incremental HeNe reference interferometer show a combined relative measurement uncertainty of 5.3 × 10-7 at a measurement distance of 20 m. Combining the advantage of synthetic wavelength interferometry and dual-comb interferometry, our compact and simple approach provides sufficient precision for many industrial applications.

Application of Ultrasonic Phased Array Technology to the Detection of Defect in Composite Stiffened-structures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yuan-Qi; Zhan, Li-Hua

2016-05-01

Composite stiffened-structure consists of the skin and stringer has been widely used in aircraft fuselage and wings. The main purpose of the article is to detect the composite material reinforced structure accurately and explore the relationship between defect formation and structural elements or curing process. Based on ultrasonic phased array inspection technology, the regularity of defects in the manufacture of composite materials are obtained, the correlation model between actual defects and nondestructive testing are established. The article find that the forming quality of deltoid area in T-stiffened structure is obviously improved by pre-curing, the defects of hat-stiffened structure are affected by the mandrel. The results show that the ultrasonic phased array inspection technology can be an effectively way for the detection of composite stiffened-structures, which become an important means to control the defects of composite and improve the quality of the product.

Noise texture and signal detectability in propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Cheng-Ying; Anastasio, Mark A.

2010-01-01

Purpose: X-ray phase-contrast tomography (PCT) is a rapidly emerging imaging modality for reconstructing estimates of an object's three-dimensional x-ray refractive index distribution. Unlike conventional x-ray computed tomography methods, the statistical properties of the reconstructed images in PCT remain unexplored. The purpose of this work is to quantitatively investigate noise propagation in PCT image reconstruction. Methods: The authors derived explicit expressions for the autocovariance of the reconstructed absorption and refractive index images to characterize noise texture and understand how the noise properties are influenced by the imaging geometry. Concepts from statistical detection theory were employed to understand how the imaging geometry-dependent statistical properties affect the signal detection performance in a signal-known-exactly/background-known-exactly task. Results: The analytical formulas for the phase and absorption autocovariance functions were implemented numerically and compared to the corresponding empirical values, and excellent agreement was found. They observed that the reconstructed refractive images are highly spatially correlated, while the absorption images are not. The numerical results confirm that the strength of the covariance is scaled by the detector spacing. Signal detection studies were conducted, employing a numerical observer. The detection performance was found to monotonically increase as the detector-plane spacing was increased. Conclusions: The authors have conducted the first quantitative investigation of noise propagation in PCT image reconstruction. The reconstructed refractive images were found to be highly spatially correlated, while absorption images were not. This is due to the presence of a Fourier space singularity in the reconstruction formula for the refraction images. The statistical analysis may facilitate the use of task-based image quality measures to further develop and optimize this emerging

Noise texture and signal detectability in propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chou, Cheng-Ying; Anastasio, Mark A. [Department of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University, 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan 106, Taiwan (China); Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical Imaging Research Center, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3440 S. Dearborn Street, E1-116, Chicago, Illinois 60616 (United States)

2010-01-15

Purpose: X-ray phase-contrast tomography (PCT) is a rapidly emerging imaging modality for reconstructing estimates of an object's three-dimensional x-ray refractive index distribution. Unlike conventional x-ray computed tomography methods, the statistical properties of the reconstructed images in PCT remain unexplored. The purpose of this work is to quantitatively investigate noise propagation in PCT image reconstruction. Methods: The authors derived explicit expressions for the autocovariance of the reconstructed absorption and refractive index images to characterize noise texture and understand how the noise properties are influenced by the imaging geometry. Concepts from statistical detection theory were employed to understand how the imaging geometry-dependent statistical properties affect the signal detection performance in a signal-known-exactly/background-known-exactly task. Results: The analytical formulas for the phase and absorption autocovariance functions were implemented numerically and compared to the corresponding empirical values, and excellent agreement was found. They observed that the reconstructed refractive images are highly spatially correlated, while the absorption images are not. The numerical results confirm that the strength of the covariance is scaled by the detector spacing. Signal detection studies were conducted, employing a numerical observer. The detection performance was found to monotonically increase as the detector-plane spacing was increased. Conclusions: The authors have conducted the first quantitative investigation of noise propagation in PCT image reconstruction. The reconstructed refractive images were found to be highly spatially correlated, while absorption images were not. This is due to the presence of a Fourier space singularity in the reconstruction formula for the refraction images. The statistical analysis may facilitate the use of task-based image quality measures to further develop and optimize this emerging

Detecting phase boundaries of quantum spin-1/2 XXZ ladder via bipartite and multipartite entanglement transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Singha Roy, Sudipto; Dhar, Himadri Shekhar; Rakshit, Debraj; Sen(De), Aditi; Sen, Ujjwal

2017-12-01

Phase transition in quantum many-body systems inevitably causes changes in certain physical properties which then serve as potential indicators of critical phenomena. Besides the traditional order parameters, characterization of quantum entanglement has proven to be a computationally efficient and successful method for detection of phase boundaries, especially in one-dimensional models. Here we determine the rich phase diagram of the ground states of a quantum spin-1/2 XXZ ladder by analyzing the variation of bipartite and multipartite entanglements. Our study characterizes the different ground state phases and notes the correspondence with known results, while highlighting the finer details that emerge from the behavior of ground state entanglement. Analysis of entanglement in the ground state provides a clearer picture of the complex ground state phase diagram of the system using only a moderate-size model.

An enzyme-free strategy for ultrasensitive detection of adenosine using a multipurpose aptamer probe and malachite green.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hui; Wang, Yong-Sheng; Tang, Xian; Zhou, Bin; Xue, Jin-Hua; Liu, Hui; Liu, Shan-Du; Cao, Jin-Xiu; Li, Ming-Hui; Chen, Si-Han

2015-08-05

We report on an enzyme-free and label-free strategy for the ultrasensitive determination of adenosine. A novel multipurpose adenosine aptamer (MAAP) is designed, which serves as an effective target recognition probe and a capture probe for malachite green. In the presence of adenosine, the conformation of the MAAP is converted from a hairpin structure to a G-quadruplex. Upon addition of malachite green into this solution, a noticeable enhancement of resonance light scattering was observed. The signal response is directly proportional to the concentration of adenosine ranging from 75 pM to 2.2 nM with a detection limit of 23 pM, which was 100-10,000 folds lower than those obtained by previous reported methods. Moreover, this strategy has been applied successfully for detecting adenosine in human urine and blood samples, further proving its reliability. The mechanism of adenosine inducing MAAP to form a G-quadruplex was demonstrated by a series of control experiments. Such a MAAP probe can also be used to other strategies such as fluorescence or spectrophotometric ones. We suppose that this strategy can be expanded to develop a universal analytical platform for various target molecules in the biomedical field and clinical diagnosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Induction detection of concealed bulk banknotes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, Christopher; Chen, Antao

2011-01-01

Bulk cash smuggling is a serious issue that has grown in volume in recent years. By building on the magnetic characteristics of paper currency, induction sensing is found to be capable of quickly detecting large masses of banknotes. The results show that this method is effective in detecting bulk cash through concealing materials such as plastics, cardboards, fabrics and aluminum foil. The significant difference in the observed phase between the received signals caused by conducting materials and ferrite compounds, found in banknotes, provides a good indication that this process can overcome the interference by metal objects in a real sensing application. This identification strategy has the potential to not only detect the presence of banknotes, but also the number, while still eliminating false positives caused by metal objects

Performance evaluation of a full-scale advanced phase isolation ditch process by using real-time control strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyosoo; Kim, Yejin; Kim, Minsoo; Piao, Wenhua; Kim, Changwon; Gee, Jeasung

2014-01-01

This paper proposes real-time control strategies that can be applied in a full-scale advanced phase isolation ditch (APID) process. Real-time operation mode control (OMC) and aeration section control (ASC) strategies were developed to cope more stably with fluctuations in the influent loading and to increase the nitrification and denitrification reactions within the entire volume. The real-time OMC and ASC strategies were evaluated using mathematical models. When the NH 4 -N in the reactor was maintained at a high level, appropriate control actions, such as continuing the aeration state, stopping the influent inflow and increasing the aeration section, were applied in the APID process. In contrast, when the NO X -N in the reactor was maintained at a high level, the non-aeration state, influent inflow, and decreased aeration section were continued. It was concluded that stable operation in the APID process could be achieved by applying real-time OMC and ASC strategies developed in this study

Performance evaluation of a full-scale advanced phase isolation ditch process by using real-time control strategies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyosoo; Kim, Yejin; Kim, Minsoo; Piao, Wenhua; Kim, Changwon [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Gee, Jeasung [Taiwha Industrial Co. Ltd., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-15

This paper proposes real-time control strategies that can be applied in a full-scale advanced phase isolation ditch (APID) process. Real-time operation mode control (OMC) and aeration section control (ASC) strategies were developed to cope more stably with fluctuations in the influent loading and to increase the nitrification and denitrification reactions within the entire volume. The real-time OMC and ASC strategies were evaluated using mathematical models. When the NH{sub 4}-N in the reactor was maintained at a high level, appropriate control actions, such as continuing the aeration state, stopping the influent inflow and increasing the aeration section, were applied in the APID process. In contrast, when the NO{sub X}-N in the reactor was maintained at a high level, the non-aeration state, influent inflow, and decreased aeration section were continued. It was concluded that stable operation in the APID process could be achieved by applying real-time OMC and ASC strategies developed in this study.

The detection of brain ischaemia in rats by inductive phase shift spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González, C A; Villanueva, C; Vera, C; Flores, O; Reyes, R D; Rubinsky, B

2009-01-01

Ischaemia in the brain is an important clinical problem that is often monitored and studied with expensive devices such as MRI and PET, which are not readily available in low economical resource parts of the world. We have developed a new less expensive tool for non-invasive monitoring of ischaemia in the brain. This is a first feasibility study describing the concept. The system is based on the hypothesis that electromagnetic properties of the tissue change during ischaemia and that measuring the electromagnetic properties of the bulk of the brain with non-contact means can detect these changes. The apparatus we have built and whose design we describe here consists of two electromagnetic coils placed around the head. The system measures the bulk change in time of the phase difference between the electromagnetic signal on the two coils in a range of frequencies. A mathematical model simulating the device and the measurement is also introduced. Ischaemia was induced in the brain of rats by occlusion of the right cerebral and carotid arteries. Experimental subjects were monitored for 24 h. Inductive phase shift measurements were made at five frequencies in the range of 0.1–50 MHz eight times during the observation period. An ex vivo estimation of the percentage of necrosis in the ischemic subjects at t = 24 h was done. The mathematical model was also applied to the experimental tested situation. The results of both experiments and theory show significant phase shifts increase as a function of frequency and ischaemia time. The theoretical and experimental results suggest that the tested technique has the potential to detect the processes and level of ischaemia in the brain by non-invasive, continuous, bulk volumetric monitoring with a simple and inexpensive apparatus

Global approaches and local strategies for phase unwrapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerriero, L.; Refice, A.; Stramaglia, S.; Chiaradia, M. T.; Satalino, G.; Veneziani, N.; Blonda, P.; Pasquariello, G.

2001-01-01

Phase unwrapping, i.e. the retrieval of absolute phases from wrapped, noisy measures, is a tough problem because of the presence of rotational inconsistencies (residues), randomly generated by noise and undersampling on the principal phase gradient field. These inconsistencies prevent the recovery of the absolute phase field by direct integration of the wrapped gradients. In this paper it is examined the relative merit of known global approaches and then it is presented evidence that the approach based on stochastic annealing can recover the true phase field also in noisy areas with severe undersampling, where other methods fail. Then, some experiments with local approaches are presented. A fast neural filter has been trained to eliminate close residue couples by joining them in a way which takes into account the local phase information. Performances are about 60-70% of the residues. Finally, other experiments have been aimed at designing an automated method for the determination of weight matrices to use in conjunction with local phase unwrapping algorithms. The method, tested with the minimum cost flow algorithm, gives good performances over both simulated and real data

CARS detection of liquid-like phase appearance in small mesopores

Science.gov (United States)

Arakcheev, Vladimir G.; Bekin, Alexey N.; Morozov, Viacheslav B.

2017-11-01

Nonlinear-optical spectroscopic techniques that employ signals from the molecules located inside nanopores have promising potential for investigations of fluid behavior under nanoconfinement. Here, we apply coherent anti-Stokes spectroscopy to investigate the appearance of a liquid-like phase of carbon dioxide in mesoporous Vycor glass under isothermal compression. The spectra of the Q-branch (1388 cm-1) are registered at  -11 °C in a wide pressure range, starting from submonolayer coverage of the pore wall up to the bulk saturation pressure. Results show that a spectral contribution, similar to that of the bulk liquid, appears at relatively low pressure that is several times lower than the capillary-condensation pressure. The Raman shift of the peak is equal to that of the bulk liquid, although the linewidth is somewhat increased. The peak is attributed to the layers adsorbed beyond the monolayer or to small liquid-like clusters appearing in specific areas of the porous network. The spectroscopic approach presented here demonstrates the ability to detect and estimate small amounts of the liquid-like phase and to distinguish it from the layers strongly interacting with the pore surface.

Detecting critical state before phase transition of complex biological systems by hidden Markov model.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Pei; Liu, Rui; Li, Yongjun; Chen, Luonan

2016-07-15

Identifying the critical state or pre-transition state just before the occurrence of a phase transition is a challenging task, because the state of the system may show little apparent change before this critical transition during the gradual parameter variations. Such dynamics of phase transition is generally composed of three stages, i.e. before-transition state, pre-transition state and after-transition state, which can be considered as three different Markov processes. By exploring the rich dynamical information provided by high-throughput data, we present a novel computational method, i.e. hidden Markov model (HMM) based approach, to detect the switching point of the two Markov processes from the before-transition state (a stationary Markov process) to the pre-transition state (a time-varying Markov process), thereby identifying the pre-transition state or early-warning signals of the phase transition. To validate the effectiveness, we apply this method to detect the signals of the imminent phase transitions of complex systems based on the simulated datasets, and further identify the pre-transition states as well as their critical modules for three real datasets, i.e. the acute lung injury triggered by phosgene inhalation, MCF-7 human breast cancer caused by heregulin and HCV-induced dysplasia and hepatocellular carcinoma. Both functional and pathway enrichment analyses validate the computational results. The source code and some supporting files are available at https://github.com/rabbitpei/HMM_based-method lnchen@sibs.ac.cn or liyj@scut.edu.cn Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Creating diversified response profiles from a single quenchometric sensor element by using phase-resolved luminescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tehan, Elizabeth C; Bukowski, Rachel M; Chodavarapu, Vamsy P; Titus, Albert H; Cartwright, Alexander N; Bright, Frank V

2015-01-05

We report a new strategy for generating a continuum of response profiles from a single luminescence-based sensor element by using phase-resolved detection. This strategy yields reliable responses that depend in a predictable manner on changes in the luminescent reporter lifetime in the presence of the target analyte, the excitation modulation frequency, and the detector (lock-in amplifier) phase angle. In the traditional steady-state mode, the sensor that we evaluate exhibits a linear, positive going response to changes in the target analyte concentration. Under phase-resolved conditions the analyte-dependent response profiles: (i) can become highly non-linear; (ii) yield negative going responses; (iii) can be biphasic; and (iv) can exhibit super sensitivity (e.g., sensitivities up to 300 fold greater in comparison to steady-state conditions).

False-positive reduction in CAD mass detection using a competitive classification strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Lihua; Zheng Yang; Zhang Lei; Clark, Robert A.

2001-01-01

High false-positive (FP) rate remains to be one of the major problems to be solved in CAD study because too many false-positively cued signals will potentially degrade the performance of detecting true-positive regions and increase the call-back rate in CAD environment. In this paper, we proposed a novel classification method for FP reduction, where the conventional 'hard' decision classifier is cascaded with a 'soft' decision classification with the objective to reduce false-positives in the cases with multiple FPs retained after the 'hard' decision classification. The 'soft' classification takes a competitive classification strategy in which only the 'best' ones are selected from the pre-classified suspicious regions as the true mass in each case. A neural network structure is designed to implement the proposed competitive classification. Comparative studies of FP reduction on a database of 79 images by a 'hard' decision classification and a combined 'hard'-'soft' classification method demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed classification strategy. For example, for the high FP sub-database which has only 31.7% of total images but accounts for 63.5% of whole FPs generated in single 'hard' classification, the FPs can be reduced for 56% (from 8.36 to 3.72 per image) by using the proposed method at the cost of 1% TP loss (from 69% to 68%) in whole database, while it can only be reduced for 27% (from 8.36 to 6.08 per image) by simply increasing the threshold of 'hard' classifier with a cost of TP loss as high as 14% (from 69% to 55%). On the average in whole database, the FP reduction by hybrid 'hard'-'soft' classification is 1.58 per image as compared to 1.11 by 'hard' classification at the TP costs described above. Because the cases with high dense tissue are of higher risk of cancer incidence and false-negative detection in mammogram screening, and usually generate more FPs in CAD detection, the method proposed in this paper will be very helpful in improving

Abc-frame complex-coefficient filter and controller based current harmonic elimination strategy for three-phase grid connected inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Xiaoqiang; Guerrero, Josep M.

2016-01-01

Current quality is one of the most important issues for operating three-phase grid-connected inverter in distributed generation systems. In practice, the grid current quality is degraded in case of non-ideal utility voltage. A new control strategy is proposed for the three-phase gridconnected...... inverter. Different from the traditional method, our proposal utilizes the unique abc-frame complex-coefficient filter and controller to achieve the balanced, sinusoidal grid current. The main feature of the proposed method is simple and easy to implement without any frame transformation. The theoretical...

Perceptual strategies of pigeons to detect a rotational centre--a hint for star compass learning?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bianca Alert

Full Text Available Birds can rely on a variety of cues for orientation during migration and homing. Celestial rotation provides the key information for the development of a functioning star and/or sun compass. This celestial compass seems to be the primary reference for calibrating the other orientation systems including the magnetic compass. Thus, detection of the celestial rotational axis is crucial for bird orientation. Here, we use operant conditioning to demonstrate that homing pigeons can principally learn to detect a rotational centre in a rotating dot pattern and we examine their behavioural response strategies in a series of experiments. Initially, most pigeons applied a strategy based on local stimulus information such as movement characteristics of single dots. One pigeon seemed to immediately ignore eccentric stationary dots. After special training, all pigeons could shift their attention to more global cues, which implies that pigeons can learn the concept of a rotational axis. In our experiments, the ability to precisely locate the rotational centre was strongly dependent on the rotational velocity of the dot pattern and it crashed at velocities that were still much faster than natural celestial rotation. We therefore suggest that the axis of the very slow, natural, celestial rotation could be perceived by birds through the movement itself, but that a time-delayed pattern comparison should also be considered as a very likely alternative strategy.

Improved detection of hydrophilic phosphopeptides using graphite powder microcolumns and mass spectrometry: evidence for in vivo doubly phosphorylated dynamin I and dynamin III

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Martin Røssel; Graham, Mark E; Robinson, Phillip J

2004-01-01

A common strategy in proteomics to improve the number and quality of peptides detected by mass spectrometry (MS) is to desalt and concentrate proteolytic digests using reversed phase (RP) chromatography prior to analysis. However, this does not allow for detection of small or hydrophilic peptides...... a large improvement in the detection of small amounts of phosphopeptides by MS and the approach has major implications for both small- and large-scale projects in phosphoproteomics.......A common strategy in proteomics to improve the number and quality of peptides detected by mass spectrometry (MS) is to desalt and concentrate proteolytic digests using reversed phase (RP) chromatography prior to analysis. However, this does not allow for detection of small or hydrophilic peptides......, or peptides altered in hydrophilicity such as phosphopeptides. We used microcolumns to compare the ability of RP resin or graphite powder to retain phosphopeptides. A number of standard phosphopeptides and a biologically relevant phosphoprotein, dynamin I, were analyzed. MS revealed that some phosphopeptides...

A Study on the Model of Detecting the Variation of Geomagnetic Intensity Based on an Adapted Motion Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Li

2017-12-01

Full Text Available By simulating the geomagnetic fields and analyzing thevariation of intensities, this paper presents a model for calculating the objective function ofan Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUVgeomagnetic navigation task. By investigating the biologically inspired strategies, the AUV successfullyreachesthe destination duringgeomagnetic navigation without using the priori geomagnetic map. Similar to the pattern of a flatworm, the proposed algorithm relies on a motion pattern to trigger a local searching strategy by detecting the real-time geomagnetic intensity. An adapted strategy is then implemented, which is biased on the specific target. The results show thereliabilityandeffectivenessofthe proposed algorithm.

Field screening sampling and analysis strategy and methodology for the 183-H Solar Evaporation Basins: Phase 2, Soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antipas, A.; Hopkins, A.M.; Wasemiller, M.A.; McCain, R.G.

1996-01-01

This document provides a sampling/analytical strategy and methodology for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure of the 183-H Solar Evaporation Basins within the boundaries and requirements identified in the initial Phase II Sampling and Analysis Plan for RCRA Closure of the 183-H Solar Evaporation Basins

Optimal surveillance strategy for invasive species management when surveys stop after detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Guillera-Arroita, Gurutzeta; Hauser, Cindy E; McCarthy, Michael A

2014-05-01

Invasive species are a cause for concern in natural and economic systems and require both monitoring and management. There is a trade-off between the amount of resources spent on surveying for the species and conducting early management of occupied sites, and the resources that are ultimately spent in delayed management at sites where the species was present but undetected. Previous work addressed this optimal resource allocation problem assuming that surveys continue despite detection until the initially planned survey effort is consumed. However, a more realistic scenario is often that surveys stop after detection (i.e., follow a "removal" sampling design) and then management begins. Such an approach will indicate a different optimal survey design and can be expected to be more efficient. We analyze this case and compare the expected efficiency of invasive species management programs under both survey methods. We also evaluate the impact of mis-specifying the type of sampling approach during the program design phase. We derive analytical expressions that optimize resource allocation between monitoring and management in surveillance programs when surveys stop after detection. We do this under a scenario of unconstrained resources and scenarios where survey budget is constrained. The efficiency of surveillance programs is greater if a "removal survey" design is used, with larger gains obtained when savings from early detection are high, occupancy is high, and survey costs are not much lower than early management costs at a site. Designing a surveillance program disregarding that surveys stop after detection can result in an efficiency loss. Our results help guide the design of future surveillance programs for invasive species. Addressing program design within a decision-theoretic framework can lead to a better use of available resources. We show how species prevalence, its detectability, and the benefits derived from early detection can be considered.

Universal, colorimetric microRNA detection strategy based on target-catalyzed toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yeonkyung; Lee, Chang Yeol; Kang, Shinyoung; Kim, Hansol; Park, Ki Soo; Park, Hyun Gyu

2018-02-01

In this work, we developed a novel, label-free, and enzyme-free strategy for the colorimetric detection of microRNA (miRNA), which relies on a target-catalyzed toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD) reaction. The system employs a detection probe that specifically binds to the target miRNA and sequentially releases a catalyst strand (CS) intended to trigger the subsequent TMSD reaction. Thus, the presence of target miRNA releases the CS that mediates the formation of an active G-quadruplex DNAzyme which is initially caged and inactivated by a blocker strand. In addition, a fuel strand that is supplemented for the recycling of the CS promotes another TMSD reaction, consequently generating a large number of active G-quadruplex DNAzymes. As a result, a distinct colorimetric signal is produced by the ABTS oxidation promoted by the peroxidase mimicking activity of the released G-quadruplex DNAzymes. Based on this novel strategy, we successfully detected miR-141, a promising biomarker for human prostate cancer, with high selectivity. The diagnostic capability of this system was also demonstrated by reliably determining target miR-141 in human serum, showing its great potential towards real clinical applications. Importantly, the proposed approach is composed of separate target recognition and signal transduction modules. Thus, it could be extended to analyze different target miRNAs by simply redesigning the detection probe while keeping the same signal transduction module as a universal signal amplification unit, which was successfully demonstrated by analyzing another target miRNA, let-7d.

Development strategy and process models for phased automation of design and digital manufacturing electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Korshunov, G. I.; Petrushevskaya, A. A.; Lipatnikov, V. A.; Smirnova, M. S.

2018-03-01

The strategy of quality of electronics insurance is represented as most important. To provide quality, the processes sequence is considered and modeled by Markov chain. The improvement is distinguished by simple database means of design for manufacturing for future step-by-step development. Phased automation of design and digital manufacturing electronics is supposed. The MatLab modelling results showed effectiveness increase. New tools and software should be more effective. The primary digital model is proposed to represent product in the processes sequence from several processes till the whole life circle.

Investigating the Applicability of Upstream Detection Strategy at Pedestrian Signalised Crossings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sitti A Hassan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In the UK, the Puffin crossing has provision to extend pedestrian green time for those who take longer to cross. However, even at such a pedestrian friendly facility, the traffic signal control is usually designed to minimise vehicle delay while providing the crossing facility. This situation is rather contrary to the current policies to encourage walking. It is this inequity that has prompted the need to re-examine the traffic control of signalised crossings to provide more benefit to both pedestrians and vehicles. In this context, this paper explores the possibility of implementing an Upstream Detection strategy at a Puffin crossing to provide a user friendly crossing. The study has been carried out by simulating a mid-block Puffin crossing for various detector distances and a number of combinations of pedestrian and traffic flows. This paper presents the simulation results and recommends the situations at which Upstream Detection would be suitable.

Fowl adenovirus serotype 4: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic detection, and vaccine strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, P H; Zheng, P P; Zhang, T F; Wen, G Y; Shao, H B; Luo, Q P

2017-08-01

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) serotype-4 is highly pathogenic for chickens, especially for broilers aged 3 to 5 wk, and it has emerged as one of the foremost causes of economic losses to the poultry industry in the last 30 years. The liver is a major target organ of FAdV-4 infections, and virus-infected chickens usually show symptoms of hydropericardium syndrome. The virus is very contagious, and it is spread both vertically and horizontally. It can be isolated from infected liver homogenates and detected by several laboratory diagnostic methods (including an agar gel immunodiffusion test, indirect immunofluorescence assays, counterimmunoelectrophoresis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, restriction endonuclease analyses, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time PCR, and high-resolution melting-curve analyses). Although inactivated vaccines have been deployed widely to control the disease, attenuated live vaccines and subunit vaccines also have been developed, and they are more attractive vaccine candidates. This article provides a comprehensive review of FAdV-4, including its epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic detection, and vaccine strategies. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR CONTINUOUS GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTION IN PULSAR TIMING ARRAYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, J. A.; Siemens, X.; Creighton, J. D. E.

2012-01-01

Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) are expected to emit a continuous gravitational wave signal in the pulsar timing array (PTA) frequency band (10 –9 to 10 –7 Hz). The development of data analysis techniques aimed at efficient detection and characterization of these signals is critical to the gravitational wave detection effort. In this paper, we leverage methods developed for LIGO continuous wave gravitational searches and explore the use of the F-statistic for such searches in pulsar timing data. Babak and Sesana have used this approach in the context of PTAs to show that one can resolve multiple SMBHB sources in the sky. Our work improves on several aspects of prior continuous wave search methods developed for PTA data analysis. The algorithm is implemented fully in the time domain, which naturally deals with the irregular sampling typical of PTA data and avoids spectral leakage problems associated with frequency domain methods. We take into account the fitting of the timing model and have generalized our approach to deal with both correlated and uncorrelated colored noise sources. We also develop an incoherent detection statistic that maximizes over all pulsar-dependent contributions to the likelihood. To test the effectiveness and sensitivity of our detection statistics, we perform a number of Monte Carlo simulations. We produce sensitivity curves for PTAs of various configurations and outline an implementation of a fully functional data analysis pipeline. Finally, we present a derivation of the likelihood maximized over the gravitational wave phases at the pulsar locations, which results in a vast reduction of the search parameter space.

Determination of phenyl-N-methylcarbamates and their hydrolysis products in water, using solid-phase extraction and reversed-phase liquid chromatography with UV and electrospray mass spectrometric detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Atrache, L.L.; Sabbah, S.

2003-01-01

In this study, eight phenyl-N-methylcarbamates (PNMCs) were considered. Reversed-phase LC was set up for UV and mass spectrometry (MS) detection mode. Gradient elution was used, and the mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile and water. UV-vis was performed at 220 nm. The method was tested with different reversed-phase columns. Comparison between chromatographic parameters: retention time (t R ), resolution (R S ), and selectivity (α) was established. Hydrolysis kinetics of three of the PNMCs were reported. The major hydrolysis products were determined by LC-UV, and the effect of pH on hydrolysis was also studied. Also, chromatographic separation of a mixture of PNMCs and four of their hydrolysis products was carried out. The preconcentration of 12 studied solutes was realized by solid-phase extraction. C18 extraction cartridges of 1 g were used to extract solutes from a 100 mL volume of tap and surface water spiked at 10 μg/L. The recoveries were, respectively, between 68-86% and 62-83% with relative a standard deviation of less than 11%. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) ranged, respectively, from 1-4 μg/L and from 4-10 μg/L. Since standard UV detection does not provide adequate selectivity for water samples, an electrospray (ES)-MS instrument equipped with a triple quadrupole mass filter was used. MS data acquisition was performed by a time-scheduled, selected-ion monitoring (SIM) program. Limits of quantitation gave values between 0.1-0.5 μg/L. (author)

Pain and sensory detection threshold response to acupuncture is modulated by coping strategy and acupuncture sensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jeungchan; Napadow, Vitaly; Park, Kyungmo

2014-09-01

Acupuncture has been shown to reduce pain, and acupuncture-induced sensation may be important for this analgesia. In addition, cognitive coping strategies can influence sensory perception. However, the role of coping strategy on acupuncture modulation of pain and sensory thresholds, and the association between acupuncture sensation and these modulatory effects, is currently unknown. Electroacupuncture (EA) was applied at acupoints ST36 and GB39 of 61 healthy adults. Different coping conditions were experimentally designed to form an active coping strategy group (AC group), who thought they could control EA stimulation intensity, and a passive coping strategy group (PC group), who did not think they had such control. Importantly, neither group was actually able to control EA stimulus intensity. Quantitative sensory testing was performed before and after EA, and consisted of vibration (VDT), mechanical (MDT), warm (WDT), and cold (CDT) detection thresholds, and pressure (PPT), mechanical (MPT), heat (HPT) and cold (CPT) pain thresholds. Autonomic measures (e.g. skin conductance response, SCR) were also acquired to quantify physiological response to EA under different coping conditions. Subjects also reported the intensity of any acupuncture-induced sensations. Coping strategy was induced with successful blinding in 58% of AC subjects. Compared to PC, AC showed greater SCR to EA. Under AC, EA reduced PPT and CPT. In the AC group, improved pain and sensory thresholds were correlated with acupuncture sensation (VDTchange vs. MI: r=0.58, CDTchange vs. tingling: r=0.53, CPTchange vs. tingling; r=0.55, CPTchange vs. dull; r=0.55). However, in the PC group, improved sensory thresholds were negatively correlated with acupuncture sensation (CDTchange vs. intensity sensitization: r=-0.52, WDTchange vs. fullness: r=-0.57). Our novel approach was able to successfully induce AC and PC strategies to EA stimulation. The interaction between psychological coping strategy and

Improved detection limits for phthalates by selective solid-phase micro-extraction

KAUST Repository

Zia, Asif I.

2016-03-30

Presented research reports on an improved method and enhanced limits of detection for phthalates; a hazardous additive used in the production of plastics by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) polymer in comparison to molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) polymer. The polymers were functionalized on an interdigital capacitive sensor for selective binding of phthalate molecules from a complex mixture of chemicals. Both polymers owned predetermined selectivity by formation of valuable molecular recognition sites for Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Polymers were immobilized on planar electrochemical sensor fabricated on a single crystal silicon substrate with 500 nm sputtered gold electrodes fabricated using MEMS fabrication techniques. Impedance spectra were obtained using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to determine sample conductance for evaluation of phthalate concentration in the spiked sample solutions with various phthalate concentrations. Experimental results revealed that the ability of SPME polymer to adsorb target molecules on the sensing surface is better than that of MISPE polymer for phthalates in the sensing system. Testing the extracted samples using high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detectors validated the results.

Design of indirect solid-phase immunosorbent methods for detecting arenavirus antigens and antibodies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivanov, A P; Rezapkin, G V; Dzagurova, T K; Tkachenko, E A

1984-05-01

Specifications have been elaborated for formulating indirect solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) methods that employ anti-human and anti-mice G class immunoglobulin (IgG), conjugated with horseradish peroxidase and /sup 125/I for detecting the arenaviruses Junin, Machupo, Tacaribe, Amalpari, Tamiami, Lassa, and LCM (lymphocytic choriomeningitis). These methods make it possible to identify with a high degree of sensitivity arenavirus antigens and antibodies in various kinds of material.

Elution strategies for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of sucrose alkanoate regioisomers with charged aerosol detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lie, Aleksander; Pedersen, Lars Haastrup

2013-01-01

A broad range of elution strategies for RP-HPLC analysis of sucrose alkanoate regioisomers with CAD was systematically evaluated. The HPLC analyses were investigated using design-of-experiments methodology and analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression modelling. Isocratic elutions, ...

Final LDRD report : development of advanced UV light emitters and biological agent detection strategies.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Figiel, Jeffrey James; Crawford, Mary Hagerott; Banas, Michael Anthony; Farrow, Darcie; Armstrong, Andrew M.; Serkland, Darwin Keith; Allerman, Andrew Alan; Schmitt, Randal L.

2007-12-01

We present the results of a three year LDRD project which has focused on the development of novel, compact, ultraviolet solid-state sources and fluorescence-based sensing platforms that apply such devices to the sensing of biological and nuclear materials. We describe our development of 270-280 nm AlGaN-based semiconductor UV LEDs with performance suitable for evaluation in biosensor platforms as well as our development efforts towards the realization of a 340 nm AlGaN-based laser diode technology. We further review our sensor development efforts, including evaluation of the efficacy of using modulated LED excitation and phase sensitive detection techniques for fluorescence detection of bio molecules and uranyl-containing compounds.

Cost-effectiveness of MR Imaging-guided Strategies for Detection of Prostate Cancer in Biopsy-Naive Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Pahwa, Shivani; Schiltz, Nicholas K; Ponsky, Lee E; Lu, Ziang; Griswold, Mark A; Gulani, Vikas

2017-10-01

Purpose To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of multiparametric diagnostic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examination followed by MR imaging-guided biopsy strategies in the detection of prostate cancer in biopsy-naive men presenting with clinical suspicion of cancer for the first time. Materials and Methods A decision-analysis model was created for biopsy-naive men who had been recommended for prostate biopsy on the basis of abnormal digital rectal examination results or elevated prostate-specific antigen levels (age groups: 41-50 years, 51-60 years, and 61-70 years). The following three major strategies were evaluated: (a) standard transrectal ultrasonography (US)-guided biopsy; (b) diagnostic MR imaging followed by MR imaging-targeted biopsy, with no biopsy performed if MR imaging findings were negative; and (c) diagnostic MR imaging followed by MR imaging-targeted biopsy, with a standard biopsy performed when MR imaging findings were negative. The following three MR imaging-guided biopsy strategies were further evaluated in each MR imaging category: (a) biopsy with cognitive guidance, (b) biopsy with MR imaging/US fusion guidance, and (c) in-gantry MR imaging-guided biopsy. Model parameters were derived from the literature. The primary outcome measure was net health benefit (NHB), which was measured as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained or lost by investing resources in a new strategy compared with a standard strategy at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $50 000 per QALY gained. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed by using Monte Carlo simulations. Results Noncontrast MR imaging followed by cognitively guided MR biopsy (no standard biopsy if MR imaging findings were negative) was the most cost-effective approach, yielding an additional NHB of 0.198 QALY compared with the standard biopsy approach. Noncontrast MR imaging followed by in-gantry MR imaging-guided biopsy (no standard biopsy if MR imaging findings were negative) led to the

Active and Reactive Power Control Strategy for Grid-Connected Six-Phase Generator by Using Multi-Modular Matrix Converters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Caballero

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an active and reactive power control strategy based on predictive control approaches applied to gridconnected renewable energy systems. To accomplish this a multi-modular matrix converter topologies are used in combination with a simple but efficient grid synchronization strategy. The theoretical performance analysis is performed considering a six-phase wind energy generator system interconnected with the grid. Results based on a MATLAB/Simulink simulation environment are discussed and the most relevant characteristics of the proposed control technique are highlighted considering the total harmonic distortion and the mean squared error as a parameters of performance.

Detecting the multi-spin interaction of an XY spin chain by the geometric phase of a coupled qubit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiu-xing; Zhang, Ai-ping; Li, Fu-li

2012-01-01

We investigate geometric phase (GP) of a qubit symmetrically coupled to a XY spin chain with three-spin interaction in a transverse magnetic field. An analytical expression for the GP is found in the weak coupling limit. It is shown that the GP displays a sharp peak or dip around the quantum phase transition point of the spin chain. Without the three-spin interaction, the GP has a peak or dip around the critical point λ=1. If the three-spin interaction exists, the peak or dip position is obviously shifted away from the original position. This result reveals that the GP may be taken as an observable to detect both the existence and strength of multi-spin interaction in a spin chain. -- Highlights: ► Analytical expression for geometric phase (GP) of a qubit coupled to a spin chain is obtained. ► Relation between GP and multi-spin interaction is investigated. ► Detection of multi-spin interaction by means of GP is proposed.

Ultrarapid mutation detection by multiplex, solid-phase chemical cleavage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rowley, G.; Saad, S.; Giannelli, F.; Green, P.M. [Guy`s & St. Thomas`s Hospitals, London (United Kingdom)

1995-12-10

The chemical cleavage of mismatches in heteroduplexes formed by probe and test DNA detects and locates any sequence change in long DNA segments ({approximately}1.8 kb), and its efficiency has been well tested in the analysis of both average (e.g., coagulation factor IX) and large, complex genes (e.g., coagulation factor VIII and dystrophin). In the latter application RT/PCR products allow the examination of all essential sequences of the gene in a minimum number of reactions. We use two specific chemical reactants (hydroxylamine and osmium tetroxide) and piperidine cleavage of the above procedure to develop a very fast mutation screening method. This is based on: (1) 5{prime} or internal fluorescent labeling to allow concurrent screening of three to four DNA fragments and (2) solid-phase chemistry to use a microliter format and reduce the time required for the procedure, from amplification of sequence to gel loading inclusive, to one person-working-day. We test the two variations of the method, one entailing 5{prime} labeling of probe DNA and the other uniform labeling of both probe and target DNA, by detecting 114 known hemophilia B (coagulation factor IX) mutations and by analyzing 129 new patients. Uniform labeling of both probe and target DNA prior to formation of the heteroduplexes leads to almost twofold redundancy in the ability to detect mutations. Alternatively, the latter procedure may offer very efficient though less than 100% screening for sequence changes with only hydroxylamine. The full method with two chemical reactions (hydroxylamine and osmium tetroxide) should allow one person to screen with virtually 100% accuracy more than 300 kb of sequence in three ABI 373 gels in 1 day. 26 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Digital mammography: Signal-extraction strategies for computer-aided detection of microcalcifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, H.P.; Doi, K.; Metz, C.E.; Vyborny, C.J.; Lam, K.L.; Schmidt, R.A.

1987-01-01

The authors found that the structured background of a mammogram can be removed effectively by either a difference-image technique (using a matched filter in combination with a median filter, a contrast-reversal filter, or a box-rim filter) or a visual response filter alone. Locally adaptive gray-level thresholding and region-growing techniques can then be employed to extract microcalcifications from the processed image. Signals are further distinguished from noise or artifacts by their size, contrast, and clustering properties. The authors studied the dependence of the detectability of microcalcifications on the various signal-extraction strategies. Potential application of the computer-aided system to mammography is assessed by its performance on clinical mammograms

Solid-Phase Immunoassay of Polystyrene-Encapsulated Semiconductor Coreshells for Cardiac Marker Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanghee Kim

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A solid-phase immunoassay of polystyrene-encapsulated semiconductor nanoparticles was demonstrated for cardiac troponin I (cTnI detection. CdSe/ZnS coreshells were encapsulated with a carboxyl-functionalized polystyrene nanoparticle to capture the target antibody through a covalent bonding and to eliminate the photoblinking and toxicity of semiconductor luminescent immunosensor. The polystyrene-encapsulated CdSe/ZnS fluorophores on surface-modified glass chip identified cTnI antigens at the level of ~ng/mL. It was an initial demonstration of diagnostic chip for monitoring a cardiovascular disease.

Detection and characterization of single nanoparticles by interferometric phase modulated ellipsometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barroso, F.; Bosch, S.; Tort, N.; Arteaga, O. [Universitat de Barcelona, IN2UB, Dep. Fisica Aplicada i Optica, c/Marti i Franques 1, 08028 (Spain); Sancho-Parramon, J. [Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka c. 54, Zagreb 10002 (Croatia); Jover, E.; Bertran, E. [Universitat de Barcelona, IN2UB, Dep. Fisica Aplicada i Optica, c/Marti i Franques 1, 08028 (Spain); Canillas, A., E-mail: acanillas@ub.ed [Universitat de Barcelona, IN2UB, Dep. Fisica Aplicada i Optica, c/Marti i Franques 1, 08028 (Spain)

2011-02-28

We introduce a new measurement system called Nanopolar interferometer devoted to monitor and characterize single nanoparticles which is based on the interferometric phase modulated ellipsometry technique. The system collects the backscattered light by the particles in the solid angle subtended by a microscope objective and then analyses its frequency components. The results for the detection of 2 {mu}m and 50 nm particles are explained in terms of a cross polarization effect of the polarization vectors when the beam converts from divergent to parallel in the microscope objective. This explanation is supported with the results of the optical modelling using the exact Mie theory for the light scattered by the particles.

Detection and characterization of single nanoparticles by interferometric phase modulated ellipsometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barroso, F.; Bosch, S.; Tort, N.; Arteaga, O.; Sancho-Parramon, J.; Jover, E.; Bertran, E.; Canillas, A.

2011-01-01

We introduce a new measurement system called Nanopolar interferometer devoted to monitor and characterize single nanoparticles which is based on the interferometric phase modulated ellipsometry technique. The system collects the backscattered light by the particles in the solid angle subtended by a microscope objective and then analyses its frequency components. The results for the detection of 2 μm and 50 nm particles are explained in terms of a cross polarization effect of the polarization vectors when the beam converts from divergent to parallel in the microscope objective. This explanation is supported with the results of the optical modelling using the exact Mie theory for the light scattered by the particles.

Development of an acoustic wave based biosensor for vapor phase detection of small molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Stubbs, Desmond

For centuries scientific ingenuity and innovation have been influenced by Mother Nature's perfect design. One of her more elusive designs is that of the sensory olfactory system, an array of highly sensitive receptors responsible for chemical vapor recognition. In the animal kingdom this ability is magnified among canines where ppt (parts per trillion) sensitivity values have been reported. Today, detection dogs are considered an essential part of the US drug and explosives detection schemes. However, growing concerns about their susceptibility to extraneous odors have inspired the development of highly sensitive analytical detection tools or biosensors known as "electronic noses". In general, biosensors are distinguished from chemical sensors in that they use an entity of biological origin (e.g. antibody, cell, enzyme) immobilized onto a surface as the chemically-sensitive film on the device. The colloquial view is that the term "biosensors" refers to devices which detect the presence of entities of biological origin, such as proteins or single-stranded DNA and that this detection must take place in a liquid. Our biosensor utilizes biomolecules, specifically IgG monoclonal antibodies, to achieve molecular recognition of relatively small molecules in the vapor phase.

SU-F-J-197: A Novel Intra-Beam Range Detection and Adaptation Strategy for Particle Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, M; Jiang, S; Shao, Y; Lu, W [UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: In-vivo range detection/verification is crucial in particle therapy for effective and safe delivery. The state-of-art techniques are not sufficient for in-vivo on-line range verification due to conflicts among patient dose, signal statistics and imaging time. We propose a novel intra-beam range detection and adaptation strategy for particle therapy. Methods: This strategy uses the planned mid-range spots as probing beams without adding extra radiation to patients. Such choice of probing beams ensures the Bragg peaks to remain inside the tumor even with significant range variation from the plan. It offers sufficient signal statistics for in-beam positron emission tomography (PET) due to high positron activity of therapeutic dose. The probing beam signal can be acquired and reconstructed using in-beam PET that allows for delineation of the Bragg peaks and detection of range shift with ease of detection enabled by single-layered spots. If the detected range shift is within a pre-defined tolerance, the remaining spots will be delivered as the original plan. Otherwise, a fast re-optimization using range-shifted beamlets and accounting for the probing beam dose is applied to consider the tradeoffs posed by the online anatomy. Simulated planning and delivery studies were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques. Results: Simulations with online range variations due to shifts of various foreign objects into the beam path showed successful delineation of the Bragg peaks as a result of delivering probing beams. Without on-line delivery adaptation, dose distribution was significantly distorted. In contrast, delivery adaptation incorporating detected range shift recovered well the planned dose. Conclusion: The proposed intra-beam range detection and adaptation utilizing the planned mid-range spots as probing beams, which illuminate the beam range with strong and accurate PET signals, is a safe, practical, yet effective approach to address range

Designing a Qualitative Data Collection Strategy (QDCS) for Africa - Phase 1: A Gap Analysis of Existing Models, Simulations, and Tools Relating to Africa

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

QDCS) for Africa – Phase I: A Gap Analysis of Existing Models, Simulations, and Tools Relating to Africa Ashley N. Bybee , Project Leader Dominick E...Strategy (QDCS) for Africa – Phase I: A Gap Analysis of Existing Models, Simulations, and Tools Relating to Africa Ashley N. Bybee , Project Leader...Africa Phase I: A Gap Analysis of Existing Models, Simulations, and Tools Relating to Africa June 2012 Authors: Dr. Ashley Bybee , Project Lead Dr

Tomographic phase analysis to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, K.; Bunko, H.; Tada, A.; Tonami, N.; Taki, J.; Nanbu, I.; Hisada, K.; Misaki, T.; Iwa, T.

1984-01-01

Phase analysis has been applied to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway (ACP); however, there was a limitation to estimate the precise location of ACP by planar phase analysis. In this study, the authors applied phase analysis to gated blood pool tomography. Twelve patients with WPW who underwent epicardial mapping and surgical division of ACP were studied by both of gated emission computed tomography (GECT) and routine gated blood pool study (GBPS). The GBPS was performed with Tc-99m red blood cells in multiple projections; modified left anterior oblique, right anterior oblique and/or left lateral views. In GECT, short axial, horizontal and vertical long axial blood pool images were reconstructed. Phase analysis was performed using fundamental frequency of the Fourier transform in both GECT and GBPS images, and abnormal initial contractions on both the planar and tomographic phase analysis were compared with the location of surgically confirmed ACPs. In planar phase analysis, abnormal initial phase was identified in 7 out of 12 (58%) patients, while in tomographic phase analysis, the localization of ACP was predicted in 11 out of 12 (92%) patients. Tomographic phase analysis is superior to planar phase images in 8 out of 12 patients to estimate the location of ACP. Phase analysis by GECT can avoid overlap of blood pool in cardiac chambers and has advantage to identify the propagation of phase three-dimensionally. Tomographic phase analysis is a good adjunctive method for patients with WPW to estimate the site of ACP

Tomographic phase analysis to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakajima, K.; Bunko, H.; Tada, A.; Tonami, N.; Taki, J.; Nanbu, I.; Hisada, K.; Misaki, T.; Iwa, T.

1984-01-01

Phase analysis has been applied to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway (ACP); however, there was a limitation to estimate the precise location of ACP by planar phase analysis. In this study, the authors applied phase analysis to gated blood pool tomography. Twelve patients with WPW who underwent epicardial mapping and surgical division of ACP were studied by both of gated emission computed tomography (GECT) and routine gated blood pool study (GBPS). The GBPS was performed with Tc-99m red blood cells in multiple projections; modified left anterior oblique, right anterior oblique and/or left lateral views. In GECT, short axial, horizontal and vertical long axial blood pool images were reconstructed. Phase analysis was performed using fundamental frequency of the Fourier transform in both GECT and GBPS images, and abnormal initial contractions on both the planar and tomographic phase analysis were compared with the location of surgically confirmed ACPs. In planar phase analysis, abnormal initial phase was identified in 7 out of 12 (58%) patients, while in tomographic phase analysis, the localization of ACP was predicted in 11 out of 12 (92%) patients. Tomographic phase analysis is superior to planar phase images in 8 out of 12 patients to estimate the location of ACP. Phase analysis by GECT can avoid overlap of blood pool in cardiac chambers and has advantage to identify the propagation of phase three-dimensionally. Tomographic phase analysis is a good adjunctive method for patients with WPW to estimate the site of ACP.

Direct Detection of Protein Biomarkers in Human Fluids Using Site-Specific Antibody Immobilization Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Soler

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Design of an optimal surface biofunctionalization still remains an important challenge for the application of biosensors in clinical practice and therapeutic follow-up. Optical biosensors offer real-time monitoring and highly sensitive label-free analysis, along with great potential to be transferred to portable devices. When applied in direct immunoassays, their analytical features depend strongly on the antibody immobilization strategy. A strategy for correct immobilization of antibodies based on the use of ProLinker™ has been evaluated and optimized in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, stability and reproducibility. Special effort has been focused on avoiding antibody manipulation, preventing nonspecific adsorption and obtaining a robust biosurface with regeneration capabilities. ProLinker™-based approach has demonstrated to fulfill those crucial requirements and, in combination with PEG-derivative compounds, has shown encouraging results for direct detection in biological fluids, such as pure urine or diluted serum. Furthermore, we have implemented the ProLinker™ strategy to a novel nanoplasmonic-based biosensor resulting in promising advantages for its application in clinical and biomedical diagnosis.

Direct detection of protein biomarkers in human fluids using site-specific antibody immobilization strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Soler, Maria; Estevez, M-Carmen; Alvarez, Mar; Otte, Marinus A; Sepulveda, Borja; Lechuga, Laura M

2014-01-29

Design of an optimal surface biofunctionalization still remains an important challenge for the application of biosensors in clinical practice and therapeutic follow-up. Optical biosensors offer real-time monitoring and highly sensitive label-free analysis, along with great potential to be transferred to portable devices. When applied in direct immunoassays, their analytical features depend strongly on the antibody immobilization strategy. A strategy for correct immobilization of antibodies based on the use of ProLinker™ has been evaluated and optimized in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, stability and reproducibility. Special effort has been focused on avoiding antibody manipulation, preventing nonspecific adsorption and obtaining a robust biosurface with regeneration capabilities. ProLinker™-based approach has demonstrated to fulfill those crucial requirements and, in combination with PEG-derivative compounds, has shown encouraging results for direct detection in biological fluids, such as pure urine or diluted serum. Furthermore, we have implemented the ProLinker™ strategy to a novel nanoplasmonic-based biosensor resulting in promising advantages for its application in clinical and biomedical diagnosis.

Diagnostic imaging strategy for MDCT- or MRI-detected breast lesions: use of targeted sonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, Satoko; Ohtsuka, Masahiko; Mibu, Akemi; Karikomi, Masato; Sakata, Hitomi; Yamamoto, Masahiro

2012-01-01

Leading-edge technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) often reveals mammographically and ultrasonographically occult lesions. MRI is a well-documented, effective tool to evaluate these lesions; however, the detection rate of targeted sonography varies for MRI detected lesions, and its significance is not well established in diagnostic strategy of MRI detected lesions. We assessed the utility of targeted sonography for multidetector-row CT (MDCT)- or MRI-detected lesions in practice. We retrospectively reviewed 695 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer who were candidates for breast conserving surgery and underwent MDCT or MRI in our hospital between January 2004 and March 2011. Targeted sonography was performed in all MDCT- or MRI-detected lesions followed by imaging-guided biopsy. Patient background, histopathology features and the sizes of the lesions were compared among benign, malignant and follow-up groups. Of the 695 patients, 61 lesions in 56 patients were detected by MDCT or MRI. The MDCT- or MRI-detected lesions were identified by targeted sonography in 58 out of 61 lesions (95.1%). Patients with pathological diagnoses were significantly older and more likely to be postmenopausal than the follow-up patients. Pathological diagnosis proved to be benign in 20 cases and malignant in 25. The remaining 16 lesions have been followed up. Lesion size and shape were not significantly different among the benign, malignant and follow-up groups. Approximately 95% of MDCT- or MRI-detected lesions were identified by targeted sonography, and nearly half of these lesions were pathologically proven malignancies in this study. Targeted sonography is a useful modality for MDCT- or MRI-detected breast lesions

A combination of solid-phase extraction and dispersive solid-phase extraction effectively reduces the matrix interference in liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection during pyraclostrobin analysis in perilla leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Farha, Waziha; Rahman, Md Musfiqur; Abd El-Aty, A M; Jung, Da-I; Kabir, Md Humayun; Choi, Jeong-Heui; Kim, Sung-Woo; Im, So Jeong; Lee, Young-Jun; Shin, Ho-Chul; Kwon, Chan-Hyeok; Son, Young-Wook; Lee, Kang-Bong; Shim, Jae-Han

2015-12-01

Perilla leaves contain many interfering substances; thus, it is difficult to protect the analytes during identification and integration. Furthermore, increasing the amount of sample to lower the detection limit worsens the situation. To overcome this problem, we established a new method using a combination of solid-phase extraction and dispersive solid-phase extraction to analyze pyraclostrobin in perilla leaves by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance detection. The target compound was quantitated by external calibration with a good determination coefficient (R(2) = 0.997). The method was validated (in triplicate) with three fortification levels, and 79.06- 89.10% of the target compound was recovered with a relative standard deviation <4. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.0033 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The method was successfully applied to field samples collected from two different areas at Gwangju and Muan. The decline in the resiudue concentrations was best ascribed to a first-order kinetic model with half-lives of 5.7 and 4.6 days. The variation between the patterns was attributed to humidity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Distributed Impact Detection System, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Automated impact detection and characterization on manned spacecraft has been an elusive goal due to the transitory nature of the detectable high-frequency signals....

Chance and strategy in search processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, M; Bénichou, O; Loverdo, C; Voituriez, R

2009-01-01

We consider a searcher in quest of a target in two situations: in the presence of an infinite number of identical, Poisson distributed targets, and in the presence of a unique target in a finite territory. The searcher alternates intensive search phases, during which it scans the neighbouring territory but does not move, and displacement phases with no target detection. We study the problem of determining the best strategy of displacement for minimizing the mean search time: either a deterministic or a stochastic trajectory. With a reasonable simplifying hypothesis, we show that for Poisson distributed targets, deterministic, self-avoiding trajectories are more efficient than stochastic ones if the detection process involves no memory skills and can be modelled by a Markov process. In contrast, if the detection process is not Markovian, it can be better for the searcher to follow a stochastic trajectory rather than a self-avoiding trajectory, and we give an explicit example of such a memory law. In the case of a unique target, self-avoiding trajectories are always better if an infinite time is available for the search, whereas stochastic trajectories can be more efficient if the searcher has to find the target before a given deadline. Moreover, we show that the gain due to a deterministic trajectory, compared to a stochastic one, is not significant in the case of a large network containing a unique target. Additionally, for various examples of displacement trajectories, we compute the overall mean search time and study its minimization as a function of the mean duration of the detection process

Automated flaw detection scheme for cast austenitic stainless steel weld specimens using Hilbert-Huang transform of ultrasonic phased array data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Tariq; Majumdar, Shantanu; Udpa, Lalita; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Crawford, Susan; Diaz, Aaron; Anderson, Michael T.

2012-01-01

The objective of this work is to develop processing algorithms to detect and localize flaws using ultrasonic phased-array data. Data was collected on cast austenitic stainless stell (CASS) weld specimens onloan from the U.S. nuclear power industry' Pressurized Walter Reactor Owners Group (PWROG) traveling specimen set. Each specimen consists of a centrifugally cast stainless stell (CCSS) pipe section welded to a statically cst(SCSS) or wrought (WRSS) section. The paper presents a novel automated flaw detection and localization scheme using low frequency ultrasonic phased array inspection singals from the weld and heat affected zone of the based materials. The major steps of the overall scheme are preprocessing and region of interest (ROI) detection followed by the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) of A-scans in the detected ROIs. HHT offers time-frequency-energy distribution for each ROI. The Accumulation of energy in a particular frequency band is used as a classification feature for the particular ROI

Ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence detection strategies in capillary electrophoresis: determination of naphthalene sulphonates in river water.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kok, S.J.; Isberg, I.C.K.; Gooijer, C.; Brinkman, U.A.T.; Velthorst, N.H.

1998-01-01

Various UV-laser-induced fluorescence detection strategies for capillary electrophoresis (CE) are compared, i.e. two UV-laser systems (a pulsed laser providing up to 25 mW of tunable emission, applied at 280, 290 and 325 nm, and a continuous wave (cw) laser providing up to 100 mW of 257 nm emission)

Four-Week Strategy-Based Training to Enhance Prospective Memory in Older Adults: Targeting Intention Retention Is More Beneficial than Targeting Intention Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ihle, Andreas; Albiński, Rafal; Gurynowicz, Kamila; Kliegel, Matthias

2018-01-01

So far, training of prospective memory (PM) focused on very short instances (single sessions) and targeted the intention-formation phase only. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of 2 different 4-week strategy-based PM training types, namely imagery training (targeting the encoding of the PM intention in the intention-formation phase) versus rehearsal training (targeting the maintenance of the PM intention in the intention-retention phase) in older adults. We used a 4-week training protocol (8 sessions in total, 2 sessions per week). From the 44 participants, 21 were randomly assigned to the imagery training (vividly imagining a mental picture to memorize the connection between the PM cue words and related actions during intention formation) and 23 to the rehearsal training (rehearsing the PM cue words during intention retention). The criterion PM task was assessed before and after the training. Comparing the effectiveness of both training types, we found a significant time by training type interaction on PM accuracy in terms of PM cue detection, F(1, 42) = 6.07, p = 0.018, η2p = 0.13. Subsequent analyses revealed that the rehearsal training was more effective in enhancing PM accuracy in terms of PM cue detection than the imagery training. Strategy-based PM training in older adults targeting the maintenance of the PM intention in the intention-retention phase may be more effective in enhancing PM accuracy in terms of PM cue detection than the strategy targeting the encoding of the PM intention in the intention-formation phase. This suggests that for successful prospective remembering, older adults may need more support to keep the PM cues active in memory while working on the ongoing task than to initially encode the PM intention. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Artefacts in geometric phase analysis of compound materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Jonathan J P; Beanland, Richard; Alexe, Marin; Cockburn, John W; Revin, Dmitry G; Zhang, Shiyong Y; Sanchez, Ana M

2015-10-01

The geometric phase analysis (GPA) algorithm is known as a robust and straightforward technique that can be used to measure lattice strains in high resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) images. It is also attractive for analysis of aberration-corrected scanning TEM (ac-STEM) images that resolve every atom column, since it uses Fourier transforms and does not require real-space peak detection and assignment to appropriate sublattices. Here it is demonstrated that, in ac-STEM images of compound materials with compositionally distinct atom columns, an additional geometric phase is present in the Fourier transform. If the structure changes from one area to another in the image (e.g. across an interface), the change in this additional phase will appear as a strain in conventional GPA, even if there is no lattice strain. Strategies to avoid this pitfall are outlined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single-phase DECT with VNCT compared with three-phase CTU in patients with haematuria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jung Jae; Park, Byung Kwan; Kim, Chan Kyo [Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance of single-phase dual-energy CT (DECT) with virtual non-contrast CT (VNCT) compared with three-phase CT urography (CTU) in patients with haematuria. A total of 296 patients underwent three-phase CTU (NCT at 120 kVp; nephrographic phase and excretory phase DECTs at 140 kVp and 80 kVp) owing to haematuria. Diagnostic performances of CT scans were compared for detecting urothelial tumours and urinary stones. Dose-length product (DLP) was compared in relation to single-phase DECT and three-phase CTU Dose-length product (DLP) was compared in relation to single-phase DECT and three-phase CTU. Sensitivity and specificity for tumour were 95 % (19/20) and 98.9 % (273/276) on CTU, 95 % (19/20) and 98.2 % (271/276) on nephrographic phase DECT, and 90 % (18/20) and 98.2 % (271/276) on excretory phase DECT (P > 0.1). Of the 148 stones detected on NCT, 108 (73 %) and 100 (67.6 %) were detected on nephrographic phase and excretory phase VNCTs, respectively. The mean size of stones undetected on nephrographic and excretory VNCTs was measured as 1.5 ± 0.5 mm and 1.6 ± 0.6 mm, respectively. The mean DLPs of three-phase CTU, nephrographic phase DECT and excretory phase DECT were 1076 ± 248 mGy . cm, 410 ± 98 mGy . cm, and 360 ± 87 mGy . cm, respectively (P < 0.001). Single-phase DECT has a potential to replace three-phase CTU for detecting tumours with a lower radiation dose. (orig.)

A strategy for selective detection based on interferent depleting and redox cycling using the plane-recessed microdisk array electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Feng; Yan Jiawei; Lu Miao; Zhou Yongliang; Yang Yang; Mao Bingwei

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A novel strategy based on a combination of interferent depleting and redox cycling is proposed for the plane-recessed microdisk array electrodes. → The strategy break up the restriction of selectively detecting a species that exhibits reversible reaction in a mixture with one that exhibits an irreversible reaction. → The electrodes enhance the current signal by redox cycling. → The electrodes can work regardless of the reversibility of interfering species. - Abstract: The fabrication, characterization and application of the plane-recessed microdisk array electrodes for selective detection are demonstrated. The electrodes, fabricated by lithographic microfabrication technology, are composed of a planar film electrode and a 32 x 32 recessed microdisk array electrode. Different from commonly used redox cycling operating mode for array configurations such as interdigitated array electrodes, a novel strategy based on a combination of interferent depleting and redox cycling is proposed for the electrodes with an appropriate configuration. The planar film electrode (the plane electrode) is used to deplete the interferent in the diffusion layer. The recessed microdisk array electrode (the microdisk array), locating within the diffusion layer of the plane electrode, works for detecting the target analyte in the interferent-depleted diffusion layer. In addition, the microdisk array overcomes the disadvantage of low current signal for a single microelectrode. Moreover, the current signal of the target analyte that undergoes reversible electron transfer can be enhanced due to the redox cycling between the plane electrode and the microdisk array. Based on the above working principle, the plane-recessed microdisk array electrodes break up the restriction of selectively detecting a species that exhibits reversible reaction in a mixture with one that exhibits an irreversible reaction, which is a limitation of single redox cycling operating mode. The

Structural health monitoring strategy for detection of interlaminar delamination in composite plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quaegebeur, N; Micheau, P; Masson, P; Maslouhi, A

2010-01-01

In this paper, a structural health monitoring strategy for detecting interlaminar delamination in a carbon fiber reinforced polymer structure using Lamb waves is proposed. The delamination is simulated by inserting a Teflon tape between two transverse plies and the Lamb wave generation and measurement is enabled by using piezoceramic elements. The Lamb wave theoretical propagation and through thickness strain distribution are studied, in order to determine the optimal configuration of the final system in terms of mode and frequency selection, and piezoceramic sizing and spacing, for detection of cross-sectional delamination. Pitch and catch measurements are performed by comparing wave propagations for different frequencies and along damaged and undamaged paths of the structure, and the analysis of results is performed using the reassigned short time Fourier transform. It appears that in the low frequency range (below 300 kHz), the A0 mode is sensitive to the damage, while in the high frequency range, S1 and A1 modes are both very sensitive to the damage while the propagation of the S0 mode is not affected very much

A Dynamic Model for the Evaluation of Aircraft Engine Icing Detection and Control-Based Mitigation Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Donald L.; Rinehart, Aidan W.; Jones, Scott M.

2017-01-01

Aircraft flying in regions of high ice crystal concentrations are susceptible to the buildup of ice within the compression system of their gas turbine engines. This ice buildup can restrict engine airflow and cause an uncommanded loss of thrust, also known as engine rollback, which poses a potential safety hazard. The aviation community is conducting research to understand this phenomena, and to identify avoidance and mitigation strategies to address the concern. To support this research, a dynamic turbofan engine model has been created to enable the development and evaluation of engine icing detection and control-based mitigation strategies. This model captures the dynamic engine response due to high ice water ingestion and the buildup of ice blockage in the engines low pressure compressor. It includes a fuel control system allowing engine closed-loop control effects during engine icing events to be emulated. The model also includes bleed air valve and horsepower extraction actuators that, when modulated, change overall engine operating performance. This system-level model has been developed and compared against test data acquired from an aircraft turbofan engine undergoing engine icing studies in an altitude test facility and also against outputs from the manufacturers customer deck. This paper will describe the model and show results of its dynamic response under open-loop and closed-loop control operating scenarios in the presence of ice blockage buildup compared against engine test cell data. Planned follow-on use of the model for the development and evaluation of icing detection and control-based mitigation strategies will also be discussed. The intent is to combine the model and control mitigation logic with an engine icing risk calculation tool capable of predicting the risk of engine icing based on current operating conditions. Upon detection of an operating region of risk for engine icing events, the control mitigation logic will seek to change the

A real-time traffic control method for the intersection with pre-signals under the phase swap sorting strategy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiming Bie

Full Text Available To deal with the conflicts between left-turn and through traffic streams and increase the discharge capacity, this paper addresses the pre-signal which is implemented at a signalized intersection. Such an intersection with pre-signal is termed as a tandem intersection. For the tandem intersection, phase swap sorting strategy is deemed as the most effective phasing scheme in view of some exclusive merits, such as easier compliance of drivers, and shorter sorting area. However, a major limitation of the phase swap sorting strategy is not considered in previous studies: if one or more vehicle is left at the sorting area after the signal light turns to red, the capacity of the approach would be dramatically dropped. Besides, previous signal control studies deal with a fixed timing plan that is not adaptive with the fluctuation of traffic flows. Therefore, to cope with these two gaps, this paper firstly takes an in-depth analysis of the traffic flow operations at the tandem intersection. Secondly, three groups of loop detectors are placed to obtain the real-time vehicle information for adaptive signalization. The lane selection behavior in the sorting area is considered to set the green time for intersection signals. With the objective of minimizing the vehicle delay, the signal control parameters are then optimized based on a dynamic programming method. Finally, numerical experiments show that average vehicle delay and maximum queue length can be reduced under all scenarios.

A real-time traffic control method for the intersection with pre-signals under the phase swap sorting strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bie, Yiming; Liu, Zhiyuan; Wang, Yinhai

2017-01-01

To deal with the conflicts between left-turn and through traffic streams and increase the discharge capacity, this paper addresses the pre-signal which is implemented at a signalized intersection. Such an intersection with pre-signal is termed as a tandem intersection. For the tandem intersection, phase swap sorting strategy is deemed as the most effective phasing scheme in view of some exclusive merits, such as easier compliance of drivers, and shorter sorting area. However, a major limitation of the phase swap sorting strategy is not considered in previous studies: if one or more vehicle is left at the sorting area after the signal light turns to red, the capacity of the approach would be dramatically dropped. Besides, previous signal control studies deal with a fixed timing plan that is not adaptive with the fluctuation of traffic flows. Therefore, to cope with these two gaps, this paper firstly takes an in-depth analysis of the traffic flow operations at the tandem intersection. Secondly, three groups of loop detectors are placed to obtain the real-time vehicle information for adaptive signalization. The lane selection behavior in the sorting area is considered to set the green time for intersection signals. With the objective of minimizing the vehicle delay, the signal control parameters are then optimized based on a dynamic programming method. Finally, numerical experiments show that average vehicle delay and maximum queue length can be reduced under all scenarios.

Utility of bolus dynamic CT for the detection of hypervascular malignant hepatic tumors. Mainly referring to the comparison with delayed phase contrast-enhanced CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Hiromichi; Abe, Kimihiko; Freeny, P.C.

1996-01-01

In order to analyze the usefulness of dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, 84 patients who had hepatocellular carcinoma or suspected hypervascular metastases were studied with conventional incremental dynamic CT (CID-CT) or double helical CT (DH-CT). Delayed phase contrast-enhanced CT studies were consecutively performed in all patients. Thirty-six of 84 patients had malignant hepatic neoplasms; six had hepatocellular carcinoma and 30 had metastatic tumors. At first, the detectability of hepatic lesions was evaluated with bolus dynamic CT and delayed phase CT. Dynamic CT has detected more lesions than delayed CT. Some hepatic lesions described as isodensity were missed on CID-CT. Therefore, delayed phase CT cannot be eliminated when CID-CT is performed. Secondly, hepatic lesion detectability with CID-CT was compared with that of DH-CT. DH-CT did not miss the hepatic lesions picked up by delayed phase CT and was expected to provide excellent detectability of hypervascular hepatic neoplasms. In addition, first helical CT showed most hepatic lesions as areas of obvious hyperdensity, while CID-CT did not show their correct vascularities. So-called hypervascular hepatic tumors, however, were not always hypervascular and were demonstrated as areas of iso-hypodensity even on initial helical scanning. Second helical CT was useful to detect these so-called hypervascular, but actually hypovascular lesions. In conclusion, dynamic CT was helpful in detecting hypervascular hepatic malignant neoplasms, and DH-CT was more accurate than-CID-CT for the detection of hepatic lesions and the evaluation of vascular lesion. (author)

Coronagraph Focal-Plane Phase Masks Based on Photonic Crystal Technology: Recent Progress and Observational Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Murakami, Naoshi; Nishikawa, Jun; Sakamoto, Moritsugu; Ise, Akitoshi; Oka, Kazuhiko; Baba, Naoshi; Murakami, Hiroshi; Tamura, Motohide; Traub, Wesley A.; Mawet, Dimitri;

Damage detection methodology on beam-like structures based on combined modal Wavelet Transform strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Serra, Roger; Lopez, Lautaro

2018-05-01

Different approaches on the detection of damages based on dynamic measurement of structures have appeared in the last decades. They were based, amongst others, on changes in natural frequencies, modal curvatures, strain energy or flexibility. Wavelet analysis has also been used to detect the abnormalities on modal shapes induced by damages. However the majority of previous work was made with non-corrupted by noise signals. Moreover, the damage influence for each mode shape was studied separately. This paper proposes a new methodology based on combined modal wavelet transform strategy to cope with noisy signals, while at the same time, able to extract the relevant information from each mode shape. The proposed methodology will be then compared with the most frequently used and wide-studied methods from the bibliography. To evaluate the performance of each method, their capacity to detect and localize damage will be analyzed in different cases. The comparison will be done by simulating the oscillations of a cantilever steel beam with and without defect as a numerical case. The proposed methodology proved to outperform classical methods in terms of noisy signals.

Learning strategies: a synthesis and conceptual model

Science.gov (United States)

Hattie, John A. C.; Donoghue, Gregory M.

2016-08-01

The purpose of this article is to explore a model of learning that proposes that various learning strategies are powerful at certain stages in the learning cycle. The model describes three inputs and outcomes (skill, will and thrill), success criteria, three phases of learning (surface, deep and transfer) and an acquiring and consolidation phase within each of the surface and deep phases. A synthesis of 228 meta-analyses led to the identification of the most effective strategies. The results indicate that there is a subset of strategies that are effective, but this effectiveness depends on the phase of the model in which they are implemented. Further, it is best not to run separate sessions on learning strategies but to embed the various strategies within the content of the subject, to be clearer about developing both surface and deep learning, and promoting their associated optimal strategies and to teach the skills of transfer of learning. The article concludes with a discussion of questions raised by the model that need further research.

Integral Sensor Fault Detection and Isolation for Railway Traction Drive.

Science.gov (United States)

Garramiola, Fernando; Del Olmo, Jon; Poza, Javier; Madina, Patxi; Almandoz, Gaizka

2018-05-13

Due to the increasing importance of reliability and availability of electric traction drives in Railway applications, early detection of faults has become an important key for Railway traction drive manufacturers. Sensor faults are important sources of failures. Among the different fault diagnosis approaches, in this article an integral diagnosis strategy for sensors in traction drives is presented. Such strategy is composed of an observer-based approach for direct current (DC)-link voltage and catenary current sensors, a frequency analysis approach for motor current phase sensors and a hardware redundancy solution for speed sensors. None of them requires any hardware change requirement in the actual traction drive. All the fault detection and isolation approaches have been validated in a Hardware-in-the-loop platform comprising a Real Time Simulator and a commercial Traction Control Unit for a tram. In comparison to safety-critical systems in Aerospace applications, Railway applications do not need instantaneous detection, and the diagnosis is validated in a short time period for reliable decision. Combining the different approaches and existing hardware redundancy, an integral fault diagnosis solution is provided, to detect and isolate faults in all the sensors installed in the traction drive.

Phase dependence of transport-aperture coordination variability reveals control strategy of reach-to-grasp movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Miya K; Shimansky, Y P; Hossain, Abul B M I; Stelmach, George E

2010-11-01

Based on an assumption of movement control optimality in reach-to-grasp movements, we have recently developed a mathematical model of transport-aperture coordination (TAC), according to which the hand-target distance is a function of hand velocity and acceleration, aperture magnitude, and aperture velocity and acceleration (Rand et al. in Exp Brain Res 188:263-274, 2008). Reach-to-grasp movements were performed by young adults under four different reaching speeds and two different transport distances. The residual error magnitude of fitting the above model to data across different trials and subjects was minimal for the aperture-closure phase, but relatively much greater for the aperture-opening phase, indicating considerable difference in TAC variability between those phases. This study's goal is to identify the main reasons for that difference and obtain insights into the control strategy of reach-to-grasp movements. TAC variability within the aperture-opening phase of a single trial was found minimal, indicating that TAC variability between trials was not due to execution noise, but rather a result of inter-trial and inter-subject variability of motor plan. At the same time, the dependence of the extent of trial-to-trial variability of TAC in that phase on the speed of hand transport was sharply inconsistent with the concept of speed-accuracy trade-off: the lower the speed, the larger the variability. Conversely, the dependence of the extent of TAC variability in the aperture-closure phase on hand transport speed was consistent with that concept. Taking into account recent evidence that the cost of neural information processing is substantial for movement planning, the dependence of TAC variability in the aperture-opening phase on task performance conditions suggests that it is not the movement time that the CNS saves in that phase, but the cost of neuro-computational resources and metabolic energy required for TAC regulation in that phase. Thus, the CNS

Automated System for Aneuploidy Detection in Sperm Final Report CRADA No. TC-1364-96: Phase I SBIR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wyrobek, A. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Dunlay, R. T. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-10-19

This project was a relationship between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Biological Detection, Inc. (now known as Cellomics, Inc.) It was funded as a Phase I SBIR from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded to Cellomics, Inc. with a subcontract to LLNL.

The strategies of DNA immobilization and hybridization detection mechanism in the construction of electrochemical DNA sensor: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jahwarhar Izuan Abdul Rashid

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In recent years, electrochemical deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA sensor has recently emerged as promising alternative clinical diagnostic devices especially for infectious disease by exploiting DNA recognition events and converting them into an electrochemical signal. This is because the existing DNA diagnostic method possesses certain drawbacks such as time-consuming, expensive, laborious, low selectivity and sensitivity. DNA immobilization strategies and mechanism of electrochemical detection are two the most important aspects that should be considered before developing highly selective and sensitive electrochemical DNA sensor. Here, we focus on some recent strategies for DNA probes immobilization on the surface of electrochemical transducer such as adsorption, covalent bonding and Avidin/Streptavidin-Biotin interaction on the electrode surface for specific interaction with its complementary DNA target. A numerous approach for DNA hybridization detection based electrochemical technique that frequently used including direct DNA electrochemical detection and label based electrochemical (redox-active indicator, enzyme label and nanoparticles were also discussed in aiming to provide general guide for the design of electrochemical DNA sensor. We also discussed the challenges and suggestions to improve the application of electrochemical DNA sensor at point-care setting. Keywords: Electrochemical DNA sensor, DNA immobilization, DNA hybridization, Electrochemical mechanism

Analytical strategies for controlling polysorbate-based nanomicelles in fruit juice.

Science.gov (United States)

Krtkova, Veronika; Schulzova, Vera; Lacina, Ondrej; Hrbek, Vojtech; Tomaniova, Monika; Hajslova, Jana

2014-06-01

This study focused on the detection and quantification of organic micelle-type nanoparticles (NPs) with polysorbate components (polysorbate 20 and polysorbate 80) in their micelle shells that could be used to load biologically active compounds into fruit juice. Several advanced analytical techniques were applied in the stepwise method development strategy used. In the first phase, a system consisting of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography employing a size exclusion column coupled with an evaporative light scattering detector (UHPLC-SEC-ELSD) was used for the fractionation of micelle assemblies from other, lower molecular weight sample components. The limit of detection (LoD) of these polysorbate micelles in spiked apple juice was 500 μg mL(-1). After this screening step, mass spectrometric (MS) detection was utilized to confirm the presence of polysorbates in the detected micelles. Two alternative MS techniques were tested: (i) ambient high-resolution mass spectrometry employing a direct analysis in real time ion source coupled with an Orbitrap MS analyzer (DART-Orbitrap MS) enabled fast and simple detection of the polysorbates present in the samples, with a lowest calibration level (LCL) of 1000 μg mL(-1); (ii) ultrahigh-performance reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRTOF-MS) provided highly selective and sensitive detection and quantification of polysorbates with an LCL of 0.5 μg mL(-1).

Aptamer Recognition Induced Target-Bridged Strategy for Proteins Detection Based on Magnetic Chitosan and Silver/Chitosan Nanoparticles Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jincan; Li, Gongke; Hu, Yuling

2015-11-03

Poor selectivity and biocompability remain problems in applying surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for direct detection of proteins due to similar spectra of most proteins and overlapping Raman bands in complex mixtures. To solve these problems, an aptamer recognition induced target-bridged strategy based on magnetic chitosan (MCS) and silver/chitosan nanoparticles (Ag@CS NPs) using SERS was developed for detection of protein benefiting from specific affinity of aptamers and biocompatibility of chitosan (CS). In this process, one aptamer (or antibody) modified MCS worked as capture probes through the affinity binding site of protein. The other aptamer modified Raman report molecules encapsulated Ag@CS NPs were used as SERS sensing probes based on the other binding site of protein. The sandwich complexes of aptamer (antibody)/protein/aptamer were separated easily with a magnet from biological samples, and the concentration of protein was indirectly reflected by the intensity variation of SERS signal of Raman report molecules. To explore the universality of the strategy, three different kinds of proteins including thrombin, platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF BB) and immunoglobulin E (lgE) were investigated. The major advantages of this aptamer recognition induced target-bridged strategy are convenient operation with a magnet, stable signal expressing resulting from preventing loss of report molecules with the help of CS shell, and the avoidance of slow diffusion-limited kinetics problems occurring on a solid substrate. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed strategy, the method was applied to detection of PDGF BB in clinical samples. The limit of detection (LOD) of PDGF BB was estimated to be 3.2 pg/mL. The results obtained from human serum of healthy persons and cancer patients using the proposed strategy showed good agreement with that of the ELISA method but with wider linear range, more convenient operation, and lower cost. The proposed

A novel fast phase correlation algorithm for peak wavelength detection of Fiber Bragg Grating sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamberti, A; Vanlanduit, S; De Pauw, B; Berghmans, F

2014-03-24

Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) can be used as sensors for strain, temperature and pressure measurements. For this purpose, the ability to determine the Bragg peak wavelength with adequate wavelength resolution and accuracy is essential. However, conventional peak detection techniques, such as the maximum detection algorithm, can yield inaccurate and imprecise results, especially when the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and the wavelength resolution are poor. Other techniques, such as the cross-correlation demodulation algorithm are more precise and accurate but require a considerable higher computational effort. To overcome these problems, we developed a novel fast phase correlation (FPC) peak detection algorithm, which computes the wavelength shift in the reflected spectrum of a FBG sensor. This paper analyzes the performance of the FPC algorithm for different values of the SNR and wavelength resolution. Using simulations and experiments, we compared the FPC with the maximum detection and cross-correlation algorithms. The FPC method demonstrated a detection precision and accuracy comparable with those of cross-correlation demodulation and considerably higher than those obtained with the maximum detection technique. Additionally, FPC showed to be about 50 times faster than the cross-correlation. It is therefore a promising tool for future implementation in real-time systems or in embedded hardware intended for FBG sensor interrogation.

Application of virtual phase-shifting speckle-interferometry for detection of polymorphism in the Chlamydia trachomatis omp1 gene

Science.gov (United States)

Feodorova, Valentina A.; Saltykov, Yury V.; Zaytsev, Sergey S.; Ulyanov, Sergey S.; Ulianova, Onega V.

2018-04-01

Method of phase-shifting speckle-interferometry has been used as a new tool with high potency for modern bioinformatics. Virtual phase-shifting speckle-interferometry has been applied for detection of polymorphism in the of Chlamydia trachomatis omp1 gene. It has been shown, that suggested method is very sensitive to natural genetic mutations as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Effectiveness of proposed method has been compared with effectiveness of the newest bioinformatic tools, based on nucleotide sequence alignment.

Accurate means of detecting and characterizing abnormal patterns of ventricular activation by phase image analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Botvinick, E.H.; Frais, M.A.; Shosa, D.W.; O' Connell, J.W.; Pacheco-Alvarez, J.A.; Scheinman, M.; Hattner, R.S.; Morady, F.; Faulkner, D.B.

1982-08-01

The ability of scintigraphic phase image analysis to characterize patterns of abnormal ventricular activation was investigated. The pattern of phase distribution and sequential phase changes over both right and left ventricular regions of interest were evaluated in 16 patients with normal electrical activation and wall motion and compared with those in 8 patients with an artificial pacemaker and 4 patients with sinus rhythm with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and delta waves. Normally, the site of earliest phase angle was seen at the base of the interventricular septum, with sequential change affecting the body of the septum and the cardiac apex and then spreading laterally to involve the body of both ventricles. The site of earliest phase angle was located at the apex of the right ventricle in seven patients with a right ventricular endocardial pacemaker and on the lateral left ventricular wall in one patient with a left ventricular epicardial pacemaker. In each case the site corresponded exactly to the position of the pacing electrode as seen on posteroanterior and left lateral chest X-ray films, and sequential phase changes spread from the initial focus to affect both ventricles. In each of the patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, the site of earliest ventricular phase angle was located, and it corresponded exactly to the site of the bypass tract as determined by endocardial mapping. In this way, four bypass pathways, two posterior left paraseptal, one left lateral and one right lateral, were correctly localized scintigraphically. On the basis of the sequence of mechanical contraction, phase image analysis provides an accurate noninvasive method of detecting abnormal foci of ventricular activation.

Accurate means of detecting and characterizing abnormal patterns of ventricular activation by phase image analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Botvinick, E.H.; Frais, M.A.; Shosa, D.W.; O'Connell, J.W.; Pacheco-Alvarez, J.A.; Scheinman, M.; Hattner, R.S.; Morady, F.; Faulkner, D.B.

1982-01-01

The ability of scintigraphic phase image analysis to characterize patterns of abnormal ventricular activation was investigated. The pattern of phase distribution and sequential phase changes over both right and left ventricular regions of interest were evaluated in 16 patients with normal electrical activation and wall motion and compared with those in 8 patients with an artificial pacemaker and 4 patients with sinus rhythm with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and delta waves. Normally, the site of earliest phase angle was seen at the base of the interventricular septum, with sequential change affecting the body of the septum and the cardiac apex and then spreading laterally to involve the body of both ventricles. The site of earliest phase angle was located at the apex of the right ventricle in seven patients with a right ventricular endocardial pacemaker and on the lateral left ventricular wall in one patient with a left ventricular epicardial pacemaker. In each case the site corresponded exactly to the position of the pacing electrode as seen on posteroanterior and left lateral chest X-ray films, and sequential phase changes spread from the initial focus to affect both ventricles. In each of the patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, the site of earliest ventricular phase angle was located, and it corresponded exactly to the site of the bypass tract as determined by endocardial mapping. In this way, four bypass pathways, two posterior left paraseptal, one left lateral and one right lateral, were correctly localized scintigraphically. On the basis of the sequence of mechanical contraction, phase image analysis provides an accurate noninvasive method of detecting abnormal foci of ventricular activation

Back Translation: An Emerging Sophisticated Cyber Strategy to Subvert Advances in "Digital Age" Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Michael; Sheridan, Lynnaire

2015-01-01

Advances have been made in detecting and deterring the student plagiarism that has accompanied the uptake and development of the internet. Many authors from the late 1990s onwards grappled with plagiarism in the digital age, presenting articles that were provoking and established the foundation for strategies to address cyber plagiarism, including…

Routing strategies in traffic network and phase transition in network ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The dynamics of information traffic over scale-free networks has been investigated systematically. A series of routing strategies of data packets have been proposed, including the local routing strategy, the next-nearest-neighbour routing strategy, and the mixed routing strategy based on local static and dynamic information.

Device for the detection of a gaseous phase inside a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marini, Jean; Weilbacher, J.C.

1982-01-01

The detection device includes a multiplicity of ultrasonic emitters secured to the upper side of the closures of at least some of the adaptor tubes so that each emitter receiver directs a beam of ultrasonic sounds inside the vessel in parallel with the axis of the corresponding tube, the latter being fitted with at least one receiver placed inside the tube on the path of the ultrasonic beam. The presence of a gaseous phase in the vessel results in the generation of bubbles some of which reach the inside of the instrumented adaptors. The ultrasonic beam is therefore occulted by this gas, thereby producting a reduced echo [fr

Wide-field phase imaging for the endoscopic detection of dysplasia and early-stage esophageal cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, C. R. M.; Gordon, G. S. D.; Sawyer, T. W.; Wilkinson, T. D.; Bohndiek, S. E.

2018-02-01

Esophageal cancer has a 5-year survival rate below 20%, but can be curatively resected if it is detected early. At present, poor contrast for early lesions in white light imaging leads to a high miss rate in standard-of- care endoscopic surveillance. Early lesions in the esophagus, referred to as dysplasia, are characterized by an abundance of abnormal cells with enlarged nuclei. This tissue has a different refractive index profile to healthy tissue, which results in different light scattering properties and provides a source of endogenous contrast that can be exploited for advanced endoscopic imaging. For example, point measurements of such contrast can be made with scattering spectroscopy, while optical coherence tomography generates volumetric data. However, both require specialist interpretation for diagnostic decision making. We propose combining wide-field phase imaging with existing white light endoscopy in order to provide enhanced contrast for dysplasia and early-stage cancer in an image format that is familiar to endoscopists. Wide-field phase imaging in endoscopy can be achieved using coherent illumination combined with phase retrieval algorithms. Here, we present the design and simulation of a benchtop phase imaging system that is compatible with capsule endoscopy. We have undertaken preliminary optical modelling of the phase imaging setup, including aberration correction simulations and an investigation into distinguishing between different tissue phantom scattering coefficients. As our approach is based on phase retrieval rather than interferometry, it is feasible to realize a device with low-cost components for future clinical implementation.

A liquid phase blocking ELISA for the detection of antibodies against infectious bronchitis virus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cardoso T.C.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available A liquid phase blocking ELISA (LPB-ELISA was developed for the detection and measurement of antibodies against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV. The purified and nonpurified virus used as antigen, the capture and detector antibodies, and the chicken hyperimmune sera were prepared and standardized for this purpose. A total of 156 sera from vaccinated and 100 from specific pathogen-free chickens with no recorded contact with the virus were tested. The respective serum titers obtained in the serum neutralization test (SNT were compared with those obtained in the LPB-ELISA. There was a high correlation (r2 = 0.8926 between the two tests. The LPB-ELISA represents a single test suitable for the rapid detection of antibodies against bronchitis virus in chicken sera, with good sensitivity (88%, specificity (100% and agreement (95.31%.

A new method for detecting cerebral hemorrhage in rabbits by magnetic inductive phase shift.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Gui; Sun, Jian; Qin, Mingxin; Tang, Qinghua; Xu, Lin; Ning, Xu; Xu, Jia; Pu, Xianjie; Chen, Mingsheng

2014-02-15

Cerebral hemorrhage, which is an important clinical problem, is often monitored and studied using expensive devices, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that are unavailable in economically underdeveloped regions. Magnetic induction tomography (MIT) is a new type of non-contact, non-invasive, and low-cost detection technology, and exhibits prospects for wide application, especially for the detection of brain diseases. However, the previous studies on MIT have focused on laboratory models and rarely on in vivo applications because the induced signals produced by biological tissues are notably weak. Based on the symmetry between the two brain hemispheres and the fact that a local brain hemorrhage will not affect the contra-lateral hemisphere, a symmetric cancellation-type sensor detection system, which is characterized by one excitation coil and two receiving coils, was designed to improve the detection sensitivity of MIT. This method was subsequently used to detect the occurrence of cerebral hematomas in rabbits. The average phase drift induced by a 3-ml injection of autologous blood was 1.885°, which is a fivefold improvement compared with the traditional single excitation coil and single receiving coil method. The results indicate that this system has high sensitivity and anti-interference ability and high practical value. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Damage detection strategies for aircraft shell-like structures based on propagation guided elastic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zak, A; Ostachowicz, W; Krawczuk, M

2011-01-01

Damage of aircraft structural elements in any form always present high risks. Failures of these elements can be caused by various reasons including material fatigue or impact leading to damage initiation and growth. Detection of these failures at their earliest stage of development, estimation of their size and location, are one of the most crucial factors for each damage detection method. Structural health monitoring strategies based on propagation of guided elastic waves in structures and wave interaction with damage related discontinuities are very promising tools that offer not only damage detection capabilities, but are also meant to provide precise information about the state of the structures and their remaining lifetime. Because of that various techniques are employed to simulate and mimic the wave-discontinuity interactions. The use of various types of sensors, their networks together with sophisticated contactless measuring techniques are investigated both numerically and experimentally. Certain results of numerical simulations obtained by the use of the spectral finite element method are presented by the authors and related with propagation of guided elastic waves in shell-type aircraft structures. Two types of structures are considered: flat 2D panels with or without stiffeners and 3D shell structures. The applicability of two different damage detection approaches is evaluated in order to detect and localise damage in these structures. Selected results related with the use of laser scanning vibrometry are also presented and discussed by the authors.

An Optimal PR Control Strategy with Load Current Observer for a Three-Phase Voltage Source Inverter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaobo Dou

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Inverter voltage control is an important task in the operation of a DC/AC microgrid system. To improve the inverter voltage control dynamics, traditional approaches attempt to measure and feedforward the load current, which, however, needs remote measurement with communications in a microgrid system with distributed loads. In this paper, a load current observer (LCO based control strategy, which does not need remote measurement, is proposed for sinusoidal signals tracking control of a three-phase inverter of the microgrid. With LCO, the load current is estimated precisely, acting as the feedforward of the dual-loop control, which can effectively enlarge the stability margin of the control system and improve the dynamic response to load disturbance. Furthermore, multiple PR regulators are applied in this strategy conducted in a stationary  frame to suppress the transient fluctuations and the total harmonic distortion (THD of the output voltage and achieve faster transient performance compared with traditional dual-loop control in a rotating dq0 frame under instantaneous change of various types of load (i.e., balanced load, unbalanced load, and nonlinear load. The parameters of multiple PR regulators are analyzed and selected through the root locus method and the stability of the whole control system is evaluated and analyzed. Finally, the validity of the proposed approach is verified through simulations and a three-phase prototype test system with a TMS320F28335 DSP.

Ultrasensitive microfluidic solid-phase ELISA using an actuatable microwell-patterned PDMS chip.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tanyu; Zhang, Mohan; Dreher, Dakota D; Zeng, Yong

2013-11-07

Quantitative detection of low abundance proteins is of significant interest for biological and clinical applications. Here we report an integrated microfluidic solid-phase ELISA platform for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of proteins with a wide dynamic range. Compared to the existing microfluidic devices that perform affinity capture and enzyme-based optical detection in a constant channel volume, the key novelty of our design is two-fold. First, our system integrates a microwell-patterned assay chamber that can be pneumatically actuated to significantly reduce the volume of chemifluorescent reaction, markedly improving the sensitivity and speed of ELISA. Second, monolithic integration of on-chip pumps and the actuatable assay chamber allow programmable fluid delivery and effective mixing for rapid and sensitive immunoassays. Ultrasensitive microfluidic ELISA was demonstrated for insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) across at least five orders of magnitude with an extremely low detection limit of 21.8 aM. The microwell-based solid-phase ELISA strategy provides an expandable platform for developing the next-generation microfluidic immunoassay systems that integrate and automate digital and analog measurements to further improve the sensitivity, dynamic ranges, and reproducibility of proteomic analysis.

Phase calibration strategies for synchrotron RF signals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreev, Aleksandr [TEMF, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (Germany); Klingbeil, Harald [TEMF, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (Germany); GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Lens, Dieter [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany)

2016-07-01

For the FAIR facility that is currently under construction, the beam quality requirements impose several demands on the low-level RF (LLRF) systems. For example the phase error of the gap voltage of a specific RF cavity must be less than 1 . The RF reference signals for the FAIR synchrotron RF cavity systems are generated by direct digital synthesis modules (DDS) mounted in one crate called Group-DDS. In order to allow performing various multi-harmonic operations, each DDS unit operates at a certain mode defined by the harmonic number that can be changed during the operation. Since the DDS modules generate reference RF signals for different LLRF systems, the precise calibration of units to compensate the different phase response is of importance. The currently used calibration procedure is done with a fixed harmonic number for each module and uses the DDS module configured to the highest harmonic number as a reference. If the harmonic number of the DDS module is changed, one then has to repeat the calibration for the new values. Therefore, a new calibration method with respect to the absolute phases of DDS modules is under development and will be presented.

A Coordinate Control Strategy for Circulating Current Suppression in Multiparalleled Three-Phase Inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Xueguang; Wang, Tianyi; Wang, Xiongfei

2017-01-01

This paper addresses the zero-sequence circulating current control in the multiparalleled three-phase voltage-source inverters. The model of the zero-sequence circulating current in the N-paralleled (N ≥ 3) inverters is derived. It is shown that the circulating current is not only susceptible...... to the mismatches of circuit parameters, but it is also influenced by the interactions of circulating current controllers used by other paralleled inverters. To eliminate these adverse effects on the circulating current control loop, a coordinate control strategy for the N-paralleled inverter is proposed based...... on the zero-vector feedforward method with the space-vector pulse width modulation. Moreover, a virtual inverter method is introduced to facilitate the implementation of the proposed controller, which decouples the interactions of circulating current controllers in the paralleled inverters. Finally...

Maximum likelihood estimation of signal detection model parameters for the assessment of two-stage diagnostic strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lirio, R B; Dondériz, I C; Pérez Abalo, M C

1992-08-01

The methodology of Receiver Operating Characteristic curves based on the signal detection model is extended to evaluate the accuracy of two-stage diagnostic strategies. A computer program is developed for the maximum likelihood estimation of parameters that characterize the sensitivity and specificity of two-stage classifiers according to this extended methodology. Its use is briefly illustrated with data collected in a two-stage screening for auditory defects.

Stand-Off Chemical Detection Using Photoacoustic Sensing Techniques—From Single Element to Phase Array

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepa Gupta

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Technologies that can detect harmful chemicals, such as explosive devices, harmful gas leaks, airborne chemicals or/and biological agents, are heavily invested in by the government to prevent any possible catastrophic consequences. Some key features of such technology are, but not limited to, effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR of the detected signal and extended distance between the detector and target. In this work, we describe the development of photoacoustic sensing techniques from simple to more complex systems. These techniques include passive and active noise filters, parabolic sound reflectors, a lock-in amplifier, and beam-forming with an array of microphones; using these techniques, we increased detection distance from a few cm in an indoor setting to over 41 feet in an outdoor setting. We also establish a theoretical mathematical model that explains the underlying principle of how SNR can be improved with an increasing number of microphone elements in the phase array. We validate this model with computational simulations as well as experimental results.

A Decision Mixture Model-Based Method for Inshore Ship Detection Using High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Fukun; Chen, Jing; Zhuang, Yin; Bian, Mingming; Zhang, Qingjun

2017-06-22

With the rapid development of optical remote sensing satellites, ship detection and identification based on large-scale remote sensing images has become a significant maritime research topic. Compared with traditional ocean-going vessel detection, inshore ship detection has received increasing attention in harbor dynamic surveillance and maritime management. However, because the harbor environment is complex, gray information and texture features between docked ships and their connected dock regions are indistinguishable, most of the popular detection methods are limited by their calculation efficiency and detection accuracy. In this paper, a novel hierarchical method that combines an efficient candidate scanning strategy and an accurate candidate identification mixture model is presented for inshore ship detection in complex harbor areas. First, in the candidate region extraction phase, an omnidirectional intersected two-dimension scanning (OITDS) strategy is designed to rapidly extract candidate regions from the land-water segmented images. In the candidate region identification phase, a decision mixture model (DMM) is proposed to identify real ships from candidate objects. Specifically, to improve the robustness regarding the diversity of ships, a deformable part model (DPM) was employed to train a key part sub-model and a whole ship sub-model. Furthermore, to improve the identification accuracy, a surrounding correlation context sub-model is built. Finally, to increase the accuracy of candidate region identification, these three sub-models are integrated into the proposed DMM. Experiments were performed on numerous large-scale harbor remote sensing images, and the results showed that the proposed method has high detection accuracy and rapid computational efficiency.

Phase Noise Tolerant QPSK Receiver Using Phase Sensitive Wavelength Conversion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Da Ros, Francesco; Xu, Jing; Lei, Lei

2013-01-01

A novel QPSK receiver based on a phase noise reduction pre-stage exploiting PSA in a HNLF and balanced detection is presented. Receiver sensitivity improvement over a conventional balanced receiver is demonstrated.......A novel QPSK receiver based on a phase noise reduction pre-stage exploiting PSA in a HNLF and balanced detection is presented. Receiver sensitivity improvement over a conventional balanced receiver is demonstrated....

A Dual-Wavelength Radar Technique to Detect Hydrometeor Phases

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Liang; Meneghini, Robert

2016-01-01

This study is aimed at investigating the feasibility of a Ku- and Ka-band space/air-borne dual wavelength radar algorithm to discriminate various phase states of precipitating hydrometeors. A phase-state classification algorithm has been developed from the radar measurements of snow, mixed-phase and rain obtained from stratiform storms. The algorithm, presented in the form of the look-up table that links the Ku-band radar reflectivities and dual-frequency ratio (DFR) to the phase states of hydrometeors, is checked by applying it to the measurements of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Airborne Precipitation Radar Second Generation (APR-2). In creating the statistically-based phase look-up table, the attenuation corrected (or true) radar reflectivity factors are employed, leading to better accuracy in determining the hydrometeor phase. In practice, however, the true radar reflectivities are not always available before the phase states of the hydrometeors are determined. Therefore, it is desirable to make use of the measured radar reflectivities in classifying the phase states. To do this, a phase-identification procedure is proposed that uses only measured radar reflectivities. The procedure is then tested using APR-2 airborne radar data. Analysis of the classification results in stratiform rain indicates that the regions of snow, mixed-phase and rain derived from the phase-identification algorithm coincide reasonably well with those determined from the measured radar reflectivities and linear depolarization ratio (LDR).

Detection of microcalcifications by characteristic magnetic susceptibility effects using MR phase image cross-correlation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baheza, Richard A. [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States); Welch, E. Brian [Institute of Imaging Science and Departments of Radiology and Radiological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States); Gochberg, Daniel F. [Institute of Imaging Science and Departments of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States); Sanders, Melinda [Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States); Harvey, Sara [Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States); Gore, John C. [Institute of Imaging Science and Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States); Yankeelov, Thomas E., E-mail: thomas.yankeelov@vanderbilt.edu [Institute of Imaging Science and Departments of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, and Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2310 (United States)

2015-03-15

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a new method for detecting calcium deposits using their characteristic magnetic susceptibility effects on magnetic resonance (MR) images at high fields and demonstrate its potential in practice for detecting breast microcalcifications. Methods: Characteristic dipole signatures of calcium deposits were detected in magnetic resonance phase images by computing the cross-correlation between the acquired data and a library of templates containing simulated phase patterns of spherical deposits. The influence of signal-to-noise ratio and various other MR parameters on the results were assessed using simulations and validated experimentally. The method was tested experimentally for detection of calcium fragments within gel phantoms and calcium-like inhomogeneities within chicken tissue at 7 T with optimized MR acquisition parameters. The method was also evaluated for detection of simulated microcalcifications, modeled from biopsy samples of malignant breast cancer, inserted in silico into breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) of healthy subjects at 7 T. For both assessments of calcium fragments in phantoms and biopsy-based simulated microcalcifications in breast MRIs, receiver operator characteristic curve analyses were performed to determine the cross-correlation index cutoff, for achieving optimal sensitivity and specificity, and the area under the curve (AUC), for measuring the method’s performance. Results: The method detected calcium fragments with sizes of 0.14–0.79 mm, 1 mm calcium-like deposits, and simulated microcalcifications with sizes of 0.4–1.0 mm in images with voxel sizes between (0.2 mm){sup 3} and (0.6 mm){sup 3}. In images acquired at 7 T with voxel sizes of (0.2 mm){sup 3}–(0.4 mm){sup 3}, calcium fragments (size 0.3–0.4 mm) were detected with a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 78%–90%, 51%–68%, and 0.77%–0.88%, respectively. In images acquired with a human 7 T scanner, acquisition times below 12

Multi-colorimetric sensor array for detection of explosives in gas and liquid phase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kostesha, Natalie; Alstrøm, Tommy Sonne; Johnsen, C.

2011-01-01

In the framework of the research project "Xsense" at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) we are developing a simple colorimetric sensor array which can be useful in detection of explosives like DNT, TATP, HMX, RDX and identification of reagents needed for making homemade explosives. The tec......In the framework of the research project "Xsense" at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) we are developing a simple colorimetric sensor array which can be useful in detection of explosives like DNT, TATP, HMX, RDX and identification of reagents needed for making homemade explosives...... to the analytes creates a color difference map which gives a unique fingerprint for each explosive and VOCs. Such sensing technology can be used for screening relevant explosives in a complex background as well as to distinguish mixtures of volatile organic compounds distributed in gas and liquid phases....... This sensor array is inexpensive, and can potentially be produced as single use disposable....

Zero-Voltage Ride-Through Capability of Single-Phase Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen Zhang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Distributed renewable energy systems play an increasing role in today’s energy paradigm. Thus, intensive research activities have been centered on improving the performance of renewable energy systems, including photovoltaic (PV systems, which should be of multiple-functionality. That is, the PV systems should be more intelligent in the consideration of grid stability, reliability, and fault protection. Therefore, in this paper, the performance of single-phase grid-connected PV systems under an extreme grid fault (i.e., when the grid voltage dips to zero is explored. It has been revealed that combining a fast and accurate synchronization mechanism with appropriate control strategies for the zero-voltage ride-through (ZVRT operation is mandatory. Accordingly, the representative synchronization techniques (i.e., the phase-locked loop (PLL methods in the ZVRT operation are compared in terms of detection precision and dynamic response. It shows that the second-order generalized integrator (SOGI-PLL is a promising solution for single-phase systems in the case of fault ride-through. A control strategy by modifying the SOGI-PLL scheme is then introduced to single-phase grid-connected PV systems for ZVRT operation. Simulations are performed to verify the discussions. The results have demonstrated that the proposed method can help single-phase PV systems to temporarily ride through zero-voltage faults with good dynamics.

Detecting and Georegistering Moving Ground Targets in Airborne QuickSAR via Keystoning and Multiple-Phase Center Interferometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. P. Perry

2008-03-01

Full Text Available SAR images experience significant range walk and, without some form of motion compensation, can be quite blurred. The MITRE-developed Keystone formatting simultaneously and automatically compensates for range walk due to the radial velocity component of each moving target, independent of the number of targets or the value of each target's radial velocity with respect to the ground. Target radial motion also causes moving targets in synthetic aperture radar images to appear at locations offset from their true instantaneous locations on the ground. In a multichannel radar, the interferometric phase values associated with all nonmoving points on the ground appear as a continuum of phase differences while the moving targets appear as interferometric phase discontinuities. By multiple threshold comparisons and grouping of pixels within the intensity and the phase images, we show that it is possible to reliably detect and accurately georegister moving targets within short-duration SAR (QuickSAR images.

Detection of left atrial thrombus in patients with mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation: retrospective comparison of two-phase computed tomography, transoesophageal echocardiography and surgical findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Bo Hwa; Ko, Sung Min [Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Medical Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Hweung Kon [Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Song, Meong Gun; Shin, Je Kyoun [Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Department of Thoracic surgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Woon Seok; Kim, Tae-Yop [Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-11-15

This retrospective study aims to assess the accuracy of two-phase computed tomography (CT) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the detection of left atrial (LA) thrombus in patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and atrial fibrillation (AF), by using intraoperative findings as the reference standard. Preoperative two-phase CT and intraoperative TEE were performed in 106 patients with MS and AF. The ratio (LAA/AA{sub L}) of Hounsfield units (HU) in the LA appendage (LAA) to the ascending aorta (AA) was calculated on the late-phase CT image. LA echodense masses on TEE and LA filling defects on two-phase CT were observed in 29 and 39 patients, respectively. Thirty-five LA thrombi were identified at surgery in 27 patients. Compared with the intraoperative findings, per-patient sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of two-phase CT were 100 %, 85 %, 69 % and 100 %, and those by using TEE were 93 %, 95 %, 86 % and 97 % in detecting LAA thrombus. After adopting the cut-off value of 0.5 for the LAA/AA{sub L} HU ratio, the specificity and positive predictive value of two-phase CT were increased to 96 % and 90 %, respectively. Two-phase CT with a cut-off value of LAA/AA{sub L} HU ratio of 0.5 provides high performance for the detection of LAA thrombus. (orig.)

LROC Investigation of Three Strategies for Reducing the Impact of Respiratory Motion on the Detection of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules in SPECT

Science.gov (United States)

Smyczynski, Mark S.; Gifford, Howard C.; Dey, Joyoni; Lehovich, Andre; McNamara, Joseph E.; Segars, W. Paul; King, Michael A.

2016-02-01

The objective of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of three motion reducing strategies in diminishing the degrading impact of respiratory motion on the detection of small solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) in single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) imaging in comparison to a standard clinical acquisition and the ideal case of imaging in the absence of respiratory motion. To do this nonuniform rational B-spline cardiac-torso (NCAT) phantoms based on human-volunteer CT studies were generated spanning the respiratory cycle for a normal background distribution of Tc-99 m NeoTect. Similarly, spherical phantoms of 1.0-cm diameter were generated to model small SPN for each of the 150 uniquely located sites within the lungs whose respiratory motion was based on the motion of normal structures in the volunteer CT studies. The SIMIND Monte Carlo program was used to produce SPECT projection data from these. Normal and single-lesion containing SPECT projection sets with a clinically realistic Poisson noise level were created for the cases of 1) the end-expiration (EE) frame with all counts, 2) respiration-averaged motion with all counts, 3) one fourth of the 32 frames centered around EE (Quarter Binning), 4) one half of the 32 frames centered around EE (Half Binning), and 5) eight temporally binned frames spanning the respiratory cycle. Each of the sets of combined projection data were reconstructed with RBI-EM with system spatial-resolution compensation (RC). Based on the known motion for each of the 150 different lesions, the reconstructed volumes of respiratory bins were shifted so as to superimpose the locations of the SPN onto that in the first bin (Reconstruct and Shift). Five human observers performed localization receiver operating characteristics (LROC) studies of SPN detection. The observer results were analyzed for statistical significance differences in SPN detection accuracy among the three correction strategies, the standard

Determination of monoamine neurotransmitters in human urine by carrier-mediated liquid-phase microextraction based on solidification of stripping phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Liwei; Chen, Yibang; Chen, Yejun; Ma, Ming; Tan, Yueming; Tang, Hao; Chen, Bo

2015-11-01

A novel method was developed for the analysis of monoamine neurotransmitters (MNTs) in human urine by carrier-mediated liquid-phase microextraction based on solidification of stripping phase method (CM-LPME-SSP) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD). By adding an appropriate carrier in organic phase, simultaneous extraction of hydrophilic analytes, MNTs, with high enrichment factors (22.6-36.1 folds) and excellent sample cleanup was achieved. A new strategy, solidifying the aqueous stripping phase in the back-extraction process, was developed to facilitate the collection of the stripping phase as small as a few microliters. Combined with HPLC-ECD analysis, the linear ranges of the established method were 0.015-2.0 μg/mL for NE, E, DA, and 0.020-2.0 μg/mL for 5-HT. The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 5.5-10.8 ng/mL and 15-20 ng/mL, respectively. The relative recoveries were in the range of 87-108%, with intraday and interday relative standard deviations lower than 13%. This method was successfully applied to analysis of MNTs in real urine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of radionuclide ventriculography phase analysis in patients with atrial or ventricular pacing for detecting ventricular abnormal excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Rongfang; Wang Zhonggan; Li Shengting

1996-01-01

The aim of the study was to increase the accuracy of detecting ventricular abnormal excitation. During atrial or ventricular pacing, radionuclide ventriculography phase analysis (RNV-PA) was performed in 17 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (W-P-W) syndrome and paroxysmal supra ventricular tachycardia (PSVT) and ventricular tachycardia (PVT). During pacing, detection rate of abnormal excitation by RNV-PA was 95.5%, compared with 68.2% during basic conduction. Atrial or ventricular pacing can significantly increase the detection rate of abnormal excitation by RNV-PA in patients with W-P-W syndrome. It may be a valuable method for identifying the abnormal excitation and estimating the therapeutic effect of ablation

Phase II: Automated System for Aneuploidy Detection in Sperm Final Report CRADA No. TC-1554-98

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wyrobek, W. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Dunlay, R. T. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-09-28

This was a collaborative effort between the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Cellomics, Inc. (formerly BioDx and Biological Detection, Inc.) to develop an automated system for detecting human sperm aneuploidy. Aneuploidy (an abnormal number of chromosomes) is one of the major categories of chromosomally abnormal sperm, which results in chromosomally defective pregnancies and babies. An automated system would be used for testing the effects of toxic agents and for other research and clinical applications. This collaborated effort was funded by a National Institutes of Environmental Health Services, Phase II, Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) grant to Cellornics (Contract No. N44-ES-82004).

Advanced Control Strategies to Enable a More Wide-Scale Adoption of Single-Phase Photovoltaic Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Yongheng

, a thorough evaluation of those topologies in terms of e.g. efficiency, reliability, leakage current mitigation ability, and reactive power injection capability has been presented in Chapter 3, where a multidisciplinary assessment approach with characterized features of energy production estimation...... and lifetime prediction based on mission profiles (e.g. solar irradiance level and ambient temperature) has been proposed. Grid detection and synchronization techniques have also been discussed in Chapter 2, since they are of importance in the control of single-phase systems both in normal operation mode...

GMOtrack: generator of cost-effective GMO testing strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Petra Krau; Gruden, Kristina; Morisset, Dany; Lavrac, Nada; Stebih, Dejan; Rotter, Ana; Zel, Jana

2009-01-01

Commercialization of numerous genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has already been approved worldwide, and several additional GMOs are in the approval process. Many countries have adopted legislation to deal with GMO-related issues such as food safety, environmental concerns, and consumers' right of choice, making GMO traceability a necessity. The growing extent of GMO testing makes it important to study optimal GMO detection and identification strategies. This paper formally defines the problem of routine laboratory-level GMO tracking as a cost optimization problem, thus proposing a shift from "the same strategy for all samples" to "sample-centered GMO testing strategies." An algorithm (GMOtrack) for finding optimal two-phase (screening-identification) testing strategies is proposed. The advantages of cost optimization with increasing GMO presence on the market are demonstrated, showing that optimization approaches to analytic GMO traceability can result in major cost reductions. The optimal testing strategies are laboratory-dependent, as the costs depend on prior probabilities of local GMO presence, which are exemplified on food and feed samples. The proposed GMOtrack approach, publicly available under the terms of the General Public License, can be extended to other domains where complex testing is involved, such as safety and quality assurance in the food supply chain.

Covalent functionalization of MoS2 nanosheets synthesized by liquid phase exfoliation to construct electrochemical sensors for Cd (II) detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Xiaorong; Zhao, Huimin; Wong, Kwok-Yin; Lei, Dang Yuan; Zhang, Yaobin; Quan, Xie

2018-05-15

Surface functionalization is an effective strategy in the precise control of electronic surface states of two-dimensional materials for promoting their applications. In this study, based on the strong coordination interaction between the transition-metal centers and N atoms, the surface functionalization of few-layer MoS 2 nanosheets was successfully prepared by liquid phase exfoliation method in N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, and formamide. The cytotoxicity of surface-functionalized MoS 2 nanosheets was for the first time evaluated by the methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazoliumbromide assays. An electrochemical sensor was constructed based on glass carbon electrode (GCE) modified by MoS 2 nanosheets obtained in DMF, which exhibits relatively higher sensitivity to Cd 2+ detection and lower cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells. The mechanisms of surface functionalization and selectively detecting Cd 2+ were investigated by density functional theory calculations together with various spectroscopic measurements. It was found that surface-functionalized MoS 2 nanosheets could be generated through Mo-N covalent bonds due to the orbital hybridization between the 5 s orbitals of Mo atoms and the 2p orbitals of N atoms of the solvent molecules. The high selectivity of the sensor is attributed to the coordination reaction between Cd 2+ and O donor atoms of DMF adsorbed on MoS 2 nanosheets. The robust anti-interference is ascribed to the strong binding energy of Cd 2+ and O atoms of DMF. Under the optimum conditions, the electrochemical sensor exhibits highly sensitive and selective assaying of Cd 2+ with a measured detection limit of 0.2 nM and a linear range from 2 nM to 20 μM. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An improved method for the immunological detection of mineral bound protein using hydrofluoric acid and direct capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, O E; Collins, M J

2000-03-06

Immunological detection of proteins adsorbed to mineral and ceramic surfaces has proved not only difficult but controversial. Unlike the immunological detection of proteins associated with carbonate or phosphate minerals (e.g. shells and bones) proteins adsorbed to siliceous minerals cannot readily be removed by dissolution of the mineral phase. We have previously examined alternative extraction methodologies which claim to bring the protein into solution, but found none of these to be effective. Here we report a novel strategy for immuno-detection of proteins adsorbed to siliceous minerals, the Digestion and Capture Immunoassay (DACIA). The method involves the use of cold, concentrated (4M) hydrofluoric acid (HF) with the simultaneous capture of liberated protein onto a solid phase. The combination of low temperatures and surface stabilisation enables us to detect epitopes from even partially degraded proteins. The method may have a wide application in forensic, archaeological, soil and earth sciences.

Efficacy of double arterial phase dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with the sensitivity encoding technique versus dynamic multidetector-row helical computed tomography for detecting hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumano, Seishi; Okada, Masahiro; Murakami, Takamichi; Uemura, Masahiko; Haraikawa, Toyoaki; Hirata, Masaaki; Kikuchi, Keiichi; Mochizuki, Teruhito; Kim, Tonsok

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of double arterial phase dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the sensitivity encoding technique (SENSE dynamic MRI) for detection of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in comparison with double arterial phase dynamic multidetector-row helical computed tomography (dynamic MDCT). A total of 28 patients with 66 hypervascular HCCs underwent both double arterial SENSE dynamic MRI and dynamic MDCT. The diagnosis of HCC was based on surgical resection (n=7), biopsy (n=10), or a combination of CT during arterial portography (CTAP), CT during hepatic arteriography (CTA), and/or the 6-month follow-up CT (n=49). Based on alternative-free response receiving operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the diagnostic performance for detecting HCC was compared between double arterial phase SENSE dynamic MRI and double arterial phase dynamic MDCT. The mean sensitivity, positive predictive value, and mean A Z values for hypervascular HCCs were 72%, 80%, and 0.79, respectively, for SENSE dynamic MRI and 66%, 92%, and 0.78, respectively, for dynamic MDCT. The mean sensitivity for double arterial phase SENSE dynamic MRI was higher than that for double arterial phase dynamic MDCT, but the difference was not statistically significant. Double arterial phase SENSE dynamic MRI is as valuable as double arterial phase dynamic MDCT for detecting hypervascular HCCs. (author)

Using an aqueous two-phase polymer-salt system to rapidly concentrate viruses for improving the detection limit of the lateral-flow immunoassay.

Science.gov (United States)

Jue, Erik; Yamanishi, Cameron D; Chiu, Ricky Y T; Wu, Benjamin M; Kamei, Daniel T

2014-12-01

The development of point-of-need (PON) diagnostics for viruses has the potential to prevent pandemics and protects against biological warfare threats. Here we discuss the approach of using aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) to concentrate biomolecules prior to the lateral-flow immunoassay (LFA) for improved viral detection. In this paper, we developed a rapid PON detection assay as an extension to our previous proof-of-concept studies which used a micellar ATPS. We present our investigation of a more rapid polymer-salt ATPS that can drastically improve the assay time, and show that the phase containing the concentrated biomolecule can be extracted prior to macroscopic phase separation equilibrium without affecting the measured biomolecule concentration in that phase. We could therefore significantly decrease the time of the diagnostic assay with an early extraction time of just 30 min. Using this rapid ATPS, the model virus bacteriophage M13 was concentrated between approximately 2 and 10-fold by altering the volume ratio between the two phases. As the extracted virus-rich phase contained a high salt concentration which destabilized the colloidal gold indicator used in LFA, we decorated the gold nanoprobes with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to provide steric stabilization, and used these nanoprobes to demonstrate a 10-fold improvement in the LFA detection limit. Lastly, a MATLAB script was used to quantify the LFA results with and without the pre-concentration step. This approach of combining a rapid ATPS with LFA has great potential for PON applications, especially as greater concentration-fold improvements can be achieved by further varying the volume ratio. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 2499-2507. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Two neural network based strategies for the detection of a total instantaneous blockage of a sodium-cooled fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-Martinez, Sinuhe; Messai, Nadhir; Jeannot, Jean-Philippe; Nuzillard, Danielle

2015-01-01

The total instantaneous blockage (TIB) of an assembly in the core of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is investigated. Such incident could appear as an abnormal rise in temperature on the assemblies neighbouring the blockage. Its detection relies on a dataset of temperature measurements of the assemblies making up the core of the French Phenix Nuclear Reactor. The data are provided by the French Commission of Atomic and Alternatives Energies (CEA). Here, two strategies are proposed depending on whether the sensor measurement of the suspected assembly is reliable or not. The proposed methodology implements a time-lagged feed-forward neural (TLFFN) Network in order to predict the one-step-ahead temperature of a given assembly. The incident is declared if the difference between the predicted process and the actual one exceeds a threshold. In these simulated conditions, the method is efficient to detect small gradients as expected in reality. - Highlights: • We study the total instantaneous blockage (TIB) of a sodium-cooled fast reactor. • The TIB symptom is simulated as an abrupt rise on temperature (0.1–1 °C/s). • The goal is to improve the early detection of the incident. • Two strategies laying on neural networks are proposed. • TIB is detected in 3 s for 1 °C/s and 18–21 s for 0.1 °C/s

Cyber attack analysis on cyber-physical systems: Detectability, severity, and attenuation strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Cheolhyeon

Security of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) against malicious cyber attacks is an important yet challenging problem. Since most cyber attacks happen in erratic ways, it is usually intractable to describe and diagnose them systematically. Motivated by such difficulties, this thesis presents a set of theories and algorithms for a cyber-secure architecture of the CPS within the control theoretic perspective. Here, instead of identifying a specific cyber attack model, we are focused on analyzing the system's response during cyber attacks. Firstly, we investigate the detectability of the cyber attacks from the system's behavior under cyber attacks. Specifically, we conduct a study on the vulnerabilities in the CPS's monitoring system against the stealthy cyber attack that is carefully designed to avoid being detected by its detection scheme. After classifying three kinds of cyber attacks according to the attacker's ability to compromise the system, we derive the necessary and sufficient conditions under which such stealthy cyber attacks can be designed to cause the unbounded estimation error while not being detected. Then, the analytical design method of the optimal stealthy cyber attack that maximizes the estimation error is developed. The proposed stealthy cyber attack analysis is demonstrated with illustrative examples on Air Traffic Control (ATC) system and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) navigation system applications. Secondly, in an attempt to study the CPSs' vulnerabilities in more detail, we further discuss a methodology to identify potential cyber threats inherent in the given CPSs and quantify the attack severity accordingly. We then develop an analytical algorithm to test the behavior of the CPS under various cyber attack combinations. Compared to a numerical approach, the analytical algorithm enables the prediction of the most effective cyber attack combinations without computing the severity of all possible attack combinations, thereby greatly reducing the

Phase alteration compensation in reflection digital holography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rincon, O; Amezquita, R; Monroy, F

2011-01-01

The phase maps obtained from digital holographic microscopy techniques carry information about the axial lengths of the object under study. Additionally, these phase maps have information of tilt and curvatures with origin in the off-axis geometry and the magnification lenses system, respectively. Only a complete compensation of these extra phases allows a correct interpretation of the phase information. In this article a numerical strategy to compensate for these alterations is designed, using a phase mask located in different planes. This strategy is applied in the measurement of a phase steps plate using a digital holography setup.

Improved security detection strategy in quantum secure direct communication protocol based on four-particle Green-Horne-Zeilinger state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jian; Nie, Jin-Rui; Li, Rui-Fan [Beijing Univ. of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing (China). School of Computer; Jing, Bo [Beijing Univ. of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing (China). School of Computer; Beijing Institute of Applied Meteorology, Beijing (China). Dept. of Computer Science

2012-06-15

To enhance the efficiency of eavesdropping detection in the quantum secure direct communication protocol, an improved quantum secure direct communication protocol based on a four-particle Green-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state is presented. In the protocol, the four-particle GHZ state is used to detect eavesdroppers, and quantum dense coding is used to encode the message. In the security analysis, the method of entropy theory is introduced, and two detection strategies are compared quantitatively by using the constraint between the information that the eavesdroppers can obtain and the interference that has been introduced. If the eavesdropper wants to obtain all the information, the detection rate of the quantum secure direct communication using an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pair block will be 50% and the detection rate of the presented protocol will be 87%. At last, the security of the proposed protocol is discussed. The analysis results indicate that the protocol proposed is more secure than the others. (orig.)

Organ-specific defence strategies of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) during early phase of water deficit.

Science.gov (United States)

Sziderics, Astrid Heide; Oufir, Mouhssin; Trognitz, Friederike; Kopecky, Dieter; Matusíková, Ildikó; Hausman, Jean-Francois; Wilhelm, Eva

2010-03-01

Drought is one of the major factors that limits crop production and reduces yield. To understand the early response of plants under nearly natural conditions, pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) were grown in a greenhouse and stressed by withholding water for 1 week. Plants adapted to the decreasing water content of the soil by adjustment of their osmotic potential in root tissue. As a consequence of drought, strong accumulation of raffinose, glucose, galactinol and proline was detected in the roots. In contrast, in leaves the levels of fructose, sucrose and also galactinol increased. Due to the water deficit cadaverine, putrescine, spermidine and spermine accumulated in leaves, whereas the concentration of polyamines was reduced in roots. To study the molecular basis of these responses, a combined approach of suppression subtractive hybridisation and microarray technique was performed on the same material. A total of 109 unique ESTs were detected as responsive to drought, while additional 286 ESTs were selected from the bulk of rare transcripts on the array. The metabolic profiles of stressed pepper plants are discussed with respect to the transcriptomic changes detected, while attention is given to the differences between defence strategies of roots and leaves.

Molecular imprinting solid phase extraction for selective detection of methidathion in olive oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakas, Idriss; Oujji, Najwa Ben; Moczko, Ewa; Istamboulie, Georges; Piletsky, Sergey; Piletska, Elena; Ait-Ichou, Ihya; Ait-Addi, Elhabib; Noguer, Thierry; Rouillon, Régis

2012-07-13

A specific adsorbent for extraction of methidathion from olive oil was developed. The design of the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was based on the results of the computational screening of the library of polymerisable functional monomers. MIP was prepared by thermal polymerisation using N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAA) as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross-linker. The polymers based on the itaconic acid (IA), methacrylic acid (MAA) and 2-(trifluoromethyl)acryl acid (TFMAA) functional monomers and one control polymer which was made without functional monomers with cross-linker EGDMA were also synthesised and tested. The performance of each polymer was compared using corresponding imprinting factor. As it was predicted by molecular modelling the best results were obtained for the MIP prepared with MBAA. The obtained MIP was optimised in solid-phase extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (MISPE-HPLC-UV) and tested for the rapid screening of methidathion in olive oil. The proposed method allowed the efficient extraction of methidathion for concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 9 mg L(-1) (r(2)=0.996). The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) in olive oil were 0.02 mg L(-1) and 0.1 mg L(-1), respectively. MIPs extraction was much more effective than traditional C18 reverse-phase solid phase extraction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heterodyne detection using spectral line pairing for spectral phase encoding optical code division multiple access and dynamic dispersion compensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi; Foster, Mark; Khurgin, Jacob B; Cooper, A Brinton

2012-07-30

A novel coherent optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA) scheme is proposed that uses spectral line pairing to generate signals suitable for heterodyne decoding. Both signal and local reference are transmitted via a single optical fiber and a simple balanced receiver performs sourceless heterodyne detection, canceling speckle noise and multiple-access interference (MAI). To validate the idea, a 16 user fully loaded phase encoded system is simulated. Effects of fiber dispersion on system performance are studied as well. Both second and third order dispersion management is achieved by using a spectral phase encoder to adjust phase shifts of spectral components at the optical network unit (ONU).

One-Port Electronic Detection Strategies for Improving Sensitivity in Piezoelectric Resonant Sensor Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongxu Hu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a one-port mechanical resonance detection scheme utilized on a piezoelectric thin film driven silicon circular diaphragm resonator and discusses the limitations to such an approach in degenerate mode mass detection sensors. The sensor utilizes degenerated vibration modes of a radial symmetrical microstructure thereby providing both a sense and reference mode allowing for minimization of environmental effects on performance. The circular diaphragm resonator was fabricated with thickness of 4.5 µm and diameter of 140 µm. A PZT thin film of 0.75 µm was patterned on the top surface for the purposes of excitation and vibration sensing. The device showed a resonant frequency of 5.8 MHz for the (1, 1 mode. An electronic interface circuit was designed to cancel out the large static and parasitic capacitance allowing for electrical detection of the mechanical vibration thereby enabling the frequency split between the sense and reference mode to be measured accurately. The extracted motional current, proportional to the vibration velocity, was fed back to the drive to effectively increase the Q factor, and therefore device sensitivity, by more than a factor of 8. A software phase-locked loop was implemented to automatically track the resonant frequencies to allow for faster and accurate resonance detection. Results showed that by utilizing the absolute mode frequencies as an indication of sensor temperature, the variation in sensor temperature due to the heating from the drive electronics was accounted for and led to an ultimate measurement sensitivity of 2.3 Hz.

One-Port Electronic Detection Strategies for Improving Sensitivity in Piezoelectric Resonant Sensor Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Zhongxu; Hedley, John; Keegan, Neil; Spoors, Julia; Gallacher, Barry; McNeil, Calum

2016-01-01

This paper describes a one-port mechanical resonance detection scheme utilized on a piezoelectric thin film driven silicon circular diaphragm resonator and discusses the limitations to such an approach in degenerate mode mass detection sensors. The sensor utilizes degenerated vibration modes of a radial symmetrical microstructure thereby providing both a sense and reference mode allowing for minimization of environmental effects on performance. The circular diaphragm resonator was fabricated with thickness of 4.5 µm and diameter of 140 µm. A PZT thin film of 0.75 µm was patterned on the top surface for the purposes of excitation and vibration sensing. The device showed a resonant frequency of 5.8 MHz for the (1, 1) mode. An electronic interface circuit was designed to cancel out the large static and parasitic capacitance allowing for electrical detection of the mechanical vibration thereby enabling the frequency split between the sense and reference mode to be measured accurately. The extracted motional current, proportional to the vibration velocity, was fed back to the drive to effectively increase the Q factor, and therefore device sensitivity, by more than a factor of 8. A software phase-locked loop was implemented to automatically track the resonant frequencies to allow for faster and accurate resonance detection. Results showed that by utilizing the absolute mode frequencies as an indication of sensor temperature, the variation in sensor temperature due to the heating from the drive electronics was accounted for and led to an ultimate measurement sensitivity of 2.3 Hz. PMID:27792154

Detecting local establishment strategies of wild cherry (Prunus avium L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregorius Hans-Rolf

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Backround P. avium, a pioneer tree species that colonizes early forest successional stages, is assumed to require an effective strategy allowing stably repeatable rounds of local establishment, dispersal and local extinction. Consequently, the early replacement of cherry by climax tree species makes the establishment of several local generations very unlikely, especially in central European continuous cover forests. This has to be seen in connection with the mixed reproduction system involving asexual reproduction as a complementary adaptational strategy. Tests of the local establishment of wild cherry must therefore consider the possibility of first generation establishment via seedling recruitment potentially followed by an asexual generation (root suckering. Successful establishment can therefore be determined only among adult individuals with the option of detecting vegetative reproduction at these stages. To test the implied suggestion about local establishment strategies of wild cherry, nuclear microsatellites were used to analyse patterns of asexual propagation among adult stages that have been subjected to one of two major types of forest management. These management types, the historical "coppice with standards system" (CWS and the "high forest system" (HFS, can be reasonably assumed to have affected the reproduction system of P. avium. Results Clear differences were found in the reproduction pattern between two stands representing the two forest management types: 1 Clonal propagation is observed in both management systems, but with a distinctly higher frequency in the CWS. Hence, sexual recruitment as a first local generation is followed by a second asexual generation in both, whereas in the CWS there is evidence for an additional clonal generation. 2 The estimation of amounts of clonal reproduction critically depends on the assumptions about multilocus gene associations. This is revealed by the application of newly developed

Ergot alkaloids in rye flour determined by solid-phase cation-exchange and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storm, Ida Marie Lindhardt Drejer; Rasmussen, Peter Have; Strobel, B.W.

2008-01-01

Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins that are undesirable contaminants of cereal products, particularly rye. A method was developed employing clean-up by cation-exchange solid-phase extraction, separation by high-performance liquid chromatography under alkaline conditions and fluorescence detection...

Data correlation in on-line solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography-atomic emission/mass spectrometric detection of unknown microcontaminants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hankemeier, Th.; Rozenbrand, J.; Abhadur, M.; Vreuls, J.J.; Brinkman, U.A.Th.

1998-01-01

A procedure is described for the (non-target) screening of hetero-atom-containing compounds in tap and waste water by correlating data obtained by gas chromatography (GC) using atomic emission (AED) and mass selective (MS) detection. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was coupled on-line to both GC

Bit-error-rate performance analysis of self-heterodyne detected radio-over-fiber links using phase and intensity modulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2010-01-01

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the performance of two self-heterodyne detected radio-over-fiber (RoF) links employing phase modulation (PM) and quadrature biased intensity modulation (IM), in term of bit-error-rate (BER) and optical signal-to-noise-ratio (OSNR). In both links, self...

UPVG phase 2 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-08-01

The Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG), supported by member dues and a grant from the US Department of Energy, has as its mission the acceleration of the use of cost-effective small-scale and emerging large-scale applications of photovoltaics for the benefit of electric utilities and their customers. Formed in October, 1992, with the support of the American Public Power Association, Edison Electric Institute, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the UPVG currently has 90 members from all sectors of the electric utility industry. The UPVG`s efforts as conceived were divided into four phases: Phase 0--program plan; Phase 1--organization and strategy development; Phase 2--creating market assurance; and Phase 3--higher volume purchases. The Phase 0 effort developed the program plan and was completed early in 1993. The Phase 1 goal was to develop the necessary background information and analysis to lead to a decision as to which strategies could be undertaken by utilities to promote greater understanding of PV markets and achieve increased volumes of PV purchases. This report provides the details of the UPVG`s Phase 2 efforts to initiate TEAM-UP, its multiyear, 50-MW hardware initiative.

UPVG phase 2 report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-08-01

The Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG), supported by member dues and a grant from the US Department of Energy, has as its mission the acceleration of the use of cost-effective small-scale and emerging large-scale applications of photovoltaics for the benefit of electric utilities and their customers. Formed in October, 1992, with the support of the American Public Power Association, Edison Electric Institute, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the UPVG currently has 90 members from all sectors of the electric utility industry. The UPVG's efforts as conceived were divided into four phases: Phase 0--program plan; Phase 1--organization and strategy development; Phase 2--creating market assurance; and Phase 3--higher volume purchases. The Phase 0 effort developed the program plan and was completed early in 1993. The Phase 1 goal was to develop the necessary background information and analysis to lead to a decision as to which strategies could be undertaken by utilities to promote greater understanding of PV markets and achieve increased volumes of PV purchases. This report provides the details of the UPVG's Phase 2 efforts to initiate TEAM-UP, its multiyear, 50-MW hardware initiative

Simulation of pattern and defect detection in periodic amplitude and phase structures using photorefractive four-wave mixing

Science.gov (United States)

Nehmetallah, Georges; Banerjee, Partha; Khoury, Jed

2015-03-01

The nonlinearity inherent in four-wave mixing in photorefractive (PR) materials is used for adaptive filtering. Examples include script enhancement on a periodic pattern, scratch and defect cluster enhancement, periodic pattern dislocation enhancement, etc. through intensity filtering image manipulation. Organic PR materials have large space-bandwidth product, which makes them useful in adaptive filtering techniques in quality control systems. For instance, in the case of edge enhancement, phase conjugation via four-wave mixing suppresses the low spatial frequencies of the Fourier spectrum of an aperiodic image and consequently leads to image edge enhancement. In this work, we model, numerically verify, and simulate the performance of a four wave mixing setup used for edge, defect and pattern detection in periodic amplitude and phase structures. The results show that this technique successfully detects the slightest defects clearly even with no enhancement. This technique should facilitate improvements in applications such as image display sharpness utilizing edge enhancement, production line defect inspection of fabrics, textiles, e-beam lithography masks, surface inspection, and materials characterization.

Phase transition of TiO{sub 2} thin films detected by the pulsed laser photoacoustic technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez-Pacheco, A.; Castaneda-Guzman, R.; Oliva Montes de Oca, C.; Esparza-Garcia, A. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, CCADET-UNAM, Laboratorio de Fotofisica y Peliculas Delgadas, Cd. Universitaria, A.P. 70-186, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Perez Ruiz, S.J. [CCADET-UNAM, Acustica y Vibraciones, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2011-03-15

In this work, we present characterization of titanium oxide thin films by photoacoustic measurements to determine the ablation threshold and phase transitions from amorphous to crystalline states. The important advantages of this method are that it does not require amplification at the detection stage and that it is a non-destructive technique. The correlation analysis of the photoacoustic signals allows us to visualize the ablation threshold and the phase transitions with enhanced sensitivity. This correlation analysis clearly exhibits the changes in the thin-film morphology due to controlled variations of the fluence (energy/area) and the temperature of the surrounding medium. This is particularly important for those cases where the crystalline changes caused by temperature variations need to be monitored. The thin-film samples were prepared by the sputtering technique at room temperature in the amorphous state. The phase transformations were induced by controlled temperature scanning and then corroborated with Raman spectroscopy measurements. (orig.)

Acoustic emission technique for characterisation of deformation, fatigue, fracture and phase transformation and for leak detection with high sensitivity- our experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayakumar, T.; Mukhopadhyay, C.K.; Baldev Raj

1996-01-01

Acoustic emission technique has been used for studying tensile deformation, fracture behaviour, detection and assessment of fatigue crack growth and α-martensite phase transformation in austenitic alloys. A methodology for amplification of weak acoustic emission signals has been established. Acoustic emission technique with advanced spectral analysis has enabled detection with high sensitivity of minute leaks in noisy environments. (author)

Nonlinear detection for a high rate extended binary phase shift keying system.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xian-Qing; Wu, Le-Nan

2013-03-28

The algorithm and the results of a nonlinear detector using a machine learning technique called support vector machine (SVM) on an efficient modulation system with high data rate and low energy consumption is presented in this paper. Simulation results showed that the performance achieved by the SVM detector is comparable to that of a conventional threshold decision (TD) detector. The two detectors detect the received signals together with the special impacting filter (SIF) that can improve the energy utilization efficiency. However, unlike the TD detector, the SVM detector concentrates not only on reducing the BER of the detector, but also on providing accurate posterior probability estimates (PPEs), which can be used as soft-inputs of the LDPC decoder. The complexity of this detector is considered in this paper by using four features and simplifying the decision function. In addition, a bandwidth efficient transmission is analyzed with both SVM and TD detector. The SVM detector is more robust to sampling rate than TD detector. We find that the SVM is suitable for extended binary phase shift keying (EBPSK) signal detection and can provide accurate posterior probability for LDPC decoding.

Nonlinear Detection for a High Rate Extended Binary Phase Shift Keying System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Le-Nan Wu

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The algorithm and the results of a nonlinear detector using a machine learning technique called support vector machine (SVM on an efficient modulation system with high data rate and low energy consumption is presented in this paper. Simulation results showed that the performance achieved by the SVM detector is comparable to that of a conventional threshold decision (TD detector. The two detectors detect the received signals together with the special impacting filter (SIF that can improve the energy utilization efficiency. However, unlike the TD detector, the SVM detector concentrates not only on reducing the BER of the detector, but also on providing accurate posterior probability estimates (PPEs, which can be used as soft-inputs of the LDPC decoder. The complexity of this detector is considered in this paper by using four features and simplifying the decision function. In addition, a bandwidth efficient transmission is analyzed with both SVM and TD detector. The SVM detector is more robust to sampling rate than TD detector. We find that the SVM is suitable for extended binary phase shift keying (EBPSK signal detection and can provide accurate posterior probability for LDPC decoding.

Optimization of Network Topology in Computer-Aided Detection Schemes Using Phased Searching with NEAT in a Time-Scaled Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Maxine; Pu, Jiantao; Zheng, Bin

2014-01-01

In the field of computer-aided mammographic mass detection, many different features and classifiers have been tested. Frequently, the relevant features and optimal topology for the artificial neural network (ANN)-based approaches at the classification stage are unknown, and thus determined by trial-and-error experiments. In this study, we analyzed a classifier that evolves ANNs using genetic algorithms (GAs), which combines feature selection with the learning task. The classifier named "Phased Searching with NEAT in a Time-Scaled Framework" was analyzed using a dataset with 800 malignant and 800 normal tissue regions in a 10-fold cross-validation framework. The classification performance measured by the area under a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.856 ± 0.029. The result was also compared with four other well-established classifiers that include fixed-topology ANNs, support vector machines (SVMs), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and bagged decision trees. The results show that Phased Searching outperformed the LDA and bagged decision tree classifiers, and was only significantly outperformed by SVM. Furthermore, the Phased Searching method required fewer features and discarded superfluous structure or topology, thus incurring a lower feature computational and training and validation time requirement. Analyses performed on the network complexities evolved by Phased Searching indicate that it can evolve optimal network topologies based on its complexification and simplification parameter selection process. From the results, the study also concluded that the three classifiers - SVM, fixed-topology ANN, and Phased Searching with NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies (NEAT) in a Time-Scaled Framework - are performing comparably well in our mammographic mass detection scheme.

Universal quantum dot-based sandwich-like immunoassay strategy for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of small molecules using portable and reusable optofluidic nano-biosensing platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Liping; Zhu, Anna; Lou, Xuening; Song, Dan; Yang, Rong; Shi, Hanchang; Long, Feng

2016-01-01